Cuts and sell-offs in Birmingham

AT BIRMINGHAM Socialist Party’s city centre stall on 19 August some
health workers including trainee doctors and nurses, told us they don’t
have jobs at the end of their training.

Clare Wilkins, Birmingham

A shop steward from Selly Oak hospital’s Estates section told me his
job has been TUPE transferred to the new PFI hospital being built. Other
areas of services are being turned into private sector ‘partnerships’.
Privatisation is creeping through the hospital a bit at a time.

A woman told me her husband had gone in for a hip operation. The
first time he was sent home because there were no gowns. The second time
there were no instruments. The third time he fell out of bed – the
hospital said there were no side bars available.

People said that there is no hope for working-class people with New
Labour. One said this was the best Tory government the country has had.
They agreed that we need a new workers’ party. We raised £66 and sold 15
copies of the socialist.