
The Socialist 14 August 2019
Boot out Boris And all the Tory toffs - fight for socialist policies for the 99% not the 0.1%

General election looms... Capitalists in chaos: fight for socialism
Far right seen off at Oxford Circus
After the fire: fight for facilities for all
Hereford and Worcester: stop the fire cuts!
Leeds estate residents push back private development
Boot out Boris and all the Tory toffs - fight for socialist policies for the 99% not the 0.1%
Tory bribes don't hide destruction of NHS
Northern Ireland, August '69: 'Battle of the Bogside' and British troops on the streets
Fight back against the retail bosses!
Lincolnshire health workers strike against £2,000 loss of pay
Bradford: All-out action to defeat backdoor NHS privatisation
Hull: Karro Food meat processors strike against poverty pay
Equity: reject UK Theatre's pay cut deal
Summer of airline industry strikes against low pay and worsening conditions
Harland and Wolff occupation continues - renationalise to save the shipyard
Kashmir crisis: Stop the attack on democratic rights
Pro-democracy protests continue to rage in Hong Kong
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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1052/29435
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Bradford: All-out action to defeat backdoor NHS privatisation
Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Socialist Party
The escalation of the strike at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust to all-out strike action at the end of August marks a significant intensification by Unison union members in estates and facilities at the trust.
They are fighting to defeat the proposed transfer of their jobs out of the NHS and into a 'wholly owned subsidiary' - a private company owned by the trust.
Determination
The Socialist Party continues to fully support their action after a fortnight of strikes which has demonstrated their determination.
Last year, when such bodies were first mooted in West Yorkshire, it was the successful ballot at Mid Yorkshire, with determination to take strike action, that forced those proposals back.
The determination of the strikers must now be matched by drawing the might of the wider labour movement into this battle, including, like last year, linking up with others facing this and other attacks in this era of austerity.
A rally on 2 August was a start in this work, and the donations of food and drink from the public, show there is a wider well of support that must be tapped into to force the trust back. This escalation comes just over a month ahead of the trust's proposed implementation of this transfer on 1 October.
Way forward
Given this impending deadline, the Socialist Party puts forward the following suggestions to help achieve a victory for the strikes.
The strike has brought new members into Unison alongside creating new activists. As well as developing new union reps, they should be drawn into running the strike through electing a strike committee to organise the strike.
Unison should organise strikers to speak at union branches across Yorkshire and nationally to appeal for support and donations to the strike fund.
The hospital trust is due to hold its next public meeting on 12 September - a mass public lobby of this meeting would show the depth of opposition to the board plans.
Unison should mobilise its membership and the wider trade union movement, particularly in the NHS, to a national demonstration in Bradford in support of the strike on the first or second Saturday of all out strike action.
Councillors
Local councillors spoke at the rally on 2 August - they should ensure that no obstacles are put in the way of any further public rallies and collections for the strike fund.
Jeremy Corbyn sent a message of support to the rally - he should pledge to scrap any wholly owned subsidiaries that have been established and return all staff to NHS employee status.
A general election could happen any time and a policy of reversing NHS privatisation and funding cuts would make a huge difference if a Corbyn-led government was elected - and to put pressure on the trust today.
In this issue
What we think
General election looms... Capitalists in chaos: fight for socialism
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Far right seen off at Oxford Circus
After the fire: fight for facilities for all
Hereford and Worcester: stop the fire cuts!
Leeds estate residents push back private development
News
Boot out Boris and all the Tory toffs - fight for socialist policies for the 99% not the 0.1%
Tory bribes don't hide destruction of NHS
Opinion
Historic events
Northern Ireland, August '69: 'Battle of the Bogside' and British troops on the streets
Workplace news
Fight back against the retail bosses!
Lincolnshire health workers strike against £2,000 loss of pay
Bradford: All-out action to defeat backdoor NHS privatisation
Hull: Karro Food meat processors strike against poverty pay
Equity: reject UK Theatre's pay cut deal
Summer of airline industry strikes against low pay and worsening conditions
Harland and Wolff occupation continues - renationalise to save the shipyard
International socialist news and analysis
Kashmir crisis: Stop the attack on democratic rights
Pro-democracy protests continue to rage in Hong Kong
Home | The Socialist 14 August 2019 | Join the Socialist Party
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