spot Campaigns

spot Organisations

spot Arguments for socialism

All Campaigns subcategories:

Anti-capitalism

Anti-fascist

Anti-racism

Anti-war

Asylum

Black and Asian

Children

CNWP

Corporate crime

Disability

Education

* Election campaigns

Environment

Finance

Food

Gender Recognition Act

Health and safety

Health and welfare

Housing

Human Rights

LGBT Pride

Local government

Local services

Low pay

Migration

Nationalisation

New workers party

NHS

Pensions

Post Office

Poverty

Privatisation

Public Services

Socialism

Socialist

Sport

Stop the slaughter of Tamils

Students

The state

Transport

TUSC

Welfare rights

Women

Workplace and TU campaigns

Youth

Election campaigns keywords:

Candidates (96)

Council elections (58)

Councillors (427)

Election (1380)

Elections (589)

Elections 2015 (3)

General election (257)

No2EU (83)

TUSC (1140)

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (564)

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Highlight keywords |Print this article

From: The Socialist issue 928, 7 December 2016: NHS: Stop the Tory vandals

Search site for keywords: Newham - Council - Pay - Unite - Socialist - Labour - Austerity - Budget - TUSC - Cuts - Socialist Party - The Socialist - Union - London - East London - Councillors - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition - Transport - RMT - Press - Unions - Teaching assistants - Planning - Durham - Government - Jeremy Corbyn - Maternity - Workers

Newham council to sack up to 1,300

Newham Labour plans to sack and reinstate workers on inferior pay and conditions, photo by Senan (Click to enlarge)

Helen Pattison, East London Socialist Party

The all-Labour council in Newham, east London, is threatening to sack up to 1,300 of its workers.

Following years of pay freeze, the council plans to have the entire workforce sign a new contract with reductions to maternity pay, overtime rates and night pay.

This year the council passed a £50 millon cuts budget. Afterwards, the mayor, Sir Robin Wales, said: "Londoners would all say that's an absolutely excellent budget!" It seems not all Londoners would.

General union Unite has launched a campaign against the attack, planning protests and demonstrations. The Socialist Party supports this and will campaign to build the widest possible movement against these and all cuts in the borough.

Earlier in the year, Unite members joined a lobby of Newham council's budget-setting meeting called by the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC). TUSC includes the Socialist Party, transport union RMT and leading trade unionists.

The lobby called on Newham council to set a no-cuts budget, using its reserves and borrowing powers to stop austerity while building a campaign for the much-needed funding from central government. In 2015-16, Newham had £161 million in general reserves.

But instead, as Unite's press release points out, the Labour council would rather attack employees' pay while maintaining Sir Robin's £81,000 salary.

Newham's 60 Labour councillors could vote against austerity, like Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to - and propose a strategy to fight back, like TUSC. Newham residents and workers deserve councillors willing to oppose austerity. If those currently in are not willing, they should step aside for others who are.

If the council refuses to listen, a serious campaign including strikes from Unite and the other council unions could defeat the onslaught. Teaching assistants in Durham have shown a fighting strategy can defeat austerity.

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.