At a mass members' meeting on 5 October, Birmingham Council home carers unanimously voted by show of hands to reject the council's 'final' offer and continue striking.

To accept the offer would have meant part-time-only hours, resulting in staff losing between £5,000 and £11,000 a year. The members of public service union Unison took another full day of strike action on 9 October, making over 30 days of strike in total.

Workers on the picket lines outside council offices said they see this as a management tactic to cut costs by forcing workers out. The Blairite council has cut the service by 48% in the last year through voluntary redundancies, despite claiming it only 'needed' a 40% cut.

This is a vital service. It plays a crucial role in promoting clients' independence at home. It also supports their transition from hospital, freeing up badly needed hospital beds.

Home carers began their strike day by leafleting the bin workers' depots at five in the morning! Only last year the bin workers won their strike against the council against similar attacks. Messages of support were shared between both sets of workers.

The strikers received nothing but support from their colleagues in other council jobs. No job under Birmingham's Labour council is safe.

Birmingham Socialist Party demands the council stop all attacks on the workforce immediately. Instead it should build on the popularity of Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity manifesto.

Labour councillors should draw up a balanced no-cuts budget using reserves and prudential borrowing powers - and, at the same time, launch a citywide campaign to return the money stolen from Birmingham by central government.

Reselection proceedings should immediately be commenced against any Labour councillor who continues to vote for cuts and privatisation.

The Tories are weak and divided. If Birmingham Council truly wished to represent workers and residents rather than the interests of big business, it would be fighting central government rather than its own workers!

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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.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.