Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition Bulletin No.9

Monday 14 March 2011

 

 

TUSC Flyer for TUC 26 March demonstration – get your order in

 

We have a flyer ready for the demonstration on the 26 March. It is postcard in size. Please let us have your order – there are at least 600 coaches already registered – you will need 50 for your coach. Let us have your name and address and we will send you what you need – please make a donation to cover costs at http://www.tusc.org.uk/donate.php

 

We need volunteers to help us give the flyer out on the demo itself. CAN YOU HELP? Please get in touch via: tuscbulletin@yahoo.co.uk; 07812 063 408 or 020 8525 6616

 

The National Pensioners Convention have provided the detail below for those who may feel that they cannot manage the full march but still want to take part and join the thousands who will enter Hyde Park. Details can be found here: http://bit.ly/i2ENsZ

 

We are winning the arguments

Since last year’s general election, polling company YouGov has been regularly asking the same questions about the cuts. While they are not quite the questions that we would ask, they are still useful. Immediately after the election only one in three said the cuts were unfair - now that has gone to almost two in three. That is a big shift. See here for more: http://bit.ly/dLyXlu

 

 TUSC election news - deadline for nominations is Monday 4 April.

Important notice: Election candidates who wish to appear on the ballot paper on behalf of TUSC have to submit to the returning officer, along with their nomination forms, a Certificate of Authorisation to use a Party Description, signed by the registered Nominating Officer of the party (or a person authorised to sign on their behalf). Follow this link to get the Certificate: http://www.tusc.org.uk/docs/authorisation.doc

 

Bristol TUSC selecting 15 candidates for city-wide challenge – meeting on 18 March

Bristol TUSC supporter Tom Baldwin reports that TUSC supporters met in Bristol to discuss what they might do and agreed it was possible to stand in 15 seats. A student is to stand against the Liberal Democrat council leader. A wide selection of labour movement candidates are asked to put their hat in the ring - a follow up meeting will take place on Friday 18 March 6pm at the Shakespeare pub in Victoria St.

 

TUSC branch formed in Rugby, Warwickshire – four candidates selected

Pete McLaren  Secretary and Press Officer, Rugby TUSC writes ‘A meeting on 2 March unanimously agreed to set up a TUSC Branch in Rugby, with officers elected.  This came after Rugby Against the Cuts had decided to promote anti-cuts candidates in all 16 wards in Rugby for the 2011 Council elections wherever candidates from the mainstream parties had refused to sign their pledge to oppose all cuts.  No such candidate signed the pledge. Four TUSC candidates were selected at the meeting, and five other supporters are being consulted.’

 

Salford TUSC begins by selecting three candidates

Paul Gerrard writes that ‘In Salford TUSC supporters are active in the local anti-cuts campaign and we have already selected three candidates. George Tapp, electrician and UNITE member, former Labour councillor in Ordsall, will fight the Ordsall seat. Andy Behan, railwayman and RMT member, ex-member of the Labour Party, will fight Langworthy ward and Tony Moore, 22, unemployed / temporary worker, and Chair of Salford against Cuts, will be our candidate in Winton. We want to fight wherever we can but our main effort will go into Ordsall.  We fought this ward last year and won 255 votes at our first outing. 

 

Northampton TUSC candidate selected

Del Pickup reports ‘I will be standing in the local elections in May. I will also be travelling to the TUC demo in March. Please can I have 200 TUSC flyers to distribute.’ They are in the post Del.

 

Southwark TUSC to be launched after election campaign

TUSC polled 70 votes in the Brunswick Park by-election in Southwark. A small vote but not a bad one. At the start of the election four weeks ago we did not have any name recognition and we had no organised group of supporters. We took the opportunity of the unexpected by-election to get our anti-cuts message out in the ward. We now have a small number of supporters who are determined to build a TUSC branch in Southwark. TUSC  70 votes 2.29%,  Tory 129 - 4.23%, Green 231 - 7.57%, Lib Dem  630 - 20.64%, Lab 1981 - 64.9%, Turnout 34.2%.

 

What a difference a socialist in parliament or local council or on a TV interview can make…

See Joe Higgins TD speech in the Dail: http://bit.ly/idw7ur and here is Richard Boyd Barrett TD interviewed on RTE http://bit.ly/geomVl

 

 

From the unions

 

Major court victory on right to strike paves way for millions to take action over cuts to jobs and services.

The RMT has secured a major victory in the Court of Appeal over UK strike laws that will pave the way for millions to take action over cuts to jobs and services in the months ahead. RMT had appealed an injunction granted in the High Court in January preventing a 48 hour strike on Docklands Light Railway. That injunction - which would have taken the anti-trade union laws in this country to within a whisker of effectively banning the right to strike - was overturned in the Court of Appeal: http://bit.ly/f0jNCn

 

83% backing for strike action at Liverpool Hope University in jobs row

Lecturers who are members of UCU at Liverpool Hope University have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in their ongoing row with the institution over job losses and how the institution is responding to potential cuts in funding. Over four-fifths (83%) of UCU members at Liverpool Hope who voted, voted for strike action. The union is now considering its next options, including strike dates which could be announced shortly unless the university rethinks its approach to its hasty restructuring plans. See: http://bit.ly/flU3FQ

 

Trade union leaders say pension review may have lit blue touch paper

PCS leader Mark Serwotka explains he is discussing "co-ordinated strike action" with other union leaders to stop the planned pension reform "blatant robbery". He said it would be "as hard-hitting as people could sustain" when Andrew Neil asked him if he planned to bring the country to a halt. Watch here: http://bbc.in/gOiaO7  RMT General Secretary Bob Crow says the Hutton Review will be ‘the spark that lights the blue touch paper of co-ordinated strike action’: http://bit.ly/eZAZL0

 

Now government plans to attack local radio

The NUJ has condemned proposals which could see BBC local radio services being axed as part of a programme of savage spending cuts. See here: http://bit.ly/fTDnxr

 

 

Campaign News and Action

 

Has anyone emailed the Queen? Windsor Anti-Cuts Alliance launch meeting

Launch meeting of the newly-formed Windsor Anti-Cuts Alliance.will bring together local people, activists and trade unionists to discuss campaigning against the cuts. Tuesday 22 March 2011, 7:00pm at The Firestation Arts Centre, St Leonards Road, Windsor

 

Shepway Campaign Against All Cuts public meeting

All Souls Church Hall, Somerset Road, Folkestone on Monday 14 March 2011, 7:00pm

 

Notts fortnight of action from 14 March

See here for details of action across the county: http://bit.ly/e2FPtl

 

Bromley Cuts Concern second town centre protest 

On Saturday 19 March 2011at 2:00pm at the Market Square, Bromley Bromley Cuts Concern plan to tie in petition for Bromley to use some of its reserves.

 

Harrogate Against the Cuts public meeting

Tuesday 15 March 8pm at the Catholic Club, Robert Street, Harrogate, opposite Waitrose. Visit www.harrogateaction.org for more details.

 

Coventry Against The Cuts Meeting -16 March

Come and join us for our meeting as we continue our campaign against all the cuts. Wednesday 16 March 2011, 7:15pm at Koco Building, Spon End Ind Estate, Coventry. Visit www.coventryagainstthecuts.blogspot.com

 

Hillingdon Against the Cuts builds on success

Following sucessful lobbies of Hillingdon Council on 17 and 24 Feb, we are inviting all campaigners and trade unionists to a public meeting to discuss the next steps in the campaign and to build for the 26March demonstration: Wednesday 16 March at the Uxbridge Civic Centre from 8pm-9pm (sharp!) All Welcome.

 

Protest Preston City Council budget meeting

Preston Town Hall Lancaster Road, Preston on Thursday 24 March 2011, 2:00pm

 

1500 march in Cardiff against cuts – ‘they don't give a shit about the worries we have’

1,500 people turned out for a trades union march against public spending cuts in Cardiff: http://bbc.in/fzN8sx ‘They live in a bubble of privilege. They don't use our services. They don't live in our communities and they don't give a shit about the worries we have’ declared PCS leader Mark Serwotka

 

Sunderland anti-cuts activity grows in strength

On Thursday 10 March 2011 an intense period of 'Sunderland Against the Cuts' (SAtC) activity culminated in a packed and very successful public meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre. Over fifty people listened to an array of speakers and discussed the way forward for the anti-cuts movement. This was, by a significant margin, the group's biggest meeting so far and amounted to a great leap of progress for the local anti-cuts movement. For more see: http://bit.ly/fF5Gj7

 

Campaign against the break-up of the health service

Ask doctors to SAY NO to the Coalition's Health and Social Care Bill on 15 March in central London. Flyer here: http://bit.ly/etjRKg and Dr John Lister blows away the slick marketing of the government’s plans for the NHS. His witty speech reveals their true intent – to fragment and privatise the health service. See: http://vimeo.com/20667467

 

Have you got news for us?

Then let us have it by e-mailing:TUSCbulletin@yahoo.co.uk Send us any local or national campaign and trade union news that you want others to see.

 

Information burst

 

All of America thanks you Wisconsin ‘America is not broke’

Film maker Michael Moore speaks to rally http://bit.ly/e3k0yI  and ‘We Are One’ – the Wisconsin struggle gets nationwide support in the US http://bit.ly/h0uubF

 

Blood suckers  

The Government is planning to let big business profit from blood donations.This Government doesn't care about that selflessness - that's why they're planning to literally privatise your blood. By letting big business marketise blood donations, the Tories will shatter the virtuous link between donors and recipients. Sign a petition against here: http://bit.ly/eeK8qg

 

International women’s day

Women are facing higher unemployment, underemployment and reduced working hours as a second wave of the global economic crisis impacts female employment, reveals a new report issued by the InternationalTUC as part of International Women’s Day.   The report, “Living With Economic Insecurity: Women in Precarious Work” shows that while the initial impact of the crisis was equally detrimental to men and women, increasing numbers of women are now either losing their jobs or being forced into more precarious, temporary, and informal forms of work. See: http://bit.ly/euvrCE

 

Workers Memorial Day  28 April 2011 in the North West

'Unions, regulation and enforcement make work safer' Safety Reps Rights meeting atThompson's Solicitors 9.30am to 11.00 am at Mechanics Institute. Contact: lynnsykes@thompsons.law.co.uk March to Peace Gardens Assemble at Mechanics 11.00am Bring union banners, placards, flowers, Wear the purple forget-me-knot. Marching band and Rally at Peace Gardens: 12 noon One Minutes silence.

 

A crisis of enforcement - health and safety visits may be cut by a third

A leaked letter from the Health and Safety Executive outlines plans to withdraw inspections from entire sectors of industry, including some where "significant risk" remains. Unannounced workplace safety inspector visits may be cut by up to a third. The possibility of an unexpected visit from either an HSE or a local authority safety inspector helps keep employers on their toes; even now, workplaces can go decades without ever seeing an inspector. See: http://bit.ly/dMy22r  For a detailed report on the crisis of enforcement see here: http://bit.ly/dLWPP1

 

TUSC information
You can find out more about TUSC at: http://www.tusc.org.uk/index.php 

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TUSC aims to bring trade unionists, socialists and anti-cuts campaigners together to stand candidates at elections who are committed to representing working-class interests. Resistance to the cuts is vital, but we also need a political alternative to the policies of cuts and privatisation. TUSC believes that a new working-class party is needed that campaigns for a democratic socialist society run in the interests of the millions not the millionaires.

 

 

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