T

SaY NO TO aUsTERiTYBUiLD THE REsisTaNCE

Probation workers on strike in Derby

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he leader of Unite the union, Len McCluskey, red a shot across Labour leader Ed Milibands bows this week. He argued: if it (Labour) is a pale shade of austerity, then I believe Labour will be defeated at the next election. McCluskey is right to raise criticisms. Labour has wrongly committed itself to stick to Tory spending plans if elected. That will mean more cuts. That commitment is not exactly a rallying cry for working people to back Labour in the upcoming Euro and council elections or next years general election. Nor is the fact, that despite Milibands stated aim of scrapping the Tory bedroom tax, Labour councils are still set to evict those who cant aord to pay it.

education. On Monday and Tuesday of this week thousands of probation ocers struck against the privatisation of the service. They were joined by solicitors taking action to defend legal aid.

But to get a pay rise Britain needs a pay strike too. In November 2011 more than 2.5 million workers struck to defend pensions. But despite the huge success of the strike, some union leaders called o action and settled for a lousy deal. That cant be allowed to happen again. Over the last few years union after union has passed motions for coordinated strikes and even general strikes against austerity. Its time for those words to be turned into action.

Back these ghts

Unison members at Care UK in Doncaster will strike for two more days from Sunday against huge pay cuts. Low paid cleaners at SOAS University are set to strike again over equal treatment with in house workers. UCU members at Lambeth College are set to escalate a contract dispute to an indenite strike after Easter. Workers at Ealing Hospital employed by Compass (Medirest) start another seven days strike over pay and conditions on 4 April. These workers need your solidarity. Rush messages of support and requests for reps to speak at your union branch to: Care UK: admin@unison - dab.org.uk SOAS: an2@soas.ac.uk Lambeth College: mandybrowncow@yahoo.com Ealing Hospital: Stella George-Duesbur y 07730 091 070

Insulting

Alternative

Unite is Labours biggest donor, but McCluskey also raised the possibility of the union backing an alternative at some point in the future if the party doesnt change course. Its great to hear a debate begin about a possible working class alternative to Labour in the future. But for now, despite Milibands moves to distance Labour from the unions, Unite and the other big unions will continue to bankroll the party. We need a political alternative to Labour, and much more resistance to the Tories now. In hundreds of council seats the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition will be standing on 22 May. Find out more at www.tusc.org.uk Working class people are suering the biggest squeeze on their living standards since the 1870s! We cant wait for an election, we need resistance now. There are clear signs that when the trade unions give a lead people will respond. Last week tens of thousands of teachers struck to defend pay and

Around 800,000 local government workers have just started a consultation for action over pay. They have been oered a lousy below ination pay rise yet again, of just 1 percent. Health unions are also planning to ght an insulting pay oer. And UCU members in Higher Education are set to launch a marking boycott over pay on 28 April. This follows six rounds of strikes at universities. We need to bring these battles together. The TUC has called for a mass protest in October with the slogan Britain needs a pay rise. We should all be building for a monster turnout on that demo.

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