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Time to call more

London-wide strikes

ith the general election

campaign hotting up the
politicians are chasing after
our votes, and telling lies.
Chancellor George Osborne
claimed in his budget speech that
the sunshine is coming out. Not for
the vast majority of people who are
1,600 a year worse off than when the
Tories came to office.
And Osbornes giveaways are
combined with a 30 billion cuts
programme that threatens even more
damage to he NHS.
This is the right time to step up
the fight and call more strikes to win
one rate for the job for Londons bus
drivers.
More strikes would put pressure
on Boris Johnson at City Hall, TfL
and the bus operators to explain why
they think its fair that drivers should
be doing the same job for what
Unite now says are hundreds of
different rates of pay, for some over
3 an hour different.
We already know the public
(voters) back the strikes,.
But there is a danger that the
long break in the action since strikes
planned for 13-16 February were
suspended could allow the campaign
to run out of steam.
The strikes were suspended to
allow the employers time to agree to
talks. But they arent talking so its
time to call more action, now.
The operators are using the
suspension of action to ramp up
attacks. At Tower Transit, Abellio
(where the company is refusing to
pay up on the second part of a two
year deal) and Metroline (who are

attempting to force through new

contracts) bosses are upping the ante.
The companies have also lied
about the unions campaign, claiming
experienced drivers pay would be
hit by Unites plans. But its the
employers not the union that is out
to drive down wages!
The best response to all this is to
show the union has teeth and put
London wide action back on.
The Drive up pay meetings
around London called by Unite have
to be built as big as possible in every
area and used as organising centres
to build for more strike action.
Drivers have delivered two solid
London-wide strikes. Its crucial that
Unite doesnt back off. Drivers have to
push the union to call action to win.

Dont let the racists divide us

UKIP has pushed the debate on

immigration to the right, the Tories
and Labour have joined in. Migrants
are blamed for everything from the
collapse of public services to the level
of wages.
But its the Tories who are
slashing public services not migrants
and its the government and

employers who are to blame for

driving down wages.
We cant let the racists divide us.
If we do itll be the Tories and the
employers who benefit.
Join the Stand up to Racism demo
this Saturday (see box).
National demonstration

Rage against
racism
Stop the scapegoating of immigrants
No to Islamophobia
No to anti-Semitism Yes to diversity
Saturday 21 March
London: 12 noon, Portland Place
(Oxford Circus tube)
Called by Stand up to Racism

Backed by Unite, Unison, PCS, CWU and UCU unions.

Also by Unite Against Fascism, Stand Up to UKIP and LMHR

Vote for a
fightback
In the general election all the mainstream
parties have the same message more
austerity, more cuts, more scapegoating.
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
is standing candidates across Britain that
will stand up for working people.
They deserve our support.
Find out more at www.tusc.org.uk

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