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Local government workers to strike - 28 March

IMHO said:
Oh yes, public sector workers are entitled to better pension arrangements than the rest of us.

LIKE FUCK :mad:
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Don't bother with this one folks, he's got form. That is of being

As thick as pigshit

As right wing as they come.
 
Oh no, its the classic SWP insult, I'm too much of a pessimist!



I've seen them in the grauniad and the metro. Whether the local rallies are getting built is another matter, and relies on local activity by the branches but I DO wish you'd cheer up!!
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Good luck to everyone for tomorrow, I'm on the picket line at 7am urgh.....

This could be the start of a massive dispute. There is more anger in my workplace than I've seen for a while and although there are still quite a few people who are apathetic this could be the springboard for a militant dispute.....

My workplace has 1200 people in it and the building has been plastered in strike info posters, loads of new members, leaflets on every desk, a well attended strike meeting and now all the stewards and many union members in the building are networked together through email groups and strike bulletins.......
 
One million workers strike over pensions

One million workers strike over pensions

Over one million local government workers across Britain and Northern Ireland are expected to strike over their pension rights, on Tuesday 28 March.
socialistworld.net

This is one of the biggest strikes for years. It will hit many parts of the public sector, including schools, further and higher education, toll bridges and environment agencies, and also privatised companies whose workers were once employed directly by local councils.

Refuge workers, street cleaners, library staff, social services workers, town hall staff, and many others, will be on picket lines. Rallies will take place in many towns and cities.

Socialistworld.net will carry reports of the strike, later this week. Below is a Socialist Party (CWI in England and Wales) leaflet that looks at the issues surrounding the strike and which is being distributed widely amongst public sector workers.

Socialist Party leaflet http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2006/03/28britain.pdf
 
Not to put a damper on things but I went past Westminster City Hall this morning and there doesn't apper to be any difference in thenumber of people turning up for work despite the pickets outside. :( Very much like a strike at our place infact. Very demoralising.
 
200+ schools shut in birmingham.

vast majority of council offices shut, some big pickets but smaller places generally just shut. Loads of motorists honking in support.
 
Gahhh!

This is the second time I've copied this today but I'm so cross!

I'm in Unison and about to go into town for the rally.

My school hasn't closed today...well they've shut the foundation stage and I have just been sent a text by one of the teachers to say that the staff from foundation are covering our roles 'support staff' under the guise of 'working alongside' WTF???? :mad:

I'm trying to get hold of someone from our local branch...my boss has taken it upon himself to view this as a personal attack from his support team, he wouldn't speak to any of us yesterday and sent a note around to ask who was intending to 'be away' from work today!

Apparently he has a smug grin on his face right this minute as he has managed to keep the rest of the school open without much disruption from this industrial action... :rolleyes:

Still trying to get hold of someone...I'm of to rally...
 
There's a picket at the school right across the road from me at work today. Good weather for it :) - There's plenty of honks of support from passing cars. Might wander over for a chat at lunch.
 
X-77 said:
our bins were collected as normal this morning :mad:
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The'll be contractors not on the scheme surely. Very few bin workers are direct council employees these days.

There was a steel band at the Westminster Council Hall picket line. A manager came out and tried to get the music stopped. :mad: The band played on. :D
 
KeyboardJockey said:
Not to put a damper on things but I went past Westminster City Hall this morning and there doesn't apper to be any difference in thenumber of people turning up for work despite the pickets outside. :( Very much like a strike at our place infact. Very demoralising.
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Westminster Council is largely shut down. The City Hall is where all the managers work. The picket is for visibility. I spoke to the picketers this am and know the rep.

Tony Blair's son's school is shut. :D
 
We had a fairly respectable picket outside our offices in Camden. I reckon about 50% were striking. A lot of people who worked did look particularly shifty when they crossed the picket line even though we were just politely explaining the reason for the strike and asking that they reconsider going in to work. We were pretty good-natured, so their behaviour did seem rather odd. Some of the managers were being rather unpleasant, telling people that they cannot strike and saying that taking strike action constitutes a break in service.
 
golightly said:
We had a fairly respectable picket outside our offices in Camden. I reckon about 50% were striking. A lot of people who worked did look particularly shifty when they crossed the picket line even though we were just politely explaining the reason for the strike and asking that they reconsider going in to work. We were pretty good-natured, so their behaviour did seem rather odd. Some of the managers were being rather unpleasant, telling people that they cannot strike and saying that taking strike action constitutes a break in service.
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50% thats pretty good. I reckon that when we struck in 04 it was only about 20-25% which is why I'm not bothering to support the next strike if it comes.

Not worth losing a days pay for when you think that the Govt still got the Civil Service cuts through that they wanted.

A lot of people in my office made the career/solidarity calculation and found the solidarity column very much wanting :(
 
The pickets in Oxford were pretty strong. Some leisure centres and schools closed. Big rally in Bonn Square which was good.

However, the Labour Leader of the Council broke the picket line to go to a meeting! I was furious. :mad:

Matt
 
I saw a smattering of people and a good few placards on Tower Bridge this morning, not much happening in Beth Green according to someone who went for a walk this morning...
 
Kid_Eternity said:
I saw a smattering of people and a good few placards on Tower Bridge this morning, not much happening in Beth Green according to someone who went for a walk this morning...
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I think that not much happening sums it all up really. The Govt are going to win this one because of the 'I'm alright Jack' mentality amongst private sector workers who see the public sector as parasites and non go-getting failiures and those of us such as myself who see that 20-25% strike turnouts are not worth endangering our careers and losing money supporting.
 
KeyboardJockey said:
I think that not much happening sums it all up really. The Govt are going to win this one because of the 'I'm alright Jack' mentality amongst private sector workers who see the public sector as parasites and non go-getting failiures and those of us such as myself who see that 20-25% strike turnouts are not worth endangering our careers and losing money supporting.
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Plenty happening in my part of Scotland pal. Roads very quiet this morning, no bins being emptied, schools shut, local government offices shut, Glasgow underground and Calmac ferries off.
 
tollbar said:
Plenty happening in my part of Scotland pal. Roads very quiet this morning, no bins being emptied, schools shut, local government offices shut, Glasgow underground and Calmac ferries off.
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Maybe that is the big difference between Scotland and England is possibly less of the I'm Alright Jack mentality. It's too late to turn back the clock in England but I hope the Scots can hang on.
 
What did you expect Matt




[/QUOTE]However, the Labour Leader of the Council broke the picket line to go to a meeting! I was furious.
 
treelover said:
btw, KJ, i'm no triumphalist, but it is looking like the strike was quite successful in terms of involvement.
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I certainly hope so. Lets see what the results are though.

I ws only reporting my own observations re Westminster City Hall.
 
>>What did you expect Matt>>

For him not to break the strike? If only just for political reasons - it makes little to no sense.

Matt
 
I joined Unison and was on strike today.

I feel a bit queasy about it 'cos though today was about other workers' pensions my motivation is ultimately to defend my own pension :o

(24 years' service in HE, 20 more to go till 65 .. fearing that the final salary scheme will go the way of so many others)

.
 
gentlegreen said:
I joined Unison and was on strike today.

I feel a bit queasy about it 'cos though today was about other workers' pensions my motivation is ultimately to defend my own pension :o

(24 years' service in HE, 20 more to go till 65 .. fearing that the final salary scheme will go the way of so many others)

.
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I wouldn't get het up about whether its ultimately self interest or whatever. None of us can live or function on our own except bleedin' hermits with juniper berry bushes to live off.
You can only defend your pension by defending someone elses. You can only ultimately defend any working class interests by defending them all, and the interests of the oppressed as well. It's just that sometimes its more obvious than other times.
 
Very up tempo rally in Central Hall. Started a bit drab and picked up. Some chanting 'the workers united will never be defeated' at the end. Some boring speeches and a couple of quite good ones. Mark Serwotka got a standing ovation. A little bit of heckling of other union leaders from those pissed off that the heirarchy had not agreed a march and calling for all links with LP to end.
Reports of the strike suggest that it has had wide support and a big impact. Further action may coincide with the Council elections.
 
Matt S said:
>>What did you expect Matt>>

For him not to break the strike? If only just for political reasons - it makes little to no sense.

Matt
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You're a bit too young and naive Matt!

I never expect these Labour people to act in a principled way. "Labour leaders break strike" is a headline some of us have been used to seeing over the last few decades. Last time I remember even a modicum of solidarity was Shirley Williams turning up to the Grunwick picket line, 1977 I think - almost a revolutionary act by comparison with today's Labour (and LibDem) leadership. Labour scabbed on the strikes in the "Winter of Discontent" in 1978/9. Kinnock's "grotesque" speech at the Labour Party conference became somewhat ironic when the Labour council in his own backyard in Glamorgan handed out redundancy notices in the same way. And of course he did nothing to support the miners. These people don't know what "solidarity" means.

I'm glad the Greens supported the strike by the way. Well Done!!
 
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