Since the Council passed £42 million worth of cuts in March, things have been a bit quieter than perhaps many of us expected. We have seen hundreds of Council workers take voluntary redundancy, we've seen the devastating loss of Connexions services and we've seen service reductions in some areas. However, many are surprised that things haven't been worse.
SAC supporters and officers are keeping a regular eye on the newspapers, the internet and most importantly the records of Council meetings and while we accept that things haven't been as bad as we expected, we are regrettably confident that will change in the coming months. The simple explanation for this is that the Council is struggling to save the money it needs to save through the "softer" options it has tried to implement. The language of the Council leaders about the possibility of compulsory redundancies is changing all the time. While they were confident in the first instance that compulsory redundancies could be avoided, a few months on they seem a lot less sure. We also know that further service cuts will be proposed. Those who have read Thursday 30th June's Advertiser will have seen that there are plans to close Lancaster House, a hostel for homeless people that currently shelters up to 40 vulnerable men. This proposed closure comes at a time when housing benefit is being slashed and people are losing their jobs in a city that already suffers a severe lack of affordable housing. We have already written to Lancaster House to offer our support in fighting the proposed closure.
We have to remain vigilant because until this rotten Government is kicked out - in fact for many of us, until this rotten system is overturned - the cuts will carry on coming. SAC will be using the summer to build on the community work we have already done. We're proud Salfordians and we believe that proper public services are the best way to ensure that vital needs are met, and that's why we'll be ready to fight for any of those services when they are threatened. If you would like to help us, please get in touch.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Youth Service and Education open meeting
7pm, Thursday 7th July
THE RED LION, 296 Chorley Road,
SWINTON, M27 9UW
(NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE)
Last December saw unprecedented movements of young people up and down the country, against the withdrawal of Educational Maintenance Awards and the tripling of students fees.
Salford against Cuts activists are very concerned about the impact of government cuts on young people in Salford, 3500 of whom are currently dependent on the EMA which for many will disappear in September or be drastically reduced.
We intend to explore sporting and musical events to raise awareness, and perhaps also a media project for young people to document the effect of the cuts on them.
NEWSLETTER July 2011 (No. 3)
Here is the third issue of our newsletter. If you would like copies to distribute to friends, at work, church or in the pub call 07817434240, email salfordagainstcuts@gmail.com or print copies yourself (click on each page and select Print...). If you would like to contribute something for the next issue send before Monday 29th August by email or to 1 Lynwood Avenue, Eccles, M300UH.
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Salford Workers Strike Against Government Attacks
On 30th June, teachers, lecturers and civil servants across Salford took industrial action to defend their pension schemes, their jobs and the services they provide. Nationally, the PCS, UCU, NUT and ATL staged the widest industrial action to have faced the ConDem Government yet. Across the country 6,000 schools were closed for the day, with another 5,000 only partially open. Salford Against the Cuts was proud to support them.
As we explained in last month's newsletter, we see the trade unions as having a key role in challenging this Government's cuts agenda. The ultimate power of any worker is their ability to withdraw their labour. When we don't work nothing gets done and the Government - and more importantly, we ourselves - are reminded of who this country depends upon the most. For 364 days of the year, these workers are disregarded, told they don't matter and expected to live on less money with worse terms and conditions. Yet, when they strike they are accused of holding the country to ransom by preventing the delivery of "vital services". Well if these services are so "vital" why not reward those who provide them properly. Would any of us really notice if stock brokers went on strike for a day??
Of course, we do not believe that unions should simply focus on issues that directly affect their members - we believe they have a valuable role to play in standing up for services and working class communities. The trade unionists we spoke to felt the same way. One PCS worker, we met on the picket line, told us "we will not be ashamed of ourselves because we are prepared to fight for a decent retirement, free from poverty, but we see this action as about more than that. It is about saying to the Government that ordinary people should not be forced to pay for a crisis we didn't create. We should not have to see our pensions cut, but nor should we have to see our libraries, our youth centres or our care homes close. We fought to get those things in the past and now we have to fight to keep them."
Many SAC supporters visited the picket lines before work and attended the 5000 strong Strike Rally in Manchester City Centre in the early afternoon. In the evening we jointly hosted a Fundraiser with Salford Trades Council at Saffron Restaurant on Cheetham Hill Road to raise awareness of the dispute, raise some cash and provide everybody, particularly those who had been on strike with a good evening.
We began the evening with a few speeches from those who had taken action on the day. Jane Warburton, PCS member with HM Revenue & Customs and Chair of PCS North West Young Members Network rightly explained how the Government were misleading the public about the cost of public sector pensions. As PCS General Secretary, Mark Serwotka had been explaining on the news all day, public sector pensions are set to get more affordable than they are now, not more expensive. Once again, we were seeing the ConDems confusing their own selfish ideology with economic facts. Roy Wilkes, NUT Rep at Prestwich Arts College talked of the need to broaden the action so that the Government is faced with even more workers resisting their attacks in Autumn. Finally, Clayton Doyle of the Anti-Academies Alliance talked of the need to link industrial action with the fight against the privatisation of education.
We then ate some of Saffron's wonderful food and were treated to a fantastic performance from Mississippi Soulman Malcolm McBride. Everybody had a fantastic evening and we were able to raise £150 to split between SAC and Street Meet, a charity that provides food and support to homeless people in Manchester. Special thanks go to Saffron owner Adeeb for allowing us to use his lovely restaurant for the evening and for not making a penny out of the whole event!
SAC will continue to support anybody or any group that is committed to fighting the cuts. The next time the workers feel they need to take to the picket lines we'll be with them!
As we explained in last month's newsletter, we see the trade unions as having a key role in challenging this Government's cuts agenda. The ultimate power of any worker is their ability to withdraw their labour. When we don't work nothing gets done and the Government - and more importantly, we ourselves - are reminded of who this country depends upon the most. For 364 days of the year, these workers are disregarded, told they don't matter and expected to live on less money with worse terms and conditions. Yet, when they strike they are accused of holding the country to ransom by preventing the delivery of "vital services". Well if these services are so "vital" why not reward those who provide them properly. Would any of us really notice if stock brokers went on strike for a day??
Of course, we do not believe that unions should simply focus on issues that directly affect their members - we believe they have a valuable role to play in standing up for services and working class communities. The trade unionists we spoke to felt the same way. One PCS worker, we met on the picket line, told us "we will not be ashamed of ourselves because we are prepared to fight for a decent retirement, free from poverty, but we see this action as about more than that. It is about saying to the Government that ordinary people should not be forced to pay for a crisis we didn't create. We should not have to see our pensions cut, but nor should we have to see our libraries, our youth centres or our care homes close. We fought to get those things in the past and now we have to fight to keep them."
Many SAC supporters visited the picket lines before work and attended the 5000 strong Strike Rally in Manchester City Centre in the early afternoon. In the evening we jointly hosted a Fundraiser with Salford Trades Council at Saffron Restaurant on Cheetham Hill Road to raise awareness of the dispute, raise some cash and provide everybody, particularly those who had been on strike with a good evening.
SAC will continue to support anybody or any group that is committed to fighting the cuts. The next time the workers feel they need to take to the picket lines we'll be with them!
Monday, 27 June 2011
Support the Unions on the 30th June - Support Salford Against the Cuts
Most of you will already be aware that teaching unions ATL and NUT, as well as Civil Service Union PCS and University and College Union UCU will be taking strike action on Thursday 30th June. Those unions will be striking not only against attacks on public sector pensions, but attacks on all public services. Salford Against the Cuts supports their action and is encouraging everybody to do the same.
There are two key ways you can do this:
1. Picket Lines
Visit your local school, college, university, court, tax office or job centre in the morning and say hello to those on the picket lines. Trade Unions are an important part of the anti-cuts movement and they have the strength to make the Government listen. The action they take on 30th June is for all of us fighting against cuts, whether they be to jobs or services. If you're not sure where to go maybe come down to Salford Magistrates Court where we know the Salford City UNISON banner will be between 8 and 9am.
2. Strike Rally
The main strike rally for Greater Manchester will begin at 11:30am at All Saints Park, Oxford Road, Manchester. There will be a march of the workers on strike and many supporters. After the march there will be a rally with various speakers. The bigger the march and rally the bigger the coverage in the papers and on the news. If you can make it along please do so.
For more information see the www.j30strike.org website.
For more information see the www.j30strike.org website.
Friday, 17 June 2011
SAC Supports Striking Workers
On 30th June, teachers and civil servants look set to strike against attacks on their pensions, job cuts and attacks on services. Salford Against the Cuts supports their action and is encouraging everybody opposed to cuts to stand with these workers.
What does defending pensions have to do with fighting cuts?
The media can present a narrow view of public sector workers striking to defend final salary pension schemes that most private sector workers no longer enjoy. The wider public might ask, why – when cuts to public services are taking place – are these workers disrupting the services they provide to defend something that only affects them?
This action is about more than pensions. It is about all attacks on working people and in our view there is nothing wrong with workers taking action to defend pensions as part of that struggle. One of the most important things we have had to fight for in the past was the right to a decent retirement and that is now under attack. The average pension to a civil servant last year was £7000 – compare that to the pension of Fred “The Shred” Goodwin who, after insisting that the tax-payer bail-out Royal Bank of Scotland retired on a pension of £342,500 a year.
Why support strike action?
The principle weapon working people have against attacks on our standards of living is our collective strength and, ultimately the ability to withdraw our labour. Everyday we go to work and our labour generates profits for private companies, or – in the case of the public sector – we ensure that vital services are made available to those who need them. When we stop working we remind the employer and the Government that they need us and therefore need to listen to us. We don’t do it lightly (workers don’t get paid when they’re on strike), but sometimes it’s the only thing that works.
Workers must stand with service users and community campaigners when services are threatened (whether or not those workers are threatened). Equally, we should all stand by workers who have been forced into striking to defend what they hold dear – the right to a decent retirement that is not plagued by poverty.
We encourage all supporters of SAC to get down to your local school or civil service picket line on the 30th. Striking is not much fun and the pickets will be glad to see you.
On the evening of the 30th, Salford Against the Cuts, along with Salford TUC will be holding a post-strike rally at Saffron Restaurant on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester from 7pm. We will have speakers from the different unions and at 8pm we will be serving excellent Saffron food at a price of £8 for those who are unwaged, or have been striking that day and £15 for everybody else. After the meal after-dinner entertainment will be provided by Mississippi Soulman, Malcolm McBride – www.mississippisoulman.com.
All proceeds will be split between Salford Against the Cuts and Street Meet, a charity run by Saffron owner Adeeb, which provides food and support for homeless people in Manchester and Salford.
Hope to see you there.
What does defending pensions have to do with fighting cuts?
The media can present a narrow view of public sector workers striking to defend final salary pension schemes that most private sector workers no longer enjoy. The wider public might ask, why – when cuts to public services are taking place – are these workers disrupting the services they provide to defend something that only affects them?
This action is about more than pensions. It is about all attacks on working people and in our view there is nothing wrong with workers taking action to defend pensions as part of that struggle. One of the most important things we have had to fight for in the past was the right to a decent retirement and that is now under attack. The average pension to a civil servant last year was £7000 – compare that to the pension of Fred “The Shred” Goodwin who, after insisting that the tax-payer bail-out Royal Bank of Scotland retired on a pension of £342,500 a year.
Why support strike action?
The principle weapon working people have against attacks on our standards of living is our collective strength and, ultimately the ability to withdraw our labour. Everyday we go to work and our labour generates profits for private companies, or – in the case of the public sector – we ensure that vital services are made available to those who need them. When we stop working we remind the employer and the Government that they need us and therefore need to listen to us. We don’t do it lightly (workers don’t get paid when they’re on strike), but sometimes it’s the only thing that works.
Workers must stand with service users and community campaigners when services are threatened (whether or not those workers are threatened). Equally, we should all stand by workers who have been forced into striking to defend what they hold dear – the right to a decent retirement that is not plagued by poverty.
We encourage all supporters of SAC to get down to your local school or civil service picket line on the 30th. Striking is not much fun and the pickets will be glad to see you.
On the evening of the 30th, Salford Against the Cuts, along with Salford TUC will be holding a post-strike rally at Saffron Restaurant on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester from 7pm. We will have speakers from the different unions and at 8pm we will be serving excellent Saffron food at a price of £8 for those who are unwaged, or have been striking that day and £15 for everybody else. After the meal after-dinner entertainment will be provided by Mississippi Soulman, Malcolm McBride – www.mississippisoulman.com.
All proceeds will be split between Salford Against the Cuts and Street Meet, a charity run by Saffron owner Adeeb, which provides food and support for homeless people in Manchester and Salford.
Hope to see you there.
Monday, 6 June 2011
NEWSLETTER June 2011 (No. 2)
Here is the second issue of our newsletter. If you would like copies to distribute to friends, at work, church or in the pub call 07817434240, email salfordagainstcuts@gmail.com or print copies yourself (click on each page and select Print...). If you would like to contribute something for next month's issue send before Monday 27th June by email or to 1 Lynwood Avenue, Eccles, M300UH.
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