BADACA: Council backs down on Bristol rally

Circular from the Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance:

Brsitol City Council has backed down on its refusal to consider our application for a rally on College Green on 19 February.

A number of people have asked why we need their permission in the first place. The Council owns the assembly point, Castle Park, and manages College Green on behalf of the Dean and Chapter of Bristol Cathedral. Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance is sponsored by and has affiliations from trade union branches and a number of community organisations. We have a duty of care towards the members of these bodies to ensure a safe off-road assembly and dispersal point for any demonstration. We aslo need public liability insurance otherwise our sponsors and affiliates could become liable for any damages claim against us. Our trade union sponsors need to closely protect their funds: they need every penny of them to fight the coming battles against redundancy and privatisation.

If you put a stage and sound system on College Green it becomes an event and the Council’s Events Policy applies. This requires six weeks notice, insurance, a £500 bond, risk assessment and all sorts of other health and safety measures. It is also difficult to hire sound and other equipment for College Green without an events licence because of insurance.

On our demonstration in October, we submitted detailed plans, including a traffic management plan, and got a licence even though the application went in four weeks before the event. The Council and the police said the demo was well-organised.

We met Cllr Barbara Janke, Leader of the City Council, after the trouble with the police in October. We put to her that six weeks notice for a political demonstration was unreasonable and she agreed.

The Open Meeting of the Alliance on 13 January decided on another demonstration and rally for 19 February, the Saturday before Bristol City Council sets its cuts budget, which will have exactly the same arrangements as the October one. When we telephoned the Events Office of the Council to notify them that a licence application was on its way we were told categorically that it was too late and the application could not be considered.

The effluent then hit the atmospheric circulatory mechanism and as a result, we were told by a Council officer yesterday that there had been a “misunderstanding”. We will now get a licence.

The police, in contrast, seem relaxed about it all even though there is a university rag procession on the same day but we have a meeting with them and who knows what they will come up with.

The demonstration and rally would have gone ahead with or without a licence. We cannot accept even more limitations on the right of assembly of the citizens of Bristol before the seat of their local government, the Council House. However, we prefer to do things properly.

http://www.bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk/2011/01/20/council-backs-down-on-anti-cuts-rally-ban/

Unite the Union: Don't Break Britain - cuts kill communities

Unite officially launched it's campaign yesterday - Don't Break Britain - cuts kill communities - as the UK's biggest trade union, this is a massive step forward, but in order to be effective it must be linked to local and community Anti-Cuts groups and follow a program of co-ordinated strike action across all sectors, that could break up the weak coalition government and force cutting councils of any complexion to retreat. That is what the National Shop Stewards Network will be trying to achieve at the conference on Saturday 22nd. See more about Unite's campaign below:
http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/don_t_break_britain.aspx

It is clear that Cameron and Clegg’s Con-Dem coalition government is determined to radically alter the face of the UK’s public services.

One agenda, cuts

We are already seeing cuts to community and social care, local government, social housing, the NHS, education, youth workers, debt advice, benefits and defence - nothing will escape the axe as government slashes Britain’s public services to the bone.

Changes are being rushed through while the country reels from the deficit, a massive debt caused by the reckless speculation of some in the banking sector.

Billions slashed

In May, the emergency budget slashed £6 billion. Even more drastic cuts of between 25 to 40 per cent threaten the very fabric of UK life. Details will follow with the ‘Comprehensive Spending Review’ on 20 October.
Already the government has produced plans to: 

• Allow the private sector to take over the NHS
• Put the pensions of all public sector workers under the ‘Hutton review’
• Scrap the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme

Official estimates are that over 1.3 million jobs will be lost due to the cuts split between the public and private sector.

A better way

Britain is the sixth wealthiest economy in the world. Our economy would grow if government invested in affordable homes, schools and support for local economies.  Tax loopholes could be closed generating billions for the exchequer.
Unite's message is a simple one. 

Britain is a great country, with world class services.  So get active and start the fight back – stop the cuts in your communities – take action now.

Don’t Break Britain – Cuts Kill Communities

Join the campaign now - download a poster and put it up in your workplace

Bristol City council attempts to ban anti-cuts demo on 19th Feb

Undemocratic and arbitrary rules saying that demonstrations and marches need 6-weeks notice are being waved at the BADACA, but this cannot stop the anti-cuts movement and the march will go ahead as planned - do the Liberal Democrats realise they are trying to use legislation the like of which is not even in force now in Tunisia?


From the Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance:


Bristol City Council has banned a rally that Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance intends to hold on Saturday 19 February.
Our plan is to follow the traditional route of assembling at Castle Park and marching to a rally on College Green in front of the Council House.
When we applied for permission to use Castle Park and College Green they refused, saying we were out of the six weeks notice the require for an "event". This did not stop them last time and, in discussions we had with the LibDem Leader of the Council, Barbara Janke, she agreed that this notice period should not apply to political rallies which have to respond to events.
The date of our next march is the Saturday before the Council sets its cuts budget on Tuesday 22 February. It seems that the LibDems are getting a bit nervous and abandoning any commitment they might once have had to civil liberties and the freedom of assembly after all, the only places you can assemble in central Bristol are owned by the Council.
We will not abandon our right to protest at times which are appropriate. We have complained directly to Cllr Janke. The march and rally will go ahead; the question for the Council is whether they want it organised or not and we call on all trade union branches, community organisations and BADACA supporters to contact their councillors to get this decision overturned. We do not want chaos. We want a very large, orderly march and rally which reflects the opposition of the people of Bristol to the destruction of their public services.
In contrast, the police seem quite relaxed about it all and have not stated any objection.
There will also be a lobby of the Council's budget meeting on the afternoon of 22 February which as many people as possible should attend.

PCS members overwhelmingly support anti-cuts action

Well done to the PCS as union for being able to demonstrate a true commitment to democracy, and well done to PCS members for their fighting spirit - you cannot lie down and take a kicking just because Cameron and Osborne say 'we are all in it together'. The Socialist Party will support PCS, and all fighting unions, every step of the way.

Taken from here:
http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/index.cfm/id/4377F0F0-1A37-452B-89873E5E94FD520C

Massive support for campaign against cuts

14 January 2011

PCS members have voted by a massive majority to back the union's campaign against cuts to public services, jobs, pay and pensions.

In a national ballot 90% rejected changes to the civil service redundancy scheme – and 96% supported the union's national campaign, ‘There is an alternative’.

More than 80,000 people voted in the ballot – a turnout of 32%.

PCS starts a legal challenge next week.

The union has called on the government to reopen negotiations to agree a new scheme that protects members’ rights.

Meetings will be organised in workplaces covered by the CSCS so members can discuss the next stage of the campaign.

Across the country PCS branches are taking part in anti-cuts campaigns and putting forward the argument that there is an alternative to austerity.

And PCS members are urged to attend the trade union organised ‘March for the alternative’ on Saturday 26 March, with their friends and family.

Heinz Strike - workers win improved offer

Four solid strikes by 1000+ workers at the Heinz plant in Wigan have forced a significantly improved offer from the company.

By Hugh Caffrey, Socialist Party

Members of the Unite union are now voting over whether to accept the offer of a two year deal covering last year and this year, for 3.9% pay rises in each year plus guarantees on the bonus scheme.The offer was made following talks on 12 January.

Ian Wright, acting convenor for Unite, told me: "I think the offer's adequate, it's not brilliant, it's not inflation, but it's probably what will float our members' boats. In any case, it's the members' decision whether to accept it or whether to reject it. Now we're just waiting for the ballot result which will be out midday on Tuesday 18 January. ACAS brokered the talks and they did a brilliant job, maybe it was about getting their [Heinz bosses'] egos down a bit!"

Unite put in a pay claim last spring for 4.3%, fractionally above the rate of inflation. Previously management had shown no interest in seriously negotiating with Unite, only talks which went nowhere while inflation eroded pay.

Ian says: "It never needed to get to this. When we put in the claim, we asked for just over 4%, the company should have talked to us properly then. Yet we’ve been through all that, roughly £4 million down the drain [in lost production], it’s ridiculous!"

In between strike days, Heinz offered a derisory 0.2% above what was on the table a year ago, except with more strings attached. Workers rejected this by 2:1 in a ballot and took strike action again on 11 January. Strikers on the picket line then expressed absolute determination to continue the struggle and notified Heinz of another 24-hour strike on Wednesday 19 January.

Ian summarised the situation: "Maybe it was all just bravado, but it’s cost them a lot of money, and then there’s the reputational damage and the situation on site. Hopefully now they’ll see sense and move on, and I just hope they don’t get a mardy face on!"

This has been one of the most important private sector struggle in recent months and the Socialist Party is proud to have been able to help support and publicise the Heinz workers’ case to the public, in the unions and through the North-West Shop Stewards Network.

National Shop Stewards Network conference - 22nd January 2011

A very succesful meeting between representatives of the Socialist Party and Bob Crow and Alex Gordon of the RMT took place on Wednesday of last week in preparation for the National Shop Stewards Network conference on Saturday 22nd January 2011. A statement was agreed which is below. Please circulate as widely as possible. The conference itself is being held between 12noon and 4pm at South Camden Community School (by Euston Station), Charrington Street, London, NW1 1RG - all anti-cuts campaigns, TU branches, trade councils and workplace and community organisations are welcome to send delegates.

Statement on meeting between Bob Crow (RMT general secretary), Alex Gordon (RMT president), Bill Mullins (Socialist Party and co-organiser of the NSSN) and Linda Taaffe (Socialist Party and secretary of the NSSN) 

A successful meeting was held which illuminated our agreement on a number of issues, including the vital importance of striving to convince the whole trade union movement to mobilise in a broad, united campaign against austerity cuts around the slogan of ‘No to all cuts in jobs and services’.  Bob Crow and Alex Gordon agree with the proposal of the NSSN steering committee of 4 December 2010 to launch an anti-cuts campaign around that slogan.  We also agree with the recent proposal made by Matt Wrack (FBU, General Secretary) that fighting trade unions can and should take a leading role in this debate by initiating a broad based anti-cuts conference and inviting the various campaigns and organisations to participate in building a genuine and democratic campaign which could establish itself as an important focus of leadership in the coming period. 

A number of misunderstandings were clarified. Linda Taaffe and Bill Mullins explained that the steering committee was not proposing to change the constitution of the NSSN in any way, but was only arguing for an additional campaigning anti-cuts committee to be founded in order that the NSSN can play a full part alongside community organisations and political parties in building a united movement against austerity cuts.  They also explained that the steering committee was not proposing that the NSSN, nor the anti-cuts campaign (were it to be set up by the conference on 22^nd January), would stand candidates in elections.

The meeting agreed to urge all opponents of the cuts to attend the anti-cuts conference on 22^nd January in order to take part in the discussion on what the NSSN steering committee is actually proposing.

Wednesday 12 January 2011

http://www.shopstewards.net/conference.2011.htm

Ireland - Local launches of the United Left Alliance

"The United Left Alliance is being launched through out the country with a number of regional election rallies following its very successful launch in Dublin last month. We expect these rallies will bring hundreds if not more into the ranks of the ULA and strengthen the challenge of our candidates across the country. The ULA is a force on the ascent that will really put its stamp on the Irish political scene in 2011. Make sure to come along to your local rally, and get involved."

For dates, venues and to find out more, visit:
http://www.unitedleftalliance.org/local-launches-of-the-united-left-alliance/