strikes

Teachers have voted overwhelmingly to strike on June 30th. They are expected to be joined by thousands of public sector workers and possibly also university staff. Could we also see wildcat strikes on the day?

On Monday, Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition are organising a public meeting on 'Striking to Defend Pensions, Jobs and Pay' at 19:30 in the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street. Come along to share plans for the day, and join us in the pub afterwards to plot solidarity and support.

We are also calling for school walkouts in support of the strikes. Leaflets will be available shortly. On the day, there will be several picket lines locally - we're trying to put together a map - as well as a 'demonstration and rally' assembling at 10:30 at the Level.

Despite the geographical distance between us, the North London Solidarity Federation supports the struggle being waged by our fellow brother and sister workers in the Canadian Postal Service.  We applaud the inspiring wildcats and direct actions that took place in Edmonton.  While we know the next round of strikes will be "official", we hope the militancy and self-organisation witnessed in Edmonton will continue to be an integral part of workers' struggle in the Canada Post.

In London, too, posties are facing job cuts because of incompetent and greedy bosses. Your battles and are ours are interlinked in the global fight against the boss class and their state lackeys.

A united working class can never be defeated

Solidarity Forever!

On Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th June, PCS members in HM Revenue & Customs staged a series of walkouts. This was in opposition to a harsh new sickness policy being imposed upon staff. Members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation were amongst those who turned up on the picket lines to show support.

The action took the form of an hour's walkout at 4pm on Tuesday, a 10am "walk-in" on Wednesday, and a two-hour lunchtime walkout on the same day. The strikes took place across the country, with a high degree of support and disruption reported in most places. On Merseyside, the action was concentrated in the City Centre and in Bootle - both of which are home to a high number of government offices.

This past Monday saw well over a-hundred radical workers and student activists gather in the Marchmont Community Centre to hold a 'public assembly' on the upcoming June 30th strikes.

Last night, Saturday the 21st of May, saw upwards of thirty people attend a public meeting on the upcoming June 30th education and civil service strikes. Hosted by the North London Solidarity Federation, the meeting was very practically focused. Attendees talked about their particular workplace or uni situation and highlighted strategies and tactics which have helped them to organize at work and/or begin talking to their co-workers or fellow students about June 30th and why they shouldn't cross picket lines. We discussed what sorts of momentum-building actions could be undertaken in the run-up to June 30th that will ensure education workers and students are not only aware of the issues but feel empowered and confident enough take strike action.

A leaflet designed to begin a conversation with education workers, but also students and parents, about the June 30th pension strikes.

ALL OUT FOR JUNE 30th:

A Public Meeting for Education Workers in London

When: Saturday May 21st from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Where: The Lucas Arms pub near King's Cross

Hosted by the North London Solidarity Federation

On Wednesday 11th May, teachers at Shorefields College in the Dingle took strike action in response to plans to turn the college into an academy. Parents and teachers are opposed to the plans, but are not being listened to by the headteacher or board of governors.

The picket line outside the school saw a significant turnout of teachers as well as those such as the Merseyside Network Against Fees and Cuts and members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation who came to demonstrate support. There was a short march locally and a rally after the initial picket line, and reports are that spirits were high and support from people locally was strong.

It is now a near certainty that we will see coordinated public sector strike action within the next couple of months. Solidarity Federation - which has members in the public sector unions which will be striking - stands in support of all workers acting to defend their jobs and the services those jobs provide to working class people.

UCU have already balloted. PCS is putting an emergency motion to its conference in May. The NUT sought permission to ballot at its recent conference. Even the moderate ATL already has a mandate to ask members for strike action. The only question now is how events unfold once the ball gets rolling.

El pasado 26 de marzo la gente se lanzó a las calles en el Reino Unido para protestar y resistir los recortes sociales y los ataques a la clase trabajadora. Las cifras oficiales ya han admitido que sólo en Londres hubo unas 500.000 personas. Miles de organizaciones de todo tipo y color se organizaron en torno a una variedad de actividades que contó desde la marcha kilométrica de Blackfriars Bridge a Hyde Park, hasta la ocupación y ataques a empresas símbolo de la crisis económica y las injusticias en el sistema tributario, sin faltar la respuesta a las cargas policiales y los discursos soporíferos de los líderes laboristas.