Campaign news

Towards 30 November - Build the Resistance

21st November 2011

Up to 3 million public sector workers from 28 unions are planning to take co-ordinated action on 30 November. Every union that has balloted has returned a majority in favour of taking strike action in what will be the largest strike for a generation.

On 30 November make sure you visit picket local lines and join marches and rallies in your area. Find your nearest strike day march or rally

Labour Party members and many MPs supported the action on 30 June, but now we have to win the fight to make the Labour Party leadership support the unions’ case and their strike action on 30 November. Please try to get the model motion on Public Sector Pensions passed at the next meeting of your CLP.

Labour MSPs are refusing to cross picket lines at Holyrood (see below), Labour AMs are refusing to cross picket lines at Cardiff Bay, so let’s make sure Labour MPs and councillors refuse to cross picket lines at Westminster and at town halls across the country. Lobby your local Labour MP and councillors not to cross picket lines.

John McDonnell MP has tabled EDM 2083 ‘Industrial action over pensions’. Please lobby your local MP to support.

Action

• Download the LRC model motion on public sector pensions and get it passed in your CLP
• Sign the Fair Pensions for All petition
• Urge your MP to sign EDM 2083 ‘Industrial action over pensions’
• Sign the e-petition against the change from RPI to CPI on pensions indexation

Resources

• NEW: PCS analysis of the government’s ‘final offer’ announced on 2 November
• Download the Fair Pensions For All pamphlet - published by PCS, Unite, NUT, UCU and the NPC
• Read the LEAP guide - Public sector pensions: the facts
• Listen to Mark Serwotka and Francis Maude debate public sector pensions on BBC Radio 4 Today programme
• Read the Unite briefing on public sector pensions
• Read Mark Serwotka writing for Guardian on 30 June and for Telegraph on 14 September
• Read the FBU briefing on public sector pensions
• Read the Channel 4 Factcheck analysis of public sector pensions debate between government and unions

The LRC’s sister organisation in Scotland, the Campaign for Socialism, has called on MSPs not to cross picket lines at Holyrood.

Scottish Labour Left asks Labour MSPs not to attend Parliament on 30th November

The Campaign for Socialism is calling on Labour MSPs to make good recent advances in reclaiming Labour’s historic relationship with the trade union movement by showing their support on 30th November. The CfS believes this can best be done by Labour MSPs not going through the picket lines that will be set up by PCS.

Neil Findlay MSP for the Lothians said:

“The left of the Scottish Labour Party have been delighted by all of the leadership and deputy leadership candidates pledging to support action on 30th November. What we would love to see now is real solidarity by all Labour MSPs. This will mark us out clearly from other MSPs like those in the SNP, who tell us that they totally oppose the actions of ConDem government but are nevertheless attacking public sector pensions in Scotland and will show no solidarity on November 30th.”

ENDS

The response has been almost instant: Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray MSP issued the following statement:

“The Labour group at Holyrood today took the decision to oppose the business motion in Parliament tomorrow to schedule a programme for 30th November. We do so in support of the day of action being taken by your
and other trade unions. We do not believe that the Parliament should continue with business as usual while tens of thousands of workers take to the streets. They are being asked to pay the price for a crisis they
did not create.

“Labour group members at the meeting today signalled their intention to join demonstrations and protests in their constituencies to support local people in their fight. I will be doing so also.”