A version of this article will appear in the forthcoming issue of Education Worker.
The occupations by students have provided a tremendous boost to the anti-cuts campaign. The government appeared to be coasting, hopeful that they could implement their cuts programme with the minimum of opposition. The union leaders’ response to the cuts has so far being pathetic, calling for a national demonstration in March next year. Little wonder the government were so arrogant in their dismissal of the idea they there would be “French style” resistance to the cuts.
The student protests in November have changed all that. The government were soon forced on to the defensive, employing the age old tactic of trying to blame a “political motivated” minority as a way of distracting attention away from the success of the action. This is a sure sign they are getting rattled and demonstrates yet again that it is only through direct action that we can hope to win. Passive demonstrations, however big, petitions, letters to MPs and endless speeches achieve little. It is only through strikes, occupations and other forms of direct action that we will defeat these cuts.
But all of this work cannot be left to the students alone. If higher education is not to be butchered then workers are going to have to join the action. If union leaders were serious about defeating the cuts they would use their massive resources to support the student actions, making it a starting point for a campaign for wider strike action. But we have to live in the real world. If there is going to be strike action it will have to be built from the bottom up. This means rank and file education workers joining with students to press for strike action.
The student occupations should just be the start. If students and workers can join forces and take action, it will not only turn up the heat on a weak coalition government, it also will give the anti-cuts campaign tremendous momentum and begin to make the idea of a general strike a real possibility. Behind all the bluster and cultivated confidence the government’s position is fragile – there is real anger at the banks which will be directed at the government once the cuts begin to bite. The cuts can be defeated, but as education workers we must begin to get ourselves organised.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Pensions: An Issue To Unite Public and Private Sector Workers
A version of this article will be in the forthcoming Catalyst.
In recent years the number of people on final salary pensions in the private sector has declined dramatically. There are now only 3.6 million private sector employees in company pension schemes and many of these are in middle and upper management. The savaging of private company pensions has left millions more dependent on the meagre basic state pension in their old age. According to an OECD report published in June 2009, this is a state pension that is one of the worst in the developed world, with average income working out at just 31% of pre-retirement earnings.
To add insult to injury, the government now intends to force people to work even longer to earn this poverty level state pension. The LibCons have brought forward Labour’s plans to gradually increase the pension age, starting in 2020 when the retirement age will rise to 66. The justification for this is that we are all living longer. What the government fails to mention is that some are living longer than others. For example, a manual worker in Glasgow retiring at 66 would have 13 years (on average) of retirement left. A man in Kensington and Chelsea would have 22 years to enjoy.
Furthermore the government’s claims about people living longer fail to take into account the health inequalities that exist prior to death. Study after study has shown that manual and low paid workers begin to suffer with serious health problems far earlier than the middle classes. This means that not only do low paid workers die younger, but their quality of life in retirement due to poor health is much worse than the better off. Increasing the retirement age can only increase these health inequalities. Forcing people who are already in poor health to work longer can but lead to a further deterioration in their health and increase the likelihood that they will die even sooner.
With increasing numbers of private sector workers dependent on the state pension the government has now set about destroying pension provision in the public sector. In order to justify their attacks they have filled the newspapers with story after story of public sector workers receiving massive pensions. These stories are largely nonsense – for example, the average pension in local government is just £4,000 a year, dropping to £2,800 for women.
The value of these already paltry pensions is set to fall further under government plans to link public sector pension increases to the consumer price index (CPI). Currently pensions are linked to the retail prices index (RPI) which measures inflation much higher. The switch to the CPI will mean that the true value of pensions will be eroded by inflation. So, as the real value of public sector pensions declines, state workers, like private sector workers, will be increasingly dependent on the state pension in old age.
The defence of public sector pensions should be central to the campaign against cuts but the fight must not end there. The government hopes to divide public and private sector workers in order to weaken opposition to the cuts. This can be countered by linking the fight to defend public sector pensions to a demand for a massive increase in the state pension and opposition to the increase in the retirement age. The pension issue, then, can be a means to unite public and private sector workers.
In recent years the number of people on final salary pensions in the private sector has declined dramatically. There are now only 3.6 million private sector employees in company pension schemes and many of these are in middle and upper management. The savaging of private company pensions has left millions more dependent on the meagre basic state pension in their old age. According to an OECD report published in June 2009, this is a state pension that is one of the worst in the developed world, with average income working out at just 31% of pre-retirement earnings.
To add insult to injury, the government now intends to force people to work even longer to earn this poverty level state pension. The LibCons have brought forward Labour’s plans to gradually increase the pension age, starting in 2020 when the retirement age will rise to 66. The justification for this is that we are all living longer. What the government fails to mention is that some are living longer than others. For example, a manual worker in Glasgow retiring at 66 would have 13 years (on average) of retirement left. A man in Kensington and Chelsea would have 22 years to enjoy.
Furthermore the government’s claims about people living longer fail to take into account the health inequalities that exist prior to death. Study after study has shown that manual and low paid workers begin to suffer with serious health problems far earlier than the middle classes. This means that not only do low paid workers die younger, but their quality of life in retirement due to poor health is much worse than the better off. Increasing the retirement age can only increase these health inequalities. Forcing people who are already in poor health to work longer can but lead to a further deterioration in their health and increase the likelihood that they will die even sooner.
With increasing numbers of private sector workers dependent on the state pension the government has now set about destroying pension provision in the public sector. In order to justify their attacks they have filled the newspapers with story after story of public sector workers receiving massive pensions. These stories are largely nonsense – for example, the average pension in local government is just £4,000 a year, dropping to £2,800 for women.
The value of these already paltry pensions is set to fall further under government plans to link public sector pension increases to the consumer price index (CPI). Currently pensions are linked to the retail prices index (RPI) which measures inflation much higher. The switch to the CPI will mean that the true value of pensions will be eroded by inflation. So, as the real value of public sector pensions declines, state workers, like private sector workers, will be increasingly dependent on the state pension in old age.
The defence of public sector pensions should be central to the campaign against cuts but the fight must not end there. The government hopes to divide public and private sector workers in order to weaken opposition to the cuts. This can be countered by linking the fight to defend public sector pensions to a demand for a massive increase in the state pension and opposition to the increase in the retirement age. The pension issue, then, can be a means to unite public and private sector workers.
Monday, 29 November 2010
November 30th - 2nd Day of Education Action in Manchester
For full article in The Mule go to: http://manchestermule.com/article/callout-for-second-day-of-education-action-in-manchester
A call to action on Tuesday November 30 has been launched by university and college students as the struggle against tuition fees and cuts to education builds.
A call to action on Tuesday November 30 has been launched by university and college students as the struggle against tuition fees and cuts to education builds.
- Walkouts in Manchester are planned at 11am for college and school students and at midday for university students.
- Picket lines will be manned from 8am outside colleges and schools and from 9am across university campuses.
- The assembly points are All Saint’s Park (opposite MMUnion) and Manchester University Place at 12 noon.
Prior to the day of action there will be an emergency activist meeting at Manchester Metropolitan University Students’ Union on Monday 29 November at 5pm. It will be held in the social space on the 2nd floor and is open to all.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Student Occupation at the University of Manchester
The following is adapted from a press release from the student occupation at the University of Manchester. For further info go to http://roscoeoccupation.wordpress.com/.
The student occupation of the Roscoe Building at the University of Manchester is to continue into next week. Activists are using the occupation as a focus for drumming up further support on the Manchester campus as well as in local colleges.
Meetings have been held in the occupied building with several guest speakers addressing a packed lecture theatre, containing University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and University of Salford students as well as students from various colleges around the region, union
representatives, parents, lecturers, political activists and more.
The occupiers have resolved:
The student occupation of the Roscoe Building at the University of Manchester is to continue into next week. Activists are using the occupation as a focus for drumming up further support on the Manchester campus as well as in local colleges.
Meetings have been held in the occupied building with several guest speakers addressing a packed lecture theatre, containing University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and University of Salford students as well as students from various colleges around the region, union
representatives, parents, lecturers, political activists and more.
The occupiers have resolved:
- to hold a meeting at noon in the occupied theatre on Monday.
- to remain in occupation for the duration of the weekend, despite being told by the university that we’d be locked in.
- to hold a rally on Tuesday as part of the national protest day, outside University Place.
- to send a delegation down to London for the national coordination meeting on Sunday. The delegates are to stay with the University College London occupation on Saturday night.
Manchester School Students Prevented from Joining Novemeber 24th Demo
A number of secondary schools in Manchester went to great lengths to stop students leaving schools to join the student anti-cuts demo last Wednesday. This is not a new development. At the time of the anti-Gulf War demos, one school with a high percentage of muslin students actually locked students in breaching just about every health and safety law and regulation. This time, it seems, a number of schools called in the police to prevent students leaving.
At one large secondary school in south Manchester, a well organised campaign had resulted in a large proportion of students intending to walk out of school at 12 noon in order to join the demo. However, when they attempted to leave by the main gate, they were met by staff who prevented them from leaving. Not to be deterred, a number managed to “escape” by other exits. However, when they got to nearby bus stops they were met by “pupil support managers” and police who escorted them back to school.
At one large secondary school in south Manchester, a well organised campaign had resulted in a large proportion of students intending to walk out of school at 12 noon in order to join the demo. However, when they attempted to leave by the main gate, they were met by staff who prevented them from leaving. Not to be deterred, a number managed to “escape” by other exits. However, when they got to nearby bus stops they were met by “pupil support managers” and police who escorted them back to school.
November 24th Student Demo in Manchester
Well over 1,000 students took part in the anti-cuts demo in Manchester last Wednesday. A sizable minority were secondary students. The demo largely passed off peacefully despite the best efforts of the police who were intent on provoking the demonstrators. At one point the police snatched a student for dancing because they weren’t happy about it and threatened to arrest him unless he stopped!!
As the demo reached the centre of Manchester an attempt was made to “kettle” the demonstration but many people had the good sense to disperse in order to get through the police lines. The demo was then able to reform and carry on. Towards the end of the demo a major road through the centre of the university area was blocked. The police surrounded the demonstration with horses in an attempt to clear the road.
The road was cleared as the demo broke up. However, groups of students attempted to occupy various building around the university. Plans had obviously been made to stop buildings being occupied but with so many buildings being attempted to be occupied at the same time the plans didn’t work and a number of buildings were occupied.
The demonstration ending with occupations made a pleasant change to having to listen to endless boring speeches by politicians and would-be politicians in love with the sound of their own voices.
As the demo reached the centre of Manchester an attempt was made to “kettle” the demonstration but many people had the good sense to disperse in order to get through the police lines. The demo was then able to reform and carry on. Towards the end of the demo a major road through the centre of the university area was blocked. The police surrounded the demonstration with horses in an attempt to clear the road.
The road was cleared as the demo broke up. However, groups of students attempted to occupy various building around the university. Plans had obviously been made to stop buildings being occupied but with so many buildings being attempted to be occupied at the same time the plans didn’t work and a number of buildings were occupied.
The demonstration ending with occupations made a pleasant change to having to listen to endless boring speeches by politicians and would-be politicians in love with the sound of their own voices.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Student protests: Solfed member reports
This report was first published on the national Solidarity Federation site.
Initial reports and images from Liverpool London, Brighton and elsewhere on today's events, where Solidarity Federation has a presence for the student anti-fees protests:
While most commenters are agreeing that the protest has been peaceful, police brought out dogs and horses and there have been complaints of "intimidating behaviour." The march was largely halted as of 1pm but quickly got moving again and reached the town hall at around 1.30pm. Hundreds of people filled all levels of the Liverpool One shopping centre, and the protest broke up at around 2.30pm.
The first reported property damage was to buses caught in the moving crowds, one quote had the drivers as "amused and supportive."
The main incident saw students occupy the Guild (Liverpool's Student Union) after the march had broken up, in an interesting twist on the story of over a dozen occupations at universities across the country - apparently many students have remained unimpressed with the performance of the likes of Aaron Porter "representing" them at the NUS.
Despite breathless reporting of a police van being rocked this was unrepresentative of the rest of the march, and our source said it was later left alone "for precisely that reason." Generally, although pictures have emerged of minor scuffles, there seems to have been very little fighting and as the march wound down there were reports of 15 arrests and eight injuries. Anarchists were still fingered for whatever violence did happen however (what busy bees we seem to be in the minds of the media).
With 800 officers drafted in for the day, police tactics seem to have returned to the G20 style which has become Met tradition in recent years.
Initial reports and images from Liverpool London, Brighton and elsewhere on today's events, where Solidarity Federation has a presence for the student anti-fees protests:
Liverpool
Initial estimates suggested a turnout of thousands who brought Lime Street to a standstill, with a fast moving march featuring an attempted sit-down in Castle Street.While most commenters are agreeing that the protest has been peaceful, police brought out dogs and horses and there have been complaints of "intimidating behaviour." The march was largely halted as of 1pm but quickly got moving again and reached the town hall at around 1.30pm. Hundreds of people filled all levels of the Liverpool One shopping centre, and the protest broke up at around 2.30pm.
The first reported property damage was to buses caught in the moving crowds, one quote had the drivers as "amused and supportive."
The main incident saw students occupy the Guild (Liverpool's Student Union) after the march had broken up, in an interesting twist on the story of over a dozen occupations at universities across the country - apparently many students have remained unimpressed with the performance of the likes of Aaron Porter "representing" them at the NUS.
London
Thousands more turned out for a march through the centre of the city which commentators initially described as "noisy but peaceful" - however as protesters swirled around Whitehall our members at the march were warning that the police seemed to be preparing a kettle, the tactic used by the Met to restrict and kill off protests by creating a cordon which gradually tightens around the crowd. Police successfully set the kettle up at around mid-day with only cursory attempts being made to break out of it.Despite breathless reporting of a police van being rocked this was unrepresentative of the rest of the march, and our source said it was later left alone "for precisely that reason." Generally, although pictures have emerged of minor scuffles, there seems to have been very little fighting and as the march wound down there were reports of 15 arrests and eight injuries. Anarchists were still fingered for whatever violence did happen however (what busy bees we seem to be in the minds of the media).
With 800 officers drafted in for the day, police tactics seem to have returned to the G20 style which has become Met tradition in recent years.
Brighton
The city saw an energetic march converging on Dyke Road Park, from age 12/13 up. Numbers were difficult to estimate, but final police figures for the day indicated around 3,000 turned out. One noted at 3.30pm: "Speeches were largely ignored, and over half the crowd has broken away on an unauthorised march. Cops are heavily outnumbered." As it ended many converged on the town hall, where police pushed the crowd back as it attempted to storm the building. Subsequently a Vodafone store was briefly occupied and a Poundland store was looted before around 400 students attempted to storm the central police station before being repelled by lines of riot police. An occupation of Brighton University survived attempts by riot police to evict it, and remains overnight.Friday, 12 November 2010
What is SolFed? Public Meeting...
We are holding a public meeting next Monday, 15 November, to introduce interested people to the Solidarity Federation.
We've seen a recent upsurge of interest in Manchester recently. People are angry and restless about the cuts. The student demonstration on Wednesday shows people are not going to sit back and let the government trample all over them.
The meeting starts at 7.30pm at the Town Hall Tavern in central Manchester and is open to all. We will be in the upstairs function room.
We will start with a short introduction to the Solidarity Federation, followed by questions, answers, discussion, etc.
The Town Hall Tavern is on Tib Street, off Cross Street, near to Albert Square and the Town Hall. See the map here.
Members of SolFed will be in the pub from around 7pm.
We've seen a recent upsurge of interest in Manchester recently. People are angry and restless about the cuts. The student demonstration on Wednesday shows people are not going to sit back and let the government trample all over them.
The meeting starts at 7.30pm at the Town Hall Tavern in central Manchester and is open to all. We will be in the upstairs function room.
We will start with a short introduction to the Solidarity Federation, followed by questions, answers, discussion, etc.
The Town Hall Tavern is on Tib Street, off Cross Street, near to Albert Square and the Town Hall. See the map here.
Members of SolFed will be in the pub from around 7pm.
Friday, 1 October 2010
Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
We have a stall tomorrow at this year's Manchester Anarchist Bookfair.
We also have a side meeting with a speaker from Solidarity Federation's Education Workers' Network - it's in the Green Room at 4.15pm.
The Bookfair is on Saturday 2 October, 11am-5.00pm
Dancehouse Theatre, Oxford Road (opposite the BBC)
More information can be found on the bookfair website,which has details of all stallholders and side events.
We also have a side meeting with a speaker from Solidarity Federation's Education Workers' Network - it's in the Green Room at 4.15pm.
The Bookfair is on Saturday 2 October, 11am-5.00pm
Dancehouse Theatre, Oxford Road (opposite the BBC)
More information can be found on the bookfair website,which has details of all stallholders and side events.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
TUC Congress - what's happening?
The TUC Congress is meeting in Manchester this year, at the Manchester Central Convention Complex (former GMEX) from 13 to 16 September.
As expected, there are lots of fringe meetings. Here are some of the more significant ones:
1) Keep Trade Unions in Politics
Monday 13 September - 12.30 pm at Friends Meeting House, Manchester
Speakers include:
Speakers include:
John McDonnell MP, Chair Labour Representation Committee
Joe Marino, Gen Sec, Bakers and Allied Food Workers Union
Maria Exall, CWU Executive / LRC vice-chair
John McInally, PCS vice-president
Marsha Jane Thompson, Chair, Unison United Left
Maria Exall, CWU Executive / LRC vice-chair
John McInally, PCS vice-president
Marsha Jane Thompson, Chair, Unison United Left
2) The Poor Can't Pay
National Unemployed Centres Combine
Monday 13 September, Room 6, Manchester Central, 5.30pm
Speakers include:
Mark Serwotka, PCS
John Stewart, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
Chair: Kevin Flynn, NUCC
Mark Serwotka, PCS
John Stewart, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
Chair: Kevin Flynn, NUCC
3) Morning Star Fringe - Con-Dem cuts - the trade union response
Unite joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley,
Tuesday 14 September, 12:30pm, Premier Inn, Bishopsgate (opposite Manchester Central)
Speakers include: Unite joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley,
Keith Sonnett, Unison
Bob Crow, RMT
Mary Turner, GMB
Mark Serwotka, PCS
Steve Gillan,POA
TUC Gold Badge winner Mary Davis
Morning Star political editor, John Haylett
Chair: Carolyn Jones, IER
4) TUSDAC/Climate Solidarity Project - Cutting Carbon not Jobs!
Tuesday 14 September, 12.30-2pm, Room 4, Manchester Central
Chair: Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary, South West TUC
Paul Noon, Prospect General Secretary/TUC General Council and TUSDAC Co-Chair
Tim Baster, Director, Climate Solidarity;
Sarah Pearce, TUC Greenworkplaces Project Leader
Clara Paillard, PCS Branch Secretary, National Museums Liverpool
Paul Noon, Prospect General Secretary/TUC General Council and TUSDAC Co-Chair
Tim Baster, Director, Climate Solidarity;
Sarah Pearce, TUC Greenworkplaces Project Leader
Clara Paillard, PCS Branch Secretary, National Museums Liverpool
5) GMATUC and MTUC fringe meeting - Defend Public Services, Prevent Privatisation
Tuesday 14 September, 5.30pm, Friends Meeting House
Speakers include:
Christine Blower, Gen Sec, NUT
Billy Hayes, Gen Sec CWU,
Mark Serwotka, Gen Sec, PCS
Matt Wrack, Gen Sec, FBU
Christine Blower, Gen Sec, NUT
Billy Hayes, Gen Sec CWU,
Mark Serwotka, Gen Sec, PCS
Matt Wrack, Gen Sec, FBU
6) National Shop Stewards Network Fringe Meeting
Wednesday, 15 September, 5.30pm, Friends Meeting House
Speakers include Bob Crow, RMT Gen Sec
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