Rise in public sector job losses exposes government's cuts agenda

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released figures detailing job losses in the public sector for 2011 by region. As the This is Cornwall website explain:

"The South West has been hit harder than any other region in England by public sector job losses which last year outnumbered those created in the private sector by more than six to one. Some 6,000 new private sector jobs were created between July and September, while 37,000 public sector workers lost their jobs, according to ONS. The drop of 7 per cent highlights the region's reliance on state-funded jobs and has been described as "appalling" by unions. They say the Government should rethink its flagship policy to reduce the deficit by replacing a diminished public sector with newly created positions in business."

A spokesperson for Penwith Anti-Cuts Alliance told Cornwall's Pirate FM:

"These figures are a devastating indictment of the Tory-led government's programme of austerity measures and cuts in a number of ways.

"First they affect the person losing their job directly. The government claimed when they first started shedding jobs in the public sector, that the slack would be taken up by jobs created in the private sector. At the time we said that was unlikely as many private sector jobs are dependent on contracts outsourced from public sector departments. We have been proven right as the figures also show that new private sector jobs have not been created at anything like the same rate as public sector jobs have been lost. There are 2.67 million unemployed people across Britain seeking less than half a million jobs so there are more than five people for every vacancy.

"Second, this gives the lie to the government's 'work experience' scheme or 'workfare' in which job seekers are forced, despite the government's claims to the contrary, to work without pay or face losing their benefits. The government claims to believe that flipping burgers in Burger King or stacking shelves in Tesco or Poundland will help the more than one million young people currently out of work find a job. But as we can see, the jobs are simply not there for them to go to. Indeed this kind of unpaid work will only reduce the likelihood that those employers will need to take on more staff on a paid basis as they have a constant stream of workers that the government is forcing to work for them for nothing.

Third, these figures demonstrate the loss of services the shedding of jobs represents. The jobs being lost are not simply 'back office' staff, as if somehow the 'frontline' services can be provided without the support of office staff, they are the jobs of nurses, teaching assisstants, benefits staff and job centre workers. The services these workers provide are being hit at precisely the time that are most needed by ordinary people suffering because of the economic crisis.

"These cuts and job losses are particularly devastating in a place like Cornwall where people rely on public sector employment as jobs in the private sector can be disproportionately seasonal, temporary and part-time. Furthermore cuts in public transport affect people in a rural area more than those in a more urban environment. Similarly, the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust is having to make cuts of £20 million to its budget which is resulting in job losses and ward closures. If patients and relatives have to travel from Land's End to Truro, for example, this makes life much more difficult for often elderly and vulnerable people.

We need to send a message to the government to think again. The best way we can do that is to support the co-ordinated public sector strikes on 28 March. On that day around 700,000 public sector workers will be striking against government attacks on their pensions. But as many workers made clear on the 3000-strong march and rally in Truro in Cornwall on the last co-ordinated strike day last November, they are striking not just to protect their pensions but also to protect jobs and to defend the public services they provide. We should all join them on that day in Truro or on marches and rallies around the country to send a message to the government that we will not take their agenda of cuts lying down but will fight until they are stopped."

To listen to Pirate FM on the hour every hour this afternoon (Monday) to hear excerpts from the above comments in the news bulletin, click here and then click on 'Listen Live'.

Workfare: militant action works

The Socialist Workers Party found itself at the centre of a political storm this week after being denounced by various Tory government ministers. Right wing columnists attacked us for being “placard-toting obsessives” who had “zero impact”. Yet at the same time they accused us of orchestrating an anti-workfare conspiracy that had lured in the BBC and even the Mumsnet website. The Sun newspaper made us their “villain of the week”. And the Sun knows a bit about villainy. We were also treated to “exposes” revealing the startling fact that socialists are involved in the Right to Work campaign.

The reason for this frantic red-baiting is the spectacular success of the broad campaign against workfare. It’s a scandal that unemployed people are being forced to work for free. And millions can see that. The Tories—already in trouble over the NHS—found another key part of their project stalling.

Within days bosses were running scared. Tesco and other major firms pulled out of the scheme. The Tories were left isolated and defensive—and they did not like it one bit. That’s why they launched a smear campaign against the protesters. Tory minister Chris Grayling made baseless accusations about protesters hacking his email.

The bosses also fell out with each other. A Daily Mail front page featured former Marks & Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose telling firms to “show some backbone” and stand up to the protests.

But many companies realise the campaigners reflect a wider mood. Most people are rightly suspicious of companies whose only interest lies in making money. In Grayling’s own words, “This is part of a broader anti-capitalist trend in our society.”

If a few protests can push the Tories back, think of the possibilities when millions of workers take mass action together. Look at the magnificent strike by 2.6 million people on 30 November over pensions. It was the biggest in decades and proof of a rising mood of defiance. The victory won by electricians this week against construction companies intent on cutting their pay is another indication of our power. Organising in the workplace is organising where we are strongest. When public sector workers go on strike, we don’t see David Cameron and his cronies collecting the bins or teaching in schools. They can’t replace us. Now unions are planning a strike on 28 March. If workers beat the plans to slash their pensions it will be easier for all of us to stop all the other attacks.

We want to bring down the Tories. But we also have a wider vision. We are on the side of workers everywhere, whether in Greece or Egypt or Britain. We think capitalism is what brings us crisis, poverty and war. We want to abolish that system and build a socialist society—driven by the needs of the many, not the profits of the few. This is the Socialist Workers Party’s agenda. It’s not secret. We declare our views every week in Socialist Worker, which we sell on high streets across the country.

If you like what you’ve heard then we hope you become a regular reader. And if you agree with it, we hope you will join us.

Join the SWP – phone 020 7819 1172 or email membership@swp.org.uk

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© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include an active link to the original.

• See also this clip from the BBC.

• For more on the Workfare campaign see the Right to Work website.

Victory: Electricians defeat building bosses

by Simon Basketter

Rank and file electricians have won. They have beaten the building bosses who wanted to tear up their terms and conditions and slash their pay. Electricians across Britain have been protesting, occupying and striking unofficially for the last six months. Today the remaining companies pursuing the attack gave in.

The firms wanted to tear up electricians’ existing JIB national agreement and impose a new agreement called Besna. This would have cut wages by 35 percent and introduced new unskilled grades. The bosses, who collectively called themselves HVCA, issued a joint statement with the Unite union today, Thursday. In full it reads,

“In consultation with the remaining companies and following discussions with Unite, it has been agreed that HVCA will withdraw its proposal for the Building Engineering Services National Agreement (Besna).

“As a result of today’s decision by HVCA, Unite has agreed not to pursue further industrial action or protests against the Besna companies.

“HVCA, supported by its member companies, will now engage in high-level talks with Unite within an agreed timeline, with the aim of creating new proposals and ensuring agreed terms are honoured.”

Ian a member of the London electricians’ rank and file committee told Socialist Worker, “After nearly seven months of fighting, the decision today of the remaining companies to pull away from Besna is a great vindication of our stance.

“This was a cynical attempt to use the economic climate to drive through massive cuts to workers’ pay and conditions and keep profits high. We must use the momentum we have built to make sure we build on our terms. Although we have won this dispute, I can see these companies using negotiation to bring in other attacks. If they do, we must be ready to fight back immediately.”

Originally eight companies had planned to impose Besna on workers. The largest of them, Balfour Beatty, pulled out last week following the pressure of the rank and file campaign and the threat of an official strike. NG Bailey followed suit yesterday with the remaining firms – Crown House, Gratte Brothers, T Clarke, Spie Matthew Hall and Shepherd Engineering Services – today. MJN Colston, which backed out of the agreement last year, was placed in administration today.

Pete, an electrician from Wakefield, said, “It’s a brilliant result. This shows that rank and file militant action is the way forward for trade unions. Leaving it to the full time union officials is not enough. People have to get involved.”

The electricians’ determined campaign has humbled huge corporations – and at the centre has been rank and file workers’ organisation. The lesson is simple. Militant tactics win.

© Socialist Worker

New mass strike against cuts on 28 March

It’s on. Three unions have named the day for their next joint strike: Wednesday 28 March.

The PCS civil service workers’ union, the NUT teachers’ union and the UCU lecturers’ union all plan to walk out that day.

And more unions could come in behind them, including sections of the huge Unite union. Up to 750,000 workers could strike altogether.

The pensions battle nearly stalled when some union leaders signed up to the government’s latest pensions deal. But 28 March can reinvigorate the struggle.

Across Europe ordinary people are fighting austerity. In Greece workers are launching massive general strikes and taking to the streets against cuts. 28 March is our chance to bring that Greek spirit to Britain.

© Socialist Worker

Millions protest as indefinite strike shakes Nigeria

by Baba Aye, national chairperson of the Socialist Workers League in Abuja.


Nigeria arose on Monday as its workers began an indefinite general strike. The first day was a stunning success. Up to ten million people were out on the streets.

On 1 January Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan abolished fuel subsidies. Most of Nigeria’s 160 million population live on less than 320 naira ($2) a day. But overnight petrol prices increased from 65 naira to 141 per litre. The country’s two main union federations called the strike. Their simple demand is the return of the subsidy. Only seven million people are in affiliated unions, but already the strike shows their strategic power. Nigeria’s economy ground to a halt. Factories, banks and offices were shut down. Shops and the plethora of informal services outlets across the country were closed.

In virtually every major city, except those in the north east which have been militarised under a state of emergency, millions of Nigerians took charge of the streets and neighbourhoods. But even in the militarised states, strike monitoring committees went around in buses to ensure that the strike was solid.

The trade union movement is the only countrywide democratic social force cutting across creed and ethnic identity. This working class action shows the possibility of another Nigeria where the 99 percent are no longer marginalised and dominated by capitalism.

Of course the ruling class did not just fold its hands. More than 20 demonstrators were wounded when state forces opened fire on strikers in Lagos, Kano, Gusau and Asaba. At least three were killed. The perpetrators in Lagos were identified by vigilant citizens who took the vehicle number of their police van, and broadcast this widely, using social networking media. To quell their anger the Lagos state governor has now ordered the arrest of the policemen involved.

Tensions were already obvious before the strike started. Spontaneous demonstrations swept through a dozen cities last week. In Kano protesters occupied the city centre—calling it Liberation Square—in their tens of thousands. There was no concern over creed or faith. Police brutally dispersed the protesters. But many among the junior ranks sympathise with the unfolding revolt. Around 300 police joined the protest march in Lagos on Tuesday of last week. The inspector general of police described them as “mutineers”.

Airspace, ports and borders are closed. Citizens have tried to stockpile food and water. Monday was a glorious day of rage, but it is just the beginning.


© Socialist Worker. You may republish if you include an active link to the original

Royal Mail workers walk out in Cornwall

Workers at the mail centre in Truro in Cornwall walked out yesterday as they had not been paid. Every December, Royal Mail takes on workers on short-term contracts to help sort the unusually high volumes of mail. These are typically students or the long-term unemployed. In Truro, these workers were due to be paid at the end of last week. When they were not, they complained to management. As nothing has been done by yesterday (Monday), these casual workers decided to take unofficial action and walked out. The workers came back to work today, but told management they would walk out again tomorrow if they were not paid by the end of today.

This is an incredibly brave action from a group of casual workers who are not in the union and who could presumably be sacked. Then again, Royal Mail's recruitment procedure is so long winded and inefficient and the employment period so short that it is probably not in Royal Mail's interest to sack these workers. But it is a sign of the times we are living in that this group of workers had the confidence to go on strike. It is undoubtedly the case that these workers will have been inspired by the mass co-ordinated strikes that took place just a couple of weeks ago.

The action had a knock-on effect across Cornwall. Mail volumes in Penzance Delivery Office were well below were they would normally be at this time of year. Brian Eddy, the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) rep in Penzance said "we've had less than half the mail come in than we would usually get and that's because of the walkout in Truro".

Many postal workers in Penzance are concerned because they know they will be expected to deliver all the mail when it does come in, despite a shortage of staff. Management at the office confirmed that the budget for overtime is capped at 15 hours per week for the whole office. This is incredible in an office of 80 staff where on one day last week, some workers went over their time by as much as 3 hours in a single day. This is only set to get worse over the next two weeks.

It is also believed that the weather may have caused some mail to have been delayed. Much of the mail in the area is transported by aeroplane and it is thought some planes could not take off yesterday due to high winds.

It has also been confirmed that the office intends to continue to begin to plan a complete revision of the whole office which will include a complete replacement of the inward sorting frames, a re-organisation of the other sorting frames and every walking round and every driving round in the office will be torn up and re-written. This means every postal worker will be put on a delivery they have never done before, at once. And they intend to start this process at the very height of the busiest time of the year.

The issue of wages not being paid, or at least overtime not being paid in full, is one that affects every postal worker in Cornwall. Budgets are kept unrealistically low and managers are encouraged to not pay overtime, presumably in the hope that workers will either not notice or give up continually fighting for it. Postal workers are being bullied into working overtime and threatened with being given different, less good jobs if they refuse. In some cases workers are being bullied into doing overtime without being paid for it. Many workers have had enough and are talking about refusing to do overtime in the future. Most postal workers are proud of the job they do and do not want to fail to deliver all the mail. But many now feel that it is only by doing this that things will change and Royal Mail will employ the staff that is required. There is also a fear that senior management are preparing the ground for privatisation.

Postal workers should put pressure on their union reps to ballot the membership for strike action so that the CWU can join the next wave of mass co-ordinated strike action.

England rioters in their own words

In August there were riots, first in Tottenham and then the rest of London and across England. At the time, politicians dismissed the riots as 'criminality pure and simple'. For the first time a study has been carried out by the London School of Economics and the Guardian newspaper which involves interviews with 270 rioters. Of those interviewed, 85% cited anger at policing practices as a key factor in why the violence happened. Other factors cited included anger at the government over cuts to benefits and the educational maintenance allowance (EMA). Many of the young people involved had been on protests against the tripling of university tuition fees and removal of EMA. The government argued that the rioting was to do with gang culture. However, the report reveals that for four days there was an effective truce between gangs as they were united in fighting with the police.

See the Newsnight story and hear from the rioters in their own words for the first time here.

Thousands join hands to protect West Cornwall Hospital

Several thousand people met at St. John's Hall in Penzance, Cornwall at 11am this morning to join a demonstration against cuts to West Cornwall Hospital in the town. March organiser Alana Bates from Penwith Anti-Cuts Alliance introduced Marna Blundy from West Cornwall Healthwatch and Andrew George MP who each made a short speech. The demonstration then marched up to the hospital and completely encircled it. At a signal from the organisers, everybody held hands, symbolically defending their hospital.

Estimates at the numbers involved ranged from 2000 to 5000, but whatever the true figure it was clearly a great demonstration of local people's concern at threats to the hospital. A ward containing half of all the medical beds at the hospital has been closed. The trust say it is just for the winter, but nurses at the hospital fear it will never re-open. There is also no doctor at night at the '24-hour' Casualty Department, meaning people have to travel to Treliske Hospital in Truro for treatment and, of course, families have much further to travel to visit relatives. One woman in her sixties had a fall in Penzance and was taken to Truro. She was discharged in the early hours of the morning and forced to take a taxi home. The cab driver dropped her at a cashpoint at 4:30 in the morning so she could get the cash to pay him.

Of course it is not just West Cornwall Hospital that is facing cuts. As a leaflet from Penwith Anti-Cuts Alliance given out on the demo made clear,

"The Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust has been forced to make £20 million ‘savings’ because of the Tory-led government’s agenda of cuts and austerity. Nationally, according to the Royal College of Nursing, 56,058 posts are to go across the UK. This figure is up over 50% since seven months ago. These are not just cuts to 'back office' posts, as some would have us believe. Out of 41 Trusts in England almost half, 49%, of post losses were 'clinical', with a third (34%) being nursing posts (see http://frontlinefirst.rcn.org.uk/2011-cuts-report for more details). The government wants ordinary people to pay for an economic crisis created by the bankers, multinational companies and politicians. The government needs to be stopped and they can be. If you agree with us, join us."

Hands Off Our Hospital are meeting at 6pm on Monday 5 December at the Ritz in Queen's Street in Penzance. Penwith Anti-Cuts Alliance are meeting at 7pm on Monday 12 December at the Crown pub at the bottom of Bread Street, also in Penzance. All are welcome to attend and get involved.