All the signs are that today’s demonstration, called very late by the TUC, will be very big and hopefully very militant. If that is achieved where does the campaign go from here? There is a serious danger is that the TUC will use the summer lull to make sure there is no further co-ordinated action. Individual groups of workers and activists will be left to struggle for themselves. The precedent for this is Ireland where the Irish Congress of Trade Unions organised big demonstrations and then conceded every one of the demands of the Irish ruling class and the European Central Bank. The subsequent demoralisation

has seen wage levels drop by up to 20% and unemployment rocket. The TUC could well do the same. The Labour leadership has been careful to keep itself at a safe distance from any meaningful anti-cuts activity. It does not want the unions to “fall into the trap” of fighting back like they did in the 1980s UNISON, UNITE and GMB are sitting on their hands as over 165,000 jobs in local councils and 50,000 in the NHS go under the axe. Many of these jobs ceased to exist just days after demonstrations as tens of thousands were made redundant. The unions are afraid of the anti-

union laws. At the moment there are only a few isolated ballots for strikes. We can't win with such a low level of strike action. You might "win the argument", but that does not stop the Tories' plans. Most union leaders would sacrifice their members’ job rather than put up a real fight. Many think that industrial action to protect jobs and services would be electorally damaging to Labour. Moreover if workers acquire a habit of fighting for their own interests against the coalition they will probably be willing to do it against Labour councils and a future Labour government. The inertia of the TUC has meant that we have entered the ring with our hands tied behind our backs. The students most effectively broke though this with their militant demonstration over fees and cuts. We have to learn from this experience. We have to demand that the TUC: *Support every group of workers who take any sort of action to defend jobs, salaries, pensions or working conditions. It has to do this with at least the same determination that the coalition is bringing to the fight.

Step up the struggle!

socialistresistance.org

The Fourth International In Britain

Continued from front

*Explain to union branches the importance of making links with communities and service users who are being hit by the cuts. Implement the decision of the TUC September Congress of "nationally co-ordinated action" against the cuts.

*Launch a major campaign in defence of pension provision in the public sector and for an uplift in private sector pension provision. This is something that will affect every working person in the country and could put the TUC at the forefront of the fight against what the ruling class is trying to do. *Give massive backing to the campaign to defend the NHS *Have an answer to the crisis which includes the demand for a million climate change jobs which can tackle both aspects of the crisis economic as well as ecological which can drastically reduce reliance on fossil fuels. These issues are a bottom line around which the largest possible unity can be built and which just might see the working class movement start round two of the fight looking like it has remembered what it is supposed to do when the bell rings. If the battle is lost on the cuts in local government now, then in will set demoralisation and despair making defeat over Lansley's NHS bill and the attack on pensions even more likely.

socialistresistance.org

The Fourth International in Britain

From Boom To Bust: The capitalist crisis and how to beat it

This new 64 page pamphlet from Socialist Resistance contains a detailed analysis of the economic crisis and offers an ecosocialist action plan in opposition to the Tories’ plans to make our class pay for it.

The pamphlet is only £1 from SR supporters or you can read it online here:

http://issuu.com/socialistresistance/docs/boom2bust?viewMode=magazine

coalitionofresistance.org.uk

Socialist Resistance Public Meetings

London

Nuclear power means nuclear catastrophe - the ecosocialist alternative Liam McQuade (Socialist Resistance) Romayne Phoenix (Green Left) Kate Hudson (CND) Wednesday 6 April 7:30pm, ULU, Malet Street, WC1, London

Organised jointly by Socialist Resistance and Green Left

Birmingham

The anti-cuts battle- how can we step up the struggle? John Lister (Health Emergency)

Tuesday 12th April, 7.30pm Bennetts’, Bennetts Hill, Birmingham City Centre, B2 5RS birminghamresist.wordpress.com

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