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A WEEK OF STRIKES
TO SHAKE THE TORIES
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General240914
F
rom 13 to 18 october trade
unions and campaigners will go
into battle against the government,
its attacks on pay and its assault on vital
public services.
On Monday 13 October hundreds of
thousands of health workers in England and
Wales will strike for decent pay and in defence
of our NHS.
On Tuesday 14 October up to a million
local government workers and FE lecturers are
set to strike over similar issues
On Wednesday 15 October hundreds of
thousands of civil service workers will strike.
And on Saturday 18 October the TUC and
STUC have called mass protests in London
and Glasgow for fair pay and against austerity.
We need to make the strikes as lively and
as political as possible. The NHS strike in
particular has to be a focus for trade unionists,
campaigners, pensioners, students, everyone
who has used the NHS and everyone who
supports the NHSthats almost everyone
except the Tory toffs!
The strike runs from 7-11am. We should
flood the picket lines with solidarity and
build breakfasts for the NHS outside every
hospital.
Do a petition in support of the strike in
your workplace (available from your Socialist
Worker seller), and take a collection to buy the
strikers some tea and sandwiches.
monster
During the week we should build up links
between strikers and other workers and all
fight for monster turn-outs on the protests on
18 October.
Many workers will ask why we dont just
all strike together on the same day? They have
a good point, together we are stronger.
Theres frustration that so far teachers
union leaders have pulled back from action.
Many firefighters believe that their union
should be striking alongside others in defence
of their pensions and that talks with the
government are dragging on far too long.
Many civil service workers will question
why Scottish workers arent coming out with
their fellow workers south of the border.
But whatever the difficulties and frustrations
it will be a week where we can show our anger
against austerity on a big scale.
This government is weak.
Camerons austerity policies led to a revolt
in Scotland that saw workers engage with
politics in a massive way and 1.6 million vote
for independence.
balls
This is a great time to hit the Tories while
they are still reeling.
And Labours conference shows we cant
rely on their help. Ed Balls and Ed Miliband
made it clear that in office they will continue
to make cuts and hold down pay.
We need to build the biggest possible
resistance now and fight to make sure that
the 13-18 October is just the start of the
fightback.
And if Scotland has taught us anything
its that workers need a political alternative
to a Labour Party that refuses to defend our
side.
13-18 October...
Barnet and Doncaster care workers united on the picket line
No war!
The US is bombing Iraq and Syria in a
campaign that the military say could go
on for years. And the Tories and Labours
leaders want us to join in.
They say this will stop the advance of
Islamic State which has carried out horrific
murders. But after two US/UK led wars in
Iraq the idea that a third one will sort out
the mess is a sick joke.
More killing and more bombing will not
solve the crisis in Syria and Iraq.
And we shouldnt let the Tories use the
war to divide us. Muslims arent the enemy
within they are our neighbours, family
members and workmates.
The billions that will be wasted on war
could stop the humanitarian crisis in the
Middle East and pay for hospitals and
schools here. We should say no to a new
war!
Join the protests called by Stop the War.
For details go to www.stopwar.org.uk
STRIKING
TOGETHER
Saturday 15 November, Bloomsbury
Baptist Church, central London.
UNITE THE RESISTANCE
Organising to win conference
www.uniteresist.org