Party Notes

Party Notes 30th January 2012

One year on from Egypt’s revolution, build the struggle here and there!

NEW FORCES GATHER FOR A MASS STRIKE IN MARCH: KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!

Another big strike is possible!

The political furore over bonuses is a sign of the popular support for anti-rich, anti-banker, anti-boss ideas. Our task is to give that feeling a focus, build confidence to resist and to draw the particular issues into a broader socialist understanding.

This is true whether you are on a street stall, taking to someone at college or at work, or agitating for mass strikes.

We said last week that the leadership given by the UCU in setting a date for new strikes over pensions would break the logjam and open up the chance for another mass strike. This is now happening.

The NUT executive last week agreed to push for a coordinated, national public sector strike in March. It passed a resolution committing the general secretary and deputy general secretary to “press the case with the other unions for a joint further day of action in March before the contributions increase as part of an ongoing campaign involving further action”.

The union will hold a special executive meeting on 9 February to discuss the outcome of talks with other unions.

The PCS is expected to pass a similar motion when it meets on 9 February. Some other unions (such as UCAC, the Welsh teachers’ union, NIPSA the Northern Ireland public sector union and perhaps EIS, the Scottish teachers’ union) are expected to join in if there is another strike. And there is also pressure on Unite to call out at least some of its public sector members if there is more action.

The stage is set for another big day of strikes. It won’t be as big as 30 November, but it can shift the terms of the debate in those unions whose leaders have signed up to outline deals, and serious picketing could win support from other trade unionists who have not been called out on strike such as Unison members in schools and colleges.

The continuation of action over pensions comes at the same time as a number of private sector disputes (Electricians and other trades in construction, buses, Unilever, Wincanton, Newsquest etc) and a revival in student events with a national lobby on 7 March (the same day as a TUC-called NHS lobby) followed by a week of action from 12-16 March (see below).

Meanwhile the government has postponed (perhaps indefinitely!) the attempt to push through legislation based on the Higher Education White Paper, underlining the fragility of the Coalition when it faces serious opposition. And there is more turmoil over the NHS bill.

1. We need to keep up the pressure at every level for the strikes over pensions. We have to take the arguments to join the March strikes into every workplace. That means selling SW as well as all the other agitation we are engaged in. An updated model motion is attached.

2. The bonus issue is not over. John Hourican, head of RBS’s investment arm, who will oversee a “restructuring” including around 3,500 job losses, is later this year set to receive up to £4.5 million in long-term incentive shares that he was awarded in 2009, providing that targets are hit.

3. We need to be alive to all the possibilities of resistance. We took part in three important demonstrations in London on Saturday (see www.socialistworker.co.uk and the paper).

4. Councils across much of Britain will have to set their budgets by 10 March. This is the time when we can expect lobbies, demos etc over council cuts. Anti-cuts groups should push for these. Check out now what the anti-cuts group in your area is doing.

5. Comrades should also make sure they have copies of the Unite the Resistance Action Plan for all their activities. Get copies from uniteresist.org

One year on from Egypt’s revolution

The Egyptian demonstrations on the anniversary of the revolution show how the process is continuing. Thanks to Judith for her excellent coverage https://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27359 Now we can look forward to some very important meetings:

London-wide Egypt meeting with Gigi Ibrahim, Judith Orr and Mark Campbell

There will be a London-wide meeting this Wednesday, 1 February, 7pm, The Venue, ULU, Malet Street.

We are very fortunate to have Gigi Ibrahim who is flying into London from Cairo to be one of the speakers. Judith Orr, editor of Socialist Worker, who was in Egypt for the anniversary of the revolution, will also speak. Completing the platform is Mark Campbell, who is the left candidate for UCU general secretary.

Please come yourself and bring people from your college, work etc. A leaflet is attached. There are no London branch meetings this week. Instead each area should plan to bring as many people as possible to this meeting

Sheffield meeting: Gigi is also speaking alongside other Middle Eastern speakers in Sheffield tomorrow, Tuesday 31 January, 7pm, Quaker Meeting House, 10 St James Street, S1 2EW.

Unite the Resistance

Important local UTR meetings are coming up this month in several areas including Bristol and Manchester. We need to build these as widely as possible. Please note that the conference planned for London on 18 February has been postponed due to the new potential strike timetable.

Recruitment to the SWP in January

This month we have received forms for 36 new members so far. The Stephen Lawrence meetings were very successful attracting non-members we had not come across before.

Hackney East recruited an FE student who had been reading the paper for a year in Iran. Having recently moved to Britain he was really pleased to see it being sold outside his college. He came to the meeting and joined immediately after.

In Brent, a London Met student joined, signed up for the educational and bought all the pamphlets. In North London two people joined, both on £10 direct debit.

Many of the branch meetings attracted non members who did not join straight away – make sure these people are followed up asap.

We are also getting some good recruits from branches who have been doing consistent work with non-members they already know. For example, Southwark took contact details from a teacher on their Saturday sale in December. Although she couldn’t make anything up to now, this week she came to their meeting on Egypt where she joined.

In addition this week, two students joined at the UEL SWSS meeting – one was a SWSS member who had been around all last term, the other a woman the comrades had met that week on a stall and then joined at the meeting. An Egyptian student joined on the Welfare Bill protest, an engineer joined on the Stop the War demo. Two people joined on the North London Anti Academies demo - a sixth form student and a Somalian woman.

Each branch should be aiming to recruit at least two new people over the next month. As part of this we have to plan a recruitment team for public meetings and ensure we ask people on stalls and sales. But every branch should also draw up a list this week of who they are trying to recruit. This is a concrete version of the branch periphery and of course will change.

But having a list can focus discussion – how do we get these people SW each week, who is going to try and meet them and have a serious conversation about joining, who is going to ring them and invite them to a public meeting over Egypt. In particular there should be a focus on workers and trade unionists – those that we have met over the last year and worked alongside. These people will have seen what our strategy has meant in practice. Now is the time to ask them to join.

Please ensure you ring or send in the details of all new members as soon as they join – the membership department sends all new members a booklet explaining how the SWP works and with local and union fraction details included.

SW sales report

How to have a successful Saturday sale

Sheffield district decided to organise a model Saturday sale this week. It paid off with 70 copies of Socialist Worker sold. This was a massive increase on the 11 sold the previous week and was a result of both practical planning and political thought. Every branch and district should follow this example:

Lots of comrades were involved: At the branch meetings the week before an extra effort was made to encourage members to come to the sale. This led to 12 comrades coming and being part of the sale.

A good looking stall, not a sad, sagging table: Thought was put into how the stall looked. Two paste tables created a bigger presence and new placards were ordered from the centre. There were new Reviews, ISJs, leaflets for their Egypt public meeting, recruitment forms etc

Megaphone: Investment was made in a working megaphone!

Tap into the anger and agitate: By Saturday morning it was clear there was massive anger over the £1m bonus paid to RBS chief so comrades focussed on this using the posters from the Circulation department and agitating on the megaphone. Comrades took it in turns to have a go.

Caucus: A caucus at the start of the sale helped give direction and arm comrades with the arguments. Another caucus half way through the sale meant that comrades could discuss how it was going and share what worked.

The task for Sheffield is to ensure this is now a regular sale of this size, not a one off. But their experience on Saturday shows how with a bit of organisation and thought our Saturday stalls can be transformed, in the words of Jack the Sheffield Organiser “into a key, massive event which play a major part in how the SWP is seen in an area as well as where we can sell many papers”.

Women’s liberation and LGBT dayschools

LGBT Day School, Sat 11 February, 11am – 5.30pm, Central London -Open to all comrades.

Agenda:

11-12.15 opening plenary

Marxism and Oppression

12.15-1.15 workshops

i) The roots of LGBT oppression

i) Russian and Germany -the high points of the revolutionary tradition

iii) Internationalism and the struggle for LGBT liberation

2.15 -3.15 Workshops:

i) Trans history and resistance

ii) Queer politics and the LGBT movement post Stonewall

iii) Fascism, racism and LGBT oppression from the Nazis to the EDL

3.30-4.15pm Organising Session:

Organising in trade unions

Organising on campus

Organising for prides and the anti-cuts struggle

4.30-5.30pm report backs and final plenary

Revolutionaries and the struggle for LGBT liberation

In order to continue and extend our work around the issue of women’s oppression there will be two SWP dayschools on 17 (South – London) and 18 (North – Leeds) March.

Defend the Right to Protest

Another protester was found guilty last week for protesting at Millbank. In the coming months there will be a number of key trials including those of Alfie Meadows on 26 March and Andrew and Christopher Hillard on 24 April.

Victory in these trials can play an important part in pushing back the attacks on protest and building solidarity across the movement. There are a number of key events to build for this culminating in a protest on the first day of Alfie’s trial, 26 March, at Kingston Crown Court

Public Meeting: STAND UP FOR JUSTICE

Tuesday 6 March, 7pm, Central London

Speakers include Alfie Meadows, student defendant; Maggie parent of imprisoned Sussex Uni student Zenon Mitchell; Imran Khan Campaigning Lawyer who represented the parents of Stephen Lawrence; Marcia Rigg from the Sean Rigg Justice and Change campaign; Rob Evans Guardian journalist, NUS and others to be announced.

Noise Demonstration: Solidarity with out political prisoners, Saturday 18 February, 4-6pm, Wandsworth Prison, Heathfield Road, SW18 3HR

Hundreds of young people have been arrested and many charged, for standing up for free education. Bring instruments or anything to make some noise, banners and friends.www.facebook.com/events/239651172777038/

Student – build ideas and action

The NUS has now called a series of actions. These will be central for us to build networks that can take on the government on our campuses, alongside building support for the next round of strikes.

Lobby of parliament – Wednesday 7 March, demonstrate 12 noon from ULU

We want students and education workers from all over the country to march on parliament on the day. In your universities you should think about arranging transport with your SU and UCU branch for the day. The march is called by EAN and supported by: ULU, LSE SU.

NUS Week of Action – 12 March to 16 March.

The NUS is calling this week of action to build up the campaign in every university. This means SU’s will be open to proposals for meetings, rallies, debates and demonstrations on campus.

We need to argue for meetings on the consequences of privatisation, which link the struggle for education here to that of students and workers in Egypt, Chile and the US, as well as demos or rallies on the campus.

NUS Walk-Out: The NUS is calling for a national walk out in education. We need to put pressure on them in our SUs to name the day immediately the date of the next strike action over pensions is called.

EAN: EAN will mobilise with others for another education shutdown during the next round of strikes. We want to build on the previous networks and get even more people out and on the picket lines.

Autumn Demo: Throughout the mobilisations to come, we also want to make demands on the NUS to name the date for the walk outs and support the growing calls for an autumn term demonstration, which EAN called. Pass motions backing it in your SU for NUS conference (find at students4autumndemo.wordpress.com)

Alex Callinicos and Terry Eagleton Meetings: These are coming up fast now and we need to make sure we are building them widely.

Monday 27 Feb, 7pm, Sheffield University

Tuesday 28 Feb, 6pm for 7pm start, Manchester University

Weds 29 Feb, 6pm Essex university

Thurs 1 March; 5pm, Kings College London

Friday 2 March; 7.30pm, Oxford University - Part of Oxford Radical ForumMonday 27 Feb, 7pm, Sheffield University

Tuesday 28 Feb, 6pm for 7pm start, Manchester University

Weds 29 Feb, 6pm Essex university

Thurs 1 March; 5pm, Kings College London

Friday 2 March; 7.30pm, Oxford University - Part of Oxford Radical Forum

NUS: Where elections are taking place, and comrades are thinking about standing, you should get in contact with the SWSS office and discuss the possibility of standing.

After White Paper ‘Postponed’, Where Next in the Fight Against Fees and Privatisation – Tuesday 21 Feb, KCL, @ 6.30pm.

SPEAKERS: John McDonell Labour MP), Andrew McGettigan (Campaign for the Public University), Jim Wolfreys (KCL Lecturer and EAN), John Holmwood (Campaign for the Public University), Howard Hotson (Oxford Lecturer and No Confidence in Willets Campaign)

SWSS: The SWSS meetings have been very good since the start of the year. We’ve had 45 and 70 at Stephen Lawrence meetings in Goldsmiths and Manchester Met and 20 on Marxism and Ecology in Oxford. At UEL, 18 came to a meeting on Crisis, strikes and resistance, “Why We Need a Revolution to Win” and two joined the party.

Construction: strike votes and protests

On Sunday there was an SWP construction caucus to discuss the way forward in the dispute.

It mapped out a strategy over the coming weeks to reinvigorate and drive momentum back into the campaign.

Comrades also discussed the relationship between the bureaucracy and the rank and file in the dispute. Unite has continually made pledges of support to the sparks which it has then failed to deliver on.

The caucus grappled with how the rank and file builds on its successes and gets more out of the union.

A series of rank and file meetings took place last week around the country, in London, Scotland and at Redcar there were big arguments with the officials, in particular on the unions change in tactics asking people to sign the contracts.

The caucus agreed to a argue that with the Balfour Beatty ballot result due this Thursday and with everyone expecting a legal challenge, there should be a day of walkouts and pickets on Thursday 9 February. This is the first day that Unite could call for strikes. If successful this would be a repeat of the hugely successful day of action on 7 December.

This Saturday there is a national rank and file meeting in Birmingham - 1pm, Saturday 4 February, Carr's Lane Church Centre.

A protest has now been called for Wednesday 15 February at the Electrical Contractors Association annual dinner. The protest has the support of Unite (including funding coaches).

London protest: Friday 3 February, 7am and 7pm Blackfriars. NB this is a Friday not a Wednesday protest!

Cardiff: Wednesday 1 February, 7am LLandough Hospital. Then 8am Balfours office Rumney.

Manchester: Wednesday 1 February 7am Town Hall/ Central Library.

Teesside: will be confirmed at meeting this week

We have now sold almost 600 copies of the 'Sparks Revolt' pamphlet. Recent sales include 20 at the sparks’ demonstration in Glasgow on Saturday, 12 at the London rank and file meeting and 11 at Sunday's SWP construction caucus. Please get outstanding money for pamphlets into the office. To order more ring 020 7819 1175

Anti-fascist news: Leicester 4 Feb

There will be a counter-protest against the EDL in Leicester this Saturday, assembling 11m at the Clock Tower, Leicester City Centre. The anti-racist, anti-fascist event is supported by CWU Leicestershire branch, Leicestershire County Unison, PCS Leicester and Leicestershire branch, Stoneygate Labour Party, Unite 0168M branch and Leicester District Trades Council.

We are asking comrades in the West Midlands and East Midlands to attend.

Don’t forget the UAF conference on 25 February.

Party news

Socialist Worker is planning some new web projects and would like to hear from any comrades who have skills in Wordpress or Drupal. Contact keno@socialistworker.co.uk

SWP and the internet: Do you have ideas about developing the effectiveness of the party’s work through its websites, social media etc? Can you offer skills, experience or ideas? Please contact Charlie@swp.org.uk

Housing emergency

There will be a DCH / Housing Emergency meeting on Tuesday 21 February at 6:30pm in the House of Commons.

Speakers so far confirmed include Ken Loach (director, Cathy Come Home), Owen Jones (author, Chavs), Catherine West (leader of Islington council), Austin Mitchell MP and Eileen Short (DCH).

Please email danm@swp.org.uk if you would like publicity for the meeting, or if you are interested in holding a similar event in your district.

Fighting for our NHS

Leafleting NHS workplaces: Vote to Reject the Pensions Offer: Attached is a leaflet produced by the Health Worker Network to get into hospitals and other NHS workplaces urgently. One for London publicises the London Health Worker Network meeting on 4 Feb, the one for outside London doesn’t.

In the health sector, no unions have accepted the Tories’ pensions offer yet. Unite has rejected it. In Unison and the GMB a full ballot of members in the health sector will take place after their executives meet (Unison Service Group Exec will meet in the first week in February, GMB Exec will meet in the week of the 15 February).

In Unison, the Service Group Executive meeting will decide what recommendation to make in the ballot. In the GMB they are likely to start the ballot with no recommendation.

The BMA overwhelmingly voted to reject the pensions changes, with two thirds in favour of industrial action to stop them, in a survey of their members. This means there is still everything to play for. Many health workers will be confused about the deal.

Last week a series of model motions for particular health unions were sent out to the SWP health fraction. It is vital that every health worker comrade tries to raise the relevant motion in their branch, and tries to get the leaflet out around their workplace.

But if we limited our attempts to shape the ballots to only those workplaces where we have SWP members, we will limit the impact we can have. The more health workers get these arguments in their hands, the better chance we have of shaping the outcome. There is a short window of opportunity to do this over the next month.

SWP branches should make sure the attached is used on any health workplace sales, and map out other NHS workplaces to prioritise for SW sales and leafleting with the Health Worker Network leaflet.

London Health Worker Network planning meeting: Sat 4 Feb, 12 – 4pm, room 2C, ULU, Malet Street, WC1: Following a productive health worker session at the Unite the Resistance Emergency meeting on 14 January, health workers in London have called this meeting to bring together activists to discuss building the campaign to reject the pensions deal. If you can make it, please contact Julie

National Lobby and Protest at parliament to kill the bill, 7 March: There will be a national lobby and rally at parliament called by the TUC on 7 March in opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill, which is set to go to parliament for its final reading at the end of March.

While this is not the national demonstration we have been pushing for, and is on a week day, it is important we fight to bring delegations from across the country and build it as big and militant as possible. Comrades in NHS workplaces should look to bring delegations and every SWP branch/ district should draw up a target list of who could be asked to go in their local networks/ periphery. An initial leaflet is attached; more detailed publicity will sent out later in the week.

Industrial notes

NUJ Newsquest South East Essex Strike 13 – 15 February: NUJ members at Newsquest South East Essex chapel voted overwhelmingly in favour (90.5%) of the strike action and action short of a strike (95.2%) to fight against continuing pay freezes. They have planned a two-week work to rule, starting on Monday 30 January followed by three days of strikes starting on Monday 13 February.

Wincanton drivers to strike for 7 more days from Thursday The dispute, which kept Jet fuel trucks standing idle for a week is set to intensify. The dispute is over Wincanton’s attack on the drivers’ pensions and terms and conditions.

The strike will re-start on Thursday 2 February and end on Thursday 9 February, unless a resolution can be reached.

We’ve had a really good response on the picket lines, we want to make sure that we get Socialist Worker onto the picket lines from Thursday and we starting delivering.

Picket locations: ABP Immingham Docks, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire DN40, Kingsbury oil terminal, Warwickshire Trinity Road, Kingsbury, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 2EH, Stockton-on-Tees in the north east.

UCU…an important week: The UCU is holding a special conference for its pre-92 branches on Tuesday 31 January (1pm ULU Malet Street). This meeting will debate whether to suspend action in defence of the USS pension scheme in exchange for talks. There are a series of materials available on the UCU Left’s website www.uculeft.org arguing to keep the action on.

In the run up to the next UCU NEC on 10 February it’s very important that branches and regions (many of who meet this weekend) are passing motions backing the NEC’s decision to fight.

Model motions supporting the UCU NEC’s decision to fight are on the UCU Left website.

Elections in the UCU begin on Monday 6 February and go on until 1 March. These elections will shape the future of the UCU. Mark Campbell is the candidate being supported by the UCU Left for General Secretary. The UCU Left is also supporting a raft of other candidates for the unions NEC.

To add your name or those of other activists at your college or university to Mark’s list of endorsements to his General Secretary campaign go to: http://markcampbell4gs.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/endorse-mark-for-ucu-gen...

Stagecoach bus drivers call demo (4 February) to kick off new strikes (collection sheet attached) Stagecoach drivers in Barnsley and Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire have called a demonstration to kick off support for their next round of strike action this Saturday 4 February.

Supporters will assemble 10.30am (Jumble Lane crossing end of the bus station). After a rally at the picket line there will be a march through Barnsley town centre and a final rally in Peel Square.

New strikes are set for 4, 6, 8 and 10 February.

Messages of support should to Barnsley Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth at a-rushforth@sky.com. Cheques should be made payable to TGWU 9/9 Barnsley and sent to A Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, BarnsleyS73 8PX

Unite Olympic bonus campaign: Unite the union is running a campaign to win a £500 bonus for bus drivers in the capital. This follows the RMT winning a £ 900 bonus for DLR workers and rejecting a £400 bonus for tube workers today.

We are producing a bulletin for bus garages this week to win support for Barnsley and take up the issue of the £500 bonus. Every SWP branch and district should if possible get a sale up at a local garage and/or visit reps on Friday’s when they have release time.

Bus drivers at Rossendale Transport in East Lancashire are set to start a series of strikes (for 3 hours every 8 days) on Monday 6 February over pay.

Fighting victimisation: Len Hockey, Unison joint branch secretary at Whipps Cross hospital in London, faces disciplinary action by Initial Services today (30 Janaury) in connection with his union role. At the same time Unison Greater London sent a letter to his members which criticises him strongly. Send protests over disciplinary to susan.matthews@rentokil-initial.com trish.sharpe@rentokil-initial.com and to Whipps Cross hospital trust: cathy.geddes@whippsx.nhs.uk

Also protest letters to Unison over their action:

v.lucioni@unison.co.uk c.remington@unison.co.uk And copies to: leonardhockey789@hotmail.co.uk

Bookmarks news

Friday 10 February is the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Saltley Gate, the key moment of the victorious 1972 miners’ strike. Branches should make sure they have copies of Close the Gates! The 1972 Miners' Strike, Saltley Gate and the Defeat of the Tories by Pete Jackson, £2 from Bookmarks.

Arguments for Revolution by Joseph Choonara and Charlie Kimber £3 has been reprinted and is now available. And don’t forget the reading list for the LGBT dayschool 11 February – where branch orders can also be collected

Author events at Bookmarks

Setting the Truth Free: The inside story of the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign with Julieann Campbell

Friday 3 February 6.30pm

On 30 January 1972 the British army in Derry shot dead 13 people during a Civil rights march in Derry. Setting the Truth Free is an account of the Justice Campaign by the campaigners, relatives and the wounded themselves.

Julieann Campbell was Press Officer for the Bloody Sunday families in the lead up to the publication of the Saville Report. She is also the niece of Jackie Duddy who was one of those killed that day.

To reserve a place contact events@bookmarks.uk.com

Why it’s all Kicking Off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions with Paul Mason

Thursday 16 February, 6.30pm

To reserve a place contact events@bookmarks.uk.com

For any Bookmarks information or opening hours phone 020 7637 1848, go to www.bookmarksbookshop.co.uk or email enquiries@bookmarks.uk.com or write to Bookmarks, 1 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3QE