N30 Day of Action

It is clear to us that the votes to strike across the public sector are due not just to indignation over the big pension steal but to the way in which the public sector is being treated by the Coalition Government.  Pensions are the unifying factor although maybe the pay freeze announced today by George Osborne will have a similar effect.  But it's also true that many parts of the public sector, in particular the NHS, are highly demoralised and increasingly exhausted by the demands and chaos which the Coalition Ministers are heaping on them and by the doom scenario with which they are threatened if they do not comply.

The Occupation movement is one response, as is the Day of Action.  At a national level the unions seem to have handled this quite well, co-ordinating action and resisting the Coalition's carrots and sticks.  Unfortunately the local response is more chaotic.  At a well attended rally on 10th November, addressed by Mark Serwotka among others, it was announced that pickets and events in the morning would be be followed by a rally at 12 then a march round the city centre.  A lot of people and organisations made their arrangements accordingly.  Then suddenly on 27th Nov an email came round from the regional TUC in Leeds saying that Unison, Unite and GMB had decided this novel approach (rally then march) would not work and the march would now start from Devonshire Green at 11 though the rally would still be at 12.  This last minute change (as far as I can see because local union leaders couldn't see beyond a conventional format) has wrecked a number of other arrangements for the day.  There has been too little open communication locally and it is almost as if the local leadership don't think (or maybe want) too many people to be involved.  If we are to put up an effective fight for public services locally, we must have a clearer and more confident leadership.  We hope that the turnout for 30th Nov, despite the confusion, will encourage more people to make a stand.