Over the last year Cambridge residents have
seen a number of attacks on the industries and public services in the
city. 12
months ago, Cambridge University Press, the oldest publishing house in
Britain,
announced plans to outsource much of its work; Addenbrookes, the main
city
hospital, has recently been told to find £40 million in efficiency
savings; the
workers in the CWU came out on strike last October against modernisation
plans
for the postal service. All of these words – “outsourcing”, “efficiency
savings”, “modernisation” – are clearly euphemisms for attacking jobs
and
services.
seen a number of attacks on the industries and public services in the
city. 12
months ago, Cambridge University Press, the oldest publishing house in
Britain,
announced plans to outsource much of its work; Addenbrookes, the main
city
hospital, has recently been told to find £40 million in efficiency
savings; the
workers in the CWU came out on strike last October against modernisation
plans
for the postal service. All of these words – “outsourcing”, “efficiency
savings”, “modernisation” – are clearly euphemisms for attacking jobs
and
services.
The last month, however, has seen a number of
protests and campaigns in Cambridge against some of the latest attacks.
On the
8th and 9th of March, PCS union members went out
on
strike nationally, in protest at the government’s attempts to chance the
civil
service compensation scheme. There were a number of picket lines over
the two
days in locations across the city, and Socialist Appeal members,
including a
PCS member, were present to show their support. The turnout at the
pickets was
encouraging, and there was plenty of solidarity shown by other workers,
such as
the postal workers and the rubbish collectors, both of whom turned
around and
refused to cross the lines.
On the 18th March, Cambridge Labour
Representation Committee, which includes several supporters of Socialist
Appeal,
organised a meeting to campaign against the potential closure of
Marshalls
Aerospace, a local, family owned manufacturing company that employs
approximately 1,700 staff. A number of the workers are in Unite union,
and so
Jerry Hicks came to speak about his campaign for General Secretary of
Unite.
Jerry’s speech was electrifying and truly inspirational, trying together
the
situation at Marshalls with all the various other struggles that have
taken
place in the last year, such as the blacklist of construction workers,
the
closure of Diageo whisky bottling plants in Scotland, and the
occupations at
Visteon and Vestas.
Jerry highlighted the need for trade union leaders
who
actually listen to and represent their members, pointing out that part
of this
means taking the wage of an average worker, not a six-figure salary. He
called
for Unite to be a fighting union, for workers to fight back against
attacks,
and for union leaders to support action taken by members, starting with
the
repeal of anti-trade union laws. For example, during the occupation of
Vestas,
the Unite leadership failed to come out in support of the occupying
workers because
it was deemed an “illegal” action. In the end, it was the RMT (the
railways and
transport union) that came out to support the workers in a factory that
produces wind turbine blades! Meanwhile, in the media at the moment, we
have an
unelected prime minister (Gordon Brown) and an unelected transport
minister
(Lord Adonis) coming out against a completely democratic strike by the
BA cabin
crew. 81% of cabin crew voted for strike action on a 79% turnout – a
level of
support that Brown can only dream of for the upcoming general election.
Jerry
gave his support to the BA workers, who are, incidentally, also members
of
Unite.
As well as campaigning against job losses in
private industry, Cambridge residents are also coming out against cuts
to the
public services. On March 20th, the “Cambridgeshire Against
the
Cuts” campaign was launched with a public meeting and demonstration. The
campaign has been called in reaction to the announcement of £130 million
in
cuts to local services, resulting in at least 300 job cuts in the
council and
beyond. Members of Unison, NUT, and PCS unions gave reports on the
various ways
in which the community and amenities would be affected, as well as
giving an
outline of the attack that is taking place nationwide through cuts and
privatisation.
People are quickly realising that all these
different struggles are linked. At every meeting, workers and youth are
mentioning the bailout of the banks, and are questioning why our
services and
society are run for profit, not for need. The point was made at the
meeting
against local cuts that workers, trade unionists, and socialists have
won many
reforms over the course of history; however, these reforms will be
rolled back
by the ruling class unless there is a fundamental change in society. For
this
reason, we must link the fight against cuts to the fight for socialism.
