Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin
-
Upload
greg-maughan -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin
-
8/6/2019 Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin
1/2
The Con-Dems rhetoric that we
are all in this together is a
lie. This is a government of the
millionaires, acting in the interests
of... millionaires! The axe is being
taken to public spending like never
before. The Con-Dems are doing thisto please the fat-cats and bankers
that wrecked the economy in the
rst place. If they get away with
these cuts our communities and
living standards will be devastated.
A mass campaign is needed to turn
them back.
No part of the public sector is safe
from the Con-Dem axemen; for these
big-business, politicians there areno sacred cows. Local government,
our NHS, even the police - all are
facing huge job cuts and attacks
on the terms and conditions of
those that are left. In the prison
service, the threat of large-scale
privatisation looms large, with
all this would mean for pay and
collective barganining rights. This is
alongside attacks on pensions thatall public sector workers face.
But this is a weak government
and it can be beaten! The massive
turnout on the TUC-organised
demonstration on 26 March
showed the opposition that exists
to their plans. Their wobble on NHS
reforms immediately afterwards
shows the government is nervous
and can be beaten back.
The Socialist Party believes that
the next step in the ght against
the cuts needs to be a 24 hour
public sector general strike; plans
are underway to make this a relaity,
with a number of public sector
unions balloting over pension
attacks and 30 June the likely date
for coordinated action.
We support the POAs indicative
ballot for industrial action, and are
proud to stand alongside you in this
the ght of our lives!
No to privatisation of prisons!
Defend jobs, pay and
pensions!
No to cuts in public services!
For a 24 hour public sector
general strike!
www.scalspary.rg.ukjoin theeMAiL @scalspary.rg.uk, oR teXt YoUR nAMe AnD PoStCoDe to 07984 027754
www.socialistparty.org.uk | Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin | May 2011
FiGht PRiSon PRiVAtiSAtion!DeFenD joBS, PAY AnD PenSionS!FoR A 24 hoUR PUBLiC SeCtoR GeneRAL StRiKe
-
8/6/2019 Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin
2/2
www.socialistparty.org.uk | Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin | May 2011
G vlvd Id like to join the Socialist Partyc Id like more information about the Socialist PartycSubscrb Scals 12 issues 9c 6 months 18c 1 year 36cplease make cheques payable to Socialist Publications Ltd
Name......................................................................................................................................................................Address.................................................................................................................... Post Code............................
Email.......................................................................................................................................................................
Telephone...............................................................................................................................................................
Send to: PO Box 24697, London E11 1YD, email [email protected] or ring 0208 988 8777
Text JOIN, plus your name and postcode to: 07984 027 754
Prison ofcers in the POA union at Winson
Green prison in Birmingham held a protest
meeting on Friday 1 April in response to
the vicious privatisation plan for the prison,
spelled out the day before in parliament.
Lenny Shail and Nick Brook-Hart,
West Midlands Socialist Party
Up to a hundred workers temporarily
walked out of the prison after the meeting,
to stand on the front steps as local branch
secretary Brian Clarke addressed the
media and a short protest rally.
Brian asked for a vote of condence in the
prison governor James Shanley; no handwas raised. Brian then asked for a vote of
condence in the directors and managers
of the prison service; again no hand was
raised.
Brian made it clear that the union is
mandated to take industrial action up to
and including strike action if a public prison
is privatised. With similar meetings taking
place around the country, action would be
discussed locally, as well as nationally by
the POA national executive.
Workers at the prison were both emotional
and militant in their reaction to the plans.
They are proud of the service they provide
to the public and the inmates and warned
of the consequences of the present attacks
on the rights and conditions of the ofcers,
inmates and public.
One prison ofcer said: No one goes
into this job to make a prot... the prisonservice is about care.
The POA members were damning towards
the Labour Party. No ones failed this
country more than this government, the
previous government and the bankers. It
was Jack Straw and Labour that started
these attacks in 2009, what a despicable
man, said an ofcer.
Ofcers were also determined to not just
ght their battle, but to link it the struggle
to defend public services and ordinary
working people from the war by the Tories,
Lib Dems and Labour.
As one worker said: Saturday [the 26th
March TUC demo] was just the start, we
like every other ordinary working man and
woman will continue the ght against this
government.
The Socialist Party stands fully behindPOA members and any steps they take in
their struggle against privatisation and in
defence of jobs and conditions.
Reprinted from the Socialist issue 665
Birmingham prison ofcers determined to ght privatisation
The Socialist is the weekly paper of the
Socialist Party. It features news and analysis
from across the workers movement that
you wont nd anywhere else, as well as
arguing for a clear programme to ght the
cuts and build support for socialist change.
To subscribe, either ll out the form below
or visit http://bit.ly/khIBH0.
www.scalspary.rg.ukFind out more about the Socialist Party online. Recent highlights on our
website include:
Interview with POA assistant secretary, Joe Simpson http://bit.ly/kwCgg1
Cracks grow in Con-Dem coalition http://bit.ly/lz1ceq
NHS Cuts: Stop the Con-Dem wreckers http://bit.ly/kj3Gbj
CardiffactivistschaseNickGrifnoutoftownhttp://bit.ly/kuEg5X
Middle East and North Africa: Revolutions in danger http://bit.ly/l7c9L9
Paris commune 1871: When workers stormed heaven http://bit.ly/jo66DS
Prison Ofcers Association (POA) assistant secretary, Joe Simpson.
speaking at a London Socialist Party meeting