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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

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www.socialistparty.org.uk | Socialist Party POA Conference Bulletin | May 2011

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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