Democrat November-December 2012 (Number 132)
A future that works
The TUC's October national demonstrations called us to march for `A Future That Works`, but other than a need for `more fairness` the departing General Secretary failed to tell us what it might be!
Something possibly along the lines of an expanding economy, full employment, health and education services free at the point of use, pensions, the right to freely organise trades unions?
In taking up the fight for A future that works the incoming General Secretary could do far worse than begin by asking how we came to lose what we had?
Along with how the Britain's economy and State became hostage to a City of London financial mafia in desperate dependence on access to the EU single market? Along with a huge exposure to the PIIGS banking & soveriegn debt crisis together locking Britain into a race to the bottom with the Eurozone?
Answers please on a postcard marked FAO General Council, TUC, London.
Open Letter - for action agains the cuts
Over the last two years there have been countless demonstrations against the cuts. The TUC anti-cuts national demonstrations brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets in opposition to austerity - but the cuts go on and what's more, the cuts aren't working.
Despite this there is talk of more cuts for years to come, job losses and the end to councillors' accountability as privateers take over local services. Worse, the cuts aren't necessary.
The national debt is 86.8 per cent of GDP at present, whereas when the NHS and other social provision were brought in by Labour it was about 230 per cent of GDP.
For much of the time over the last hundred years the debt has been more than 100 per cent of GDP.
Furthermore, if the unpaid taxes of the rich were collected it would bring in more than £100 billion per year.
The cuts are a class attack by the government to undo all gains since 1945 and implement a common EU policy.
It is now clear we need to go beyond demonstrations against these cuts, which are causing untold damage to people's lives and families. Action is needed.
It is local councils that enact many of the cuts on behalf of the Con-Dems, and many of them are Labour. So what can be done?
The communities and labour movement must demand that councils, Labour or not, refuse to implement the cuts and instead put forward needs budgets in the interests of their constituents.
If this was achieved in just a dozen or so councils throughout the country it would transform the political situation and give hope to millions of unemployed, disabled, pensioners, low-paid workers and others.
Local TUCs nation-wide could become the focal point for organising for these demands in all the major cities and towns. Let's start now.
Ron Dorman
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