Crawley Socialist Party

Brighton Unison LG Pensions Statement. NO SURRENDER

2012-01-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Below is a open communication from Brighton Local Government Unison to
regional and national officers.

I am asked by the vast majority of our Branch Committee, activists,
and by several hundred members, on-line(a massive response, since
Friday last), to express our deep concern at the latest developments
in the Pensions Dispute.

Four years ago we were told of a "once in a lifetime" deal on
Pensions. It is our collective view, and we believe this represents
all of the 95 percent of UNISON members that were out on strike on
November 30th (the remainder were mostly exempt staff), that ANY
climb-down from a united Trade Union position will be seen as a
weakness by this Government, with severe consequences for the future,
not just in terms of pensions.

Our negotiating position should only change when the Government makes
it clear they have moved - the communication below, is quite clear
that any move is dependent on Eric Pickles agreeing to such. And
exactly what is he being asked to agree on? What are the consequences
for the negotiations?

To myself, but more importantly to our members, basic negotiating
positions should not alter from our side, unless, and until, the
employers put a definite proposal on the table. They haven't so far,
throughout 12 months or more, unless one counts ultimatums as a
position, so why are we shifting ours?

This is utterly unacceptable to this Branch. We did not come out on
the 30th, to go "up the hill", and be left at the top.

Very simply, members will be asking, are asking, why the hell did I
take part in the most successful strike for many years, to see my
Union apparently, give away that "high ground" and appear to give in
to a "bully". The one thing we have learnt with bullies, is not to
give in - it makes them worse!

I do not fear that my Branch will lose members through this; we are
too strong, successful, and confident in Brighton and Hove for such a
luxury. Elsewhere, and I say this with some knowledge and experience,
may well be different.

The 4,300 members of UNISON in Brighton and Hove urge our national
leadership to argue for a continuing united front with our sister
Unions, and, even if that is not possible, to be prepared to stick to
the defined position of 30th November 2011 - that is, we have our
current pension arrangements and they need to stay as they are now.

Do not give in!

Yours Sincerely,

Alex Knutsen

Branch Secretary

March in Horsham

2011-12-01T02:07:00.000-08:00

"Terrible disruption of everyone's life by selfish striking scum" or "It's all a damp squib" - the government cannot keep their story straight over the unprecedented strike action on November 30th

Over 300 marched in Horsham to put our questions to Francis Maude - the minister for cutting pensions - but Maude wouldn't come into the garden to talk to us.

Instead we heard from Phil Wood of UNISON who stressed the unfair treatment of women workers by this government with its two token females surrounded by male millionaires.;

Marian Darke brought the greetings of the American Teachers Union - "our action has caused ripples across the world."

Ben - a GMB ambulance driver - "We come out all hours to support people in emergencies - we want you to support us."

Derek Isaacs of North Sussex Trades Council was a surprise addition to the platform. "Instead of refusing to pay the pensioners - we could refuse to pay the millionaire fat cats who profited from PFI deals"

Veronica Peppiatt - National Executive member - pointed out that the government is targeting pensioners but has no interest in stopping the tax avoidance by which individuals grab 13 billion pounds and Corporations grab 12 billion pounds out of the public purse.

This is not the end. The determination of the pensioners and trade unionists in the first Horsham protest since the repeal of the corn laws is a small indication that this damp squib could blow up in the government's face :)

Good King Wenceslas in Reverse

2011-11-23T13:46:00.001-08:00

The government has quietly cut the winter fuel allowance to old age pensioners. While Wenceslas had compassion for the poor, that is not the modern way.

George Osborne secretly cut the winter fuel allowance, paid to most people who are 60 or older. However the information did not form part of the 100+-page Budget document.

This news came just weeks after all the Big Six power firms hiked the price of gas and electricity, with more predicted.

Most of those aged 60-79 will get £200 instead of last year's £250 when the payment is made in November or December. Those who are 80 or older will get £300 instead of £400.

The government bewail the fact that people are living longer and they cite this as a pretext for cutting pensions. Well cutting the winter fuel allowance is a good way to make sure they die soon enough.

Merry Christmas Millionaire Osborne - don't get cold now.

Only the trade union movement stands between the poor and this involuntary euthanasia. Yet too many trade union leaders insist on backing the half-hearted opposition hopelessly compromised by their record in office. We need a party of the working class.

Pensions robbery - Francis Maude Guilty! ....Labour Peer Lord Hutton Guilty!

2011-11-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

WSTA is holding a protest in Horsham. Hilariously, the Labour Party
has tried to hijack it. We have suggested they hand over Lord Hutton
alive! Of course we welcome individual Labour supporters coming along
to support us.

They want workers to support Labour. They would be better occupied
getting the Labour Party to support the working class.

Our action is portrayed by the millionaire government and the gutter
press as teachers looking after "gold plated" pensions. That is a pack
of lies. The protest in Francis Maude's constituency is against a cut
to all pensions.

The government intends to cut *all* pensions by reneging on a promise
to link pensions to average earnings or the rise in the cost of
living. Prices will go up and the current plan is that pensioners will
receive nothing - zero - to cope with it.

The West Sussex Teachers' Association (NUT) invites pensioners and
anyone concerned about the savage cuts to pensions to support a rally
in Horsham

Assemble at 10am at the Bandstand in Horsham Park and go to the
bandstand in the Carfax via Madeira Avenue where Tory Party HQ is.

Our blog wsta1.org.uk will have information about this.

Horsham MP Francis Maude needs to answer some questions. The WSTA want
to know:

1) Can you explain what has happened to the cast iron guarantee that
"We will restore the earnings link for the basic state pension from
April 2011, with a *triple guarantee* that pensions are raised by the
higher of earnings, prices or 2.5%."

2) What does the government plan to do to pensions in 2012?
Will the link to increases in the cost of living even exist or will
pensioners be made to pay for the bankers' crisis?

3) Is it likely that the current policy towards teachers' pensions
will lead to a problem of recruitment in state schools?

4) How will it impact the public schools to which government ministers
send their children?

The West Sussex Teachers' Association (NUT) is not affiliated to any
political party and we would be asking the same questions whichever
party was in power.

Strike Against the Cuts

2011-09-22T23:47:00.001-07:00

Wacko!

2011-09-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

A survey conducted by TES has received massive publicity. It shows 49
percent of parents supporting corporal punishment in schools. The more
significant finding which the tabloids did not cover was that more
than eighty percent of parents opposed cutting education spending. I
can't imagine why the gutter press was not interested in that one!
I have taught successfully without the use of corporal punishment for
32 years. It is many years since corporal punishment was allowed in
British schools and in many cases the people who are condemning the
'feral youth' of today did not actually get caned themselves.

A sign of the times was when a Sussex private school wanted to utilise a
loophole in the law and carry on caning (sounds like a good film
title). They found the only place they could purchase canes was a sex
shop which could also have provided whips and bondage gear. When this
got into the papers they thought it was not quite the image they
wanted to portray to the public.

The most difficult of the pupils I have taught have been beaten by
their parents. And a fat lot of good it seemed to do them.

This does not surprise me. My brother was caned on his first day at
secondary school for fidgeting. His school had substantially more
physical punishment than mine yet by any standard the behaviour at his
school was worse. Perhaps the culture of bullying was passed down from
teachers to pupils. I saw the school bully at my school outside the
head's office on numerous occasions. Did he cease being a bully? No he
became a bully with a sore backside.

If anyone chooses to suggest that my classroom must be a haven of
licensed wrongdoing, do spend five minutes there before drawing such a
rash conclusion. After all I would have sought an alternative
occupation if things were like that - you know an OFSTED inspector for
example :)

The caning issue is being used as a diversion from the real problem in
education: a problem correctly identified by parents who
overwhelmingly oppose the cuts. Gove and co really do want to turn
back the clock: unqualified teachers in dilapidated schools for the
poor and only the best for the rich. Of course many of the old
Etonians in the cabinet will have felt the cane. And it cannot be said
to have improved their behaviour one jot.

Colonel Blimp's Academy

2011-09-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

One of Gove's more hare-brained schemes (and there is a lot of
competition) is to have a free school run by army officers with no
training in education. This will teach the 'feral youth' to behave of
course.

Let us remember James Collinson, 17, Geoff Gray, 17, Sean Benton, 20,
and Cheryl James, 18. They all died from gunshot wounds in unexplained
incidents at Deepcut Barracks. Altogether there were 100 allegations
of sexual abuse and bullying at Deepcut. The police investigation was
deeply flawed because the military closed ranks.

The Commons Defence Select Committee report accused the Army of
failing in its handling of bullying.

The Adult Learning Inspectorate said the armed forces' own data showed
about one in 10 military personnel suffered bullying or harassment.

"Much of this is condoned as 'traditional', even though it is
officially forbidden," it said.

"The newest recruits, women and people from minority ethnic groups are
particularly vulnerable."

Still Gove will claim this is all in the past and couldn't possibly
happen in the future. To quote Mandy Rice Davies, "he would say that
wouldn't he?"

So send your children to Colonel Blimp's Academy. It'll toughen them up.

2011-09-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

Click here to find out more

TUC get off your knees - lobby on Sept 11th

2011-08-05T02:41:00.000-07:00

Three quarters of a million went on strike on June 30th in a massive
show of strength against a concerted attempt by the Tory and Liberal
Democrat partners of this millionaire government to make workers pay
for the bankers? greed. Powerful demonstrations up and down the
country brought thousands, including many young workers onto the
streets in big cities and small towns, many for the
first time, determined to defend pensions, and to stop the immediate
huge pay cuts that the pension changes would mean.

We believe that 30th June was the opening salvo. To win we need to
turn this threequarters of a million into 4-5 million in the next
round of industrial action in the autumn, involving all public sector
unions, and thereby scuppering the machinations of the government to
drive a wedge into the trade union movement between the NUT, UCU, ATL
and PCS and the other three big unions Unison, Unite and GMB. Defence
of pensions has proved a unifying factor so far, and one of our best
opportunities to all come together, and collectively force Cameron and
Clegg into a massive U-turn.

To this end the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) is organising a
lobby of the TUC Conference in London on September 11th 2011.

We will be handing in a petition calling on the TUC General Council to
call for and coordinate a one-daystrike of all public sector unions as
the next step in this struggle.

The assembly point will be at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road,
London NW1 2BJ at 1:30pm for an indoor rally which will be addressed
by union leaders, including PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka,
alongside shop stewards and workplace reps involved in the pension
struggle.

The NSSN is encouraging all trade unionists to attend the rally and
the lobby as well as signing the petition at
www.shopstewards.net/sign. Why not use the text of the petition as the
basis of a branch resolution which you could forward to the TUC
general council to help keep the pressure up?

We would be grateful if you could circulate information about this
event around your trade union
branch, attend yourself and encourage others to do so. We would also
encourage unions to book
transport to the event. If your branch / trades council would like to
contribute to the cost of a
coach, please make a cheque payable to ?National Shop Stewards
Network? and post to NSSN, PO
Box 54498, London, E10 9DE.

Big Society and a Big Hypocrite

2011-07-31T04:10:00.000-07:00

Walk down any high street in this country and you will meet a homeless
person selling the Big Issue. If you want a living indictment of the
kind of society millionaires like Cameron defend you need look no
further.

And what is this? The current Big Issue is edited by David Cameron!
John Bird, who set out wanting to help the homeless now has them
forced to peddle the most disgusting Conservative Party propaganda. If
his name does not appear in the New Year's honours list - there just
ain't no justice!

In an editorial Bird lavishes praise on "the big society" in which
individuals can take the place of the state in helping out. Yet of
course this very magazine shows what is wrong with this approach. The
homeless are at the mercy of the whims of a philanthropist. If those
whims include grovelling to the Tory Party then the homeless have to
grovel. Refuse to sell the magazine and you don't eat tonight.

And one final question. If Cameron or Bird go into hospital will they
be happy for a volunteer to walk in off the street and operate on
them? If so I am prepared to give it a go. Where's my scalpel?

Reports of Murdoch's death have been exaggerated

2011-07-21T02:26:00.000-07:00

While Murdoch was impersonating Uriah Heep on his 'umble
Commons appearance, reports of his death were appearing on
The Sun website. Apparently he was not intending to 'do a
Maxwell. In an ironic move, Hacker Murdoch had been hacked!

The 'hacktivists' responsible have now released email
addresses and mobile numbers of the 'know nothing'
executives of News International. It really would be pushing
the boundaries of hypocrisy for Hacker Murdoch to insist
that the full force of the law be used against them.

And that is exactly what he has done. Obviously the humble
pie disagreed with him

Murdochgate

2011-07-14T11:23:00.001-07:00

"‘Murdochgate’ is Britain’s Watergate. In politics, as in nature, the ‘butterfly effect’ operates. A seemingly small event – the famous metaphor of the flutter of a butterfly’s wings – can begin a chain of events resulting in massive unforeseen consequences.

In the case of the Watergate break-in, it led to the discrediting and downfall of Richard Nixon, the President of the most powerful nation on earth, the US. Cameron and his corrupt, rotten government deserve the same fate today. Watergate exposed the rottenness at the heart of the US administration and threatened the social system it was based upon, capitalism. "

Read more

Defend the NHS

2011-07-07T03:39:00.001-07:00

North Sussex and Surrey Trades Council launched a Coalition
to defend the NHS at a meeting on 06 July 2011.

Oliver Coxhead was elected as Chair
Derek Isaacs was elected as secretary.

David Isaacs was one of the first people to have his life saved by the new NHS in 1948. He had a playground accident
climbing the fence and was later taken to the hospital with an abcess which was growing inwards and would have
threatened his life.

However his mother didn't have to beg to a group of hard-nosed charity commissioners. The treatment was free for
the first time, so he was among the first of hundreds of thousands who owe their lives to the NHS.

People of sixty were old in 1948. The NHS has given us a new lease of life and that is why it is worthwhile for all of us
to defend it.

The government talks glibly about "reforms" of the NHS. In fact they propose to cut public provision and privatise
health care. The contents of your wallet will determine your treatment, not your medical need. You might as well say the German Air Force "reformed" Coventry.

The Coalition to defend the NHS will be meeting at St Johns Church Hall in central Crawley and the meetings will be advertised on the blog. http://crawleyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/

To join the coalition contact crawleyagainstthecuts@yahoo.com
It could be the fight of your life.

From our Royal Correspondent

2011-04-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Roman Emperors dealt with economic crisis with a policy of "bread and circuses". The Con Dems are determined to leave out the bread and just give us the circuses. Witness the media torrent of sickly sentimentality over the royal wedding.

Much has been made of Premier Cameron's deliberations over whether he looks better as a lounge lizard or a stuffed shirt. Serious stuff. It makes Cameron look a fool which is no bad thing but it diverts attention from the realities of

the state of the Con Dem Nation.

We should be grateful that although the country cannot afford health, welfare, education, libraries or pensions, at least we can afford for two overprivileged parasites to live like pigs in clover. It's romantic isn't it?

And of course the media Royal Correspondents stress that Middleton is "a commoner". About as common as hen's teeth in fact. The Middletons are from an elite every bit as remote from the common people as the Windsors. The significance of "blue blood" is that in the past the royals and the aristos had pale skin because they did not work outside like the peasantry so their blue veins were more likely to be visible. None of the millionaire Middletons has to turn an honest day's work and indeed they look to expand their business empire with their royal connections.

On the other hand it is important for the Windsors to bring new blue blood into the family because the perils of inbreeding are all too evident in Prince Charles and Prince Philip. Daft as a pair of Poundland brushes.

So watch the royal circus and enjoy it. After all you paid for it!

Derek McMillan

Royal Correspondent

Mid Sussex Socialist Party

After the big march what next - how can we stop the cuts?

2011-03-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

Meeting at St John's Church Hall

Phil Clarke

National Shop Stewards Network

7.30

Monday 4th April

Council plan cuts to jobs and services

2011-02-05T02:33:00.001-08:00

Council meeting to cut jobs and services

Wednesday 23rd February

Town Hall

7.30

Tax cuts for the rich

Job cuts and service cuts for the rest of us.

Don't let them get away with it.

Give the fat cats a piece of your mind!

2010-09-12T02:42:00.001-07:00

New Labour began the policy of robbing the poor to give to the rich.

The Con Dem coalition are no better.

There are plenty of "efficiency savings" to be made by confiscating the bankers' bonuses and making millionaires pay tax but the rich want to make the poor pay for a crisis created by the greed and incompetence of the bankers.

One member of the public came up to us and said "we should be like the french - come out on strike and on the streets until the government say 'give them what they want!'"

Trades Council Meeting against the cuts

2010-08-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

The next meeting of the trades council will be an open meeting to begin a campaign against the cuts. The focus will be identifying how the cuts will effect people in Mid Sussex and Surrey and organising effective opposition.

Date Wednesday 15 September

Time 7.30 pm

Place St John's Church Hall in Crawley

Click here for a map

Meeting in East Grinstead

2010-08-01T04:51:00.001-07:00

Crawley and Mid Sussex Socialists are meeting for the time being at the Sportsman in Canteloupe Road.

Next meeting Thursday 19 August at 7 pm

Click here for a map

Make the TUC get off its knees!

2010-06-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

Margaret Thatcher always advised her friends only to employ a gardener who had patches on the knees of his trousers. Thatcherites like the working classes on their knees and the present coalition is no exception.

The NSSN is potentially very useful for public sector unions to co-ordinate actions and simply to exchange information. Various unions have produced data on the “gold plated” public sector pensions one reads about in the media. The median pension for PCS members is 8000 pounds a year – you couldn’t get gold-plated cufflinks on that.

There was a wide range of participants from pensioner activists who reported on the number of OAPs who are up in arms about the government’s plans…down to the Youth Fight for Jobs representatives who are seeking to secure a future for school-leavers.

The representatives of the BA cabin crews got a standing ovation – as you would expect really.

The NUT’s own Linda Taaffe moved the keynote resolution . She is using her so-called retirement to invigorate the NSSN.

The resolution aimed to get the TUC off its knees. The suggestion is that union branches and individual members should be urging them to organise a national protest against the cuts. This is in contrast to their current plan of inviting David Cameron round for tea. Matt Wrack of the FBU said this was about as useful as having a chat with the hangman about what kind of knot you want.

Contact the TUC by email, phone or via the web page:

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/about_form.cfm

Tel 020 7636 4030
Fax 020 7636 0632
Email info@tuc.org.uk

Trades Union Congress
Congress House
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3LS

A number of trade unions support NSSN at the highest level – the PCS, POA, RTM and FBU for example. The NSSN will work with the official Trade Union Congress when possible but without it when necessary. We have no plans to invite David Cameron to our next conference.

Labour leadership election

2010-06-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Derek McMillan writes:

I have to say the leadership election of the Labour Party shows the
depths to which the party has sunk. Noticing that they have a plethora
of white gentlemen in suits the right wing consciously used their votes
to include Diane Abbott on the slate on the assumption that a snowball
in Hell would have a better chance than she will.

Diane Abbott does not do herself any favours by cuddling up with Portillo - the most hated Tory after Margaret Thatcher - or by her championing of the "excellent academies programme" on her website.

We should not be "building bridges" to the Labour Party as some left union leaders have suggested. They have cut all the bridges just as they proposed to cut everything else - except bankers' bonuses of course.

I joined the Labour Party in the 1960s because I believed in peace, social justice and public ownership.

People who have joined Labour in the last decade have done so because of a belief in war, privatisation and inequality. If you seek hatred and vituperation of trade unionists you need look no further. Ask the Firemen. Ask the BA cabin crews.

We need a party for the common people:
a party of the working class.

Cabin Crew action undermined by exhibitionists

2010-05-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

Now that it appears talks between BA and Unite have collapsed the Socialist Party has released the following statement concerning the actions of the SWP and the cabin crew dispute.

Occupation A Mistake

The defeat of Willie Walsh and the brutish BA management is the most important aspect to this dispute. It is therefore unfortunate that the reported decision of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) members at the end of the Right to Work Conference to invade talks between British Airways management and Unite has partially obscured this issue. This occupation was completely mistaken.

Whatever the nature of the deal being negotiated it is not for a group like the SWP to decide to break up talks. A decision to accept or reject a deal is solely the property of cabin crew and their democratically elected representatives.

In an industrial dispute the final decision on tactics to confront the employer must always rest with the strikers themselves. Socialists can assist by sharing experiences and ideas in past disputes and building support and solidarity for the strike among the general public. This has always been the method of the Socialist Party. We will offer our opinion on the course of a dispute to workers but we believe that any initiative taken in support of a dispute should be taken in consultation with the workers themselves.

A key task for socialists and trade union activists is to raise the confidence of workers to fight not to substitute themselves for workers in struggle. This will mistakenly create the impression that a special minority of activists will do the fighting leaving workers as bystanders. The Socialist Party stands for the maximum control of workers over their dispute.

It is the view of the Socialist Party that the actions of the SWP on Saturday was not in the best interests of striking cabin crew workers. Such tactics will prove to be counter-productive. It is the mass action of cabin crew through their union that is the key to defeating Walsh, not the actions of a self appointed minority. Despite this we are totally opposed to any victimisation of those who took part in this mistaken protest.

The priority for all workers in the trade union movement now is to support the cabin crew workers against Walsh and BA management.

A voice for those who don't want cuts, privatisation and war.

2010-01-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

http://cnwp.org.uk/news.80.htm

New electoral coalition of unions and left groups

2009-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

OVER RECENT months meetings have taken place of the participants in the 'No2EU-Yes to Democracy' European election coalition to see whether another alliance could be constructed to contest the forthcoming general election. Informal discussions have also been held with some left trade union leaders not involved in No2EU.

No2EU was a coalition of the RMT transport union, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of Britain (CPB), the Alliance for Green Socialism, and others, explicitly assembled early this year to fight June's European election.

This was the first ever national election challenge by a trade union, the RMT, since that union's predecessor helped establish the Labour Party over one hundred years ago. It attracted as candidates important representatives of workers in struggle, including Lindsey oil refinery strike committee members and Visteon convenors fighting closure of their plants.

The coalition won 153,000 votes which, along with the vote for Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party, was 2.2% of the total poll (one third of the BNP vote). While not a breakthrough, No2EU was still an important first step towards independent working class political representation.

With the added support this time, in a personal capacity, of Brian Caton, the general secretary of the Prison Officers Association (POA), and leading national officers of the PCS civil servants' union - and with other union figures likely to come on board - the basis is there for a credible general election challenge.

The Socialist Party believes that Labour has been transformed from a 'capitalist workers' party' (a party with pro-capitalist leaders but with a democratic structure that allowed its working class base to fight for its interests) into the capitalist New Labour. This does not mean, however, that in the general election many workers will not vote Labour as the 'lesser evil' in the absence of a clear left alternative (in contrast to Germany, for example, with the existence of Die Linke to the left of the SPD).

This reflects the fear of what a Cameron government would mean - similar to someone instinctively raising an arm to ward off a blow. But unfortunately, a fourth-term New Labour government will offer no effective protection against the effects of the capitalist economic crisis. With New Labour now fundamentally no different to the Tories and the Liberal Democrats, the only certainty is that workers will face a torrent of blows from whichever party, or combination of parties, forms the next government.

To put it another way, there can be quantitative differences between the parties' policies, for example on exactly how deep public spending cuts will be, when they will be made, and where the axe will fall. But to effect a qualitative change in British politics, to provide a vehicle to resist the coming 'savage cuts' and the other effects of capitalist crisis, requires the development of independent working class political representation.

The debate between the capitalist parties over the role of public spending in a cyclical economic downturn is not completely phoney. It reflects conflicting positions within the capitalist ruling class on how best to attempt to preserve their system. But that is different to a clash between parties committed to defending capitalism and a party that starts from the interests of the working class or at least, in the case of 'old Labour', which could potentially be forced by its working class base to resist the capitalists' demands.

The existence of such a party today would transform the political situation, including forcing the capitalist parties to shape their actions in relation to it. New Labour's timid 'Keynesianism-lite' (at least in comparison to the Tories) does not make it a vehicle for workers' representation, revealed once again by its efforts to break the Communications Workers Union as a prelude to the casualisation and privatisation of Royal Mail.

A general election challenge building on the No2EU coalition, while it will be able to attract significant new support, will not fully provide the necessary alternative. But it would be another important step forward. It would also have an impact on post-election developments. Whether there is a Labour victory or defeat there will be a reckoning in the trade unions on how workers' interests can be defended, and possibly even a pale reflection of this inside the rump Labour Party in the event of a crushing defeat.

An election coalition potentially drawing in the most combative sections of the working class in defence of jobs, public services and workers' rights, would be well placed to shape this discussion.

Crawley SP support postal workers

2009-11-02T02:30:00.001-08:00

Crawley Socialist Party members in Crawley town centre collecting signatures to support the postal workers.

The privatisation of the post office is bad news for all users of the postal service. If you think the strike is inconvenient, imagine what the abolition of the royal mail and its replacement with private companies whose only motivation is profit would be. Certainly they would not be interested in providing a service and only the most profitable bits of the postal service would remain.

Who do you trust to tell the truth: postal workers or Lord Mandelson?

LOL - BNP on Any Questions

2009-10-23T10:50:00.001-07:00

Socialism 2009

2009-10-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Click here to book online

Tolpuddle 2009

2009-07-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Tolpuddle Museum is an educational resource supported by the NUT. As you can see many trade union organisations take part in the annual Tolpuddle Festival. Crawley Trades Council organised a coach this year.

Socialist Alternative in America

2009-07-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Socialist Alternative and "Justice" Newspaper Needs Your Help Help us raise $10,000 to make "Justice" newspaper a monthly! In the United States great opportunities for socialists are opening up because of the manifest failure of the capitalist class in their stewardship of society. Our assistance will help make the Socialist Alternative in America more powerful. You can donate by clicking here. Every penny or every cent counts.

No2EU

2009-04-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

In this year’s European elections working-class people have a positive alternative to vote for. A new electoral alliance, No2EU-Yes to Democracy, has been launched to oppose the EU’s big-business agenda. It will also mount a challenge to the divisive, anti-working class, far-right BNP which has, in the past, benefitted from the protest votes in Euro-elections.

More information from the Socialist Party Click here

Youth fight for jobs

2009-03-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

Photo shows campaigners in Crawley, including National Organiser Sean Figg. The public response was generally sympathetic and a lot of concern was expressed over the future of Crawley if youth unemployment means school leavers feel they have no future. There was also a lot of anger at the public money being handed out to feckless bankers.

Young people march against fees and job losses at G20, 2 April

Youth Fight for Jobs takes up fight for this generation’s future

The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign fights against fees and job losses, and will be launched through a march for jobs, in the tradition of the Jarrow Marchers, to the G20 on 2 April. This march will visit all 4 of the poorest boroughs in London, assembling at Camberwell Green at 9am, marching past parliament and the Bank of England, through Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Newham and finishing at the G20 meeting.

(there is a facebook event for this march here http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=55020156172 - invite friends!)

Sean Figg, national organiser for the Youth Fight for Jobs, says “The numbers of unemployed are expected to reach 2 million in official figures tomorrow. So far, as a result of the recession, 40 percent of job cuts have taken place amongst 18 – 24 year olds.

“This news coincides with Universities UK launching their campaign for an increase in university fees. This is a cynical move to take advantage of young peoples fears for their future. Young people face a choice – to go to university and get into debt, and hope to escape the recession and improve their job chances, or take their chances looking for a job and end up on the dole.

“How come there’s money to bail out the failed bankers whilst young people pay for this crisis with unemployment and debt?

“Our campaign calls for the right to a decent job, for training to gain skills, and for the right of all young people to got to university without student debt. That’s why we are marching on 2 April”

The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign has gained the support of prominent activists since its launch in mid-January. Bob Crow*, RMT general secretary, Chris Kitchen, NUM General Secretary, Janice Godrich, PCS President, Glenn Kelly, Unison NEC, workers who took unofficial action at the Lindsey Oil Refinery and won a victory, and young people involved in the Prisme workplace occupation in Dundee and many others (all in personal capacity except*). The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign was involved in the protest of 1,000 people against university fees on 25 February, and together with the Campaign to Defeat Fees will be organising further action.

for more information contact 020 8558 7947

Sean Figg available for interviews, along with marchers who are young workers, threatened with job losses, students campaigning against fees and debt and more

see www.youthfightforjobs.com

email youthfightforjobs@gmail.com

Gaza - photos from the London demonstration

2009-01-17T10:51:00.001-08:00

Gaza End the US-backed slaughter

2009-01-13T08:36:00.001-08:00

North Sussex Trades Council

2008-11-28T12:54:00.001-08:00

North Sussex Trades Council was relaunched at a meeting in Crawley on 28 11 2008.

Trade unionists need to work together to fight the effects of the economic crisis - job losses, insecurity and repossessions.

If your union branch in Crawley, Horsham or East Grinstead is interested in affiliating to the Trades Council contact d.ri@btinternet.com

Socialism 2008 video

2008-10-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Profiteers raise food and fuel prices

2008-09-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

The government tries in vain to blame working people for the rise in prices. As food prices rise, the supermarkets have record profits. As fuel prices rise shareholders of the fuel corporations live in luxury.

Crawley Socialist Party Public meeting

7.00 pm

31 October

How can we stop food and fuel price rises?

St John's Church Hall

High Street/The Broadway
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1HH

Click for map

Trade unions must break with New Labour

2008-09-14T04:52:00.000-07:00

Campaign for a new Workers Party

2008-09-14T04:50:00.000-07:00