Unions are only barrier to the overwhelming supremacy of capitalism

The attack on union rights is currently the number one priority for public sector unions in every part of the world. That was the message from Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of Public Services International (PSI) to this week’s convention of CUPE, the Canadian public services union. Pavanelli told delegates that the recent financial crisis created by bankers and speculators led to attacks on public services and the union movement. “I firmly believe that we are confronted with a deliberate attack that has been planned to get rid of the only barrier still opposing the overwhelming supremacy of capitalism. We are not only the witnesses of such an attack; we all are the target of this attack.” Watch the speech on line at: http://cupe50.ca/the-fight-for-union-rights-is-in-front-of-us-pavanelli/

TUC reboots anti-austerity campaign

Next week marks the third anniversary of the formation of the UK's Tory led Coalition Government. Austerity has been its hallmark with attacks on living standards, erosion of workers' rights, destruction of public services and the welfare state. The response of the trade union movement, led by the TUC, has been sporadic at best. Massive national mobilisations on 26 March 2011 and 20 October 2012 have taken place but with long periods of inertia in between. Apart from an upsurge in industrial action over public sector pension in late 2011, empty rhetoric about civil disobedience and general strikes have substituted for mass action. Now the TUC is relaunching 'A Future That Works' campaign to drive the work of the TUC over the next two years:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-22165-f0.cfm

Calling for a future that works - Sign the e-petition now!

Hard on the heels of Saturday's demonstrations, UNISON's Stockport Branch Secretary Angela Rayner has launched an e-petition called 'Calling for a future that works' and it can be accessed here:
http://epetitions.direct.
gov.uk/petitions/40451

A sea of purple across the land

Hundreds of thousands hit the streets of London, Glasgow and Belfast yesterday to fight back against austerity. Marching for 'A Future That Works' and a 'Better Fairer Way'. In London the front of the rally was at Hyde Park before the end had left the Victora Embankment. The same in Glasgow where people were still in George Square when the GMB pipe band at the front was entering Glasgow Green.
..The Mirror follows the London March in words and pictures at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/a-future-that-works-live-blog-from-tuc-1388672   The UNISON story is at http://www.unison.org.uk/20102012/  and http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/oct20/

Arriving in their thousands in London and Glasgow

#Oct20 #SCOct20 They're ready to go in London and Glasgow for a Future That Works. North West one of the first to arrive in London (after Greater London of course). Sefton Branch secretary Glen Williams reports: "We left Sefton at 4am. There were 120 of us on the train - more than last time including many low paid workers. We've had to scoop our banner out of the Thames. The wind blew it in and it's sopping wet - we've been sold down the river!" See more at http://www.unison.org.uk/20102012/

In sunny Glasgow they've been arriving since 9.00 with Glasgow and Clyde Health's sparkling new banner and the Aberdeenshire contingent looking exceptionally sprightly after their 6am start. See more at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/oct20/index.html

Belfast, Glasgow, London - Here We Go, Here We Go, Here We Go

UNISON members will be out in force at today’s 3 anti-austerity demonstrations for ‘A Future that Works.’ As on 26 March 2011, the mobilisation by the UK’s largest union of working trade unionists will provide the mass of the protests alongside members of other trade unions and anti cuts campaigners.
A superb TUC video has been produced to mark the occasion featuring Olympics opening ceremony volunteers and Artistic Director Danny Boyle:
http://afuturethatworks.org/video-a-future-that-works-olympic-legacy/

Calling time on privatisation and outsourcing

#Oct20 A great new fact sheet from UNISON calls for an independent inquiry into the effect of privatisation on services... The Tory-led government wants to put more public services out to contract. But experience shows that outsourcing public services to private companies or the community and voluntary sector can often have a negative impact on the services themselves and those that provide them. http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/PrivAndOutsourcing.pdf

The union case for an alternative must be relevant to the ordinary lives of workers - Barber

#tuc12 Congress is taking place at a critical time for trade unions and progressive campaigners but 'to win the argument for an alternative we need to relate our arguments to ordinary lives' says TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, in his preview of Congress - a more grounded approach than the turbo-charged media rhetoric of some other union leaders: 'Growing disillusionment with government policies gives us a new audience for our message. Congress gives us the ideal launchpad to make October 20's march for A Future That Works a huge challenge to the politics and economics of permanent austerity.' http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/123588

Mobilise for 20 October in London

#oct20 The TUC website ‘A future that works’ has been updated with promotional artwork and arrangements for the national demonstration on 20 October. As on 26 March last year, the march will assemble along Victoria Embankment on the Thames from 11AM moving off around noon. http://afuturethatworks.org/

'A Future That Works' - mass TUC demonstration in London on 20 October

#oct20 The TUC is to organise a mass demonstration in London under the banner of 'A Future That Works' on Saturday 20 October 2012. A march through central London will culminate in a rally in Hyde Park.
On March 26 2010 the TUC's March for the Alternative attracted 500,000 people to a march and rally in London.