Month: January 2020

Support the Pension strikes in France

Leave a comment

Motion agreed at our branch committee on 21 January 2020 

This branch notes:

The fourth national day of strikes and demonstrations across France on 9th January saw massive action against French president Emmanuel Macron’s attacks on pensions. According to union figures, 370,000 people marched in Paris—up by 20,000 from the last day of national action on 17 December. Elsewhere 120,000 took to the streets in Toulouse, 35,000 in the port city of Le Havre, 30,000 in Rouen, 27,000 in Lyon and 25,000 in Grenoble. In Marseille 220,000 people took part, an increase from the 150,000 on 5 and 10 December and 200,000 on 17 December.

Those marching across France included striking rail and public transport workers, refinery, hospital and civil service workers, dockers, teachers, firefighters, barristers, Yellow Vests and more.

Across the country about half of teachers were out on strike, 60 percent in Paris. Over two-thirds of train drivers and nearly 60 percent of train controllers struck according to management figures. Only a skeleton service—staffed by managers and a few scabs—ran on the Paris Metro. All eight oil refineries in France started a four-day strike from 12 noon on Tuesday 7th January. The CGT union reported that this halted the movement of fuel by tanker or pipeline completely.

The government still wants £10.2 billion cuts in pension spending and a system that will mean most people working longer and get less.

 

This branch believes:

  • The strikers are correct to reject Macron’s partial climb-down (which will still leave most people worse off)
  • There is a danger that the union leaders will allow the strikers to be isolated.
  • That in the UK it is our duty to show solidarity and to raise awareness of the strikes through our unions, despite the near total news blackout.


This branch supports:

  • The call for a general strike in France to secure full victory
  • ‘Twinning’ with our sister union in France to update our members on what is happening and to develop solidarity between French and British workers
  • A donation to the Strike fund of £50

Stop the Tories new anti union laws!

1 Comment

Johnson’s government has pledged to introduce even more restrcitive anti union laws to make effective strikes on transport unlawful. This is a direct attack on workers democratic rights.

Although the clear target is the RMT and other unions on the under ground, the proposed laws will target all transport workers, including trains and buses.

An initial meeting at Islington Trades Council agreed to establish a network of trade unionists and campaigners to oppose the new law and counter the anti working class arguments from the right wing and the millionaire press. The Free Our Unions campaign, which Lambeth Unison supports, has also been calling for joint activity involving unions and campaign groups to resist new anti-union laws, and will be promoting the meeting on 11 February.

Come to UNISON office at Blue Star House, Stockwell Road, SW9 9SP at 7pm on Tuesday 11 February. The more union branches and campaigners come, the stronger we are.

There are plans for rallies across the capital and a protest march as well. But we need to be creative and think how we can resist this new law, not just protest it.

Facebook event here