No Let-Up to Mass Protests in Britain
In the UK, mass protests and actions by the
working class continue without let-up. On October 1, mass
mobilizations
were held under the slogan Enough is Enough!
against the deepening political and economic crisis. More than
100,000
people are said to have taken part in protests called by the Enough
is
Enough! campaign in more than 50
cities, including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow,
Cardiff,
Brighton and Nottingham.
Enough Is Enough October 1, 2022
action in London.
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On October 2, a convergence called the People's Assembly Against Austerity rallied outside the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. The Assembly is planning another protest for London on November 5.
Protesters also lent their support to postal and rail workers who are fighting for better working conditions. The 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers, organized in the Communication Workers Union, have been holding national strike actions since August, with more one-day strikes taking place during October. British railway workers held strike actions in June, July and August. The most recent action, on October 8, involved 40,000 workers organized in the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers who work for Network Rail that owns and runs much of the infrastructure and 15 train operating companies.
Other demonstrations are standing up for the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers. Attacks against them, their denigration as well as the racist treatment of national minority communities are being stepped up with intensified calls that all should espouse so-called "British values" and adopt that outlook.
The opposition to the policies
put forward by Education and Health secretaries to further push
privatization and blame teachers and health workers for the
collapse of
these social programs also continues unabated.
In a letter, the National Education Union (NEU) said that the education secretary had until noon on October 21 to give schools the funds to allow them to increase staff pay "at a rate greater than the rate of inflation (RPI) as at September 2022." September RPI figures have not yet been published, but the measure hit 12.3 per cent in August.
The dispute would apply to teachers and support staff working in academies and local authority-maintained schools. A separate letter has been issued with a similar threat relating to sixth form college staff.
Joint
general secretary Kevin Courtney said unless (Education
Secretary Kit)
Malthouse agreed to fund a "fully funded above inflation pay
increase...we will be formally balloting our members for strike
action." Arguing that staff can no longer take real-terms cuts,
Courtney said, "No one wants to take strike action, but
education staff
can no longer take year after year of below inflation pay
increases
which have had a major impact on the value of their pay since
2010."
The NEU has formally asked Malthouse to use his powers under section 14 of the 2002 Education Act, which allows the government to give financial assistance to schools for staff pay and to promote recruitment and retention.
(Photos: Workers' Weekly, People's Assembly Against Austerity, JN news)
This article was published in
Volume 52
Number 32 - October
21, 2022
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmld2022/Articles/D520322.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca