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Regional anti-cuts organising

Blagsta said:
13 November · 14:00 - 16:00



Location Carrs lane Church Centre, Moor Street, Birmingham


More info speakers include
Ian Cruise, Labour Councillor
Chris Morley, NUJ regional organiser
Charlie Friel, campaigning to save Connexions
Peter Christie, UNISON rep, Handsworth Leisure Centre
Sian Ruddick, PCS GEC member
Sean Vernell, Editor of 'defending the welfare state'

Hosted by Right to Work, supported by Supported by Birmingham Local Government UNISON and West Midlands PCS

More info righttowork.wm@googlemail.co.uk
Click to expand...

went to this today, was good, I reckon 100-150 people there, more than were expected since they had to hurriedly put out more chairs.
Charlie Friel from Connexions and Sian Ruddick from PCS were particularly good.
one of the audience speakers attacked the students occupying millbank and 3 or 4 other audience speakers (including myself) came back on that, supporting the students actions.

more events in Birmingham:

Tuesday 16th November - Protest at Vince Cables visit to Birmingham - ICC 1pm

Wed 17th November - Anti Cuts Alliance: Birmingham TUC have called a meeting to bring toether campagins and trade untions to discuss forming an anti cuts alliance, the meeting will be held at 2.30 pm in committe room 1 at birmingham council house

Friday 19th November - Protest Michael Gove's visit to Birmingham. Called by Birmingham NUT, Gove's visit time is not yet available but meet at Coppice School, Trinity Rd, Suttond Coldfield B75 6TJ at 1:30pm. contact banut ( at ) btclick.com for more details

Saturday 20th November - Protest in Birmingham, Right to Work organised, meet at 2pm bottom of the ramp, new street for "leafletting, and a little bit of action"

Wed 24th November - No to Fees, Yes to Fair Pay - 1pm, Clocktower, Birmingham University, called by Birmingham University UNISON (and presumably forming part of the mass walkout from students on that day)

Saturday 4th December - Trade Union stalls, 1pm-3pm near the Bull, New Street (will try to link these up to the ukuncuts day of action on that day if I can, but I don't know who is involved in this)

Tuesday 7th December - Lobby Birmingham City Council, 1pm council house, called by Unison

(I've bolded the weekend ones because more people are likely to be able to attend them)
 
Yeah, we were there too. A lot of talk about what was wrong, too little talk of action IMO.

As Alabama 3 said

"Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
'Cos we know what they are"
 
Blagsta said:
Yeah, we were there too. A lot of talk about what was wrong, too little talk of action IMO.

As Alabama 3 said

"Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
'Cos we know what they are"
Click to expand...

I think at all these meetings there should be a cap on how long we're allowed to bellow statistics at each other before we get down to business :)
 
BigTom said:
went to this today, was good, I reckon 100-150 people there, more than were expected since they had to hurriedly put out more chairs.
Charlie Friel from Connexions and Sian Ruddick from PCS were particularly good.
one of the audience speakers attacked the students occupying millbank and 3 or 4 other audience speakers (including myself) came back on that, supporting the students actions.
Click to expand...

Blagsta and I were there too. I didn't hear half the speakers as I was chasing after my 3 yr old.

It felt ok as a start but I feel it shouldn't still be the start. I'm not sure there was anyone there who wasn't already an activist to some degree and I feel that meetings such as that should be attracting people who aren't already active but want to become so. It seems really hard to get things going in Brum but let's hope it gets easier.
 
Red Cat said:
Blagsta and I were there too. I didn't hear half the speakers as I was chasing after my 3 yr old.

It felt ok as a start but I feel it shouldn't still be the start. I'm not sure there was anyone there who wasn't already an activist to some degree and I feel that meetings such as that should be attracting people who aren't already active but want to become so. It seems really hard to get things going in Brum but let's hope it gets easier.
Click to expand...

It's the same here Red Cat. There were around 50 at the meeting I went to this week and I was (I think) the only person there not affiliated to any party or union. But, people I know who will be affected by the cuts keep telling me about how things are for them, and when I say 'come to the next meeting, the group is there to give people like you a voice' it turns out that they don't even know we have an anti-cuts group, let alone that there are meetings that they will be welcomed to with open arms. The publicity is going to be a struggle, simply because everyone already involved so far is already busy with other things but I think it has to be a priority. The message that we are sending is very clear, everyone that I speak to personally about that message wants to be involved, so it is certainly a case of getting word out effectively, not that there isn't support for the cause itself.
 
Thats the problem, the left all have their 'pet projects', and indeed agendas, you need people there who are really really worried about the cuts to their lives, their families, and who will prioritise such work...
 
Red Cat said:
Blagsta and I were there too. I didn't hear half the speakers as I was chasing after my 3 yr old.

It felt ok as a start but I feel it shouldn't still be the start. I'm not sure there was anyone there who wasn't already an activist to some degree and I feel that meetings such as that should be attracting people who aren't already active but want to become so. It seems really hard to get things going in Brum but let's hope it gets easier.
Click to expand...

I can't disagree with anything you or blagsta say, although I'm a returning activist and there was at least one other person there who wasn't active (cos I heard him talking to one of the organisers who had the maililng list for RtW saying he'd never been to this kind of thing before). It doesn't change the point of what you said though, and I am in agreement with you - more talk of action would have been good, but I do think that the numbers there were encouraging, I say that really because it obviously exceeded the expectations of the organisers.
I also hope it gets easier to get things going in brum.

As treelover and R_A said, I wonder how well publicised this was? If we want people who are not already activists to come to the meetings (and we do, definitely) then we have to be telling people who are not activists that they are happening. I've not got a clue, and haven't been active telling anyone about it either so I'm not having a go at anyone here, but if the only places it is being advertised are on sites like this or via the RtW website/mailing list, it's not going to get anyone who isn't an activist already.
I'm going to go to the thing at the ramp next saturday and see what goes on there..

I was the audience speaker wearing the blue adidas t-shirt who said about marching peacefully in 2003 and it achieving nothing and how if the only thing we do now is to march from a to b then we will achieve nothing btw, in case you caught that.
 
BigTom said:
I can't disagree with anything you or blagsta say, although I'm a returning activist and there was at least one other person there who wasn't active

I was the audience speaker wearing the blue adidas t-shirt who said about marching peacefully in 2003 and it achieving nothing and how if the only thing we do now is to march from a to b then we will achieve nothing btw, in case you caught that.
Click to expand...

I'm a returning activist too.

Sorry I didn't catch you! But I hope to be at the ramp next Saturday unless I'm working.
 
treelover said:
Thats the problem, the left all have their 'pet projects', and indeed agendas, you need people there who are really really worried about the cuts to their lives, their families, and who will prioritise such work...
Click to expand...

That's why I went. I am taking more people with me in 2 weeks who feel the same. The intentions of the group are sound, but everyone has their own agenda, of course they do - the idea of the group to an extent, is to leave personal agenda's at the door and all stand together against all cuts, because that is literally the only chance we have of fighting them. It is very hard not to end up representing 'somebody', but I think transparency and unity in opposition to the cuts is vital to running a campaign that has even the slightest chance of success.
 
Hoping to make it to this:

http://lewishamanticutsalliance.wordpress.com/

Lobby Lewisham Council on 17 November – Lewisham needs jobs and services!

5:15 onward, Lewisham Town Hall, 1 Catford Road

The cuts going to the Cabinet meeting will mean 446 staff losing their jobs. But Lewisham already has the worst ratio between job seekers and job vacancies in the whole country.

Vital services are at risk:
Five Local Libraries – New Cross, Sydenham, Crofton Park, Grove Park and Blackheath.
Community Safety & Wardens – 20 posts to go.
Amersham Early Years Centre – now identified for closure.
Health & Safety Team – support for schools cut.
‘Opening Doors’ – advice on how to find work – cut!

Join us and let Lewisham Council know that as our elected representatives, we expect them to protect jobs and public services, not destroy them.

The Lobby is called by Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance, Lewisham NUT, Lewisham Trades Council and Save Lewisham’s Libraries Campaign.
 
Brainaddict said:
Hoping to make it to this:

http://lewishamanticutsalliance.wordpress.com/

Lobby Lewisham Council on 17 November – Lewisham needs jobs and services!

5:15 onward, Lewisham Town Hall, 1 Catford Road

The cuts going to the Cabinet meeting will mean 446 staff losing their jobs. But Lewisham already has the worst ratio between job seekers and job vacancies in the whole country.

Vital services are at risk:
Five Local Libraries – New Cross, Sydenham, Crofton Park, Grove Park and Blackheath.
Community Safety & Wardens – 20 posts to go.
Amersham Early Years Centre – now identified for closure.
Health & Safety Team – support for schools cut.
‘Opening Doors’ – advice on how to find work – cut!

Join us and let Lewisham Council know that as our elected representatives, we expect them to protect jobs and public services, not destroy them.

The Lobby is called by Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance, Lewisham NUT, Lewisham Trades Council and Save Lewisham’s Libraries Campaign.
Click to expand...

same here - and unusually not despite, but because of the students!
 
yes a group of militant workers have organised to leaflet the colleges/universities (joke btw)

in lewisham you can't move for goldsmiths students so loads from there are very much part of what's going on - less so the more normal vocational college(s) in the area though which probably have more students at them than the university and also have a much higher proportion of students who actually are from/live/work in lewisham
 
Monday 15th November

Teesside Public Services Alliance - organising meeting at St. Mary's Centre, Corporation Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2RW. http://nessn.org.uk/events/

Save South Manchester Law Centre. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=793


Tuesday 16th November

Oxfordshire Anti-Cuts Alliance : United Against Cuts Public Meeting. Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford. http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/?p=3514

Bath Anti-cuts protest, Meets at Guildhall, Bath at 5.30pm. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=528


Wednesday 17th November

National FBU Firefighters Rally and Lobby of Westminster for pay, pensions, jobs, conditions and services. http://anticuts.org.uk/?page_id=265

Lewisham Anti Cuts Alliance - Lobby Lewisham Council. From 5.15pm at Lewisham Town Hall. http://lewishamanticutsalliance.wordpress.com/upcoming-meetings/

Croydon Alliance for Public Services public meeting. 7-9pm. Ruskin House, Coombe Road, Croydon, United Kingdom, CR0 1BD. Speakers include Mark Serwotka. http://www.stopcutsincroydon.com and http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=626

Birmingham Alliance Founding Meeting. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=572

Sunderland Against The Cuts – organising meeting. 19:30pm. http://nessn.org.uk/events/ and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123448187679399&v=info#!/group.php?gid=123448187679399&v=wall

Edinburgh students organising meeting 7pm. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=708

Manchester Anti Cuts meeting Central Hall, Oldham Street, 7:30pm. http://manchesteranticuts.wordpress.com/


Thursday 18th November

Lobby of Scottish Parliament called by PCS from 11.30am. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=615

Lancaster and Morecombe against the cuts Public Meeting. 7.30pm at The Ashton Hall, Lancaster Town Hall. http://lancastermorecambeagainstcuts.blogspot.com/p/future-events.html and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133073206741907&ref=mf

Newcastle Public Services Alliance meeting. 17:00pm at Unison Regional Office, 140 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, NE1 6TH. http://nessn.org.uk/events/

Durham Public Services Alliance – organising meeting. 17:30 at County Hall, Durham, DH 1 5UL. http://nessn.org.uk/events/

Glasgow students organising meeting. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=706

Blackpool anticuts meeting. http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/events/index.cfm/id/68ADDBB7-2986-4106-ADD80B8E9A73024F


Friday 19th November

Blackpool anticuts meeting. http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/events/index.cfm/id/8C4D6D15-4696-4BCB-872ABE95E0C15993


Saturday 20th November

Gloucestershire Anti Cuts Alliance and Gloucester Districts Trades Council March and Demonstration against the ConDem cuts. Starting point is Gloucester Park at 10am. http://www.anticutsglos.co.uk/2010/10/march-and-demonstration/

Preston Trades Council: Anti-cuts demo. Saturday 20th November, time to be confirmed. Preston Flag Market, Preston. http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/whatson

Cambridgeshire Against the Cuts open conference for all of those who want to fight cuts to jobs, services, pay, pensions and benefits. 10.30 am - 4pm at Bailey Rooms, Castle Court, Shire Hall, Castle St, Cambridge, CB3 0AP. Register for the conference: http://www.cambridgeshireagainstthecuts.org.uk/p/register-for-20th-march-meeting.html

Nottingham March and Rally. Marching from the Forest Recreation Ground at 11.30am to the Market Square in Nottingham for a rally at 12.30pm. More info: http://nottssos.org.uk/

Lambeth Save Our Services Public Meeting. St Matthews Tenants Hall in Brixton from 12pm. http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=545
 
small acorns....

Protests begin to blunt council spending axes

Public protests against local authority budget cuts are forcing councils across England to reconsider plans to slash services and wages.

Leeds city council has been forced to re-examine the proposed closure of little-used crèches at leisure centres after fierce opposition in a sign of how local authorities might struggle to implement cuts needed to balance their books.

In Brighton, a state nursery threatened with closure was saved after staff and trade unions organised a campaign that garnered 1,600 supporters.

Devon county council had what protesters describe as a “policy wobble” in October, reversing plans to cut free travel for primary schoolchildren amid fears of a backlash from parents prepared to clog up the costly appeals process.

In Nottingham, school support staff have forced the council to delay plans to cut teaching assistants’ pay by up to 25 per cent.

The six crèches in Leeds, branded unsustainable by the council, were to be closed in the wake of October’s comprehensive spending review.

But after protests from parents and residents, who were not initially consulted, the closure plan has been put on hold while the council explores “possible alternative arrangements”.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/929fc256-f01f-11df-88db-00144feab49a.html#axzz15KprDVPx
 
22nd November; haringey Civic Centre, Wood Green High Rd, Wood Green, London N22 (nearest tube is Wood Green)
Join the rally outside the civic centre on Monday Nov 22nd


6.30pm – Rally outside the full Council meeting, Civic Centre, N22

Bring friends, workmates and neighbours – and your own placards and banners. Please try to ensure your local group or organisation is there.

The Government is threatening Haringey with over £100m cuts in the next 3 years (over £50m in the coming year) to our libraries, schools, health services, youth centres, community centres and facilities, green spaces, public service jobs, voluntary projects, welfare benefits, housing rights and much much more… In addition £17m of money promised from central government has already been axed or frozen.

The Haringey Alliance for Public Services has already held rallies and a 250-strong demonstration to show that people do not have to accept these cuts. Together we can defend our vital public services from cuts, closures and privatisation threats! The full Council will be meeting on the 22nd November to discuss what to do. Councillors must demand adequate government funding, reject privatisation, oppose and refuse to implement cuts – or stand down.

Stop press…Public meeting after the rally: ‘Defend the NHS – don’t let it be torn apart’ Mon 22nd Nov, 7.45pm, Middle Lane Methodist Church, N8 8NT. Organised by the Better Local Healthcare Campaign.
If anyone needs me to put up a map link, please say so.
 
viewerpz.png
 
Anyone come across Trade Union and Public meting demands for an equality impact statement re cuts? Its been mentioned at a few meetings up here as though its got potential. I have had a brief look at the guidance but apart from a potential challenge if an EIS hasn't been carried out I can't see much mileage in a challenge to one?
 
love detective said:
small acorns....

Protests begin to blunt council spending axes

Public protests against local authority budget cuts are forcing councils across England to reconsider plans to slash services and wages.

Leeds city council has been forced to re-examine the proposed closure of little-used crèches at leisure centres after fierce opposition in a sign of how local authorities might struggle to implement cuts needed to balance their books.

In Brighton, a state nursery threatened with closure was saved after staff and trade unions organised a campaign that garnered 1,600 supporters.

Devon county council had what protesters describe as a “policy wobble” in October, reversing plans to cut free travel for primary schoolchildren amid fears of a backlash from parents prepared to clog up the costly appeals process.

In Nottingham, school support staff have forced the council to delay plans to cut teaching assistants’ pay by up to 25 per cent.

The six crèches in Leeds, branded unsustainable by the council, were to be closed in the wake of October’s comprehensive spending review.

But after protests from parents and residents, who were not initially consulted, the closure plan has been put on hold while the council explores “possible alternative arrangements”.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/929fc256-f01f-11df-88db-00144feab49a.html#axzz15KprDVPx
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that.
 
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