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Tues 28th March. Mass Strike in Britain and General Strike in France.

Barry Kade | 21.03.2006 00:08 | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Birmingham | Cambridge | Liverpool | London | Oxford | Sheffield | South Coast | World

Tuesday 28th March 2006 will see 1.5 Million workers strike to defend pensions. On the same day there will be a General Strike in France as part of the uprising against the CPE.

IN BRITAIN:

Tuesday 28th March will see strike action by one and a half million workers across more than nine different unions. The strike has been provoked by an attack on the local government pension scheme, with the labour government planning to increase the age workers can retire at.

With this attack workers will loose the right to retire at 60 – a right that had been established for those with more than 25 years service. Many of these are low paid workers who statistically die earlier.

March 28th 2006 could therefore be the largest strike in Britain since the 1926 general strike.

The strike will involve workers in councils, schools, police authorities, further and higher education, environment agencies, and privatised companies whose workers used to be part of local government. The strike will stretch way beyond local government, involving transport workers such as toll collectors on bridges as well as many bus drivers in cities such as Leeds, Edinburgh and Cardiff. Airports such as Leeds airport will also be shut by the strike.

Britain has seen 20 years of defeats for the Trades Union movement, as each group of strikers stood alone. The strike over pensions could be different, as it involves so many different groups of workers acting together. It could also provide an example to many other groups of workers in privately own industry who are also seeing their pension rights attacked.

Most towns and cities will see multiple picket lines! Join in!

 http://libcom.org/news/article.php/uk-pensions-strike-170306
 http://www.unison.org.uk/features/features/0603strike.asp
 http://www.tgwu.org.uk/homepage.asp?NodeID=88397
 http://www.amicustheunion.org/
 http://www.ucatt.org.uk/

IN FRANCE:

French trade unions and students' organisations have called a one-day general strike of work stoppages and demonstrations on March 28 demanding the appeal of labour liberalisation law the CPE, or "first employment contract".

"All the unions are calling to make March 28 a day of demonstrations, strikes and work stoppages," said Rene Valadon, secretary of the Force Ouvriere union, after a meeting of France's main unions, student and high school groups.

Gerard Aschieri of the Federation of United Unions said that public and private workers would go "hand in hand" during the day of action.

Most of the country's 85 universities remained partially or totally shut down by student strikes on Monday, and for the first time more than 300 secondary schools across the country were also affected.

The action is escalating. For example students at the elite Science-Po political science school have just voted to go on strike to protest against the CPE.

In addition to the General Strike on the 28th, student organisations have urged supporters to stage protests Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

"There is no risk of things tailing off, because we have sizeable reserves among the secondary school and university students. We can step up the mobilisation. We have got such a dynamic behind us we are bound to make the government give way," said Bruno Julliard of the UNEF students' union.


IF CAPITALISM GETS UP YOUR NOSE - THEN PICKET!
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS SOLIDARITY FOREVER!


Barry Kade

Additions

Details of demonstrations and rallies throughout Britain on Strike Day!

21.03.2006 19:28

As part of the strike, demonstrations and rallies will be held in towns and cities throughout Britain on Tuesday 28 March. Here's just some. If you know of one in your locality, please feel free to add below!

* Aberdeen 10.30am, Rubislaw Terrace
* Bristol 11.30am, Castle Green
* Dundee 11am, Hilltown Park
* Leeds 11am, Leeds City Art Gallery, Headrow
* Glasgow 11.30am, Blythswood Square, Glasgow Green
* Manchester 12 noon, Albert Square
* Newcastle 12 noon, Grey’s Monument
* Nottingham 11.30am, Forest Fields
* Plymouth 11am, Civic Centre, Royal Parade

Barry Kade


Edinburgh 12 noon, Market Street with a march to the Ross Bandstand

22.03.2006 02:47


You heard. I will not say this twice. Just be there!

TWBT


Strike rally on the piazza in Truro, Cornwall!

23.03.2006 03:18

A picket line will be set up on Tuesday morning at offices in Truro and Camborne. After the picketing there will be a rally on the piazza in Truro for all the striking workers, where information will be exchanged on future industrial action.

aha!


Strike rally at Cardiff Millennium Stadium. 200 picket lines accross Cardiff!

23.03.2006 03:29

CARDIFF
Strike rally at the Millennium Stadium.
Picket lines are being organised at around 200 council premises in the Cardiff area.

"School caretakers, cleaners, cooks and teaching assistants, are expected to join the 24-hour pension protests by public service unions. Refuse collections are likely to be axed, leisure centres and libraries closed"

encore!


Hertford County Hall - Pensions Strike Rally plus Firefighters demo

23.03.2006 03:43

Hertford
Unison plans to hold a rally to disrupt business at County Hall in Hertford on the day. This will coincide with the decision on whether to close Radlett Fire Station, and another planned protest by hundreds of Fire Brigades Union members.

Striker


UPDATED LIST of Pensions Strike Rallies on Tues March 28:, venues and times

25.03.2006 18:08

UPDATE:D LIST of Pensions Strike Rallies on Tues March 28:, venues and times

(There will be thousands of pickets lines in the UK. Most towns and cities will also see rallies. Even if your locality is not listed here, there will be a picket line at your local town hall, and probably school, college, Uni or leisure centre, etc).

*Aberdeen
March and Rally
10.30 Assemble Rubislaw Terrace Gardens
11.00 March down Union Street
11.45 Rally at Castlegate

*Bristol
11.30am, Castle Green

*Cornwall
Strike rally on the piazza in Truro, Cornwall. A picket line will be set up on Tuesday morning at offices in Truro and Camborne. After the picketing there will be a rally on the piazza in Truro for all the striking workers, where information will be exchanged on future industrial action.

*Cardiff
Strike rally at the Millennium Stadium.
Picket lines are being organised at around 200 council premises in the Cardiff area.

*Dumfries
Rally organised by Local TUC
11.00 – 12.00 Jay Kays, English Street

*Dundee
11.00 Assemble Hilltown Park,
March to City Centre
12.00 Rally with guest speakers,
Rory Malone, and other TU speakers

*Edinburgh
Starts 11.30 Rally to present joint letter to the Scottish Parliament –then:

12.00 Assemble Market Street (New Street end)
12.30 March off along Waverley Bridge,
Princes St., Kings Stables Road
13.30 Rally at Ross Bandstand, Princes St Gardens

*Glasgow
11.30 Assemble Blythswood Square
12.00 March to Glasgow Green via West Regent St, Renfield Street, Union Street, Argyle Street, Queen Street, George Square, High Street, Saltmarket, Glasgow Green
Speakers: Matt Smith, Mike Brider (TGWU), Harry Frew (UCATT) and other TUs, John Keenan (STUC)

*Hertford
Unison plans to hold a rally at County Hall in Hertford on the day. This will coincide with the decision on whether to close Radlett Fire Station, and another planned protest by hundreds of Fire Brigades Union members.

*Inverness
Falcon Sq.
Gathering and Balloon launch.

*Kilmarnock
(To be confirmed)
Probably Rally Kilmarnock Cross 12.30 – 1.30

*Liverpool
12.30pm on Tuesday 28th March at the Victoria Monument, Derby Square,

*Leeds
11am, Leeds City Art Gallery, Headrow

* Manchester
12 noon, Albert Square

* Newcastle
12 noon, Grey’s Monument

* Nottingham
11.30am, Forest Fields

* Plymouth
11am, Civic Centre, Royal Parade

*York
12.30pm outside the Guildhall, St Helens Square.

Speakers include UNISON Regional Officer John Kinsella, Mark Russell of York RMT, and local pensioner (NPC) activist Les Marsh.

This is just a small proportion of the rallies...details are still emerging (London, Birmingham...) If your town has a rally or march, please add them below.

Also, please visit your pickets and rallies with a camera, and post the story on Indymedia!

Barry Kade
- Homepage: http://www.libcom.org


London Pensions Strike Rally

25.03.2006 18:57


*London
Greater London Regional joint union rally. 1.30pm Westminster Central Hall.
A regional joint union rally called by SERTUC and the joint trade unions will take place on Tuesday 28 March at Westminster Central Hall, Storeys Gate, SW1 Refreshments available 1.30pm and the rally will start at 2pm.Speakers to include Dave Prentis, General Secretary, UNISON; Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, PCS; plus other speakers from the unions involved, SERTUC and London MPs.

Also Picket lines evrywhere!

Prave Dentis
- Homepage: http://www.unison.org.uk/london/index.asp


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