The meeting, organized by the Reading Shop Stewards Network and sponsored by the RMT transport union, IWW industrial union and the National Union of Teachers, should scare the living daylights out of the ConDem Government. The speakers (RMT National Executive member Owen Herbert, NUT Divisional Secretary Robert Wilkinson, community nurse and Unison member Sara Gillman, as well as RMT branch Secretary Chris Reilly chairing) displayed with gut wrenching clarity what these cuts really mean.

From the end of reading and writing programs for kids to the withdrawal of respite time for carers, from major safety shortcuts on our railways to nurses covering 200% more patients than they are supposed to. These cuts are nothing short of a full scale attack on our communities.

Contributions from the audience echoed in unity. Tony Jones of Unison explained how the public deficit is being blown out of all proportion; that it is in fact tiny compared to the end of the second World War, at which time the Government rebuilt the economy by creating and investing in public services, not smashing them as the current Government wants to do. Today they are scaremongering us into accepting these cuts. They intend to finish what Maggie started, destroying the idea of ‘services for all’, attacking the heartland of working-class solidarity and organization.

But Cameron has one thing right. We are in this together. We are the big society and they will regret taking us on. Across the country communities and unions are joining forces to defeat the Government. In Reading ‘Save Our Services’ will unite trade unions with community groups, service user organizations, faith groups and residents from across the town.

The new movement has already held a demonstration against 600 planned job cuts at the Royal Berks Hospital and joined thousands of others at the national demonstration against the Tory Party Conference. Inspiring staff and students at Reading Uni are already bravely campaigning against job losses and we encourage everyone to sign their petition (www.gopetition.com/petition/39385.html) and join the ‘Save FTT Jobs’ Facebook group.

Locally there are actions planned to coincide with the Government’s Spending Review on 20th October. Contingents from Reading will also join upcoming national demonstrations in London against service cuts on 23rd October and in defence of education on 10th November.

There is too much at stake to sit and watch. Every single one of us needs to get off our backsides to defend our communities. Please don’t leave it until it is too late to stop them, join ‘Save Our Services’ today.

Email sosreading+ subscribe@googlegroups.com to join
Email  sosreading@live.co.uk for more information
Join the ‘Reading Anti-Cuts Coalition’ Facebook group.