Today, 300 to 400 people marched through Liverpool City Centre in support of striking Social Workers in Liverpool. This strike has been going on for 11 weeks but in the spirit of only portraying Liverpool in a positive light, the local papers have largely ignored this.
This is not a dispute about pay.
The Social Workers themselves emphasise that the concerns are about practice:
- Cuts in staff and reorganisation without consultation
- Children and Families Social Workers being told they cannot recommend that a child is removed from a family home, even if they are in immediate danger, as it costs too much
- A culture of bullying from senior management, going to the heart of Liverpool council
We've seen the waste of money Liverpool council are capable of (previous article) so why continue to send out letters to those out on strike rather than sitting back down at ACAS and negotiating on these points.
This is not a dispute about pay.
The Social Workers themselves emphasise that the concerns are about practice:
- Cuts in staff and reorganisation without consultation
- Children and Families Social Workers being told they cannot recommend that a child is removed from a family home, even if they are in immediate danger, as it costs too much
- A culture of bullying from senior management, going to the heart of Liverpool council
We've seen the waste of money Liverpool council are capable of (previous article) so why continue to send out letters to those out on strike rather than sitting back down at ACAS and negotiating on these points.
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strike support and general coment
09.11.2004 07:03
In the case of Liverpool with its rich history of class struggle and solidarity with other causes around the world from volunteers in the international brigades that went to spain to fight side by side with the new social republic against the fascists of general franco, despite this proud nd rich heritage of struggle the official labour movement has yet to be ignited and aroused and the people of the city opened up to the issues.
the liberal council with wide support from Blairs right wing labour councillors are forcing through changes at a rapid pace, to restructure the city in the interest of capital and big business. who are their clients and rich investors in the new capital of culture, as they gobble up all the social space available, and convert to unnecessary shop malls, unneeded luxury flats and football grounds the environment available in the city shrinks and we tread the us road of total privatisation and no community,welfare or provision for the care of the young and old and homeless and vulnerable members of society
they can and must be stopped. The issue was debated in a unison forum at the esf were dockers pictures from Lverpools recent dispute against casualisation were on display, that they were displsayed on the wall and a booklet oulining the connection of the dispute withe rise of anticapitalist movement is good to knoew the lessons of history helps us not to rrepeat the errors, butmore important was the army of translators and volunteers helping to get the message of the socil workers dispute across to several countries. Despite the big bureaucrats from all unions red Ken livingstone controlswp dogma and expensive food social issues like this dispute were tackled and aeuropean wide strategy or more precisely anti american foreign policy was being born to resist the forced privatisation of peoples culture and their support system. people are not for sale like mass produced commodities the social impact of cuts on a community is devasting.
At the moment in barcelona they are resisting the assaults on the dignity of people without papers(sans papiers) and homeless as they occupy churches and other historic holy sites. this has not stopped the state smashingin with violence at the resistance.yet they are defiant and protest out again with 5 to 10 peeople on the streets to support rights for all no third class citizens because of finance or work,people are reduced to animal slave like conditions in todays capitlaist world. those in work become complete drones and dont know how to switch off or remain human.
After brief visit to can mas deu(facing a court case at the end of the monthand possible eviction)commune in an occupied site on the outskirts of barcelona,now 3 years old and self supporting eco-friendly.using evrything from solar energy to helping local community get involved in the project project, a whole world of resistance to capitalist privatisation of property and people if they have no home or social base how can they resist, only the rich will have a comfortably life. the middle class are in a property buying frenzy ,and allow the attacks on these provisions of the state as long as they cut down their tax bill and reductions in their salaries which help subsidise this part of the community.
altrnative schools are neded alternative health is to
alternative social services alternative everything is required put it all together and it spells social revolution..and i cme here to chill out
wheres the ammo..
social centres are a way forward to help focus and organise the resistance and pull together all the diverse forces in society affected by and resisting capialisation in one form or another. although the people at can mas deu occupation expected no help from the official unions.
unions period i dont know whether this extended to the local cnt as well as socialist and communist controlled ccoo and ugt, whose offices are prominent in the city. their youth setions though, are very active a members in lots of the campaigns which is natural, less consevative and routine, they feel a lot more for the trampling of rights of others and are quicker to respond to appeals for action and resistance.
like the illegal protest at canary wharf during the esf for migrnt workers right to even be in a union ,well they were only women cleaners who could not speak english and if the bosses threatened to seizwe the unions funds for battling for their rights then they hve achoice the lders caved in and protected their wallets and privileges and cut off the 10000s of people gathering in defence of the worlds poulation yet despite spin lies and propganda fom the stlinizes swp,busy blowing off george g and ken the red our leaders and natural saviors who gave us the privilge of riot police sent on the catalans and other shit,and the peolpe ltook to the streets legal or not to defend all peoples right to exist as human being.
johno
now for my cocoa
goodnite
resistance is no crime
fight occupy win.
johno
e-mail:
johnosoccentre@yahoo.co.uk