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Evidence

HE AUTUMN SPENDING REVIEW has revealed yet again that the Tories are out to make the rich richer while working class people are made to pay for the bosses crisis. With the Tories moving to slash a further 500 billion over the next 50 years, young workers are now told theyll have to work until they are 70! Meanwhile, workers have seen their wages falling behind rising prices, while for those out of work, every day is a battle to survive as benefits are cut and the media scapegoats them as scroungers. The bankers and bosses are benefiting from austerity. Their earnings are now soaring past previous highs. The number of British bankers earning a salary of at least 833,200 rose to more than 2,700 last year, in a new pay explosion. Thats more than 12 times the number of super-rich bankers in any other country in Europe! The rich and their Tory friends are cheering Osbornes spending cuts, as were forced to suffer more misery. But we dont have to accept their agendathere is an alternative. This week tens of thousands of university and college workers struck together across four unions. They are taking on the Tories attack on pay, but the strike was also about defending the nature of the education they provide.

LETS STRIKE BACK AGAINST AUSTERITY

That means in every workplace, across all unions, we need to build networks to put pressure for a strategy that can win. Workers who are fighting back and victories like Hovis show that if we strike, and use our most powerful weapon solidaritywe can win. But there are other lessons to draw too. At Grangemouth oil refinery Unite, when threatened with closure, signed up to a deal that included a three year no-strike deal, a pay freeze, attacks on pensions and removal of Unite officials from the site.
Striking this week to defend pay and education

Tory chancellor Osborne says work till youre 70...

www.socialistworker.co.uk

Escalate

As the scandal of zero hours contracts hit the media and sparked debate on the nature of work today, many questioned what it meant for our ability to organise and resist. But Hovis workers in Wigan then smashed the use of zero hours contracts at their factory in a matter of weeks, with militant and determined strikes. The Hovis workers showed that we have power and we can win when we fight and develop solidarity.

Sign

But that wasnt enough for the blackmailing bossestheyre coming back for more, slashing a further 200 job at Grangemouth. It shows that if we dont fight, the attacks will be devestating. But our unions have the power to stop the Tories and the bosses we need to put pressure on union leaders to escalate and link up the strikes. Details of the Royal Mail deal are not clear, but even the threat of strikes forced bosses to budge. In workplaces and unions, we should build solidarity for strikes, and put pressure for a united fightback to win.

It was inspiring to see in several places that studentswho now have to pay huge tuition fees because of the Tories attacks in 2010went into occupation in support of the workers striking at their universities. Around 500 strikers marched through London on a lively, angry strike march. The strikers are showing its possible to stand up to the Tories assault. September saw 50,000 take to the streets outside the Tory party conference in Manchester. This is clear evidence of the mood among workers for a fightback. Firefighters have been out on strike nationally across England and Wales four times so far fighting attacks on pensions and the fire service. Tens of thousands of teachers joined lively regional strikes, battling to defend pay and education.

Our unions have immense power. Thats why the bosses, the Tories and the leadership of the Labour party are all lining up to attack them. Everyone should get workmates, union colleagues, friends and family to sign the statement launched by the Peoples Assemby (http://thepeoplesassembly.org. uk/handsoffunions/). The most effective way to defend our unions is to mobilise a fightback against austerity.

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