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From The Socialist newspaper, 26 January 2011
Hampshire: Battling to defend jobs
Demonstration in Southampton by Unite and Unison against Tory attacks on terms and conditions and cuts in public services. Around 1000 workers took part, photo David Smith (Click to enlarge)
ON 19 January, Hampshire County Council (HCC) announced that they were going to sack 1,200 workers. This announcement was released to the media before the Unison trade union was informed of the full scale of the job cuts.
Tim Cutter, deputy branch secretary, Hampshire Unison (personal capacity)
These attacks come on top of plans by the council to cut enhancement payments for care workers and mobile library workers who work weekends. This is an attack that Hampshire Unison is already planning to ballot for industrial action over and we now need to link this to the nationwide struggle to defend jobs.
Demonstration in Southampton by Unite and Unison against Tory attacks on terms and conditions and cuts in public services. Around 1000 workers took part, photo David Smith (Click to enlarge)
HCC have £130 million in reserves and paid the chief executive over £250,000 last year in salary and bonuses. Who says they cannot afford to plug the gap in funding from central government?
HCC say they need to make £55 million in cuts over the next four years but they intend to push them through over the next two years. These upfront cuts are no doubt being made with the next general election in mind.
Members are already determined to fight against the pay cuts and now will be just as angry and determined to fight against the job losses.
Hampshire Unison has already produced a petition and started a campaign to link up with members of the public and service users in order to organise a campaign of resistance. We have also got plans for linking up with other trade unions in the area in order to form a united fightback against the cuts.
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In The Socialist 26 January 2011:
Socialist Party youth and students
Where next for the student movement?
Education Maintenance Allowance days of action 18 and 19 January
No to sky-high youth unemployment!
Socialist Party news and analysis
Warning: Government health 'reforms' can seriously damage your health
Phone hacking and media spin - the murky world of Andy Coulson
Food price hikes fuelling unrest
Fight the Con-Dem 'bosses' charter'
RMT leader slams anti-union laws
Socialist Party workplace news
Hampshire: Battling to defend jobs
Second show of strength by Medirest workers
National Shop Stewards Network
NSSN anti-cuts campaign launched
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) conference
International socialist news and analysis
Irish government collapses: United Left Alliance offers real alternative
Tunisia: Protesters demand real democracy and social change
50 years ago: Congo's independence leader assassinated
Socialist Party schools features
Tidemill school - victory for parents
Bankers' "Free school" excludes poorer pupils
Socialist Party review
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Comment
Three decades of 'reform' and 'flexibility'
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