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From The Socialist newspaper, 9 September 2020
Caerphilly lockdown puts profits before safety
(Click to enlarge)
Dave Reid, Socialist Party Wales
The Welsh government has imposed a lockdown on Caerphilly county as the number of confirmed cases of cases of Covid-19 has risen above 50 per 100,000. Nobody will be able to enter or leave Caerphilly borough without "a reasonable excuse", and nobody will be allowed to enter anyone else's home.
Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, said: "I can't overstate the seriousness of the situation that we are in." But he's demanding that the lockdown is only aimed at people's private lives - pubs, restaurants, bars, and, crucially, schools, remain open.
Caerphilly workers are barred from visiting their parents' house but can travel to work, inside and outside the borough, as normal. One worker commented: "Don't go to other people's houses - make sure you only see them when five pints under down the local"!
The spread of the virus in Caerphilly's schools is a particular concern. Teachers are worried that they are facing hundreds of school students a day as the virus spreads through the community. As one teacher commented: "It's almost as though they consider us expendable".
Campaign group 'Parents For Safety First' had called for Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams to pause the schools reopening as cases were increasing, but the schools are continuing to open to more and more pupils.
Caerphilly council must ensure that council workers are able to provide services safely, with PPE provided to all workers who need it, and care homes protected.
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Coronavirus crisis - Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- Our 'fighting coronavirus workers' charter', outlines a programme to combat the virus and protect workers' living conditions.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our special coronavirus appeal.
In The Socialist 9 September 2020:
Coronavirus news
Fight the schools Covid crisis
Safety overridden in drive to bolster the economy
Caerphilly lockdown puts profits before safety
Campaigns and party news
Jobs, training, pay, we want a future!
Dover: Solidarity with refugees - applause and cheers for socialist ideas to unite working class
BLM: Socialist alternative to racist capitalism
Big push to hit finance target
News
15% now - unions must fight for NHS pay rise
Callous Tories threaten not to uprate the minimum wage
XR blockade: Don't let the Tories criminalise protest
Grenfell fire inquiry stops victims attending
Video game developer attacks Black Lives Matter
What we think
U-turn Tories' splits are growing
Workplace news
Fight Amazon's anti-union spies
NSSN rally: Workers must not pay the price of Covid
Nottingham City Council: The (mis)adventures of Robin Hood Energy
Covid-19 pandemic increases financial pressures on Welsh local government
Ireland: Debenham's workers occupy stores
Unison
A critical election for Unison general secretary
TUSC
Back at work! TUSC to stand in elections again against pro-austerity politicians
International news
Belarus: Mass opposition continues to defy repression by Lukashenko's regime
Strike wave marks new stage in revival of Iranian workers' movement
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