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From The Socialist newspaper, 12 January 2022
North London NHS - "It's going to be us who saves it"
photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)
John Dolan, North London Socialist Party
The newly formed branch of Unite the Union for Migrant, Food, Retail and Services workers, and Day-Mer, a Turkish and Kurdish community organisation in north London, held a rally outside North Middlesex Hospital on 8 January, with the demand: 'Fund the NHS and keep it public'. Over 40 people attended.
Unite national officer Onay Kasab introduced speakers. He said: "We have to see change. Something different has to happen.
"We can't just have demonstration after demonstration, and march after march. We have to do something different to save our NHS. And it's going to be us who do it.
"It's not going to be the Labour Party. It's not going to be Lord or Sir Tony Blair, whatever he is. Because they were responsible for bringing in the market that started the privatisation of the NHS.
"So its not gonna be them. Its gonna be us. And it means change.
"It means the unions acting differently as well. And that's why Unite will be bringing together every Unite representative across the UK who works in the NHS to start planning for a national campaign to defend our NHS."
Other speakers included Socialist Party member Bea Gardner from the University and College Union (UCU), Socialist Party member Paul Kershaw from Unite housing workers branch, the British Medical Association (BMA), Haringey Trades Union Council, and a representative from both of the rally organisers.
Speakers pointed out that Keir Starmer's Labour Party supports more private contractors in the NHS, and that independent action by workers is needed both industrially and politically - so that future rallies will be victory rallies.
Some of the attendees were also interested in coming to the 'People's Budget for Enfield' meeting organised by the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) on 26 January.
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In The Socialist 12 January 2022:
News
Super-rich get richer, while we can't make ends meet. Join the fightback!
Blow to establishment as jury backs Colston Four
Covid, stress and cutbacks fuel school staff shortages
Tories concede under cladding pressure but don't go far enough
Low pay, stress and Covid drive: NHS staff crisis
Shameless Johnson partied through lockdown
Energy price crisis: nationalise energy giants to save us from £600 hit
Energy bosses: 'Jump, cuddle and eat porridge while we raise prices'
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan: Working-class revolt only suppressed by massive mobilisation of troops
Solidarity with workers protesting in Kazakhstan
Campaigns news
Protests against BBC transphobia
Leeds People's Budget: We beat council cuts before, we will again
Communities fight back against Rio Tinto mine
North London NHS - "It's going to be us who saves it"
Southampton student vote for online exams must be accepted
Workplace news
Coventry bin workers' pay strike
10,000 tube workers vote to strike over jobs, terms and pension cuts
East Mids rail conductors force concessions, train managers' dispute continues
Carmarthenshire gritters take action as Plaid-led council reneges on agreement
Jobcentre Coronavirus outbreak leads to reps meeting call
South Yorkshire bus strikes spreading and getting stronger
Weetabix workers defeat 'fire and rehire' and ballot on improved pay offer
Invergordon Royal Mail mutiny wins
Reviews
Don't Look Up: An entertaining satire on corporate power and the US establishment
Anne: Hillsborough and the fight for justice
Money Heist: A Robin Hood tale set in modern-day capitalism
Readers' opinion
War criminal Tony Blair knighted
Bullying weighing room culture at the races
Free prescriptions? Maybe when you're older
Obituaries
Obituary - Ethan Bradley 1993-2021
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