Public Sector and Teachers' Unions Strike

THURSDAY 30th JUNE 2011 will see hundreds of thousands of civil and public servants and teachers on strike.

Whilst the main purpose of strike action is to protest at the government's plans to cut public sector pensions, it is expected to involve thousands of others who will be showing their opposition to the feared impact of public sector spending cuts and job losses.

The main focus of local protests will be in Hull where the PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union) will be staging a Strike Day Rally at the Quality Hotel (formerly Royal Station Hotel) at 10:00am.

The effects and impacts of the strike locally are difficult to predict but local Conservative MP Graham Stuart has listed school closures on his website which at the time of writing indicated that Burstwick Primary School, South Holderness School and Withernsea High School are CLOSED. The strikes may affect classes in other schools so it would be best to check with your school if you do not know already.

Also of interest to those following the events will be the debate that took place on Channel 4 News on Monday 27th June between Graham Stuart, who is also the Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee and Kevin Courtney the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers:

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Spending cuts inevitable... or are they!?

WE HAVE BEEN told incessantly that spending cuts in public expenditure are necessary in order to tackle the national deficit. The population locally, regionally and nationally have been resigned to the fact that the "good times" - if they ever existed - are over and we must all make sacrifices for the common good.

HU12 brought early notice of a looming cuts crisis back in March. But particularly since the election of the Coalition Government in May then we have been subjected to a period of media saturation about "the cuts" to prepare us for the national austerity measures to be announced next month. We have even been asked to get involved and make suggestions on the best ways to make cuts and savings - and 44,000 people have - via the Government's Spending Challenge website (see Spending Review on HM Treasury website).

The Government Spending Review on the 20th October will see Government departments demonstrate how they will make savings of at least 25%. There is a sense of inevitability about it all. We are all resigned to the fact that cuts are coming and they will affect every walk of life - and there is nothing we can do about it.

The debate to date has revolved around the 'best' way to make cuts. Even Labour as the main opposition party have said that spending cuts are necessary; it is just just the scale of cuts and the timing that they dispute.

Yet this week an alternative argument has arisen. The Trades Union Congress held in Manchester has dared to argue that cuts are not inevitable, and rather than taking the axe to public services then a strategy of investment in those services is called for.

In particular Mark Serwotka, the General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), has challenged the status-quo and said that "Cuts are not inevitable, they are a political choice. There is an alternative".

The press and the established political parties will concentrate on threats of 'industrial action' and campaigns of 'civil disobedience' to fill the headlines. However, those seriously looking for a viable economic alternative to the cuts agenda, just might be inspired by reading the material being distributed via social networks and e-mail campaigns by the PCS. Download the pamphlet: There is an alternative - The case against cuts in public spending from the PCS website.

Perhaps we can raise our heads and see beyond the "inevitable" gloom and impending despair and at the very least discuss alternatives!?

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