TUSC ELECTION BROADCAST!

It was brilliant! So refreshing to see and hear working people speaking plainly about politics. Worth watching again. And Glen is in it!

If you missed it - see below.

YouTube Desktop -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=pcEMrCTVRdg&app=desktop

YouTube Mobile -

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=pcEMrCTVRdg

And BBC iPlayer -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05qsz5p/party-election-broadcasts-trade-unionist-and-socialist-coalition-general-election-2015-17042015

CAMPAIGNING IN SUTTON!

And don't forget the national TUSC election TV broadcast tomorrow - Friday 17th!

Times of the broadcasts are as follows (all PM) - 

BBC2 - 5.55
ITV - 6.25
BBC1 - 6.55
C5 - 6.55
C4 - 7.55

TRADE UNION RIGHTS AND ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS

The TUC’s general secretary supported Labour’s extremely weak proposals for zero-hour contracts. Our candidate Glen Hart, had this to say -

Celebrating Ed Miliband's proposals, Frances O’Grady, TUC general secretary, said:
“Zero-hours workers are often too afraid to speak up for their rights for fear of losing work.

We need a fairer system that guarantees zero-hours workers decent rights at work and stops them from being treated like second-class employees.”

Missed amongst the fanfare of Labour’s announcement is that the plans fall very short indeed of what is necessary. They are not far reaching enough to tackle the exploitation of workers. Also, they lack provision to strengthen the position for trade unions.

In its ‘Equality and Employment Rights Department’ document, (March 2014), the suggestion was made by the TUC that employment status rules should be reformed to ensure that not only zero-hours contract workers, but also casual workers, agency workers and freelancers, are protected from mistreatment at work.

The report said that rules on continuity of employment should be reformed to ensure casual workers who experience breaks in employment could still qualify of employment rights.

The proposed three-month delay before protection of full employers status, has raised concerns from some employment law specialists that unscrupulous bosses will use this period to terminate contracts, prior to full employment contract entitlements.

Instead of cautious reforms, we call for the repealing of all anti-trade unions legislation.

This will ensure that statutory rights apply to ALL workers once they enter the workplace. It will ensure the imbalance between the powers of the employers against workers is redressed.

After all, putting right that imbalance was precisely how trade unions secured employment rights, that helped establish employment law in the first place.

HOUSING CRISIS!

Unite Union Housing Workers have produced a manifesto to end the housing crisis (see link HERE) - which TUSC wholeheartedly endorses!

Amongst other things -
It calls for a an end to the cuts and a massive injection of public funds into building council housing.

It call for rent controls and a national register of private landlords.

It calls for an end to the privatisation of social housing. They should be accountable to the local community - not private profit and commercial companies.

Would Labour endorse this manifesto?

THE END GAME FOR THE MAIN PARTIES!

Leaflets coming through our the doors from the main parties show how embarrassed they are at their collective sameness and cynicism.

Thinking of New Labour and the Tories (and the LibDems), you can’t help being reminded of the quote at the end of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”.

Although the book's purpose was to satirise the Stalinist degeneration of the Soviet Union, the quote from it can also be read as a satire on the degeneration of British democracy - as epitomised by the almost indistinguishable establishment parties.

In modern form it might read -

“The people outside looked from Tory to Labour, and from Labour to Tory, and from Tory to Labour again; but already it was impossible to say which was which”.

The parties are embarrassed to draw attention to themselves. You may have read the reports about Tory leaflets coming through letter boxes which make no reference to the Tory Party!

Through doors in Sutton and Cheam have arrived what, at first sight, looks like some sort of local newspaper called the “Sutton Gazette”. In fact it’s a LibDem rag!

Another campaign theme of these parties is - “vote for us; to stop them!”

In Croydon Central, for example, some New Labour activists have approached us to suggest our TUSC candidate, April, stands down - on the grounds that voting New Labour is the best way to defeat the Tory MP.

But defeating Gavin Barwell with New Labour would simply change the label on the jar. The content would remain the same! To eliminate any doubt on that score, Ed Balls has said he would not reverse any of Osborne’s cuts in public services.

In Sutton and Cheam, we are repeatedly told by the tired old LibDems that only by voting for them shall we keep the Tories out. They seem not to have noticed that it is the Tory Party that they themselves put in power!

In Croydon North, New Labour Steve Reed will be praying that the loyalty of workers to the memory of Labour is not stretched beyond breaking point.

He will be hoping, for example, that none of his unemployed constituents, or those on low wages, has read the reports of his fellow “Labour” MP Rachel Reeves, who allegedly said (and we’ve not seen any denial) -

“We are not the party of people on benefits. We don’t want to be seen, and we’re not, the party to represent those who are out of work”!

Unbelievable!

Let’s clear out these appalling cynics. Vote TUSC!

Not only is TUSC the party FOR working people; it is also the party OF working people!

If you want a window poster or further information - email us - SuttonCroydonTUSC@gmail.com

THE TORY BUDGET!

Desperate for votes, the Chancellor is selling this budget as a little relief from the endless austerity he has offered so far. Austerity for some, that is. Certainly not him we suspect.

The coalition continues banging the austerity drum, promising £30 billion of cuts, including £12 billion from welfare.

Osborne says austerity is working but the queues at food banks and pay day lenders tell a different story.

For this millionaire government and its friends, things may indeed be improving; but for most young people, workers and their families, they are facing a Dickensian future of uncertainty and penury.

George Osborne says wages have started to increase but only if you include bankers’ bonuses in the figures!!

In fact they are still lower than they were before the ‘Great Recession’ – and for young people a massive 12.5% lower. A 20p an hour increase in the minimum wage is not even a drop in the ocean.

TUSC campaigns for an immediate £10 an hour minimum wage for all - and no exemptions.

No one will be surprised by this budget; but where is the opposition?

Labour also promises austerity! When Osborne put to Parliament his plans for £30 billion worth of cuts under the next government -  only five Labour MPs voted against it!  FIVE!

It is time to take a stand. That is why TUSC has attracted a record number of anti-austerity candidates in the elections on 7 May 2015 - 120, and counting!

OUR NEW LOCAL TUSC CANDIDATES

Here's a short political biography each from Pauline and April.

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PAULINE - I am a retired teacher – I taught for 35 years in Special and Comprehensive schools in London and Birmingham. I was elected Union rep in several schools, onto NUT Associations' Committees, and also as delegate to Trades Councils and NUT National Conference.

Over the years I have been active in many campaigns including those to preserve Trade Union rights, against public spending cuts, and to stop the Vietnam and Iraq wars.

I have been enormously enthused by the creation of TUSC as a major campaigning organisation against the vicious cuts perpetrated by the current (and previous) corrupt and self-serving governments.

I am currently campaigning against the introduction of TTIP and to save the NHS and our local Hospital – St Helier.

I am a life-long socialist and believe that democratic ownership of the means of production is the only way to ensure equality for all and to preserve human life on the planet.

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APRIL - I am an assistant branch secretary for Southwark UNISON, local government union, and have been a trade union activist for over 20 years. I have organised numerous local campaigns against job cuts and attacks on terms and conditions, as well as national campaigns on pensions and pay.

I am also a member of UNISON's NEC representing black workers throughout the union.

I am also involved in many community campaigns against cuts to local services, against the bedroom tax and welfare benefit cuts and sanctions. We are currently campaigning on the housing crisis in London for mass council house building and a rent cap on private tenancies.

I am involved in the fight against racism and Islamophobia against the likes of the UKIP millionaires who scapegoat immigrants for the economic recession and austerity but who attack trade union rights and public services.