Two Million Will Strike On July 10 (UK)

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-fd94-Two-million-will-strike-on-July-10

I needed some good news.

THE number of workers set to take part in the July 10 walkout swelled to two million yesterday as Unite members facing a fifth straight pay cut voted to strike.

Unite, which represents 70,000 local government workers, became the fourth union to throw its weight behind the action.

Sixty-eight per cent of members voted Yes for a strike in response to the latest “insulting” 1 per cent pay offer made by council bosses.

Unite national officer for local government Fiona Farmer said the two-to-one result reflects “the depth of feeling” among staff.

“Poverty pay is widespread across local councils. Household bills continue to soar, but our members’ buying power is constantly being eroded,” she said.

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[daleanime]

1. Kick....

[TBF]

2. At least someone is fighting back -

I've been encouraging my daughter to consider colleges out of this country. I think her future would be brighter in Europe.

[Starry Messenger]

3. Good plan.

If I'd known what life was going to be like here, I would have tried to go.

[Ghost Dog]

4. I've never regretted

being out since the late-'eighties.

And since before that there were ten years of Central London (different planet)...

[socialist_n_TN]

5. This definitely deserves a solidarity kick.......

However I'm not sure of the point in a "one of" type of event. Other than making folks feel good, of course. On July 11th the capitalists and their toadies, the Tories AND the union bureaucrats, will expect everyone back at work like nothing's happened. The workers lose a day's pay and don't get anything for it. And there might even be other repercussions for the strikers later on down the line. The owners have long memories when you challenge them.

Now if they decided to stay out until, say, Cameron resigned, THAT would be worth a strike. But he's not going to resign over a one-day action.

[yallerdawg]

6. 2 million...

If that many showed up, can they afford to really irritate them? Maybe this is "one last warning"?

If that many marched on Washington DC...

[socialist_n_TN]

7. Well in all honesty, I don't think a one day will make much of an impression.....

on Cameron and the Tories. They, like ALL neo-liberals, are fueled and directed by ideology which means that no matter how much the opposition's show of force, it doesn't matter because they (Cameron) are correct in their estimation. That's the essence of ideological thinking after all. it doesn't matter what the actual facts are, the a priori belief is all that matters. That's why none of the one and two day general strikes elsewhere in Europe, notably Greece, has made a bit of difference. You can't reason with ideologues or even threaten them, you can only defeat them. And you won't defeat them with a one-day strike no matter HOW big the turnout.

If that many marched on D.C., it still wouldn't do much against an entrenched ideology. Wasn't there a good percentage of that number in the "free speech zones" in D.C. demonstrating against the Iraq war? It didn't change a thing. Mass demonstrations and even mass strikes don't do anything anymore. It will take sustained actions.