Wolfie: Ed Balls pledges to stand with unions

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Ed Balls pledges to stand with unions

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls insisted at the Usdaw national conference yesterday that the labour movement was "not down and out" in its fight against the Con-Dem cuts.
Mr Balls received three standing ovations as he promised to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the trade union movement in fighting the coalition. "We are determined to get this Tory-led government out and a Labour government in as soon as possible," he said. "In 1949 - in the face of national debt far higher than today - it was Nye Bevan who said the language of priorities is the religion of socialism. "Usdaw members in the private sector are being hit just as hard as public-sector workers. "This is why we need a Labour government. We need action now but in opposition we cannot deliver that."

Mr Balls backed Usdaw's campaign against deregulation of Sunday working and said it would be "shameful" if the Tories changed the law. He accused Prime Minister David Cameron of seeking to divide divide demonstrator and police - private-sector workers and public-sector workers. "We have to be clear that the private sector and public sector are united. "We have to get rid of this government at the earliest opportunity." Scottish division delegate Marina Sweeney asked: "How can we campaign against the Tory cuts and the harm they are doing to our members?" Mr Balls said the priority was organise "community by community, workplace by workplace - that's how we'll win."

He accused Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond of doing "nothing" to oppose the cuts. After Mr Balls's speech, east London retail branch delegate Richard Groves reminded conference of the TUC policy of "co-ordinated industrial action" to oppose the cuts and urged councillors to stand up and fight. "We need to work with other trade unions to make sure we are prepared," he said. Divisional councillor Pat Buttle added: "It's not enough to pass resolutions. We have to be on the streets."

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/103725

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Die LInke MP Sevim Dagdelen explains why she will be coming to London for the Europe Against Auster

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Ed Miliband warns of ‘‘knee-jerk’’ responses

‘‘It's not the first time we've seen this kind of me first, take what you can culture. The bankers who took millions while destroying people's savings – greedy, selfish and immoral. The MPs who fiddled their expenses – greedy, selfish and immoral. The people who hacked phones to get stories to make money for themselves – greedy, selfish and immoral……Let's not pretend that the crisis of values in our society is confined to a minority only at the bottom when we see the morality of millions of hardworking, decent people under siege from the top as well.’’

Is Imperialism the Final Stage of Capitalism?

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Tony Benn

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The International (English Lyrics)

Arise ye workers from your slumbers Arise ye prisoners of want For reason in revolt now thunders And at last ends the age of cant. Away with all your superstitions Servile masses arise, arise We'll change henceforth the old tradition And spurn the dust to win the prize. So comrades, come rally And the last fight let us face The Internationale unites the human race. No more deluded by reaction On tyrants only we'll make war The soldiers too will take strike action They'll break ranks and fight no more And if those cannibals keep trying To sacrifice us to their pride They soon shall hear the bullets flying We'll shoot the generals on our own side. No saviour from on high delivers No faith have we in prince or peer Our own right hand the chains must shiver Chains of hatred, greed and fear E'er the thieves will out with their booty And give to all a happier lot. Each at the forge must do their duty And we'll strike while the iron is hot.

Mallard Festival

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Coalition of Resistance

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Latest and final BVA poll before the first round of the French presidential elections

Save Our NHS - Emergency petition

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New Nuclear Power Stations

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NHS Cuts

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The Left and the European Parliament

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The world needs a new Marx, but it keeps creating Malcolm Gladwells

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Economic recession failed to curb rising emissions

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Activists hold May Day Parade

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What are the best protest songs?

Joan Baez Joe Hill Lyrics - I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me. Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead" "I never died" said he, "I never died" said he. "The Copper Bosses killed you Joe, they shot you Joe" they filled you full of lead. "Takes more than guns to kill a man" Says Joe "I didn't die" Says Joe "I didn't die" "In Salt Lake City, Joe," says I, Him standing by my bed, "They framed you on a murder charge," Says Joe, "But I ain't dead," Says Joe, "But I ain't dead." And standing there as big as life and smiling with his eyes. Says Joe "What they can never kill went on to organize, went on to organize" From San Diego up to Maine, in every mine and mill, Where working men defend their rights, it's there you'll find Joe Hill, it's there you'll find Joe Hill! I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me. Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead" "I never died" said he, "I never died" said he.

Ken Gill

Ken Gill was General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers-Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Staff and a prominent member of the broad-left during the 1960s and 70s along with Hugh Scanlon and Jack Jones. Ken Gill was chair of the Cuba Solidarity Group and supporter of Fidel Castro, was the only communist to be elected President of the TUC from 1985 to 1986 and was part of the Morning Star supporters group that formed the CPB in the late 1980’s when the old CPGB split and was later dispended. He believed that the Labour Party was central to radical social change, a committed internationalist and was also a cartoonist drawing pictures of political and union figures.

Hugh Scanlon

President of the engineering union from 1968 until 1978 said ‘‘We must have loyalty at all times to principles of trade unionism and socialism’’ and along with Jack Jones General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union led the fight against Ted Heaths government with the slogan Kill the Bill ‘‘Out Brothers, Out’’ 1.5 million engineers went on strike against the Tory Industrial Relations Act and the Amalgamated Union of Engineers was fined £75,000 in 1972 for refusing to comply with the laws imposed by this bill restricting trade union activities.

Greece shows the way to a new ‘‘historic bloc’’

Michael Moore support the NHS

We should heed Michael Moore’s message and not allow our government Tory, Liberal or Labour to privatise the health system in Britain. This has to be the issue that unites the broad left whether socialist or social-democrat against neo-liberal/neo-conservative ideology, as Americans would say ‘‘wake up and smell the coffee’’ this is w...hy half a million people marched through London on the 26th of March for the alternative. Don’t let the Tory/Liberal government get away with privatizing the NHS. MAKE A STAND NOW BEFORE IT’S TO LATE

Labour Representative Committee

Left-Labour Party MP Ernie Roberts argued that none of the parties have the miracle ingredient. So whilst Labour got 8,609,527 votes compared with 10,703,754 for the Tories and was sandwiched between them and the Liberal-Democrats with 6,836,824 votes with the Labour vote down considerably on its 1997 performance when it had 13,518,167 votes to the Tories 9,600,943 votes and the Liberal-Democrats at a mere 5,242,947 votes it still represents the mass party of labour with as Ernie Roberts put it an average of 12 million voters, ‘‘most of them working-class’’ this is where the party should be putting all its efforts into regain power not on the middle class Liberal supporters but with its core Labour supporters.

Wolfie

A Future That Works

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Ed Balls pledges to stand with unions

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