June 30 - Striking and Marching to Demand Fair Pensions for All

The streams of people turned to rivers, and the rivers turned into a flood as delegations of striking trade unionists from all four corners of London converged on Lincoln's Inn Fields for today's London demonstration against pension robbery.

Many had already come from local rallies and picket lines in their own boroughs. There were ten different picket lines outside Lewisham schools and several PCS and UCU pickets as well. £155 for our hardship fund was collected from the picket line outside Crossways Sixth Form! We got our message out early to London via a live interview for LBC radio from the picket line at St.Matthews Academy.

From there, NUT members made their way to Lewisham Town Hall and then up to Charing Cross before marching over to an already packed Lincoln's Inn Fields. There, Paul, a teaching colleague in my own school in Catford, put over our case to Al-Jazeera - just as so many other teachers were able to clearly explain why they weren't prepared to pay more, to work longer and then get less pension. http://english.aljazeera.net/video/europe/2011/06/201163092012758854.html

The demonstration was good-humoured but determined, whistling and chanting as we made our way slowly through the sunshine of Central London. "What do we want - a decent pension - When do we want it - Before we die!" seemed to go down best with the young teachers on the considerable delegation behind the Lewisham NUT banner!

The turnout was two or three times greater than we were expecting - around 20,000 PCS, ATL, UCU and, above all, NUT members marched down Whitehall to the Rally at Westminster Central Hall.

Reports from Lewisham NUT members that managed to make it into Central Hall spoke of an electric atmosphere at the closing Rally addressed by the General Secretaries of all four striking unions. Both in London - and at the dozens of rallies across England and Wales - the unions jointly launched a Fair Pensions for All Petition demanding that all workers and pensioners have dignity and decent living standards in retirement.

I was asked to speak at the overflow rally outside Central Hall to address the many marchers that could not make it inside the hall. Before I spoke, a Lewisham UNISON member and Teaching Assistant explained that he had joined the rally today to show his support. To cheers, he added that, in the Autumn, UNISON and other school staff unions must all be on strike together.

I asked the marchers to "Look around and feel your strength. This Government may have thought they were going to get away with their cuts but now they know that the trade unions are on the march. They tried to claim that 40% was a low turnout for a ballot - but teachers have voted with their feet today with 80-90% of schools closed or partially closed across London". 

"The press try to claim we haven't got public support but the response from parents and drivers passing our picket lines has been excellent. People want to see someone standing up to this Government's cuts at last - and that's what they see us doing today".

"In 2005-6 the threat of united action forced the last Government to retreat over pensions attacks. We can do the same in 2011. If we strike together, then we can win together"

See you on the London demonstration!

Striking teachers from across London, along with lecturers and civil servants,  will be gathering in their thousands at Lincoln's Inn Fields at 11 am tomorrow for our march and rally to Stop the Pensions Robbery. The press will also be there in force to cover our action.

Dozens more similar rallies will be taking place across the country where teachers will hear a message of congratulations from Christine Blower and Kevin Courtney pointing out that:

 "The huge response to our united action has taken the Government by surprise ...

It is simply not correct to describe meetings that are to consult about how to implement an unfair tax as genuine negotiations. Our pensions are not gold plated. They are fair. They are affordable. ... We are right to defend them, to defend our profession and to defend education.

90% of Lewisham schools will be partially or totally closed to pupils by the action. Simnilar reports have come in from elsewhere in London. Where teachers have leafleted at their school gates, the support from parents has been noticeable, despite the obvious inconvenience that a strike creates. 

As we have put in our leaflets to parents, "Cutting our pensions won’t help save anybody else’s job or restore private pensions. If the Government succeed, it will only encourage them to carry on cutting everything else as well. But, if we can persuade them to think again, other campaigns are more likely to win too!"

We have just had one isolated case of a school trying to break the action by bringing in staff to put on activities in the absence of striking NUT members - regrettably, football coaches from the Millwall Community Scheme. A number of angry life-long Millwall fans and local trade unionists, such as ex- Socialist Party Councillor Ian Page, have rung to express their anger at Millwall's name being associated with attempts to undermine trade union action. Ian has written a complaint pointing out that  "We have just had Dockers Day, I'm sure many ex- dockers would not want the club seen as strike breakers"

A Lewisham Teaching Assistant - and Millwall supporter - has written to say that "Many of the kids I work with access the scheme and it is held in high regard, so for its reputation to be tarnished in this way is very disappointing. I hope that Millwall is not involved in or associated with any strike breaking in the future." 

 

But these isolated attempts will have little effect in undermining the solid action of trade union members who will be striking in their hundreds of thousands tomorrow to stop their pay and pensions being raided to pay for a crisis that we did not cause.

London NUT ready for June 30 Strike

As I was delivering placards to schools this evening ready for the June 30 picket lines, a white-van driver stopped and wound down the window to tell me : "They're talking crap on the radio, we're right behind you".

That anecdote was the perfect answer to the rubbish being spouted by David Cameron today as he tried to insist that public sector pensions have to be cut. Why? Even the Sunday Telegraph has had to admit that "There's nothing unaffordable about public sector pensions" and that the real scandal is the robbery of private-sector schemes. The NUT don't accept a 'race to the bottom' on pensions. We're going to fight to defend our pensions - and support the fight for a decent pension for all in retirement.

But Cameron has made too many false claims on behalf of his millionaire's government for the public to just accept his twisted logic. That's why Lewisham's 'white van man' - and many more - can be won to supporting our action to stop the pensions robbery - and a united campaign to defeat all of the Government's attacks on jobs and services.

In London, it's clear the strike is going to be solid. Reports continue to come in from boroughs of the strong support for Thursday's action. I introduced a lively discussion at today's London NUT Retired Teachers meeting - all active in building and supporting the action on June 30 - to fight for both today's pensioners and for all those still to come.

The Government will try to divide us - pubic sector from private sector, teacher from parent, Local Government Pension Scheme from Teachers Pension Scheme - we've got to stand united in opposition to all their attacks.

June 30 will be an important step in showing that determined opposition.

LONDON MARCH and RALLY: Assemble 11.00 am Lincoln's Inn Fields (Holborn tube), March down Whitehall to rally at Central Hall, Westminster.

Government refuse to listen - NUT strike going ahead

NUT National Press Release:

After the conclusion of today’s talks, it is with regret that the NUT is announcing that we have no other option but to go ahead with the planned day of strike action on Thursday 30 June.

We regret that the Government has still not yet moved from its position on all the key areas of its planned imposition and therefore the NUT needs to demonstrate the strength of feeling amongst our membership.

There has been no movement from the Government on the central propositions that teachers will have to pay 50% more for their pensions which risks many teachers being forced to leave the pension scheme altogether, work much longer to get a full pension, with any teacher aged 34 or less having to work to 68, and get much less for their pension. 

It would appear from the Government’s press statement that it’s now beginning to recognise that there are particular issues in different pension schemes and intends to have in-depth discussions on the Local Government Scheme. It is disappointing to say the least that it does not recognise the particular circumstances relating to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. This despite the fact that teachers’ pensions were only recently reformed, are affordable as confirmed by the National Audit Office and the agreed valuation promised in that agreement has still not taken place.

We will of course attend all future talks but for talks to be meaningful the Government really does need to address teachers’ central concerns.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said;

“The Government has done nothing more today other than confirm it has no intention of listening to teachers. They are simply imposing draconian changes that will see teachers paying more, working longer and getting less with no evidence to back up these claims.

“This was an opportunity for the Government  to live up to its rhetoric that it wanted to participate fully in the negotiations and back track from the announcement on 17 June by the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Danny Alexander, that the Government’s mind was already made up on the changes it intended to make.

“The action on Thursday is unavoidable and unless the Government starts listening rather than simply imposing its will, it leaves us with little choice other than to consider further action.”

NUT Strike Parents' Leaflet

Lewisham NUT have produced an updated parents' leaflet explaining "Why Teachers are on strike on June 30" and encouraging families to come and join trade unionists on the London demonstration assembling at Lincoln's Inn Fields at 11.00 am on Thursday.

UPDATE: NOW UPDATED FOR NOVEMBER 30!

Have  a look at the leaflet and many other resources on:

http://local.teachers.org.uk/lewisham/news/Pensions.cfm

NUT & PCS united in action - RMT victory shows the way

It was a privilege to be invited to speak to the AGM of the PCS London and South East Region at PCS Headquarters this afternoon - and an honour to be able to hear Steve Hedley from the RMT give one of the first reports of their stunning victory over the victimisation of RMT rep, Arwyn Thomas.

As Steve made clear, the employers had showed no intention of reinstating Arwyn, despite him winning his Tribunal for unfair dismissal. But a clear program of action had persuaded them to listen. He warned the meeting that the stakes were even higher over pensions - and that public sector unions needed to be ready to declare an equally determined program of action  if we are to force the Government back. Steve also announced a joint meeting in London on July 18th, already supported by the RMT, FBU, CWU and NSSN, to discuss how we build the campaign against all the cuts and attacks in the Autumn.

Dave Bean from the PCS and I described the growing momentum towards June 30. The PCS will be well kitted out at the rallies and marches with T-Shirts and whistles! I called on PCS members who are parents to offer encouragement to teachers - and get ready to strike together in our hundreds of thousands on June 30!

Gove's strike-breaking threats will backfire

The Government bullies Local Authorities, Local Authorities bully Heads, Heads bully staff ... Teachers have got used to the chain of command that has long been used to drive teachers into excessive workload - and to drive creativity and enjoyment out of the curriculum.

But Gove's attempts to bully Heads into strike-breaking on June 30th will backfire. NUT and ATL teachers have already shown in their overwhelming majorities for strike action that, this time, we are going to stand up for ourselves - and the NAHT Heads Union (having already, if too briefly, made a stand on SATs last year) has also made clear that it will join teachers in its own ballot for strike action to defend pensions.

Gove's strike-breaking instructions to Local Authority leaders include reminding schools that "there are no maximum general pupil-teacher ratios set out in law; with the exception of the infant class size limit" and that "schools should deploy all available staff and consider the full range of local resources available to them, both from within the school staff and the wider school community to ensure that wherever possible they remain open".

In other words, "Stick anyone you can in front of classes on June 30, no matter how large and unsafe the class sizes, to help me break a strike so that we can rob teachers of their pensions"

But as Christine Blower has rightly reminded Mr Gove: ‘It is a legal duty for key managers in schools to ensure the health and safety of their pupils. If there is insufficient teaching staff to run the school effectively and safely then the head should consider closure very seriously.  Head teachers need to bear in mind that staff members of other TUC affiliated unions do not have to take on the work of those teachers who have taken strike action. Furthermore, it is unlawful for schools to employ agency staff to undertake work that would have been done by teachers striking.’

Regrettably, a few Heads are putting undue pressure on cover supervisors and support staff to cover for striking colleagues. The best way to protect staff will be for UNISON and GMB - and the NASUWT - to ballot as well so that ALL school staff can be on strike together next time.

However, as is clear from the reports of school closures on June 30 coming in from across the country, most Heads are ignoring any instructions to undermine teachers' strike action. I hope that Gove's attacks will only strengthen their resolve to stand firm on pensions - just like Danny Alexander's threats last week helped to spur the NAHT into calling their strike ballot in the first place.