La national conference of the campaign on June l7. lhis was the first time anyone had heard of it. There had been no consultation.
Socialist Outlook urged unity of the campaign with the FACE campaign against school cuts.
It is important to bring the organised working class into play and link up with the parA SECRET contingency plan by Barclays shows how worried the bank is by the threat of a second one-day stoppage. The plan includes threats to sack strikers, to withents and governors if we are draw staff loans and to to construct a powerful mass photograph pickets.
The one-day strike on May novetietl Now we have to forge in- 30th stunned the bank. It was ternational links and build for called by the normally docile in-house union UNIFI (fora one day international day of protest. mally the Barclays group staff union) and supported by The struggles of students the TUC affiliated BIFU. can act as a catalyst to mobi- The action was nominally lise the working class and its allies against the austerity on- against the 2.75% Imposed pay deal, but was a vehicle for slaught of capitalism. staff to vent their anger at job losses at a time of record profits. It was an important blow against the macho management style of Chief Executive Martin Taylor, who has never worked in a bank in his life. Barclays staff have a reputation for being the most "moderate" of the clearing whatever their gender. banks' employees so their Does it makes any differ- action should not be underence that Harriet Harman is a estimated. woman? The supports the leadership down the line, only raises women's issues within that framework, and doesn't even fight for a'specific minimum wage even though it would especially benefit Feminists should be fighting for policies that give women more power: better jobs with equal pay, the right to choose free, safe, abortion and contraception, access to The bank claims "only" 200 affordable housing, proper branches were closed, but this levels of benefits from the in itself is a big success as it is state for single others. Today relatively easy to provide a only left wing women will counter service with a handful fight for these things inside of managers or a few scabs. the Labour Party. The strike was the most solid We should also fight at- in the large computer centres tacks on the Labour Women's which control the cash maConference. chine network. These are preOnly with greater power dominantly organised by BIFU. within the party, and the abil- It is the spread of new ity to link up with women in technology that is enabling trades unions and campaigns, the banks to shed so many will Labour's women MPs be jobs. Ironically it is the workheld accountable. ers in these "high tech factoTries" which now have the power to bring the bank to a standstill. This is why the bank is forced to threaten dire consequences against strikers, yet at the same time claim the The mood may spread to review its whole equal oppor-