THE SACKED Tameside strikers have called a conference in Manchester on Saturday July 10 on the theme of their local election campaign this year, defending public services and opposing privatisation in all its forms.
They found themselves on the sharp end of privatisation when they were sacked last year by the privatised company who had taken over the running of the care homes where they worked from the Council, for striking over yet another cut in pay and conditions.
The strikers who stood in local elections on a Defend Public Services slate gained a significant portion of the vote, showing a high level of opposition to continuing privatisation of jobs and services in local government.
Their platform was one of maintaining public services under local authority control, and with proper funding. They also opposed all privatisation, cheap labour, casualisation, corruption, sleaze and all forms of prejudice and racism.
They wanted to expose the corruption of the Council, for example, in the running of an arms they had worked. and housing sell-offs.
July 10, Mechanics Institute, Manchester others. ester length company running the care homes where The strikers want to work with all those coming into battle: fire fighters, council workers, community campaigners against hospital closures Speakers are invited to the conference from trade unions and community campaigns around the country fighting attacks on public services in many forms: Best Value, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Trusts, redundancies, casualisation, intensification and so on. The conference has so far been sponsored by Banner Theatre, FBU District Committee, Greater Manchester Socialist Alliance, Tameside Strikers Support Group, TGWU 6/389 and • Conference: 11 am - 4 pm Saturday 10 July Mechanics Institute, Princess Street, Manch• Cost: Unwaged/unemployed £1, waged £3, delegates £5, disabled access. The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has published a damning report on the proposals. They point out that PPP is the worst financial option possible, costing up to £l billion more than the (non-privatisation) alternatives. But of course, as well as helping their business friends, the scheme has the (one) advantage of keeping the Treasury's "Public sector borrowing requirement" down. A consideration much to be valued in meeting the Euro convergence criteria. Underground workers' trade unions had been divided in their response While the RMT has organised strikes against the privatisation, last year the ASLEF welcomed Prescott's plans. But as the reality of a threat to all tube workers has become apparent this has now. changed. At an important rally to mark the resuscitation of the campaign against privatisation Dave Rix,
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