The cuts are already affecting public services from hospitals and schools to benefit and tax offices, public amenities from playgrounds to libraries.
Wales as always will be particularly hit as a very large number of people are employed in the public sector, and also rely on its services.
The working class must not be made to pay for the crisis of capitalism caused by the greed of the bankers and bosses. While benefits are slashed, VAT up (which hit’s the poorest ), workers sacked, huge bonuses are again being paid out in the city and profits are up.
There must be mass resistance to this attack. With that in mind the North Wales Shop Steward Network (NWSSN) launched North Wales against the Cuts in July .
The NWSSN recognised that to fight back meant uniting all those affected by the cuts, not just trade unionists in the public sector. As such the campaign has been set up to on a non sectarian and inclusive basis to draw in all who want to fight back. Harking back to the anti poll tax campaign (no surprise as several veterans of that campaign are involved ) North Wales against the Cuts wants to build the fight back in every street, every community, every work place in North Wales. At the moment the reaction to the cuts is patchy, with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the big unions reluctant to fight and a clever campaign by the toffs in government to divide workers by asking them where the cuts should be.
As such the initial work is leafleting to explain that who the cuts affect, who is to blame and how we start the fight back. There will be a public meeting on 27th September, building towards a day of action on 29th September, the European day of action. North Wales against the Cuts also supports the demos at TUC, Lib Dem conference and Tory Conference. Co ordinate strikes and mass protests must be built
Other innovative actions are also planned. The campaign also recognises that to be effective there must be a federation of like minded groups in Wales and the rest of the UK. Consideration to this will be given at our next meeting on 25th August.
The leaflets also refute the puerile arguments of the far right, who will no doubt seek to exploit the situation
There is no doubt that mass resistance must be built. The result of failure to do so will see mass unemployment, blighted communities and a dejected and defeated working class. Greece and the rest of the PIGS shows the way.
The coalition government is weak with grassroots libdems horrified at what is happening. There are alternatives to the cuts that must be argued for. No trident, with drawl from Iraq and Afghanistan, tackle the rich on tax evasion (currently costing about £80bn), invest in green jobs to start with. There is a real possibility of a win here.
The immediate task should not preclude radicals in Wales from arguing that whist we fight back the seeds of a new society must be sown. Based on need not greed, workers self management, freedom, peace, respect for the environment, = real communism.
