On Thursdays 30th June public sector workers from four unions will be taking co-ordinated strike action together for the first time.The simultaneous strike by Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and University and College Union (UCU) members is against proposed changes to public sector pensions that will mean paying more and working longer for less.
There will be picket lines outside all kinds of government buildings across the UK and with a significant public sector in Wales, there will be a large number here, as well as widespread school closures.
Though not the biggest industrial action since the General Strike of 1926 as some have claimed, it's a hugely important step in building a movement of resistance against the government's austerity programme. In an effort to further spread the message marches and rallies will be taking place in Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Llandrindod Wells, Newport, Swansea, Merthyr and Wrexham.
These rallies have the support of a a very wide range of local union branches and will feature speakers from all the striking unions as well as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and National Union of Students (NUS). As ever all the details as we get them are featured in our calendar on the right hand column (please leave a comment about any we may have missed).
Following last month's successful day of action, Cardiff's large number of picket lines plus march and rally will be joined by other actions and events that are being organised to increase the pressure and involve more people. A second "Busk against the cuts" event will take place in the shadow of the Nye Bevan statue on Queen's street featuring all sorts of street performers. Nearby the local Food Not Bombs group will be providing a free meal for everyone with a "Food not cuts" theme. Later in the day a UK Uncut action has been called to target the real perpetrators of the finical crisis - banks and corporations that dodge paying tax.
Linking up between the TUC and anti-cuts groups is showing some positive signs, with UK Uncut's "Big Society Breakfast" supporting picket lines. These kind of moves to generalise the strike aim to reach out and unite the different groups who are resisting the government's attack on working people. The upsurge in radicalism among students at the end of last year set the scene for the kind of fightback that is possible.
With opposition front benchers like Ed Balls blaming the victim for the dispute and Labour-run councils implementing huge cuts, it's no wonder that the Labour party has failed to turn disgust and anger with the coalition government into support. PCS general secretary (and local boy) Mark Serwotka made it very clear that that "the alternative" isn't about the Labour party when he said that "Labour doesn't speak for me".
If union leders are to be believed this will be the first of many days of co-ordinated industrial action, radicals both inside and outside the unions have an ideal opportunity to galvanise workers and escalate attacks on the government. Encouraging wildcat actions, or just throwing sickies in solidarity are a very good start, but we might just start seeing glimpses of the struggle entering into people's everyday lives. See you on the streets.
