November 30th - Strikes and Solidarity - Rally and March in Lancaster

November 30. Lancaster prepares for biggest strike rally in decades.

Local people are invited to join what is planned to be a carnival like day of celebration of public services on Weds 30th November. There will be music, entertainment, speeches, a street parade and much more. Thousands of local teachers, university lecturers, hospital workers, civil servants and other local public service workers will be on strike to defend their pensions. Parents, schoolchildren, pensioners and many more will join them at the rally. Many hundreds will assemble in Lancaster city centre to mark this occasion.

As part of the TUC national day of action on Weds 30th November, Lancaster and Morecambe Trades Union Council, along with other trades unions and the TUC is organising a march and rally through Lancaster City Centre.

The march assembles at Dalton Square from 11am onwards. Hundreds of people are expected to parade around Lancaster City Centre and then rally in Lancaster’s Market Square at midday. All are welcome to come and join in these events to mark this historic day of peaceful and family friendly protest. 


Assemble 11am Dalton Square by Lancaster Town Hall.
March      11.30am Lancaster City Centre.
Rally        12.30am Market Square, Lancaster.
Make noise at 1pm. Countrywide.

Prepare for N30! Lancaster Rally at Town Hall. November 17th.

Lancaster Town Hall.7pm

Thursday 17th November. 

All Welcome.
Unite the Resistance!

On November 30th Britain could see millions of workers unite in strike action, in what could be an enormous day of protest, and the largest action against government policy so far. Workers are currently balloting for the action across many different unions and services. Millions of us are angry at being robbed of our pensions - the issue that the unions are striking on. But we are not just loosing our right to a decent retirement - we are  seeing jobs and vital services cut - while our children's dreams are crushed and educational futures betrayed. All this to pay for a crisis caused by billionaire bankers who still get richer. We are the 99% - and are sick of the economic dictatorship of the 1%. Millions of people want a chance to hit back at this government of the rich.

On the last day of action this summer, Lancaster saw over 400 local people fill Market square in a carnival of solidarity and resistance. The throng was made up of striking teachers, joined by parents, schoolkids, community groups and also striking civil servants and lecturers. Other groups such as pensioners, students, disbility campaigners, the self employed and carers also joined in. Local prison officers also walked out on strike and held their own rallies. Amidst banners and balloons, music and speeches the people of Lancaster occupied their city centre for a day, making market square into a peoples assembly.

Next time could be much bigger - as now much larger giant general unions representing many millions of workers are organising action for the 30th November.

Lancaster and Morecambe Trades Union Council, LMATC, local union branches and community groups are planning for November 30th. Join in this historic day.

We will have a mass assembly to prepare for this beforehand. This will be held at:

 Lancaster Town Hall.

7pm

Thursday 17th November. 

All Welcome.

Unite the Resistance!

'The Hardest Hit'. Lancaster Campaigners Join protests against disability benefits cuts.

Protesters on the 'Hardest Hit' campaign in Manchester. Photo thanks  to Simon R.

Oct 22nd. Lancaster campaigners travelled to Manchester to join protests against cuts to disability benefits. Protests took place simultaneously across the country. Disabled people, those with long-term conditions and their families are being hit hard by cuts to the benefits and services they need to live their lives. The Hardest Hit campaign, organised jointly by the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) and the UK Disabled People’s Council, brings together individuals and organisations to send a clear message to the Government: stop these cuts. 

http://thehardesthit.wordpress.com/

Oct 2011: Lancaster campaigners join over 35,000 on the streets of Manchester.

As the Tory party conference opened in Manchester, they found the city under siege from over 35,000 trades unionists and anti-cuts campaigners who had come to oppose them. The march, organised by the Trades Union Congress was the largest in Manchester for generations. LMATC, along with Lancaster and Morecambe TUC, local students and pensioners groups and others fighting back against the cuts were out in force, with a coachload and a minibus full leaving Dalton Square while many others took the train. Encouraged by meeting so many other likeminded people on the streets of Manchester, Lancaster campaigners returned determined to step up their struggle.

Passionate battle to Keep NHS Public.

For many months local campaigners in Lancaster and Morecambe have been battling to stop the governments plans for the NHS. These plans threaten the NHS through imposing  a market that welcomes profit-driven international corporations who answer to shareholders, not patients. 

This market will compel hospitals and health professionals, who have traditionally cooperated to deliver healthcare, to compete with each other and with the private sector. Amidst cuts and closures there will be a game of profit and loss and deepening inequality. A market system with winners and losers rather than equal and decent healthcare for all as a human right.

Carnival atmosphere at Lancaster's J30 Strike Day rally.

The centre of Lancaster took on a carnival atmosphere on June 30th, as local people joined hundreds of thousands of public sector workers across Britain united in strike action to defend pensions and public services. In bright sunshine, Market Square was filled with a crowd of over 400 people in a colourful show of resistance, including striking teachers joined by parents, schoolkids and community groups. Numbers were swelled further by striking civil servants and college lecturers. The strikers were joined by many other sections of the community including pensioners, students, carers and others  hit by the cuts. Amidst a sea of bright balloons and banners, hundreds of local people gathered to chat and listen to speeches from campaigners, while children danced to music from a local band. Groups of workers and community groups also united to march around the roads with banners and drums, briefly bringing lancaster to a standstill. 

This was a brief show of strength for some local trades unions and their allies. People came away feeling stronger and more united. Now more groups of workers feel encouraged to join the action - and millions more workers from much bigger unions are now balloting to join the next day of strike action on Nov 30. This public service workers fight is an important battle in the war against cuts, poverty, austerity and economic crisis. 

J30 Strike Solidarity Rally, Market Square.

On 30th June hundreds of thousands of teachers, civil servants and college staff will come out on one days strike together. This is the start of the great battle to save Britain's public services from the cuts and the vandalism imposed by a political system that serves the greed of the international banking system above the needs of the ordinary working people. Public service workers are fighting to defend their pensions - and also the services they work in and jobs for future generations. Join us!


Solidarity Rally. Lancaster Market Square. 
Thurs 30th June.
Events start 11am. Main Lunch-break rally 12:15am.


Speakers from local unions and community groups (NUT,TUC,UCU,PCS, Pensioners campaign, etc).
Live Music!
Street Theatre!
Stalls!
Balloons, Facepainting!
Discussion, solidarity, action!


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Last week over 80 local activists gathered at Lancaster Town Hall to plan and discuss the j30 strike day. The campaign has been super-busy for months now - often too busy to update this blog! We sent a train-load down to the great half-million strong London TUC march at the end of March. Since then we have been fully mobilised in the battle to save local services and keep the NHS public, fighting the Con-Dem governments plans to allow private corporations to leech off the NHS. Hundreds more people have attended dozens of LMATC and related activities. Now we are moving towards mass strike action, as well as other forms of protest action. The strikes by hundreds of thousands of public service workers on the 30th June 2011 will be just the start. We expect millions more to join in the action this autumn. We will not let this government (who no one voted for) sacrifice our public services, jobs and prosperity on the alter of the greed of a failed global financial system. Join the struggle - make history - protect your children's future!

Candle lit vigil to save the respite care centres.

Tuesday 1st March,
6pm - 7.30pm.
Dalton Square,
Lancaster.

Called by LMATC, faith groups, local charities and SORE (Save our respite establishments).


From The Lancaster Guardian:

PARENTS fighting to save a respite centre for disabled children are warning its closure would be “devastating” for families.

Alexandra House is one of eight centres across the county under threat of closure as Lancashire County Council seeks savings of £179m over the next three years.

The centre in Westbourne Drive, which opened 25 years ago, provides short breaks for young people with severe learning and physical disabilities and can accommodate up to five children overnight, giving parents much-needed respite.

Lancaster people occupy bailed out bank (RBS) and turn it into a public library!

Reposted report from 'Indymedia' of local action in Lancaster on Sat 26th Feb, 2011. This was part of a nationwide 'UKuncut'day of occupations. 

"A group of 20 - 30 activists and kids bailed in to the Lancaster branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and turned the bank into a libray for the morning. Entering the bank mid morning the space was quickly given a make over with books to browse, anti cuts leaflets to read, and a couple of large placards drawing attention to the fact that banking bosses at RBS got £950 million in bonuses despite the business operating at a loss of £1.1 billion in 2010. If the banking bail out means our libraries and services are to close, then the banks will be used to facilitate such services! The local Cops were caught completely off guard. They took almost an hour to respond to events. Then when they demanded to speak to whoever was in charge they were met with shrugs, blank looks, and "we're not protesting this is the library". With kids making good use of the available books and games, an adult reading revolutionary poetry, and a group of quiet readers the Cops seemed too embarrassed to attempt a forced eviction! They claimed taking pictures in the building was illegal but were then pointed towards the CCTV cameras on the walls! Eventually they just stood there helpless and the bank (or rather library) was put to good use until closing time".

Inspiring LMATC public meeting at Town Hall.

Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union) addresses the meeting at Lancaster Town Hall.

Around 150 people filled Lancaster Town Hall on the Evening of Thursday 23rd Feb 2011, to hear a series of inspiring speakers and discuss the way forward and future actions for the campaign. First to speak was Trade Union leader Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union. Crow castigated the governments cuts, arguing the Con-Dem coalition was being soft on the billionaire elites and tax-dodgers, who owe the country hundreds of billions in tax cheats. These rich elites should be made to pay for the crisis - rather than hurting the poor and vulnerable. Gina Dowding spoke for the Green Party outlining her vision of an alternative to cuts. Chris Bambery, national secretary of the Right To Work Campaign gave a rousing speech, which drew rounds of applause in its call for determined resistance to defend the welfare state. He also agreed with the other speakers that society should make the rich pay for the crisis that was after all caused by their crazy financial system. 
Next came speakers from the audience. These included an activist from the campaign to defend local respite care centres from the cuts, who spoke movingly of the need for respite centres to ease the lives of those caring for family members with a severe disability. Another campaign group speaking from the floor was the new 'keep the NHS public' group, who are resisting the Con-Dem plans which threaten to privatise and destroy the NHS. Other campaigners from 'women against the cuts' spoke out against how the cuts will affect working class women, who make up the majority of public service workers - and users - and who also shoulder the burden of care work domestically when services are cut. Students and local workers also spoke about their campaigns. 
The meeting agreed on several future actions, including next weeks candle lit vigil to save the respite centres and transport to this months major Trade Union led demo in London on March 26th.

Public Meeting, 23rd Feb, Lancaster Town Hall

Lancaster and Morecambe 
Against the Cuts

Public Meeting:

Cuts are wrecking our society …

…while the billionaires and bankers get richer.

Build the Alternative!

Wed 23^rd Feb

 7:30pm

Lancaster Town Hall.

Speakers include:

Bob Crow, RMT

General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

Chris Bambery, RTW

National Secretary of the Right to Work Campaign.

Gina Dowding

Lancaster Green Party

Not to be Flyposted.

www.LMATC.org.uk

Tues 25 January. Lobby the Budget Proposals Council Meeting

No if's, no but's, no public spending cuts!

No to 6.9% Council House Rent Rise!

Defend local jobs and Services!

Assemble:

Morecambe Town Hall, 

Marine Road, Morecambe, LA4 4AF

5.30pm

On Tuesday, Lancaster City Council starts the process of implementing the Con-Dem governments attacks on the ordinary working people of our district. Protesters will be making their voices heard. Come and join us! Bring banners!

Sat Jan 29th. Joint NUS and TUC National day of action in the NORTH!!!

A Future that Works: TUC National Rally for Young People.

Joint protest called by the TUC, NUS and UCU. 

(Trades Union Congress, National Union of Students and University and Colleges Union). 

MANCHESTER, SAT 29th JAN.

Assemble from 10.30am at University Place, opposite The Manchester Museum. 

March begins at 11.00am. 

 

March through Manchester to rally in Platt Fields Park, 1.00pm -  3.00pm. 

More details here from NUS. 

National Day of Protest Against Welfare & Housing Benefit Cuts - Wed 15th Dec

Protests everywhere - Lancaster Protest - Outside the benefits office in Lancaster - Mitre House - Near Castle - 12 midday onwards.

National Benefits Claimants Fightback Website

The Liberal Democrats Funeral

Mourners buried the corpse of the Liberal Democrats in Lancaster today, after the parties death as a credible electoral force since it broke its promises over university fees and more.

Pics by Hilary and Mikey.

Report: Lancaster Marches Against the Cuts! Sat Dec 4th 2010.

Lancaster and Morecambe Against the Cuts grew significantly as a protest movement today with its march through the city of Lancaster. The successful and lively march reached numbers well over 400 local people, gathering significant support from shoppers as it passed through the city centre.

The marchers - including babes in arms - assemble by the Canal at Thurnham street car park. A cross-section of Lancaster citizens begin arriving from all directions. By 12.15 we are ready to go!

 The march sets off down Penny Street and soon starts to grow even bigger!

It gathers more momentum, filling the shopping centre. People are chanting slogans in unison: "They Say Cutback - but we say Fightback!" and "No ifs', no buts, - no public service cuts"...

The march reaches 'TopShop' and halts outside for a while, as the protesters highlight tax dodging corporations. Top Shop's owner, the ninth richest man in Britain is a tax dodger! Philip Green's Arcadia group avoids paying tax by being registered in Monaco! Billions are lost to the British public purse by tax dodging giant corporations like Arcadia and Vodafone who dominate our hight streets but avoid paying their taxes. The protesters argued that the government should make these corporations pay their fair share of taxes there would be no need for these horrible attacks on the disabled, on students or any other cuts to public services! Saturday was a national day of action against such tax dodging corporations.

Thanks to Dan and Mikey for the photo's ....

The march then headed to the bottom of the shopping area, and then back round and up the ring-road to a rally in Dalton Square.

Here a variety of speakers drew impassioned applause from the crowd - and future plans for action were announced. People seem determined to build a protest movement that could break the 'Con-Dem' governmental coalition apart and stop the cuts.

Young and old, men and women, workers and students all had their say...

Graham, a local disability rights campaigner who lead the march captivated the crowd with a powerful speech. He spoke about about how the government's massive cuts to disability care budgets are making people suffer deeply, driving them to the edge of desperation. The crowd were angered by hearing how the poorest and most vulnerable in our society are being hit the hardest, and pledged to stand in solidarity with people with disabilities in their campaign.

After the rally, the fun continued as people who had dispersed then made their way individually across town and re-assembled later with another group of protestors. These  began another protest outside the Market Sq store of corporate tax dodgers vodafone, who have been let off a tax bill of billions by George Osborne,  the Tory Chancellor.

NEXT WEEK - as the government tries to pass its fee rise in Parliament, students and others will be taking to the streets everywhere, including Lancaster on the Wednesday. More reports to follow.

Poster for Sat Dec 4th Lancaster City Centre Protest Against the Cuts.

Poster for Protest March Against the Cuts! Sat 4th Dec. 12 midday, Lancaster.
Download, print out and display a PDF poster promoting the next Lancaster protest on Dec 4th:
December 4th Anti-cuts protest march


Note new assembly point: Thurnham St Car Park, opposite 'Revolution' Pub, by Penny St Bridge and the Infirmiry.

Lancaster and Morecambe Against the Cuts 

March 

Against 

the Cuts! 

 Budget cuts at Lancaster City Council will be £2.4 million, plus £69 

million off the county council –all this year alone! 

 Local services, jobs and community facilities will face closures.  

 The poorest in society made to pay, with attacks on welfare, social 

housing and other services. 

 Cutbacks threaten our education and health services.  

 Young peoples’ futures stolen by abolition of teenagers’ Education 

Maintenance Allowances.  

 University budgets slashed by 40% and tuition fees to be raised to 

£9,000 a year. 

 But the rich are still getting richer at our expense … 

Meet 

Sat 4th Dec 

12 midday 

At Thurnham St Car Park,  

Opposite ‘Revolution’ Pub  

Near Infirmiry / Penny St.  Canal Bridge. 

Lancaster 

(March through Lancaster City Centre to Rally at Dalton Square)   

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rage Against Cuts and Fees!

Stop Press! Stop Press! Stop Press!
Thurs Dec 9th is D-Day!

Protests set to Escalate!

On this day the Con-Dem government will attempt to win a vote in Parliament for their deeply unpopular and destructive policy of massively raising tuition fees, despite Lib-Dems winning millions of votes by pledging to abolish fees!


Student protests will intensify next week, with local and national actions planned. There will be a march on Parliament in London on Thursday the 9th, while during the week students plan more protests in Lancaster, Preston, Manchester - and everywhere else across the land - in almost every city, town, suburb and village! 

... Watch this space F.M.I !

... Organise your own protest!

... Join together in solidarity!

And this is more than a 'student issue' - its about equal access to education - and all other public services as a human right! All local people against the cuts are encouraged to join the protests!  

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Eyewitness Report: Lancaster School Student Protest, Tues 30th November. 


For a second national day of action, protests by students at schools, colleges and universities swept Britain. The week before, Lancaster had seen a large, exuberant  but peaceful school and sixth form students walkout and march. Organised over facebook, this Tuesdays march looked like it would be even bigger, with over 400 young people pledging to walk out of school. Unfortunately, the local police worked hard to try to prevent this protest. They went round the schools and had young people who had launched the facebook pages summonsed into head-teachers offices to be lectured about how it was somehow 'irresponsible' to organise such protests.  The Facebook event pages were cancelled under pressure. At some schools assemblies were held where students were told that the protest had been called off - which was an untruth!  Sixth form students were also threatened with the removal of their rights to the EMA if they went on the protest. It seems that governments and authoritarian forces are growing to fear the power and vitality of young peoples protest. Those in power know that a widespread revolt by  young people - especially if it was joined by the millions of workers and others threatened by the cuts - this could sink this government and its hated plans.
Despite this apparent strategy of intimidation over 100 young people gathered, and were joined by protesters from the Adult College and other institutions A portable sound system turned up, and people began to dance in the snow. It was becoming like a carnival against the cuts!

The School and Sixth Form Students assembled in Dalton Square, and then march out, despite police attempts to block their way.

They marched up towards the Boys Grammar School to encourage them to walk out and join the protest. They had unconsciously started to use the same tactics as Lancaster mill workers on the great roving 'turnouts' of the 19th Century Chartist era! Unfortunately, the police managed to get in front of the school students and block their way just as they approached the Grammar School. A senior police officer was heard explaining to an onlooker that the police wanted to 'prevent disruption to the normal life of the community' and that the headmaster would not want the Grammar School disrupted by encouraging young people to protest. Behind this neutral sounding language is a clear political bias. Protests are also a part of normal, healthy  community life - so by blocking the school students the police were distrupting community life! Furthermore, the government making cuts is disrupting the normal life of the community! If only Cameron, Clegg and their friends with bankers bonuses found themselves surrounded by the police! Sadly, our local police force had appeared to many to take sides against the protests, and seemed to be doing their best to disrupt, sabotage and stifle the legitimate voice of our young people. This is a shame, as the police are facing cuts too...

ACCESS BLOCKED. A potent symbol of the times: Police blocking access to young people wanting to enter the University of Cumbria. "But officer, surely its the sole prerogative of the Con-Dem government to block young peoples access to higher educational establishments?!!  :)

The students then marched to the University of  Cumbria Lancaster Campus (St Martins College in Bowerham) to encourage students there to join the protests. A group of U of Cumbria students were ready with cardboard placards and marched down the hill to join the throng. But disgracefully the police took it upon themselves to block the students entry onto the campus! This picture shows the police line at the campus entrance blocking the path of the protest. This photo is symbolic - young peoples access to institutions of higher education is being blocked by sky high fees. Here the police graphically illustrate this blockage -  a radical street theatre troupe couldn't do better to make the point! Nice one!


It was sad to see the Police Community Support Officers (PSCO's) being drafted in this way to take part in this politically biased and repressive policing. These workers are next in the firing line. PCSO's, many of whom are union members - will be victims of the cuts - as all Lancashire PCSO's are being threatened with 90 day redundancy notices in the next round of cuts in March 2011. This move will lead on to job cuts for some and casualised and insecure re-employment for others. Sadly, it may become harder for anti-cuts campaigners and trades unionists to win support  for the PCSO's from sections local community in campaigning against this cut - if these workers continue to be used in a biased way to stifle or otherwise make the anti-cuts protests less effective. This only helps the government attack us all in their destruction of jobs, services and communities.


The student protestors of the 30th have issued this press release:
For immediate release:

'Student protest continues, despite discouragement from teachers and police'

"Despite discouragement from police and school teachers school students from across Lancaster met with students from the University of Cumbria, Lancaster University and Lancaster Adult College to demonstrate against the coalitions proposed cuts to education. In excess of 100 people gathered in Dalton Square, before marching round the centre of Lancaster, to the gates of Lancaster Grammar School and the campus of the University of Cumbria.

Two students from Ripley school told of how a morning assembly had been held at their school where teacher’s announced that the protest, which coincided with a national day of action against education cuts, had been called off. The students, who wished to remain anonymous, said

‘whatever our teachers say we believe this issue is just too important for us to not demonstrate today. This is our future people are making decisions about and yet no one seems to have asked us what we think about it. We’re demonstrating today because its the only way we can be heard.’

A large contingent of students from Morecambe High were present, despite the fact that their teachers had threatened to suspend their Educational Maintenance Allowance if they demonstrated today. One student from Morecambe High, who also wished to remain anonymous, said

‘the police threatened the guy who created the original facebook group, saying that the protest was illegal and asking him to cancel the group and the event. Lots of students have not come on the demonstration today because of what the police did. But we live in a democracy, its not illegal to protest, and since we can’t vote isn’t protest the only way we can take part?"

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Women in Lancaster have formed a group....

Women Against the Cuts!

As women, we face the most devastating attack on our equality and independence since the end of the First World War. Women are being made to bear the brunt of the spending cuts:

Because of pregnancy and family care, women are still disadvantaged in the labour market and too many are in the part-time, low paid jobs that are always the first to go. Women rely on benefits twice as much as men do. 

Cuts in Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits, Child Benefit, Housing Benefit and pensions will disproportionately hurt women. The two most vulnerable groups have been identified as lone parents, 90% of whom are women, and women single pensioners.

Women make up 73% of local authority services employees and 77% of the NHS workforce.  Cuts to these services depend on the unspoken assumption that women will just be forced to step in at home to fill the gaps, taking on more and more unpaid care work to support the whole family’s caring needs.  And our neighbours’  too, unless we want to watch them suffer.
The Tory / Lib Dem plans rely on women’s unpaid coping work at home and in the community replacing paid jobs.

The quality of care services for all elderly people in this country is a national scandal but because women tend to live longer than men and women’s pensions are on average 60% less than men’s, older women are particularly vulnerable to cuts in care services.
Public services are not ‘charity’.  They are a right!

The annual deficit is £70bn - but the 1000 wealthiest individuals make £77bn in a year and £120bn of tax is dodged by the rich. Yet they are still fixing 72% of the cuts to the budget to come from women’s pockets. These cuts are stealing the progress made by women over the past fifty years and blighting the hopes of a younger generation of girls who will have to pick up what we leave. 

We’re not having this. We’re not here just to be exploited. We’re going to pull together and fight back in our workplaces and communities – everywhere!

Lancaster Women Against the cuts.
Join us: womenagainstcuts@lists.aktivix.org

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STOP PRESS - Next Student Day of Action - 30th Nov: 
As part of a nationwide protest, hundreds of Lancaster area school, sixth form and F.E. students are taking rolling protest action to defend the right to education. Hundreds took to the streets locally on Weds 24th Nov, along with over 100,000 nationwide. They are protesting against the abolition of the EMA for college and sixth form students, and also protesting to defend the right to university education for all - without the the barrier of sky-high fees and life long debt.

LMATC is not part of organising these protests. Rather, they appear to be organised by sixth form and college students across Lancaster by themselves. This is a great start. Each section of society will organise their own defence against the Con-Dem governments attacks - but then we should link up in solidarity - into one massive movement to break the government - and support each other.

Therefore LMATC  activists would wish to express solidarity with the student protests. These students are acting in a responsible manner by taking protest action now to defend the rights of future generations to an education. They are also providing inspiration to the rest of society to take action to defend all public services from the cuts.

This is a crisis caused by the greed and stupidity of the to super-rich banking elites and their capitalist system. The rights to decent education, health, environment and welfare for the working class and middle class majority should not be destroyed to pay for the failures of capitalism and the super-rich elites.

We therefore hope the students are soon joined on the streets by all other sectors of society hit by the Con-Dem governments unjust and dangerous cuts. Together we are stronger than governments! United we can win! Solidarity with the school and college students!

Defend the EMA and Public Services! Smash Fees! For Free Education! Unite to Break this Con-Dem Coalition!

According to the Facebook page of Lancaster and Morecambe Area School, Sixth  Form and F.E College Students Action Against Cuts and Fees: The next protest is:

Tuesday 30th Dec. 11am - 14-00pm in and around Dalton Sq / Lancaster. 


It is rumored that this time students from the universites may be joining them... Lets hope so!


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Nov. 24th. 2010. Hundreds of Lancaster School, Sixth Form and F.E students took to the streets of Lancaster against cuts to EMA and education in general, plus rising university fees and this shit hypocritical government. Over 100, 000 across the UK did the same. And millions more across the world are taking to the streets against attacks caused by capitalism's global crisis.

As this crisis deepens, can these protests mark the beginning of the resistance in the UK?

MORE:

Story in 'Virtual Lancaster' blog here:

http://virtual-lancaster.blogspot.com/2010/11/500-school-students-march-in-lancaster.html

Mass meeting launches resistance to cuts.

Last Thursday (18th Nov) saw an extraordinary meeting held in Lancaster.  Over 150 local  campaigners crammed into the meeting hall of the City Centre Collegian Club, filling it to maximum capacity. Then what can only be described as a dramatic 'peoples assembly against the cuts' began to unfold. Speaker after speaker received cheers and loud applause at the packed out meeting as the temperature rose physically and politically. 

The initial speakers included trade union representatives from local public service workers unions including local council, postal, railway, school and university workers along with green party councilors, pensioners, student protestors, Labour activists and community campaigners. All expressed anger at the way the working classes, and the public services and communities they serve were being destroyed to pay for a crisis caused by a greed driven banking system that profits only the rich.

People are seething over the reality that welfare for the poorest is being slashed while the government ignores the over £100 billion a year lost through tax evasion and avoidance. But what campaigners dubbed a 'government of millionaires' is soft on this tax cheats - who are primarily wealthy individuals and multinational corporations. Anger against the injustice that this stolen wealth could easily pay the deficit, instead of destroying public sector services, is driving the campaign. It was pointed out that many of these tax dodgers were high street brands like Vodafone.

To allow the maximum participation, each speaker from the start to the finish of the event was given just three minutes each to make their point, so the meeting heard testimonials from many local people working and living on the front line of services, jobs and local communities under attack. It became clear that these cuts will hit the most vulnerable and oppressed in our already deeply unequal society, including people with disabilities, those in social housing, young people, pensioners and carers. Feminists argued that women would be especially hit by the attack on the welfare state. Others talked about how the cuts would be bad for the environment, with cuts to home insulation, public transport and the privatisation of the forests marking a governmental attack that is both deeply socially and environmentally regressive.

The meeting also involved discussions about organising protest and resistance to the cuts. Protests and meetings are being organised by many groups and communities. Details will be added to this website. In particular, students in schools, colleges and universities will be taking action starting this week, then a coalition of local people will try to hand the local Tory MP an open letter against the cuts on Friday 26th Nov, and following this people will take to the streets of Lancaster in protest on Dec 4th. And these are just preliminaries for the big wave of protests planned everywhere for next year...

Public Meeting Poster. Please use! Click here to download, print, display, distribute!

Come to the Public Meeting at Lancaster Town Hall!

PUBLIC MEETING AGAINST THE CUTS

Thursday 18th November

7.30pm

The Ashton Hall

Lancaster Town Hall
Moved to the Collegian Club, Gage St, Lancaster.

To keep up with discussions, you can join our facebook group by clicking here