Yesterday's occupation of Haringey Civic Centre (http://www.hapsnews.net/magnificent-anti-cuts-demo-leads-to-occupation-of-council-chamber/) shows the growing determination of the gathering anti-cuts movement.
Haringey is one of a number of local authority areas facing social devastation from the savage cuts by the Tory-led Coalition.
Yesterday in Lambeth I learned of the shocking scale of job losses arising from the Council's cuts budget.
The law on redundancy consultation requires that we are given numbers of projected dismissals - and when those numbers equate to one in five of the workforce they are stark enough in their own right.
But beyond the impact on ourselves as workers, behind the raw numbers, there will be a story of shattered hopes, diminished futures and social isolation as the infrastructure of services which support our most vulnerable fellow citizens is subject to this fiscal firestorm.
The sooner we mobilise the collective strength of the trade unions to focus our rage against the Tories the better we shall defend all those who need us to act.
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2 comments:
Devestating doesnt describe the level of effects both on the community and the employees. Day Centres, Childrens Centres, Youth Services, Residential Homes, Leisure. Essentially anything the Tories dont think Haringey deserves (after all we voted Labour) has bene devestated as as result of a targetted attack on money designed to help the poorest (area based grant) I understand the anger of some who occupied the chamber however unfortunately in the process they injured at least one council member of staff (and UNISON member who's job is ironically potentially at risk) which I cannot in anyway condone Jon. Peaceful protest is fine that sort of thing is not.
I completely agree Sean. Lambeth's protest passed off, I am pleased to say, without serious difficulties or any arrests. Obviously when tempers are running high, and security staff are trying to do their jobs, there is always the potential for problems to arise.
The responsibility is with senior management and Councillors to seek to avoid confrontation - and with protest organisers to aim to achieve the same.
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