Effects of vicious bedroom tax worst than first thought, axe the tax!

As the bedroom tax’s effects grow and grow like an out of control beast the effects are appalling. Worse than many first thought. The National Housing Federation said today that the effects of the bedroom tax are far worse than even it expected. The group said rent arrears have soared and large properties are lying vacant as people refuse to move in. The cruel tax sees housing benefits cut if homes are deemed "under-occupied" despite a perilous shortage of smaller council properties for people to move into. "The impact is at least as bad as we had anticipated, in many respects even worse," federation chief executive David Orr told the BBC. "What we've seen are really bad effects on individuals, people whose lives have been turned upside down, who are very frightened about the future." But out-of-touch Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith insisted that cash-grabbing policy had been a success. The millionaire minister said it showed what a mess Labour had left the benefits system in. He arrogantly told his opposite number Liam Byrne that Labour should either commit to reversing the policy or "stop moaning about it." The shadow work and pensions secretary said Mr Duncan Smith must be "living on a different planet," pointing out that rent arrears had soared by 300 per cent and there were empty houses across Britain. Housing association chiefs agreed. Teeside's Coast and Country Housing boss Iain Sim said: "The numbers of empty homes we've got to let are increasing significantly. "People are now telling us that because of bedroom tax, they can no longer afford to move into the bigger family homes, and as a consequence of that we're getting fewer lettings and more empty houses." Clearly the labour party won’t defend you from this vicious cruel tax which is so anti poor it is dripping with class contempt from the tories. Labour cannot pledge to scrap this tax and thus should not receive our support. If labour councils refuse to pledge not to evict those who have fallen into arrears then I believe that people should stand against them as TUSC and make it clear we will take you on in your own back yard and threaten your seat if you don’t back down. Labour councillors who are more often than not career driven will have to respond when their career is under threat. A serious campaign to protect tenants is needed similar to the bailiff busting army during the poll tax. Phone trees are needed to make sure vicious councils be them Tory or labour tries to evict people for inability to pay this tax. We need to make this tax unworkable, slow the whole process down disrupt it anyway we can and try and force this tax to be scrapped. If labour won’t then TUSC will pledge to scrap the bedroom tax and not evict anyone from their homes. This should be basic working class solidarity if labour won’t oppose it then we will oppose labour.

N14 could open new chapter of class struggle in Europe

For a Southern European-wide general strike on 14 November! CWI Statement • Towards an all-European general strike! • Down with the governments of the Troika! • Down with the Europe of the markets! • For a democratic socialist Europe of the working people! • CWI solidarity on November 14th On 17 October, Europe’s “leaders” gathered in preparation for a summit of heads of state in Brussels. This was their umpteenth crisis meeting since the capitalist economic crisis and resulting social and political turmoil began to violently shake the foundations of the bosses’ “European unity project”. Little surprise then that this summit, like those which preceded it, ended without the slightest indication of moves towards successfully stabilising the continent’s explosive economic and debt crises. Under the rule of the Troika (IMF, ECB and EU), the markets and capitalist political leaders, Europe continues along the path towards a deepening social disaster, with the economic recession accelerating and a slash and burn policy, of attacking the living standards and livelihoods of workers, young people, the unemployed and pensioners across the continent. In the last three weeks alone, governments in Greece, Portugal and Spain have introduced new super-austerity packages, the latest in a never-ending offensive. However, on the same day in the same city, an important decision - for a European-wide day of workers’ action against austerity - which could potentially represent a turning point in the struggle of workers was made at a summit of the European Trades Union Confederation. 14 November was declared a European-wide day of action, with coordinated general strikes confirmed for Portugal and Spain, at least, to be accompanied by mass demonstrations in other European capitals. This will be a day of international struggle on a higher level then seen before, and the first attempt in the current crisis at coordinated general strike action. The CWI welcomes this decision, and will struggle to ensure that 14 November is a successful day of struggle that can lay the basis for further more generalised actions. A successful day of strike action and protests can send a message of unity, demonstrate the anger of working people across the EU and help overcome feelings of isolation which exist amongst some sections of workers and youth, in countries like Greece. Since the beginning of the current crisis, the CWI has stressed the need for the European-wide coordination of the fight-back - including in this statement published shortly before the ETUC formal announcement – and has taken concrete initiatives to popularise and promote international action, beyond the symbolic European-wide demonstrations called by the ETUC, up until now. The positive decision by the ETUC leadership to coordinate action on 14 November, which flows logically from the continental-wide character of the attacks on workers and the growing fightback, is also the result of growing pressure from below in the workers’ movement, particularly in Spain and Portugal and other countries of Southern Europe. Although it comes late in the day, and is the result of the massive pressure for action which is building up, 14 November represents a key development and lets the “genie” of international general strike action out of the bottle. It could lay the basis for international struggle on an even higher level in the next period. However, the full scale of this action, broadly agreed by the tops of the European trade union movement, has not yet been fully clarified. In many countries, the trade union leadership is hesitating and delaying calling action. In Spain and Portugal, they have been compelled to call a general strike. In Italy, the COBAS have called for a strike although the CGIL has yet to decide. Outside of the Iberian penninsula, there is a clear basis to add to the number of countries in which general strike action could and should take place, if the trade union leadership were to make the call. In Greece, five general strikes have taken place already this year, and the rotten coalition government has just agreed a new list of brutal measures to further the destruction of the lives of millions, including a 6-day working week. The inclusion of 14 November as a key date in the ongoing struggle of the Greek working class movement to do away with the government of the Troika and for a workers’ government, is possible and would represent a uniting in battle of the inspirational Greek working class fighters, with those whom they have inspired in Spain and Portugal. The conditions exist for 14 November to include a general strike across the whole of Southern Europe. In Spain and Portugal, strikes have been called. In Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Malta the question is being discussed. In Belgium, important sections of the trade union movement have come out in favour of a general strike on 14 November. There is anger and demand for action throughout the EU. Even in some countries where protests have yet to be called, the situation is ripe for the calling of a general strike. We urge the organisation of solidarity protests in those countries where no general strikeare officially being called. Following on from a day of international action, including a Southern European wide strike on 14 November, a plan of escalating and widening international action could be put in place. Crisis nightmare The worsening of the crisis nightmare throughout Europe and the determination of the working class and youth to fight back, is creating the conditions for such a process. On 20 October, 150,000 marched in London against austerity, where massive pressure is being brought to bear on the leadership of the TUC to call a 24 hour general strike, with three major trade union general secretaries speaking out in favour. The TUC leaders have been compelled to discuss such a possibility in great part due to the struggle for a 24 hour general strike by trade union activists organised in the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN). As in other countries, anti-union legislation makes the organising of a general strike extremely complicated in Britain but this cannot be used as an excuse for inaction by the union leadership. In Ireland, tens of thousands continue to refuse to pay the Troika’s “household tax”. In France, the Hollande government’s turn towards austerity, following its election just a few months ago, is preparing the ground for a new period of class confrontations. Thus we see how, while not immediately realisable, there is the basis for socialists and working class and young activists to set their sights on an all-European general strike. Action on ‘14N’ could be an important springboard for a campaign in favour of such a strike. But just calling strikes is not enough. Such a campaign would have to be taken up in workplaces and throughout the workers’ movement, to be explained and popularised, building confidence and developing a strategy to take on anti-trade union laws which are put forward as an obstacle to general strike action in countries like Britain and Germany. Despite the importance of an international plan of coordinated action, it is important that this question is not used to put a break on the class struggle in any given country. International coordinated action flows organically from the calendar of the class struggle in each country, and begins with the fight against national governments and bosses. In Spain, Portugal and Greece, for example, we must not allow the need to coordinate action on a continental level to allow trade union bureaucracies to hold back from quickly escalating action following 14N. Forty eight hour strikes, for example, to build momentum against the weakened governments of the Troika and big business in these countries are an essential next step. November 14 must be the start and not the end of a struggle to unify the fight-back of workers across the EU. • Down with the capitalist EU! • For a Europe of the working people! The European class struggle is entering a new stormy phase, where the bringing down of bosses’ governments will come within the reach of explosive movements of the workers and youth. With the forced withdrawal of the TSU wage attacks in Portugal we have already seen how victories can be forced from pro-austerity governments and capitalism’s representatives. However, we believe that to achieve lasting victories and to break from the cycle of desperation and impoverishment, our movements need to be armed with alternative policies, to invest the wealth of society in jobs and regenerating living standards, instead of the payment of the speculators’ debts and bank bailouts. Socialists have a key role to play in intervening in the coming battles to popularise the struggle for workers’ governments based on such policies and the nationalisation, under democratic control, of the banks and key sectors of the economy. As the struggles of European workers become coordinated across borders, we see the potential opening up for a workers’ alternative to the capitalist EU of the markets. An international movement, under the banner of a struggle for an alternative, equal and voluntary, democratic socialist confederation of Europe, is on the order of the day. A CWI statement republished from www.socialistworld.net

Spirit of Jarrow march must be taken forward

As the fantastic historic recreation of the Jarrow March concludes last weekend the sense of solidarity and pride in the working class has grown in me than never before. The power that we have as a collective force can be realised and put into action .

The support the Jarrow marchers recieved from trade unions and trade union branch's up and down the country was outstanding but this cant just be the end. We must harness the spirit of the march and push the struggle forward.

I myself met the marchers last week in Luton, Hatfield and now just recently last weekend in London in Trafalgur square. The feeling of solidarity and togetherness was amazing i've never felt anything like it i have to say. The young people marching fora future programme of jobs and a free, decent education for socailly useful jobs and a end to the dreaded work scheme.

The next big event coming up is November the 9th. A national student demonstration marching to the city from all the different London universities. Aswell as teh fantastic Jarrow march it would be great to get a good turn out for this too. I cant make this demo myself but wish all those who are planning to go all the best and to stay safe.

But the youth who were involved in the Jarrow march and all those who came out to support the march should make sure they are visible on the November the 30th public sector general strike. It is important there is teh biggest unity of the working class on that day. If your teacher or university or college lectuer is striking join them on the picket lines and walk out in solidarity. We will not be divided lets show this rotten con-dem government that we are strong when we are united than when we give in to divide and rule.

The fact that the governments so called improved pensions offer still requires public sector workers to still work for longer, pay more and get less even still is a offer we simply have to refuse and urge all unions to stand firm and strike together . Mark Serwotka explained this very well on Channel 4 news last week. We need more union leaders like Mark to hold a strong arguement and destroy the myths this government and its media barrons are sending out.

But the feeling that the youth are our future must be taken up. They really are its a chance to let them show the way. That have lead the fightback right from the start.

Being the first group in society to come out in protest last winter with the amazing demonstrations against tuitian fees huge numbers of students who felt betrayed and badly let down by this con-dem government . I sense the same level of anger and frustration today if not more.

With almost a million young people b etween the ages of 16 and 24 out of a job and not in education or training. It is a outrage and a disgrace that this government can be wanting public sector workers to work for longer with a million youth unemployed. Its a contradiction in this capitalist system that they'd rather elder workers to work for longer than help young people into a job.

Their idea to turn workers against the youth will not work. The Jarrow marchers have shown a amazing determination to fightback and stand up to this government. Their slogan "we will not be a lost generation" sticks in my mind certainly that they mean what they say. I think we should pay tribute to these marchers who have got together and done something constructive instead of turning to crime and rioting.

Its time to get organised channel that anger into a organised fightback. Nothing in the world can stop the power of the organised working class when we unite and stand together. Lets encourage our unions and fellow trade unionists to get the biggest turn out possible for N30 and make this the start of a co-ordinated fightback on this government.

Let youth have a chance and dont ruin their chances before they even start!