Socialist Party Youth and students

It was clear from the discussion at the recent Socialist Party youth and student meeting that activists could have a busy summer ahead.

Sean Clothier, Yorkshire

Across Europe an anti-establishment mood is growing amongst workers and young people over pay, employment rights, cuts in public services and rising house prices, and this is true in Britain too.

Many young people are interested and will take part in 'Save our NHS' and anti-racist campaigns. Also, campaigns that focus on a particular issue that highlights the everyday problems of capitalism for workers and youth, such as low pay, can be very important.

One person in every Socialist Party branch should be planning out youth work in their area, including work with International Socialist Resistance (ISR). One idea at the meeting was to approach young workers at sports shops like JJB about campaigning for better pay and conditions, as part of the ISR Boost Our Pay campaign.

This does not mean however, that youth work should be separated from local party branch work, as time and effort is needed from older Socialist Party members too in offering active help, advice and knowledge. A youth organiser of a branch should make sure people we have met through campaigning are contacted and invited to youth meetings on topics like 'Who was Che Guevara?'

The leadership of the National Union of Students is not willing to organise a serious fight for free education. This is why we will take part in the Campaign to Defeat Fees meeting on Saturday 1 September, which is followed by a Socialist Party national youth meeting on Sunday 2 September, in order to push for national action regarding tuition fees.

We must start organising for these meetings now. Socialist Students should also be preparing for college and university fresher fairs.

It is important that we invite everyone we meet in the workplace and on campus to Socialism 2007, to help show how we can build a socialist alternative to the bleak future that many young people face under capitalism.

We aim to have a monthly youth page in the socialist and young members are encouraged to write reports and articles that inform others of campaigns and events taking place nationwide.

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In The Socialist 12 July 2007:

Fighting low pay, defending jobs and services