Building the socialist alternative on 30 June


Sean Figg

The 30 June strike was a huge success for the workers striking to defend their pensions and for everyone opposed to the Con-Dem cuts. But 30 June was also a huge success for those putting forward a socialist alternative to ‘austerity’ and those building the Socialist Party.

Nine Socialist Party members on the PCS civil service union executive and one on the NUT teachers’ union executive helped bring this coordinated action about.

In hundreds of schools, colleges and government offices Socialist Party members, alongside their colleagues, helped organise pickets of their own workplaces.

In many towns and cities it was party members who ensured demonstrations and strike rallies were organised, building on the respect and authority won after years of hard campaigning.

Many Socialist Party members not on strike took the day off work in order to visit picket lines and attend rallies and demonstrations in solidarity.

Socialist Party members got an excellent response on all the key points put forward in leaflets and in the Socialist. In particular, on the strategy needed to escalate the action to a full 24-hour public sector strike and beyond if the government does not back down.

Many workers agreed with the need for the trade union movement to break fully with Ed Miliband’s ‘scabby’ New Labour and begin building a new mass workers’ party.

Thunderous applause

In town after town Socialist Party speakers put these arguments and received thunderous applause and cheers. Strikers, meeting us for the first time, snapped up leaflets. Many said they wanted to join or find out more about the Socialist Party and filled in ‘join’ cards. The number of website applications to join the party has markedly increased.

The Socialist Party is unlike the mainstream political parties. Our members are activists organising and giving a lead in their own workplaces and communities. We organise democratically and every member has a say in how the party is run.

We believe that organisation is crucial. By being in a party with over two thousand members, organised around a programme, the power of every individual is magnified a dozen times over.

Even if you’ve never campaigned on anything before, the party will give you the ideas and training you need to start. Individuals become more effective with the support of the party behind them and the party becomes more influential as our banner and ideas reach more and more people through the tireless campaigning of our members.

Get in touch. Join the Socialist Party! Phone 020 8988 8777, email [email protected], go to www.socialistparty.org.uk/join or use the form below.