www.socialistworker.co.uk ■ I wod i o g Sociais Wo gay ■ I wan o join h Sociais Wos Pay Nam ...................................................................................................... Addss .................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................ Phon.............................................-mai ............................................. Circul ation 020 7819 1 17 1 Editori al 020 7819 1180 Return to SW industrial, PO Box 42184, London, SW8 2WD e-mail [email protected] or phone/text 07986 936094 FBU 211113 O ur lASt StrIke WAS anoh fanasic show of mmbs’ sov o gh. We should all ght for a bi g YES vote in the ballot for action short of a strike that ends on 4 December. This ballot includes Scotland, and could lead to action that can compliment the impact of strikes. But it’s vital we escalate strikes. We need more strikes to win. Since winning the ballot in August we have had just three strikes total ling 13 hours. We have also cancelled one strike. This has not been enough to secure a deal. Instead, the June “offer” by Brandon Lewis has been withdrawn and the employers have conrmed their intention to sack people under capability. It’s obvious the government and the bosses are determined to force through their agenda. Now we’ve got to be equall y determin ed to stop t hem. It means taking more not less strike action to win. Momnm The danger of action short of strikes is that, whilst it can augment strikes, it cannot and should not be used as a substitute. Only strikes have the power to bring sufcient pressure on the government and break the scabs. Londo n, Merseys ide, and GMC all call for a strike lasting at least 24 hours. This may not yet be the majority position in the union. But cancelling strikes and taking very limited action doesn’t develop condence and undermines our momentum. This is why we need a programme of escalating st rikes. W e should look around and see what’s happened to others when they’ve pulled back from action. Up at Grangemouth in Scotland, Unite called off planned strikes and gave bosses condence to threaten to close the site. In the end Unite signed a catastrophic deal involving a no strike agreement, pay freeze, worse pensions and attacks on union rights. Teachers’ leaders cal led off planned national strikes for talks. W E M U ST E S C A L A T E STRIKE S NOW TO WIN Vote YES for action short of a strike, but... They’ve now been told that these ‘talks’ won’t tackle the main attacks they face at all. If we back off the bosses and the Tories see it as weakness. But we have the power to win. The recent attempt by the London Fire Brigade to invoke a recall to duty for a 20 pump scrap yard re shows the bosses have no condence in their own scabbing operation. This is their weakness and our strength. It shows we can beat them by taking longer and more frequent strikes. We need to build pressure for thi s now. Fighs on h pic in ding h as day of acion