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Bring Down the Rotten Con-Dems

Lobby the TUC for a General Strike

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the ActivistIssue 35

August 2012

Bulletin of Socialist Party members in

Over two years in and the Con-Dem government is universallydespised. There are manyreasons for retail and distributionworkers to detest the currentgovernment and want to see theback of them. Extending Sundaytrading hours during the

Olympics, cuts to the Civil InjuryCompensation Scheme, cuts toTax Credits, freezing theminimum wage for under 21s etc.

The government doesnt seem tomiss any opportunity to makeclear just how much a tool of thewealthy and big businessinterests it is. The Levesoninquiry has revealed just how

much senior Tories haveprostrated themselves in front ofexecutives of the Murdoch pressall the way up to David Cameronhimself.

Yet despite this the governmentsausterity programme keepsrumbling on largely unhindered,and high profile casualties fromthe cabinet have been minimal

despite the scandals andeconomic difficulties.

Is Labour An Alternative?

USDAWs strategy for kicking outthe Con-Dems seems to solelyrely around trying to build upLabour party membership in themeantime and then waiting untila General election in 2015.

Incidentally this is much thestrategy of Ed Miliband and therest of the Labour leadership who

would rather allow the Tories toimplement their savage cuts soMiliband and co dont have to andthen inherit a growing economy

in 2015. Unfortunately, thedouble-dip recession that we arecurrently in means this is unlikelyand as several economists havepredicted the current austeritymeasures could continue until theend of the decade.

Moreover, whist Labour hasundoubtedly recovered somesupport as workers seek a shield

against the governments attacks.Yet abstentionism continues to bethe dominant trend in electionresults, and membership of theLabour Party withinUSDAW remains a lowly4% despite all the stopsbeing pulled out by ourunions leadership torecruit activists to Labour.

No doubt many low paidretail workers willremember thegovernment scrapping the

10p tax rate and whilst billionscould be found to bail out thebanks, the same couldnt be donefor retail stores such as

Woolworths which saw manyUSDAW members lose their jobs

Moreover, many of the policiesthat the government are hatedfor were either introduced by theprevious Labour government orwere policies Labour wereproposing to carry outthemselves.

These include the trebling ofuniversity tuition fees,introduction of Academies,closures of Remploy factories etc.

Lobby of the TUC takes place on Sunday9th September starting at 1pm at TheLevel park - Union Road, Brighton BN2

Speakers include:

Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary;Steve Gillan, POA General Secretary;Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary

See www.shopstewards.net for info

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Bulletin of Socialist Party members in USDAW


In several cases the Tories havetaken these further than Labourhad planned but that does notabsolve them of opening the doorto such attacks.

The likelihood is that an incomingLabour government would not bemuch different to the Tories andwould be likely to renege onpromises to reverse the Health andSocial Care Bill for example. Thatswhy supporters of the Activist havebeen actively trying to buildsupport for the Trade Unionist andSocialist Coalition.

Although TUSCs election resultshave so far been modest, you onlyhave to look into Europe to seehow rapidly new parties of theworking class can gain support. InIreland the United Left Alliance has5 MPs in the most recent electionand spectacularly Syriza (theCoalition of the Radical Left)jumped from 4% to 27% in therecent elections, coming very close

to finishing first in the polls.

Industrial Strategy Needed

But a political alternative is onlyone part of the solution. As therecent electricians dispute, civilservants in the Home Office andtransport workers in and aroundLondon have shown, a seriesstrategy of industrial action can

win concessions.

Yet within USDAW industrial actionis like a forgotten weapon rustingup in a dusty cupboard under thestairs.

The biggest obstacle to this is aleadership which has apathological avoidance of industrialaction. In the last year action hasbeen taken at Unilever wheresome minor concessions were wonand has been threatened inPrimark in Northern Ireland where

USDAW members won a wageincrease.

With over 400,000 membersUSDAW is the fourth biggest unionin the country and in several

sectors, particularly distributionhas significant industrial might.USDAW members have thepotential to shut down the supplychain of big supermarkets, andundoubtedly it was thecontradiction between thispotential power and the continuingattacks on terms and conditions ofdrivers and other staff atdistribution centres that led to the

frustration of many distributionworkers at ADM this year.

On the other hand, many reps willundoubtedly not feel confident ofusing industrial action as a tool inour struggle for better workingconditions and a better society asa whole. Yet there has never beena better time, particularly in Tescowhere management appears to be

on an offensive making unilateralchanges to both pensions and thestaff bonus scheme so far thisyear.

This stems from a lack of traditionof using this within the retailsector. Yet generalised strikeaction, perhaps linking up thevarious grievances different sets ofworkers have with their employers,

would give an immense boost toworkers preparedness to take onthe dictat of the bosses.

NSSN

The Activist encouragesall USDAW members totake part in the 9thSeptember lobby of theTUC called by theNational Shop StewardsNetwork (NSSN). Thelobby is calling for theTUCs national demo on

October 20th not to be the end oflarge scale action called by theTUC this year, but the beginning ofa mass movement to fight theattacks of this rotten governmentand sweep them from power.

It was the pressure exerted on theTUC by the NSSN and theleadership of militant unions likethe PCS which forced the TUC tocall the March 26th 2011 demo inLondon and the November 30thPublic Sector one-day GeneralStrike. In between this the NSSNhas called for unions to co-ordinate industrial action against

the governments attacks as wassuccessfully done on March 28th(London education workers in NUTand UCU) and May 10th (PCS,UNITE members in heath sectorand UCU) this year.

Unfortunately the backtracking ofthe TUC and major unions,particularly UNISON and GMB, ledto a disintegration of the unity

built throughout 2011, as well as amissed opportunity to link up thefight of public sector workers withthose such as Unilever and theelectricians.

We cannot afford to let thishappen again. As well assupporting the lobby, readers ofthe Activist are encouraged to getinvolved in the local activities of

the NSSN to co-ordinate ourstruggles.

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Many readers of the Activist willhave been scandalised to see thatin the July-August 2012 issue ofNetwork, John Hannett announcedthat USDAW had signed up toBetter Together - a campaign

opposed to Scottish Independencethat includes both Labour andTories.The Socialist Party supports thedemocratic right of nations suchas Scotland to becomeindependent if they so wish. It isone thing to concretely opposeindependence at a given point intime on economic or othergrounds. It is entirely another thing

to sign up to support a campaignalongside a Tory Party in Scotlandthat is viciously hated by workingclass people.To give readers of the Activistmore background explanation ofthe issues at stake we reprintbelow an edited version of anarticle by Philip Stott of theSocialist Party Scotland

The launch of the BetterTogether anti-independencecampaign this week saw Labourpoliticians unite with the Con-Dems to extol the virtues of theunion. Better Togethers birthcoincided with UK Prime MinisterDavid nasty Camerons brutalspeech announcing his support forthe dismantling of the welfare statewith savage attacks on the benefits

of the poorest. If anything wasdesigned to undermine the BetterTogether message this was it.

It allowed SNP leader AlexSalmond to comment thatcampaign frontman, former Labourchancellor Alistair Darling, hadclaimed that the Union was a'celebration' of Scottish values, onthe very day that the PrimeMinister of that political union isproposing to eliminate housingbenefit for young Scots.

This was followed a few days laterby Mervyn King, governor of theBank of England admitting that theUK was not even halfway throughthe economic crisis that began in2007 and he has become

increasingly pessimistic for thefuture. Or as political columnistIain MacWhirter put it, This is nota recession any longer but a full-blown economic depression. TheHerald 28th June 2012

The run-up to the 2014referendum will take place againstthe backdrop of an unrelentingeconomic catastrophe and a

planned austerity programme thatis barely 10% completed. Certainly,the pro-union campaign which isuniting Labour with the Con-Demparties can offer nothing in termsof an alternative to savage cuts.Their message is simply, you thinkits bad now, you should see howbad it will be if Scotland wereindependent

But neither has the SNP-ledYesScotland campaign anyintentions of putting up analternative to big business,austerity and cuts. The SNP arewedded to the failing market andan independent Scotland as a lowtax haven for multinationalcapitalism. YesScotland is backedby milllionaires like Brian Souter ofStagecoach and former RBScharman, George Matheson.Responding to the Euro crisis theSNP have now abandoned theirprevious policy of joining the single

currency. Instead they nowsupport an independent Scotlandjoining a Sterling Zone with therest of the UK with interest ratesset by the Bank of England. TheSNP want to end the political

union but maintain a social andeconomic union with the rest ofthe UK.

Better Together have countered bypointing to the Eurozone debacleand that a Sterling zone without apolitical union would be end upwith the same instability as theEuro a recipe for disaster. This islikely to be a major theme of the

pro-union campaign who will seekto exploit the fears as to whetheran independent Scotland wouldsurvive against the backdrop of anunprecedented economic crisis.

Both these campaigns, offering asthey do different capitalist routesto the same quagmire ofstagnation, falling living standardsand years of austerity are in reality

a dead end. Neither YesScotlandnor Better Together, led by pro-capitalist politicians, are preparedto advocate a fundamental breakwith failed cuts policies, nevermind the decisive measuresneeded to break with a sickcapitalism and rebuild the economyon a socialist basis.

It is significant that thus far both

campaigns have failed to attractsupport from any section of thetrade union movement in Scotlandwith the exception of USDAW.

Thats not to argue that socialistsor the trade union movementshould be neutral on thereferendum. The overwhelmingmajority of people in Scotlandsupport a decisive transfer ofpowers to Holyrood fromWestminster. A recent poll in June2012 found 68% supporting achange from the status quo with

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Hard times for Clarke at Tesco

It appears that Tesco chiefexecutive Philip Clarke is having ahard time. It seems he will have totighten his belt after foregoing hisbonus of 372,000 this year. Timesare hard but he still collects his paypackage of 1.16 million. The type

of hard times our members wouldlike to face.

Happy Birthday Walmart - forsome

Walmart is 50 this month. TheActivistwonders who will becelebrating. Walmart dominates theworld retailers. It is the largestpublic corporation went ranked byrevenue and the third largestemployer in the world with 2.2million workers - US Dept ofDefense 3.2 million and Chinese

Army 2.3 million.

Certainly the six Walmart heirs whohave a net worth equal to the

bottom 30% of Americans will becelebrating. With profits on the rise,there was a net income of $15.4billion on $422 billion of revenuewith a 24.7% gross profit margins.Each of the heirs earn $450 millionper year while the average startingwage of an US Walmart salesworker is $21,000. Every two jobscreated by Walmart costs 2.8 lastjobs elsewhere.

The US taxpayer should chip insome cash for Walmarts party andthey do! It costs the US taxpayer$1.5 billion every year because

41% opting for devo plus(involving income tax andcorporation tax going to Scotland)and 27% for independence. At themoment there is only one question,for or against independence, on

the table with the pro-union partiesfuriously opposed to a secondquestion on the ballot paper.

Conflict looming ?

It is still most likely that the SNPgovernment, come Septemberwhen the outcome of theirconsultation is made public, willsupport a second question for the

proposed referendum. A devo maxor devo plus option would likely bethe most popular alternativeamong the Scottish people. Itwould also provide a convenientsafety net for the SNP leadershipshould independence be defeated.

However, this may well lead theSNP into a conflict with the Tory-led Westminster government who

may refuse to transfer the powersto Scotland to legally run a multi-option referendum. The strategy ofthe pro-union parties is to try torestrict the referendum to onequestion and hope to inflict adefeat on the SNP overindependence. This could result ina constitutional crisis and wouldfurther boost support for

independence if the hated Con-Dem coalition if they were seen tobe a block on the democratic rightsof the Scottish people.

As it is the Con-Dems have

reached the status of pariahs inScotland. David Cameronssatisfaction rating is at an all-timelow of - 46%. Between them theTories and Lib Dems have acombined support of only 18% inScotland. The Scottish SocialAttitudes Survey found that by2011 trust in the ScottishGovernment had increased 10points to stand at 71% in 2011. At

the same time, the number ofpeople who said they trusted theUK Government to act in Scotland'sbest interests was 18% - comparedto 35% in 2007.

However, even the SNP and AlexSalmond have also seen theirsupport falling recently. While stillthe leading party, the SNP leaderslove affair with Rupert Murdoch

has undoubtedly damagedSalmond. As has the SNPgovernments slavish carryingthrough of the cuts, includingimplementing attacks on pensionsin the public sector. NicolaSturgeon claimed there was noneed for the doctors to be takingindustrial action recently and theyhave opposed all strikes while

imposing pay freezes on hundredsof thousands of workers acrossScotland. Further conflict betweenthe SNP government and workersin Scotland may well erupt in theAutumn following the teachers

union EIS decision to return tostrike action over pensions.

Socialist Party Scotland hasconsistently campaigned for a multi-option referendum which wouldoffer both independence and aform of devolution max on theballot paper. A simple yes or no toindependence would not give afully democratic reflection of the

views of the Scottish people.

The overwhelming majority of theworking class and young peoplewill support either independence ordevo max in such a referendum.

Both options are a legitimateexpression of the desire for findinga way out of the current desert ofunending attacks and austerity.

While giving support to this we willcampaign for a parliament with fullpowers and an independentsocialist Scotland that would linkup with England, Wales andIreland as part of a democraticsocialist confederation as a step toa socialist Europe.

Bitesize News

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Below we reprint a press releasefrom Unite the Union, which also

organises workers in Sainsburys.The press release highlights thepoverty of many retail workers andthe urgent need for a unitedcampaign to organise the manyworkers in Sainsbury who arent a

member of either union.

Sainsburys workers struggleto live on low pay -Live wellfor less must not mean Pay

your staff less says Unite

23 July 2012

Sainsburys workers are usingpayday loans, struggling to pay fortheir childrens school uniforms,and havent had a holiday in years,Unite, the largest union in thecountry, has revealed.

In the first salvo of a campaign toobtain a substantial pay increasefor its 16,000 members working atthe supermarket giant, Unite hasconducted a snapshot survey of itsmembers.

It reveals that low pay has asignificant impact on the life ofSainsburys workers; staff widelyreported they have debt problems,rely on tax credits and pay dayloans, with many saying they havebeen unable to afford to take aholiday for many years. Pressures

on family life were commonlyreported, and one member claimed

the pressures trying to survive onlow pay led to the break up of hismarriage.

In stark contrast, Unite points tothe massive earnings enjoyed bychief executive Justin King - inexcess of 3 million in 2010/2011 -while many of Unite members,many of them women working part-time, take home pay not much

above the national minimum wage.

The Sainsburys board is due tomeet soon to discuss the payincrease for 2012, but before itmakes its decision, Unite wants thedirectors to understand the plightof its workforce which makes amockery of the firms website claimthat it is a great place to work.

The Sainsburys website states:Our vision is to make Sainsbury'sa place where people love to workand shop. This means we have tofind the best people and treat themin the right way.

Unites national officer for food anddrink, Jennie Formby, said: Thereis a yawning chasm between theideals that Sainsburys espousesand the reality that many of ourmembers face as they struggle intheir daily lives.

We want to drive home themessage to the company that

prides itself on being a goodcorporate citizen that it shouldpractice what it preaches andaward its workforce a fair, decentand living wage.

Our members have seen asignificant reduction in their livingstandards following year on yearbelow inflation pay increases yetsenior executives have lottery-

winning earnings every year andSainsburys profits continue toimprove, with latest resultsshowing profits up 7.1 per cent andsales up 6.8 per cent.

Our members have helped createthis highly profitable company anddeserve a fair share of the wealththey have helped generate on adaily basis.

While our survey is a snapshot,we believe that it is the tip of theiceberg caused by years of low payand it should be addressed as amatter of priority by the company;Live well for less must not meanPay your staff less.

The union is calling on thecompany to listen to the concernsof its workforce and respondpositively to their claim for a livingwage.

Poverty Pay in Sainsbury - United Trade Union Action Needed

workers are paid too little to affordbasic needs.

We demand ASDA, Walmart in theUK, along with Tesco, Sainsburyand Morrison are taken into publicownership and controlleddemocratically. These fourcompanies control 77% of all retailsales. We will save our celebrationuntil the profits of these companiesare used for the interests of all thepeople and not a few heirs.

A Golden Hello

It appears that M&S have startedpaying Golden hellos. An internetguru moved from Tesco to join theM&S team and she was paid 4million just to change jobs.

Good times at M&S for some

Not so hard times at M&S. Theirchief executive earns a basicsalary of 975,000 but he received

2.5 million in the last financialyear and could still cash in someshares worth another 1.7 million.

You have to pay for the best

The bankers have always said ifwe want the best then we have topay the going rate. It seems thatthe lot are money grabbing crooks.

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