The politicians in the Northern Ireland Assembly

are united around an austerityprogram that will see the destruction of thousands ofpublic sector jobs, Tory welfare'reform' introduced – albeitwith a few temporary protections – and plans to sell-off our public assets. Afteryears of cuts which havestretched health and otherservices to breaking point andcrippled our economy, all Stormont has to offer is fourmore years of austerity. MLAstell us they have 'no choice',that 'Westminster holds thepurse strings.' Yet, it was them,not Westminister, who pushedfor a cut in corporation tax.This will mean at least another£300 million in cuts for us andbigger profits for fat catbosses!

On March 13th, we need a solidstrike to put down a markerand send a message to Stormont. The protests on theday should be a show ofstrength by workers, youngpeople and the communities

that will be devastated by Stormont's neo-liberal agendaof cuts. However, one day aloneis not enough. It must mark theopening shot in a campaign ofsustained, co-ordinated and es-calating action. The trade unionmovement should now call fora second day of strike action inthe lead up to the general elec-tion to show this will be realfightback.

We must learn the lessons ofthe battle against pension cutsin 2011. The public sector strikeon November 30th saw millionsof workers united in struggleacross Britain and the North.The power of the organisedworking class brought societyto a standstill in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, thismovement was then sold outby sections of the trade unionleadership who made a rottendeal on pensions with the ConDem coalition. Pressuremust be applied on trade unionleaders and officials to ensurethe same does not happenagain. United and determinedaction can win!

“As part of the campaign against thecuts, the trade union movement

needs to build a political alternative to the Assembly Executiveparties, all ofwhom areunited in im-plementingausterity.”

– Padraig Mulholland, President ofNIPSA (personal capacity) & Socialist Partymember

www.socialistpartyni.net

STRIKEAGAINSTSTORMONT'SAUSTERITY On March

13th

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Time to build an alternative!While some postureas being againstthis or that cut, allthe Assembly Exec-utive parties peddlethe lie that ‘there isno alternative’ andthere simply isn’tenough wealth insociety. This is a sickjoke when you con-sider that thewealth of the UK’sbillionaires hasquadrupled since2008 and that bigbusiness avoidspaying £120 billionin tax every year! All the Executive parties are all actively imposing cuts. The tradeunion movement should not give an ounce of political support to any party whichis implementing austerity.

The Stormont House Agreement also exposes the inability of pro-austerity, sectarian parties to solve the contentious issues which divide us. They were able toagree on cuts but little else. This should come as no surprise. These parties have avested interest in maintaining sectarian division. Rather than relying on them, weneed to build a movement which unites Protestant and Catholic workers in struggle for their common interests and against sectarianism

The election of Syriza in Greece and the reaction across Europe reflects a growingdesire to break from the austerity agenda and build a different society. Increas-ingly, ordinary people here are becoming disillusioned with the dead-end of right-wing, sectarian politics offered by all the main parties. The trade union movementmust actively support the building of a new anti-sectarian party which fights forthe interests of the working class and all those who face oppression.

THE SOCIALIST PARTYSTANDS FOR:

l FIGHT ALL CUTS – Defendevery job, every service

l MARCH 13TH, JUST THESTART – Trade union leadersshould name the next strikeday in a rolling program of co-ordinated & escalating action

l LINK THE STRUGGLES –Build unity with workers andcommunities in England, Scotland and Wales who arefighting the same cuts

l FOR FIGHTING UNIONS – Weneed a radical and democratictrade union movement led bythose prepared to fight

l BUILD A NEW PARTY – Weneed a political voice whichunites working class andyoung people to end the austerity agenda, challenge sectarianism and fight againstall forms of bigotry

l SOCIALISM – For radical, socialist change that will endthe rule of the billionaires andput society's resources intothe democratic control of ordinary people

The Socialist Party organises in both Protestant and Catholic commu-nities and is growing in size and influence. Our members in the tradeunions are arguing and campaigning for resolute action to defeatthe cuts and the building of a new party for workingpeople. Socialist Youth members are campaigningto ensure that as many young people as possiblejoin the day of action on March 13th. In theSouth, our members – including our three TDs –are playing a leading role in the revoltagainst the water charges. Join us tomake a difference in today’s strug-gles, in the fight against sectarian-ism and for a socialist future.

Text “Join SP” + Name & Postcode to 07821058319

JOIN THE SOCIALISTS!

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