Tomorrow’s Public Sector strike will be easily the biggest strike day since the General Strike of 1926. In fact far more workers will participate in the strike than on the first day of the 1926 General Strike. Schools, Government Departments, Council Depots, Offices and Health Services will grind to a halt as workers protest about massive increases in contributions and cuts to their pensions.

 

The Tories and Lib Dems have massively underestimated the feeling of the members. Not only that but over 61% of the population, including over 80% of youth, 67% of women and 71% of Scots support the strikes. For the Tories the situation is also going to be exacerbated today as Chancellor George Osbourne presents his autumn statement.

 

The weakness of the economic “recovery” means that government forecasts on the size of the budget deficit are wildly inaccurate. Reports indicate that there is a shortfall of some £30 billion. Inevitably the working class and particularly the public sector workers will be presented with the bill.

The crisis in the eurozone and the forthcoming recession means more and more instability in the economy. Tomorrow’s strike represents a new phase in what is likely to be a big upturn in the class struggle over the next period.

 

The scale of the strike is worth underlining. Almost 3 million workers will be on strike. Here is a list of the 29 unions involved and the number of members affected in order of size:

Unison: Local government and health—1.1 million
PCS: civil service workers—290,000
NASUWT: teachers—227,500
GMB: local government—225,000
NUT: teachers—219,100
Unite: local government and health—137,000
UCU: lecturers—nearly 100,000
ATL: teachers—96,500
EIS: Scottish teachers—over 54,000
NIPSA: Northern Ireland public sector—43,000
Prospect: specialist civil services—32,000
National Association of Head Teachers—24,400
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists—over 22,300
Society of Radiographers—17,500
UCATT: construction workers—15,200
FDA: senior civil servants—12,000
Napo: probation workers—over 8,000
Into: Northern Irish teachers—6,400
Immigration Service Union (non-TUC affiliated)—4,500
Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists—over 3,500
UCAC: Welsh teachers—3,200
POA: secure hospital staff—around 3,000
Association of Educational Psychologists—over 2,700
AHDS: Scottish head teachers—over 1,300
RM:T members employed at the Royal Fleet Auxillary,
Tyne & Wear Metro and Orkney Ferries—1,300
Aspect: school inspectors—estimated 1,000
SIPTU: Northern Ireland public sector—around 700
CWU: TV Licensing workers—over 500
TSSA: Northern Ireland transport workers—300

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Here is a list of events on the day - send us reports and photos so that we can give the real picture of the protest around the country

 

NOV 30 - WHAT'S GOING ON - EVENTS IN YOUR AREA

Aberdeen – March from St Nicholas Churchyard to a Rally in the Castlegait. Times TBC Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Barnet Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

Barnsley – 10am, demonstration in Churchfield road, S70 2JT. 10.30am, rally at YMCA, Blucher Street, S70 1AP.

Bathgate – 10am-2pm rally at Fairway Hotel, EH48 1BA.

Bedford – 10am, The Salvation Army, Bedford Congress Hall, Commercial Road, Bedford, MK40 1QS

Belfast – noon, four feeder marches assemble at: Central Railway Station, Bridge Street, BT1 3PB; Mater Hospital, Crumlin Road, BT14 7AB; Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, BT12 6BA; City Hospital, Lisburn Rd, Belfast, County Antrim BT9 7ER. They will march to a rally at 1pm at Belfast City Hall, Donegall Square, BT1 5GS.

Birmingham – Assemble 11.30am Lionel St, B3 1AT to march to TUC Rally Birmingham Indoor Arena

Bolton – 11.30am, rally at Victoria Square, BL1 1RU. 12.30pm march to Derby Ward Labour Club, Deane Road, BL3 5AH, for rally at 1pm.

Bournemouth – 12noon assemble Central Library, The Triange, 12.30pm March thro town 1.30pm Rally at Royal Bath Hotel, Bath Road

Bradford – 11am, rally at Centenary Square, BD1 1HY.

Brighton – 11.30am, assemble at Victoria Gardens, BN2 1UG. March to The Level, BN1 4SB, for rally at 1pm.

Bristol – 11am, assemble at College Green, BS1 5TA. March to Castle Park, Castle Street, BS1 3XD.

Cambridge – noon, Parkers Piece, CB2 1AA

Cardiff – noon, assemble at Cathays Park, CF10 3AT, for march to a rally at 1pm at the SWALEC stadium, Sophia Gardens, CF11 9XR.

Chelsmford - lunchtime event in town centre (details to follow)

Chester – noon, assemble at Castle Drive, CH1 1SL for march to Guildhall, Watergate Street, CH1 2LA, stopping at the Chester Cross junction, CH1 1PD, at 1pm for a protest.

Chesterfield - Assemble 11.00 am Rykneld Square (By Crooked Spire) S40 1SB.March to Rally at Club Chesterfield, Chester Street ( Formerly Chesterfield Miners Welfare) at 12.30.S40 1DL

Coventry: There will be a rally in Millennium Place at 10.00am

Croydon Hospital Protest 12 – 2pm

Derby – Silk Mill 11.15am march to Market Place for rally at noon.

Dudley: Meet at Coronation Gardens, Priory Road at 10.15am for a march down to the Station Hotel, where there will be a rally

Dumphries – Rally Cairndale Hotel 10.45 – 12 noon Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dundee -March & Rally Dudhope Park West gate from 12noon. March off 12:30pm to City Square for Rally Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ealing – 10.30am, Ealing Town Hall W5 2BY

Edinburgh – 11.30am, assemble outside Usher Hall, Lothian Road, EH1 2EA

Falkirk – Rally 12 noon at St Martha’s Hall, Hope Street, Falkirk. Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Glasgow – Assemble 12 noon Shuttle Street (near High St station) March to Barrowlands Ballroom for 1.15pm Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Glenrothes – 10.30am, rally outside Fife House, North Street, KY7 9TB

Halifax – 10am, assemble at Town Hall, Crossley Street, HX1 1UJ

Hastings – 11.30am, assemble at Hastings Pier, 34 White Rock, TN34 1JY, before marching to the Town centre. Rally, to take place after the march, in Robertson Street, TN34 1H; between Debenhams and the Havelock public house.

Hertford – 11.30am, Hartham Common, Hartham Lane

Huddersfield – 10.30am, assemble at St George’s Square, HD1 1JA, march around the town centre followed by a rally.

Hull – 11am, rally at the Queen’s Gardens, Paragon Street, HU1 3NA

Inverness – 12 noon, short march and rally at Mercure Hotel, Church Street, IV1 1QY

Kingston Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

Leeds – Assemble 10.30 Woodhouse Moor to march down to the rally, noon,  outside the Art Gallery, The Headrow, LS1 5RG

Leicester – 12.30pm, rally at The Athena, Queen Street, LE1 1QD

Liverpool – 11.30am, assemble outside St George’s Hall, St George’s Place, L1 1JJ. March to a rally at Castle Street, L2 0NA

London

12 noon: Lincolns Inn Fields, march to rally on Victoria Embankment

GLA protest 12 noon

Hackney Town Hall protest 12 noon

Haringey Civic Centre protest 12 noon

Islington Green Protest 12 noon

Lambeth Protest 12 noon, Windrush Square

Tower Hamlets protest 12 noon, Town Hall, Cable Street

London Hospitals

Lewisham Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

Northwick Park Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

Queen Elizabeth Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

Queens Hospital protest 12 – 2pm

St Thomas’ Hospital protest – 12 – 2pm

St Mary’s Hospital 12 – 2pm

St Georges Hospital Protest 12 – 2pm

UCLH protest 12 – 2pm

 

Maidstone – 1pm, rally at County Hall, ME14 1XD

Manchester – March & Rally 11am Liverpool Rd off Deansgate March departs 11.30am Rally Whitworth Park 12.30pm

Milton Keynes – noon, assemble at Campbell Park, MK9 3FZ

Motherwell – noon, rally at North Lanarkshire council building, Windmillhill Street, ML1 1AB.

Norwich – Assemble 11am city college. March from 11.30 into city hall. Rally 12.30

Nottingham – 12.30pm, rally at The Albert Hall, North Circus Street, NG1 5AA.

Rotherham – 10am, assemble at Rotherham Town Hall, Moorgate Street, S60 2RB. 10.30am, march to rally in All Saints Square, S60 1QX

Salford – 11.30am, assemble at Bexley Square to march to rally in Manchester. M3 6BZ.

Sandwell – 10.30am outside Sandwell Council House, Oldbury.

Sheffield – 11am, rally at the Peace Gardens, Pinstone Street,S1 2HH

N30 @ Plug, Matilda Street, Sheffield 6pm – 10pm https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=282859655080195

Telford – 12.30pm, rally at Cordingley Hall, Wellington Road, TF2 8JS

Worcester: Meet at 11.15am on Mealcheapen Street (off Cornmarket) for an 11.30am march through Worcester city centre.  There will be a rally starting at 12.30pm in Tramps Nightclub, Angel Place, with speakers from NAPO, NUT, PCS and others. 

York – noon at Tower Gardens, opposite Clifford’s Tower, march to York Minster for 1pm rally with union and service user speakers.