fight for jobs and the future of the steel industry. The closure of the SSI Redcar Steel Plant has brought the whole steel industry to the point of crisis. Despite thousands demonstrating and the bravery of steel workers and their families there was no action to save the plant. Now we have the threat of thousands more job losses at Tata and Caparo. Its crucial that steel unions and the whole movement mobilises to stop the jobs slaughter and to save the steel industry. This time we need action to halt the attacks. The only way the Tories will be pushed to act to save jobs is if they are forced to do so. The campaign, Stand up for Steel, has already brought together many in the community in support of the workers and their families. This campaign is taking the fight directly to the door of the Tories. The Tories spent billions of our money bailing out the bankers in 2008. They need to show the same commitment to save the steel industry.
Nationalisation
Its simply not true to say they cant
act. The Italian, French and German governments have stepped in to save their steel industries, why cant the government do the same here? In Scotland the SNP conference rightly demanded immediate action to save the industry. Their leader Nicola Sturgeon, Scotlands first minister said she would leave no stone unturned. If the Scottish government stepped in it would put huge pressure on the Tories to do the same. The new Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn has already proposed policies designed to to oppose austerity. Hes made a commitment to the re nationalisation of the railways. It would be great to get a Labour government to commit to re-nationalise steel and Labour needs to throw itself into the battle to save jobs. We need to work closely with the Labour front bench to mobilise support for this fight.
This follows a series of local protests
involving thousands. Theyve also threatened strikes. The government have been rocked by the protests, and strike threats by junior doctors. Steel workers should do the same. Lobbies and protests on their own may not be enough to win this fight. Steel unions must recognise that action, including strike action and occupation, might well be necessary to save jobs and our future.
Junior doctors marching to save the NHS
Every steel worker must get involved
now with the Stand up for Steel campaign to fight for the survival of the industry. At Scunthorpe all unions, Community, GMB and Unite have called for a mass meeting on10 November followed by a lobby of the Scunthorpes Tory council.
Focus
Workers at Scunthorpe should attend,
similar mass meetings and protests should be organised everywhere steel jobs are threatened. Steel workers and their communities must lobby national and local government to make clear that we will resist the attempt to abandon the industry. A national demo would focus support and would be huge if the labour and trade union movement threw its weight behind it. Last Saturday 20,000 junior doctors protested against attacks on unsocial hours payments.
Strike
Unions leaders must say that solutions
posed simply from a commercial viewpoint are insufficient. The answer is not to throw more money to the firms who have failed us. The solution is democratic public ownsership. Thirty years on from the miners strike we have to stop the devastation of the communities that depend on steel. If the Tories can save the banks they can save our steel! Now is the time to fight.
KILL THE TRADE UNION BILL
MON 2 NOVEMBER
TUC Mass Lobby of Parliament
1pm onwards at Westminster
Central Hall, London SEE: tuc.org.uk & uniteresist.org
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