Unity!
18 October 2014 www.communist-party.org.uk
Does Labour really intend to win the next election? by
RobeRt GRiffiths
T
AUSTERITY IS WORKING . . . for the capitalist class by
MARk o’NeiLL
W
ORKING PEOPLE in Britain are suffering the sharpest decline in real wages since the Victorian days. The TUC reports that we would have to go back to the mid 19th century for a pay squeeze as deep and prolonged as this one. For seven years wages have fallen as profits have soared. Wages have taken an 8 per cent hit since 2007 but corporate profits and fat cat incomes have risen to unprecedented heights. In 1998, bosses received 45 times the average pay. Now they pay themselves 185 times the average pay. In other words they make more in a day and a half than what most people earn in 12 months! Today one in five people earn less than the living wage, and for the first time ever we have more people in work below the poverty line than the number of people unemployed! It’s increasingly clear that it’s not the work simply of Tory politicians, but a continuing offensive by the millionaire class against so-called “ordinary people” – the 90% of the population that is the working class. Now the attack is intensified by that tiny but all-powerful capitalist class – out of necessity!
though the slogan ‘Austerity isn’t working’ is still carelessly used, it’s now widely recognised that the political intent of capitalism is to drive down wages and pensions, boost profits, privatise publicly owned services and industries for private investment and profit, reduce highearners’ and corporate taxation, and weaken and undermine trade union organisation. in the light of its economic crisis, all these are necessities for capitalism. it all hangs together doesn’t it? tory politicians have become increasingly bold in asserting that ‘austerity is here to stay’ – further emboldened by the quiescence of the Labour’s ‘balls Up’ leadership and its slavish adherence to neoliberal policies. Across europe, the european Union brings big business and the finance industry together to impose austerity as part of the troika of european Central bank, european Commission and international Monetary fund. the capitalists of europe love their eU club, directing its work, and allowing their tame politicians to hide behind its skirts when it suits them. Dirty deals are being hatched between the eU and UsA and others – such as the transatlantic trade and investment Partnership (ttiP). they aim to enforce austerity and privatisation through international law, to make public ownership unlawful and punishable. Austerity IS working in the interest of the capitalist class. but the trade Unions are now
recognising the necessity to coordinate our struggles against the same enemy… and are organising to find ways to actively engage members in both the day to day and longer term fightback, never forgetting that strong organisation in the workplace is the foundation of all successful struggle. it’s a challenge for many unions – used to fighting their own fights in isolation from others – but coordination is more necessary now than it ever was. there can be no individual industrial dispute solutions to a generalised political attack! And the unions are reaching out too to new forms of ‘social movement trade unionism’ – enthusiastically embracing the People’s Assembly and its People’s Charter, strongly endorsed by the whole trades Union Congress in september as part of a very radical agenda. from the 4000 strong founding Conference of the People’s Assembly in June 2013, through the establishment of over 100 local Assemblies, its democratic conferences and national committee, its 50,000 strong demonstration, and its positive joint work with the tUC, the People’s Assembly has continued to grow and strengthen – and the Communist Party is proud to be amongst its founders, and active at all levels of its work. Now the Assembly is to publish a ‘People’s Manifesto’ firmly based on the People’s Charter in the run up to the General election - a General election that needs to show a resolve to defeat the
HE QUESTON arises because of Labour’s feeble response to the issues facing the people of Britain. Cynical voices suggest that it might be better to let the Tories deal with a resurgent economic and financial crisis after May 2015 until the crisis passes. this would betray the hopes and interests of the workers and peoples of britain. Labour cannot abdicate its responsibility to govern in their interests. tories with the only possible alternative, a the problem is that it would fail to do Labour victory… and then continuing so unless it radically changes its policies. resolve to stop any government that seeks tories crow about britain’s economic to impose continuing austerity and ‘recovery’, we still have more than two privatisation. No election will finally million unemployed (over 6 per cent of deliver us from it – we need to deliver the workforce), half of them young ourselves! people (17 per cent). the ‘People’s Manifesto’ will be a it means nothing when we are told challenge to all candidates… and voters. monthly by the monopoly media that More than that – it will be a challenge, an ‘more people are employed than ever invitation and an exhortation to before’. britain’s population and eVeRyoNe to get involved to build a real workforce have increased almost every social movement deeply rooted in year since the 1350 black Death. communities and trade union We have more low-paid, part-time or memberships, with organised workers at precarious jobs than ever before. its heart and head. Nothing less will do in What’s needed now is a massive facing up to the ruling class attack. programme of public and private sector investment in public services, housing, green technology and manufacturing. What will you do that means taxing the rich and big in the class war? business, closing down tax havens around the world under british jurisdiction and We need to ask friends, families, directing private capital to where it is neighbours, workmates – everyone whose huge combined, collective strength most needed. yet Labour threatens ‘austerity-lite’ can defeat the tiny capitalist class and its continuing the ConDem drive against governments. Class war doesn’t end in a draw. We have to win, not just protest. if public services, workers and the poor. While Labour’s pledge to reintroduce a we lose, the situation will get even worse as a result of our defeat. things don’t just 50p top rate of income tax is welcome, a modest Wealth tax on the very rich stand still. would wipe out britain’s public spending What will our movement need to win? deficit overnight. A sustained programme of resistance Repealing the bedroom tax would end shown through increasingly generalised a nasty assault on the unemployed and strike action supported by communities, disabled. Allowing councils to use the themselves refusing to bow down to the attacks but organising daily against them… proceeds of council house sales to build to win, not just protest. We’ve a long way new homes would be a step forward. but britain’s housing crisis cries out for a wave to go – but it can and must be done. of public sector housebuilding, backed up And as we do it, we’ll see a growing by training programmes to help create recognition that we have to go beyond fighting just the symptoms of capitalism to millions of new jobs. Cancelling plans to renew britain’s get rid of the whole rotten, divisive, crisisridden, corrupt, exploitative, dog-eat-dog, nuclear weapons system would free up to £100 billion for useful investment. war-mongering system itself. that’s why the two eds, Miliband and balls, witter you need to find out more about the on about a ‘cost of living crisis’. yet they Communist Party! We look forward to refuse to control the costs of food and hearing from you… H clothing while the retail monopolies pile up the profits. Nor will they commit the MARk o’NeiLL is next Labour government to a substantial CoNVeNoR of the rise in the statutory minimum wage or CoMMUNist PARty compulsory equal pay audits in the private ANti AUsteRity as well as the public sector. CoMMissioN continued on back page
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