Save Our Services in Surrey (SOSiS) had been planning our Peoples Budget conference since 2019. Two previous dates had to be cancelled but we were determined to go ahead with this one last Saturday 24thSeptember in Woking. We also decided to devote the afternoon to a Strike Solidarity Rally. Brief reports follow:
The Peoples Budget Conference
Reps from UNISON, GMB, Unite, FBU, UCU, NEU, NASUWT, CWU, along with retired trade unionists, young people and community campaigners gathered in Woking ready to spend the day putting together a working class alternative vision for Surrey.
Before the event opened formally, Kye Gbangbola from the Truth About Zane campaign made a passionate appeal for support for the call for an Independent Panel Inquiry (IPI) into the death of little Zane Gbangbola. They will be presenting their 110,000-strong petition to Downing Street on Friday 21st October and asked everyone to join them there. More information at www.truthaboutzane.com.
Paul Couchman, (Secretary of SOSiS, pictured above) opened the conference explaining that over the past few months we had received submissions from trade unions, reps groups, community groups, individuals and political parties regarding what should go in our peoples budget.
This event would ratify, clarify and amend these submissions ready to be compiled into our manifesto for any elections in Surrey in the near future.
There was unanimous support for the overriding principle that this was a no-cuts, needs-led budget. Our candidates and councilors would vote and campaign for implementation of these essential policies, regardless of council budget constraints. We would argue for prudential borrowing and use of reserves to start implementing this manifesto immediately, whilst building our campaign amongst the workers and residents of Surrey to force the government to bridge any shortfall.
The SOSiS ‘Peoples Budget’ or manifesto is being typed up as I write, ready for checking by our constituent trade unions and members and should be ready in good time for the first set of borough council elections in Surrey next year. It will also be published on our website at www.sosis.org.uk.
Paul called on all council candidates who claim to be prepared to fight to defend public services to adopt this manifesto and to be part of the fightback. He also made it clear that he and all other TUSC candidates will support the manifesto and encouraged all those present to consider standing with us.
Strike Solidarity Rally
After a good sandwich lunch, delegates gathered again to hear a range of speakers from trade unions who were currently taking strike action or balloting members or preparing to ballot. Helen Couchman (national UNISON Convenor for Dimensions and pictured above with Paul) chaired the rally.
Luke Eghar (pictured above), from the National Executive (postal) of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) opened the rally, thanking everyone for their support on the picket lines and through social media. He made it clear that this was a fight to the end against a vicious, profit-hungry Royal Mail employer who was determined to transform our much-loved postal service into just another Amazon-type parcel delivery company.
Paul Couchman spoke next from Surrey UNISON, saying how the tide was turning in favour of workers making a stand, citing the fact that UNISON is part of a motion to the TUC calling for coordinated strike action (for the first time ever).
Tamsin Honeybourne (NEU) and Sade Afolabi (NASUWT) spoke about the current national industrial action ballots in schools. Stuart Fegan from the GMB told us of the recent strike victory at the Amey Waste Management company where members took 2 weeks of strike action which resulted in a vastly improved pay offer.
Rob Williams, from the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN), was our final invited speaker. He reiterated the importance of supporting and coordinating all the different sectors in their action on pay. The government holds the purse strings for the whole public sector. They have shown that they can spend money when they are forced to. They have also shown that they only really represent the rich and powerful (as the recent mini-budget showed).
All of those present agreed on the need to ALL STRIKE TOGETHER.
Paul Couchman closed the day with a powerful rallying call.
“Workers have two main arenas in which they will fight back – the industrial (through their trade unions and industrial action) and the political (at the ballot box). This conference and rally offers the working class of Surrey the opportunity and the means to do both. In this hall are the current leaders of Surrey’s trade unions and the best community campaigners. If we work together, support the strikes and encourage workers to make a stand – through their unions and in standing for the council – we can only go from strength to strength.”
A call was made for everyone to attend the NSSN pre-TUC Action Summit on 16th October and we also agreed to look at the possibility of a Cost of Living protest in the Chancellor’s constituency of Spelthorne in Surrey – watch this space.
The Peoples Budget Conference
Reps from UNISON, GMB, Unite, FBU, UCU, NEU, NASUWT, CWU, along with retired trade unionists, young people and community campaigners gathered in Woking ready to spend the day putting together a working class alternative vision for Surrey.
Before the event opened formally, Kye Gbangbola from the Truth About Zane campaign made a passionate appeal for support for the call for an Independent Panel Inquiry (IPI) into the death of little Zane Gbangbola. They will be presenting their 110,000-strong petition to Downing Street on Friday 21st October and asked everyone to join them there. More information at www.truthaboutzane.com.
Paul Couchman, (Secretary of SOSiS, pictured above) opened the conference explaining that over the past few months we had received submissions from trade unions, reps groups, community groups, individuals and political parties regarding what should go in our peoples budget.
This event would ratify, clarify and amend these submissions ready to be compiled into our manifesto for any elections in Surrey in the near future.
There was unanimous support for the overriding principle that this was a no-cuts, needs-led budget. Our candidates and councilors would vote and campaign for implementation of these essential policies, regardless of council budget constraints. We would argue for prudential borrowing and use of reserves to start implementing this manifesto immediately, whilst building our campaign amongst the workers and residents of Surrey to force the government to bridge any shortfall.
The SOSiS ‘Peoples Budget’ or manifesto is being typed up as I write, ready for checking by our constituent trade unions and members and should be ready in good time for the first set of borough council elections in Surrey next year. It will also be published on our website at www.sosis.org.uk.
Paul called on all council candidates who claim to be prepared to fight to defend public services to adopt this manifesto and to be part of the fightback. He also made it clear that he and all other TUSC candidates will support the manifesto and encouraged all those present to consider standing with us.
Strike Solidarity Rally
After a good sandwich lunch, delegates gathered again to hear a range of speakers from trade unions who were currently taking strike action or balloting members or preparing to ballot. Helen Couchman (national UNISON Convenor for Dimensions and pictured above with Paul) chaired the rally.
Luke Eghar (pictured above), from the National Executive (postal) of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) opened the rally, thanking everyone for their support on the picket lines and through social media. He made it clear that this was a fight to the end against a vicious, profit-hungry Royal Mail employer who was determined to transform our much-loved postal service into just another Amazon-type parcel delivery company.
Paul Couchman spoke next from Surrey UNISON, saying how the tide was turning in favour of workers making a stand, citing the fact that UNISON is part of a motion to the TUC calling for coordinated strike action (for the first time ever).
Tamsin Honeybourne (NEU) and Sade Afolabi (NASUWT) spoke about the current national industrial action ballots in schools. Stuart Fegan from the GMB told us of the recent strike victory at the Amey Waste Management company where members took 2 weeks of strike action which resulted in a vastly improved pay offer.
Rob Williams, from the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN), was our final invited speaker. He reiterated the importance of supporting and coordinating all the different sectors in their action on pay. The government holds the purse strings for the whole public sector. They have shown that they can spend money when they are forced to. They have also shown that they only really represent the rich and powerful (as the recent mini-budget showed).
All of those present agreed on the need to ALL STRIKE TOGETHER.
Paul Couchman closed the day with a powerful rallying call.
“Workers have two main arenas in which they will fight back – the industrial (through their trade unions and industrial action) and the political (at the ballot box). This conference and rally offers the working class of Surrey the opportunity and the means to do both. In this hall are the current leaders of Surrey’s trade unions and the best community campaigners. If we work together, support the strikes and encourage workers to make a stand – through their unions and in standing for the council – we can only go from strength to strength.”
A call was made for everyone to attend the NSSN pre-TUC Action Summit on 16th October and we also agreed to look at the possibility of a Cost of Living protest in the Chancellor’s constituency of Spelthorne in Surrey – watch this space.
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