that with the contnued, deepening leadership crisis and decline of the Conservative Party, the only serious opposi tion to New Labour's reactionary agenda is now coming from the unions.
It was the unions which formed the local point of oppositton to Blair's war drive, both at the TUC and, with an even stronger level of support, at Labour conference.
And it was the union vote that delivered Blair's painful policy defeat with the successful resolution against the use of the Private Finance Initiative to fund new schools, hospitals and infrastructure projects.
So it is no coincidence that Estelle Morris's successor Charles Clarke - no friend of the unions - lost no time in getting stuck into the teaching unions almost before open ing his dispatch box,
And his successor as Party Chairman, John Reid, A for mer Stainist, wil not be shy about battering the waverug party faithful into fine as soon as Blair signals the milt offensive is beginning in earnest.
With New Labour embarking on an all-round, hard-ine offensive under the banner of "modersation: throughou the public services, the unions, which on these issues - and on the war -- represent the majorly of public opinion, mu not just speak out against Bair's policies, but organise in lead the lightback,
Blar is reorganising and rallying his forces for the fray. Is ime for the left in the unions to get org Pete Burnett with local privatisation.
In the eve of the European Social Forum a mass demonstration them. Newcastle will unite striking rail workers and fire fighters
government tary John Edmonds, employees in a huge protest against low pay and lecturers'
Fire fighters have voted across Britain to strike on the day, November 2. Rail workers for Arriva North will be Hilary Wainwright who have mounted one- (Red Pepper), Kat Fletcher day strikes for the past eight (NUS) and Gary Jarvis of months, have called on col- 'No Sweat!' leagues in other cities to join The event, supported by
the regional TUC, has been
Speakers at the rally will backed by the Public include GMB general secre- Services Alliance - a coalition
Billy of unions, the trades council, Hayes of the postal workers, tenants, green campaigners,
leader Paul pensioners and youth -Mackenzie (NATHE) and opposed to cuts in jobs and Heather Wakefield, national services and to sweeping women's' officer for UNI- changes to the way that SON. Sharing the platform Newcastle is being govemed. • • Privatisation by partnership means that much of the city's planning, its infrastructure and services will be handed over to private council staff won a £250 million contract to reorganise the city's information technology against hot competition from BT, the deal was seen by New Labour as a direct challenge to its strategy for diversified delivery and an unhealthy concession to union pressure.
"Going for Growth!' the council's strategy to make Newcastle a competitive, cohesive capital .... Private urban villages will replace working class terraces
For a E185,820 consultants Waterhouse (PWC) are finalising a business plan for huge housing construction projects for the pressure on the west end of the city. Private and gated urban villages will replace working class terraces. Developers will provide security, telecommunications, waste disposal. Loss of democratic control will be matched by the disappearance of city jobs.
A raft of more recent PFI projects also bears the fingerprints Price Waterhouse Cooper. A €100 million street lighting contract, 13 schools, five new health centres...the list grows as "Best Value' investigations force the pace of 'partnerships. The role of PWC reveals the growing power of consultants. They are not independent advisors but transnational partnerships or firms who are principally city. auditors, tax advisors and sparked huge protest when consultants to the private
sector- the very firms bid•• ding for council contracts.
Newcastle's former Chief Executive, Kevin Lavery, was headhunted for the job by PWC from one of its own subsidiaries. He went on to join the board of Jarvis, the •• building and railway contractors who will be runPrice ning Newcastle's new Cooper schools.
'Newcastle's struggle cannot be won in a single city,' says Kenny Bell, 'the issues are global! Drawing partly on the themes of the European Social Forum the Public Services Alliance fealighting, tures demands for public and investment, social justice and
radical democracy in its 10point programme. Over 50 people on the November 2 demonstration will leave three days later for Florence.