closed the Housing Benefit and Building, Maintenance
and Design services", he
said. HANDS OFF OUR solid and united between different unions; the T&G, GMB and Ucatt are all on the picket lines with UNISON.
"There is a complex relationship with the government and the Labour Party over this dispute. UNISON has close links with Labour, but it has said it will not fund the party in the May elections.
"This will put the Labour Party under pressure both from us and their rich friends in the city. We have public support; a poll on Sky TV showed two thirds supporting workers on strike."
"This will have an impact in the May elections. I expect Labour to do badly. It isn't just the million taking action, but also their families and friends. I'm a member of Respect because it's the only show in town. It is to the left of Labour and appeals to 'Old Labour' ideals such as 'tax the rich'".
"The government should stick to the contract it agreed years ago over pensions. We thought we would get a reasonable pension - people should be able to live with some dignity.
The pension scheme MPs get allows them to retire on a full pension after 20 years, but in the public sector it's 40 years. It's so hypocritical it's almost breathtaking".
"This isn't just a pay dispute and we have to be prepared to take more action. This dispute won't be won after a one-day strike."
75 per cent of members of UNISON are women and they receive an average pension of £31 per week.' Greed? Where?
John also points out that it's not even a matter of government ministers giving themselves massive pension pay increases whereby they can retire at the ripe old age of 40: it's the fact people have plans to retire at 60.
"Public sector workers didn't enter jobs for the high pay or necessarily for the enjoyment of the job, but when they sign that binding contract they will be retiring at 60, people's lives are dependent on that. We don't all live for ever", says John.
He added, "Long term prosperity must be achieved through short term sacrifice and if people are willing to do that then we are confident of winning this fight".
On the Walworth Road, spectators, protesters, and passing public sector workers in their cars gave vociferous support.
It is a clear warning to the Blair regime: the more voters Labour throw away, the more Respect will be there to pick up the votes. Bethnal Green and Bow was just the first Labour stronghold to fall.