The Arriva Trains Northern dispute continues now well over six months and approaching twenty days of action. Resolve amongst the conductors and station staff remains strong. Despite the strikes cutting profits by well over £3 million the company's chief executive still got a pay package of over €500,000. If it is good enough for him it is good enough for RMT members!
Once again, as in the South West Trains dispute earlier this year, the company's losses would have been higher if the government and the Strategic Rail Authority had not waived fines for poor performance and loss of services. Trains have been cancelled because Arriva has banned overtime to try to beat the workforce into submission. But the SRA has let them off the hook.
We have to respond - activists in the RMT are raising funds to keep the strike alive - send donations to the RMT c/o Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NWI IJD.
At the same time RMT and ASLEF members on London Underground are taking action over pay. It is clear that, behind the scenes, the government is enforcing a rigorous incomes policy. As with the fire-fighters dispute it is direct instructions to management which are causing the breakdown in pay negotiations. electoral doorstep. trol ing presence on both elecand campaigning fronts. It has supported and led many of the key cam- as well as against. paigns against the New Labour councils anti-working class policies and has built a real, significant base of
support. The Alliance is, without doubt, a paigns have political force to be reckoned with in the borough. There are a core of people who now identify themselves as SA voters on the to New Labour.
The growing presence of are the Alliance has changed the local electoral arithmetic. and Neither the Green Party nor the Liberal Democrats can expect, as in the 1990s, to be the recipients of work- the ing class protest votes votes. against privatisation and cuts.
The Liberal Democrats abandoned the borough in the recent local elections in favour of hanging on to conneighbouring Islington. The Green Party, who lost both of their coun joined the fray. cil seats in the 2002 elections, have turned to the most concern voters. He tion the best candidate of makes it clear what the those challenging Socialist Alliance stands for - Labour. Recognising this, the
London Labour election
A number of things need machine to be kept in mind in assess- although local party meming how well we might do. bers had voted for Pipe, he
was not good enough. They
-o far, mayoral cam- approached Mo Mowlam
been instead who apparently
unpredictable. On a replied: "I'm not standing number of occasions vot- against Paul." ers have used these con- Tribune ran an editorial test to vote for alternatives noting Foot's strength as a
candidate and remarking
In Hackney, four parties that local Labou
challenging N.... Labour. People can cast first
second preference votes in the first round and the top two will go thorough to a run off decided by
second preference Of these parties (Tory, Lib Dem, Greens and
services SA) only the Alliance is presenting a radically different message. For the first time we have a clear run as the left candidate. No other socialist organisation has
Anyone with a vote over 15% may get through to
the Socialist Alliance - a choice that will add local fuel to national debates about democratising the decided that political funds and Labour's privatisation programme Labour Party conference will debate PFl in the middle of the election. All of these factors are in the mix in the run up to the opening of the postal ballot in early October. Like any significant party standing in an Party Socialist Alliance is fighting to Hackney Socialist Alliance pledges • For an urgent programme to provide two new secular co-educationa comprehensive schools in Hackney • For an immedfate halt to the sell-off of council house sales, for improving the present stock, and for building many more of them • For a campaign to root out racism and corruption in the council and police • Against Hackney Counci's rotten record of privatisation and cuts to vital • Payment in full of the 14,000 London weighting allowance to loca government workers and teachers • An immediate halt to the closure of nurseries and libraries Repayment by central government of all the funds they have swiped from Hackney's budget over the last two decades • The tube to be brought to Hackney without delay
Against the government's shocking treatment of asyłum seeker • Against Bush and Blair's war on Irag far and wide to come to the borough over the next month to help. Get in touch and get involved. • Email us at: [email protected] • Phone: 020 8525 6616 • Write to: Hackney Socialist Alliance, c/o 7 Lyneham Walk, Linzel Estate, London E5 OHX. Send donations to "Foot For Mayor" See www.hackneysa.net Hackney for up to date information on the campaigr