Resistance against the attack on the public sector by the ConDem government is gathering pace. The Coalition of Resistance has been established to bring together trade unions, social movements and local user groups in their fight against the draconian budget cuts.
The Coalition ‘is a broad united national campaign against cuts and privatisation in our workplaces, community and welfare services’. Several groups have already signed up to the campaign including Britain’s largest trade union Unite under its newly elected leader Len McCluskey. One of the Coalition’s first activities will be the organization of a European conference against Austerity, Cuts and Privatisation, and in defence of the Welfare State on Saturday 1st October in London.
This new Coalition gives hope for two reasons. First, it provides the potential for co-ordinating the various activities of resistance, which are already taking place. Second, its announcement of the European conference against austerity not only provides a perspective for resistance beyond the large demonstration in London on 26 March, it also includes an international dimension. Considering that labour movements elsewhere in Europe face similar attacks, this wider outlook is absolutely essential. Resistance against cuts has to be organised at the national level, but transnational solidarity is required to counter the European and global dimensions of the crisis.
Prof. Andreas Bieler
Professor of Political Economy
University of Nottingham/UK
Andreas.Bieler@nottingham.ac.uk
Personal website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~ldzab
12 March 2011
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