RUGBY AGAINST THE CUTS

PO Box 4123 Rugby CV21 9BJ

http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com

rugbyagainstthecuts@googlemail.com

Convenor and Press Officer: Pete McLaren  pete.mclaren@virgin.net 07881 520626

Treasurer: Julie Weekes           Trade Union Liaison: Roy Sandison; Martin Eversfield

PRESS RELEASE                           For immediate use June 28th 2011

SUPPORT FOR STRIKING PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS

Rugby Against the Cuts today announced its full support for public sector workers on strike this Thursday, June 30^th.  Spokesperson Pete McLaren explained, “The teachers, civil servants and college lecturers on strike to protect their pensions mark the beginning of a concerted fightback by the labour movement against the Con Dem plans to decimate public services. Calls by Labour leaders not to go on strike are a disgrace, and will be ignored.  Public sector workers did not cause the economic crisis, so why should they pay for it?  Those who did cause the crisis – bankers and Government Ministers - get massive pensions, which are not under attack, whilst the average public sector pension is just £80 per week.  We already have 2.5 million pensioners who can not afford to adequately heat their homes – the current pension proposals would put a further one million pensioners into poverty, which is outrageous.  Is that the kind of society we want to bring our next generations into?” he asked.

The Treasurer of Rugby Against the Cuts Julie Weekes, who, like Pete McLaren, stood as a Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidate in the May Council elections, is a member of the University and College Union (UCU).  She outlined why she would be on strike. “The Government want us to pay more, work longer and then get a lower pension.  Pensions are deferred pay, so in effect we are being asked to accept a pay cut.  The joint action will send a clear message to the Government about the level of opposition to its proposals.  We oppose this cut as we oppose all public sector cuts.”

Fellow Rugby Against the Cuts member and TUSC candidate Clive Dunkley is a member of the National Union of Teachers which voted 92% in favour of the strike.  “The Government wants to raise our pension contributions by over 50%”, he explained.  “At the same time it is planning to force all teachers to work until they are 68 for a reduced annual pension.  How will this help provide jobs for the growing number of young unemployed?   Like all public sector cuts, the attack on our pensions is simply to pay off the bankers’ gambling debts – whilst the bankers and their friends who got us into this mess get away with £billions in unpaid taxes.”

“The Government will try and divide public and private sector workers, but they will not succeed,” Pete McLaren concluded.  “It is a scandal that many private sector companies have already slashed their pension schemes – and that so many pensioners struggle in poverty.  The Government should be acting on this, not cutting public sector pensions,” he added.