Title: Resistance to cuts continues in Notts
Author: Notts IMC
Image: notts.indymedia.org.uk/system/photo/201...

Last week George Osborne (real name Gideon, estimate worth £4m) announced the details of the “Comprehensive Spending Review,” consigning almost 500,000 people to unemployment while slashing housing benefit and attacking welfare. Locally, the growing movement has continued to protest against the imposition of austerity, targeting both the city and county councils as well as local bailiffs.

In France, protests against government attempts to raise the retirement age this week, have seen general strikes, refineries blocked, mass protests, riots and apparent arson attacks. While the UK has a long way to go before resistance is on a par with that in France, the past week has seen a wave of protests in Nottingham against the cuts.

On Monday, Nottingham City Unison held a protest in the Market Square against city council plans to slash the pay of school support staff. The latest single status proposals will mean massive pay cuts for many school support staff. Some Teaching Assistants will lose as much as £7,000 per year – with no pay protection, meaning salaries will drop from April 2011. This is particularly ironic – given the single status initiatives basis in the Equal Pay Act – given that school support staff are predominantly women.

The council has already agreed to delay the timetable for implementation to allow for more discussion with the trade unions, but the demonstration, which attracted 5-600 people underlined the strength of feeling against the proposals.

On Tuesday/Wednesday night, anonymous militants attacked the premises of local bailiffs M.A Julius and Co. of New Basford. Windows were broken and the message, “Fuck the Rich”, “Leave our homes alone” and “Fuck Bailiffs” were gratified on the walls. In a communique on Indymedia, those claiming responsibility, stated that the action “was in solidarity with all of those, including ourselves who have had the indignity from being evicted from homes because the system we live in rewards the selfish greed of the privileged few and punishes the excluded and marginalised.”

On Wednesday, the announcement of the Comprehensive Spending Review only served to fuel people’s anger as the reality of the long-threatened cuts began to become clear. There were protests across the country, including a demonstration in the Market Square. Unfortunately, this coincided with a large event to celebrate 100 years of Girl Guiding.

Thursday, saw another protest, this time outside County Hall in West Bridgford where the county council was meeting to discuss the array of cuts announced last week. Around 500 people were in attendance a mixture of council workers, service users and local residents. Speakers included trade unionists, local campaigners, a Labour councillor and a Peruvian activist.

The campaign is only just beginning. The local trades council-led anti cuts campaign, Notts Save Our Services, meets again on Monday to plan further events, but there is already talk of a large city-centre demonstration on a Saturday and further protests at County Hall. Militants, are understandably quieter about their intentions, but as the cuts begin to bite, an upsurge in more militant responses seems inevitable.

Links

Notts Save Our Services
www.nottssos.org.uk