Stop the Cuts Alliance established

antrim | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Monday August 16, 2010 22:00 by Patrick - Stop the Cuts Alliance stopthecutsni at gmail dot com

At a meeting in Belfast on 16 August, socialist and trade union activists agreed to form the Stop the Cuts Alliance in order to build opposition to the cuts from Westminster and Stormont. It's first decision was to call a protest against cuts at 1pm outside Belfast City Hall on 29 September - as part of the day of action called by the European Trade Union Confederation.

Protest - Belfast City Hall 1pm 29 September

Many groups and unions were invited to democratically discuss how to build opposition to the savage cuts being implemented to public services. Activists from NIPSA, Unite, Socialist Party, Workers Party, Socialist Workers Party, Save Mid-Ulster Hospital amongst others attended the meeting. Messages of support from the teachers union INTO and the Fire Brigades Union were announced to the meeting.

It was agreed that all cuts must be opposed and to counter the argument from Stormont Ministers that certain services should be prioritised, while others must be cut. This is a conscious attempt to divide workers into an argument over where cuts should be made. Likewise, it is also important to unite public and private sector workers against the cuts which will have a devastating knock-on impact on the private sector.

It was agreed to support proposals from the NIC-ICTU Jobs and Services Committee to hold a protest at Stormont to send a clear message to the politicians carrying out cuts as well as holding a Stop the Cuts city centre protest for workers to participate in. The meeting decided to support plans currently being discussed by NIC-ICTU to call major demonstrations in October after the announcement of major cuts in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

The Alliance will establish a federal structure where all affiliated groups are represented in order to democratically build the campaign. If you or your group / union / branch would like to affiliate to the Stop the Cuts Alliance, e-mail: stopthecutsni@gmail.com