BRITAIN is preparing for its biggest day of union resistance for many years.
Report direct action news source SchNEWS: "Wednesday 30th November will see the first mass strike in the UK for four decades.
"17 unions, including the biggest ones Unite, UCU, Unison, various teaching unions and PCS, have balloted to strike on pension reform which will see an estimated 3 million off work and, hopefully, cause massive disruption. Demonstrations and pickets are planned across the country – see http://www.n30strike.org for a complete list.
"While the ‘official’ pensions reason is a biggie, the day will be one of anti-austerity action on the whole. It was obvious a year and a half ago that austerity measures were going to cripple the public sector, but it’s only over the issue of pensions that unions have been able to come together in co- ordinated action.
"The government’s various cuts bills have been sector specific until now, and Tory anti-strike legislation forbids solidarity action – effectively making mass, cross-sector strikes illegal. This, combined with the timidity of the unions and their own stifling legal processes have delayed action until the shared pension cuts could become the focal point for general civil unrest.
"Which is rich, considering unemployment is at a 17-year high thanks to government policy. They’re also attempting to rebrand it as a 'take your child to work day' in an effort to avoid parents taking the day off to look after children turned away from closed schools.
"It’s not only the government who want to break the strike: One particularly bizarre measure is being taken by an academy school headteacher in London, who is bringing in ex-Army personnel, police dog handlers and CSI teams to teach classes next Wednesday.
"The tactics for the day are to keep demonstrations and marches focused in local communities and for many dispersed actions as opposed to a mass gathering, but if you fancy hitting the road to get in on the action, the most fun place to be looks set to be London.
"Occupy have issued a call-out to congregate in the capital and ‘Shut down the city’ – the plans for which are to be confirmed..."
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