| Fighting the Waltham Forest axe 300 people marched from Leyton to Walthamstow on 19 February, protesting against Waltham Forest council's £65 million cuts to services over the next four years. Sheila Gladston, a wheelchair user from Walthamstow, was there protesting against a proposed £20,000 cut to the Shop Mobility scheme. "It will be gone in a few years if we don't stop these cuts" she said. "They've already cut the wardens from the sheltered housing, the residents don't feel safe." Whipps Cross Hospital trade union activist Len Hockey brought support from the Unison branch an told the rally in Walthamstow town square that: "This is not Thatcherism revisited; this is a weak government which can be beaten." He spoke of the 300 strong rally they had attended against cuts at the London and Barts against 635 jobs being cut one of many huge job cuts in London hospitals announced over the last seven days in what is part of a designed attempt to destroy the NHS. The government bill on the health service bringing wholesale privatisation is the conclusion of a continuum of a process carried out by successive governments. Len asked us to remember the history and the origins of the NHS in the strength of the working class returning from the war and determined never to go back to the squalor and poverty between the wars. This fight is for the interest of millions and millions of people. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, addressed the end rally. His union members face huge attacks in London. Front line services not protected - cuts to fire engines and stations means increased time to house fires. “people are getting themselves organised to say no to these cuts and to defend public services. Residents in Waltham Forest want decent schools and homes for older people”. The majority are being made to pay for the crisis created by the few. We are told the cuts are ‘inevitable’. We have been told this throughout history and we have not accepted it, if we had we would have no unions rights, not even the vote. The challenge is to build the alternative and this is happening. The March 26th demonstration against the cuts is going to be huge and he called on us to get everyone there. There were also speakers from the Unison and Unite unions, Youth Fight for Jobs, Right to Work, the Socialist Party and Keep our NHS Public. Local teacher and National Shop Stewards Network secretary Linda Taaffe drew inspiration from events in the Middle East: "It took the Egyptians 18 days to get rid of a dictator. How long would it take to get rid of Cameron?" Next, Waltham Forest Anti-Cuts Union plans to demonstrate outside the Waltham Forest council meeting on 8 March, which could vote through 600 job losses as well as planned cuts, including those to children's services. "Let councillors who stood to do good for society refuse to carry out the cuts," said Linda Taaffe. "We will do whatever we can to stop the vote taking place. If all councils refused to wield the axe, Cameron and Clegg would be faced with a massive problem." Rachel Salmon Waltham Forest STOP PRESS: On Tuesday 22 February, 50 children, parents and workers protested on Walthamstow town hall steps to defend Waltham Forest music services. The children played, the adults sang, while a petition of over 4,000 signatures was handed in. The music service campaign will join with other council workers and service users to march on the 8 March full council meeting. |