The proposal for Barrow & Furness Pensioners' Association to call a meeting to which organisations and individuals would be invited to discuss what they wished to do about government cuts to public services was finally approved by a sizeable majority of members.
The original idea was to have a meeting in the last week of February but the secretary did nothing about booking a date and venue for three weeks. Without a date and venue it was impossible to send out invitations to organisations, groups and individuals. It turned out that the secretary, together with the chairman and deputy chairman, did not agree to holding a public meeting so decided to do nothing to make it happen. The treasurer found a venue and established a date. Threatened with an unholy row about defying the decision of the members, the secretary reluctantly also began promoting the public meeting. What a pathetic performance!
By Barrow standards, attendance at the meeting was 'good' i.e. twenty persons were present. Five members of the Pensioners' Association attended and were joined by representatives of Kendal Against the Cuts, Greater Manchester Trades Union Council, the North East Shop Stewards' Network, and the Teachers' Assistants Pay Campaign. A local Labour councillor gave his support and there were persons from disability and mental health groups.
The following were contacted but did not reply:
Barrow Trades Union Council, Ulverston Trades Union Council, Four Groves Community Association, Barrow Island Community Association, MIND in Furness, Cumbria Disability Association, and the unions - Unison, GMB, Unite, Furness NUT, PCS, CWU, UCATT, and NAPO.
At the close of the meeting six persons signed up to found a Steering Group to establish a name and programme for a campaign against the cuts and a regular meeting place for discussion and planning.
Bearing in mind the TUC national anti-cuts march and rally was to be held in London on the 26th March it was most extraordinary that unions gave no input to the Barrow Public Meeting to enlist supporters for the rally and book coaches to allow Furness people to attend the event in the capital.
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