'DEFENDING PENSIONS' DAY OF ACTION

PCS members picket Barrow Job Centre 30th June

ONE DAY IN JUNE
First, absence of posts here was caused by a need for eye surgery.  This didn't prevent me from being 'active' however.  


The 30th June was an official national day of action by the Public & Commercial Services union (PCS), National Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Association of Teachers & Lecturers (ATL).  


PCS members had a picket at the local Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) and also at the local Job Centre.  The picket was well received and respected and only non-union employees crossed the picket line.


The majority of schools in the borough were closed for the day so it would be incorrect to state the action was ineffectual.  A cynic might suggest school staff simply welcomed the opportunity for a day's holiday without fully appreciating the significance of the action.


There are two branches of the NUT in this region: Barrow NUT covers schools in the borough of Barrow in Furness (this includes Dalton, Askam and villages), and Furness NUT which extends from Ulverston to Broughton (which includes Grange, Cark, Cartmel, Levens Valley and other villages)  Barrow NUT was to have a branch meeting at the Custom House, Barrow, at 4.30pm at the end of the Day of Action but cancelled this at the eleventh hour (so nothing's changed here in 30 years - at least they are consistent!) 


There has been no further action by these unions since June.  Is it too much to hope that they are preparing for campaigns in the autumn following the annual conference of the Trade Union Congress in September?