United campaign against the council cuts in Wales: possible
actions
Len Arthur 13 February 2014
All council cuts derive from the Tory government’s politics
of austerity. They are essentially about making the working class pay for the
financial crisis; something which was not of our making. They derive from
policies we did not support at the last election but were foist upon us as a
seizure of power undertaken by the coalition parties. An understanding of the
contextual power and politics of the council cuts are essential as a guide to opposing
them effectively, both politically and through action. As the People’s Assembly
argues, unity is an essential component of successful resistance. This is the
case within campaigns resisting the council cuts and, in addition, to making
the political link against austerity with all the other attacks on the working
class.
People, especially younger people, across the country are
under financial pressure from benefit cuts and falling real wages. In these
circumstances they increasingly rely on the collective provision of council and
other services, only to find that they are being withdrawn whilst at the same
time experiencing increased payments for less provision. Trade unions,
communities, families are increasingly outraged by being forced to pay the cost
of austerity politics and are fighting back in just about every way it is
possible to imagine.
Tragically, some methods of fighting back stand more chance
of success than others and there is an absence of support from councillors and
assembly members, the very people elected to provide representation and
political leadership at times like this. In fact, there is effectively an
agreement across all these party representatives that some cuts have to be
made, accepting the arguments of austerity that workers will have to pay the
cost. These representatives in making this argument have become agents of the
Tories and so have become part of the problem and not part of the answer. Consequently
campaigns have to start from scratch, from the bottom up and, potentially, are
stronger for it.
Council cuts are transmitted down from the UK Tory
government by a combination of withdrawal of finance and the requirement to set
a legal budget. AMs and councillors, lacking the politics and confidence to
challenge this political and bureaucratic process, buckle under and pass ‘their
problem’ as they see it, on to us. The cuts are just getting underway, this
process is going on for at least another four or five years, if they are
accepted now others will follow and permanent damage will be done to services
and jobs that are essential for our us, our families, or homes and communities.
We are experiencing a process of social and economic degradation that will
permanently damage our way of life: they are creating a crisis for us; we
should create one for them.
It is down to us to start this process of resistance; to say
no in the most effective way and pass ‘their problem’ back up the line, so we become their problem, by challenging
the politics of austerity both in terms of action and ideas: challenging the
existence of this Tory government whilst at the same time developing our own
alternatives to the consequences of the financial crisis.
That challenge starts with the councillors and the AMs in
Wales who are acting as austerity agents for the Tory government. We should
demand that, as our representatives, they challenge the financial and
bureaucratic situation they find themselves in, by refusing to make cuts, and,
if need be, vote for a budget that may be challenged legally. There may be some
‘wriggle room’ in terms of the utilisation of reserves by some councils and
they should use it but it will not cover the magnitude of the cuts that are
demanded of them. If a number, especially the larger councils in Wales refused to
implement the cuts, it would throw down a challenge to the budget agreed by the
Assembly. If they put in commissioners to carry out the law then we have to be
prepared to expose and challenge the Assembly’s political role and demand that
they also challenge government policy, possibly inspiring resistance across the
UK.
That is our challenge – how do we start?
Here are some ideas that may help develop an effective
campaign.
1.
In all council areas an electronic petition
could be drawn up that demands councillors vote against all cuts. This is a
hard political demand but it raises directly the issues that we face and the
responsibility our elected representatives have to fight back. The local People’s
Assembly have started one in RCT and it can be seen here.
2.
This petition, with some change in wording,
could also be organised across all of Wales, aimed at AMs instead of local
councillors.
3.
All local anti-cut organisations should be
supported and helped to organise. At the same time it is important to argue
about the location of the source of these cuts in the Tory government and the
need to act collectively to challenge them in a united way. Labour and other
councillors say that the Tories are the problem but fail to act or argue the
case to challenge them directly.
Some campaigns are easier to get
off the ground than others. It is important that all the cuts are opposed not
just those that can gather most opposition. People in weaker situation need to
be supported.
4.
In every council area attempts need to be made
to unite all the different campaigns to apply pressure on the councillors to
vote against, not to just when their particular issue. Having a collective
campaign group in every local authority area is critical: Against the Cuts;
People’s Assembly, whatever the unifying body, it should meet regularly, at
least monthly, as an open assembly and make all the use possible of electronic
means to sustain debate, democracy and accountability.
It is very likely in Wales that
we will face cuts in the NHS at the same time as council cuts. We should seek
to roll these campaigns together and put the same demands to the local health
boards.
5.
Direct action such as supporting local authority
trade unions if they take industrial action against the cuts or occupying
council buildings has to be always under consideration. First, so people get
used to the idea that it is possible and, second, so there is seriousness about
the balance of forces and what it really takes to challenge government policy.
6.
Confidence to take direct action will be
increased if we coordinate action across Wales. Council meetings provide a good
opportunity to focus the campaign at a local level but don’t necessarily take
place on the same days across Wales. Perhaps what could be done is to either
find a day when most do meet and at the same time in other areas organise demonstration
or occupations of council buildings at the same time, together with other
actions possibly being taken by the unions.
7.
The Welsh Government and assembly members should
be equally pressed as local councillors. If you look at this
list - posted on the People’s Assembly Wales Fb page - of all council
grants have been reduced by the Welsh Government, you see the direct link with
the local council cuts. So action at the Assembly should also be coordinated
with that taken at local level.
8.
Persistence, sustainability, innovation and
generalisation. One off actions although important can be dismissed as a
protest unless they are very large. Being able to sustain a series of actions
or even better, indefinite action, such as an occupation, keeps up the pressure
and helps build support from others who are being affected by the Tories
austerity policies. It also helps inspire action in other places. Being
creative in applying pressure is also important making action unpredictable and
difficult to forestall. Some action does necessarily need a large number of
people but being representative is essential, hence the open and democratic
nature of any joint campaign group.
As a final thought, some of the most able
people to take direct action are pensioners like me, who have been liberated
from the fear of job loss and our career standing is over: there is little that
can be done to us but we should be fired up to fight for our children and
grandchildren and be determined to make the best use of our freedom – use us!
