United campaign against the council and NHS cuts in Wales: possible actions

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they increasingly rely on the collective provision of council and other services, only to find that they are being withdrawn whilst at the same time experiencing increased payments for less provision.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!