Invitation to a public meeting: Where next after the election?

Stroud Against the Cuts supporters update

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Dear Stroud Against the Cuts supporters,

In this email:

1. Final details for coach to People's Assembly Against Austerity "End Austerity Now" demonstration, this Saturday 20th June
2. More details for our "After the Election - Where Next?" meeting - Thursday 2nd June
3. Information about actions on Safe Staffing the NHS, and against Workfare
4. A selection of articles you will hopefully find of interest

Important: Each of the three coaches from Gloucestershire to the End Austerity Now demonstration is now FULLY BOOKED.

If you are booked on the coach you should have received detailed information about the arrangements. Please email hannahfootlady@hotmail.co.uk now if you booked but are no longer traveling with us by coach - we have a waiting list (you can email if you want to book, we may be able to arrange a 4th coach if we have enough demand, but please be aware it is most likely you will not be able to travel with us unfortunately).

Coaches are leaving Stroud (Stratford Park Car Park) and Cheltenham (Royal Well bus station) at 8am, Gloucester (bus station) at 8.20am and Cirencester (bus stop at old railway station car park ) at 8.30am PLEASE ARRIVE WITH TIME TO SPARE - DON'T BE THE ONE WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR!

We believe the coaches will be full so PLEASE do not turn up hoping to get a seat if you have not booked a place.

If you have not paid already, please pay on the coach - cheques preferable, written out to Stroud Against the Cuts.
£12 waged
£5 unwaged
Free to Unite and Unison members and family - if members have paid anything, you will be reimbursed.

Remember to charge and top-up your 'phones.

Wear sensible footwear. Bring a placard if you are able.

Thanks to Unison and Unite for their kind donations.

Actions:

Thursday 18th June, 2pm Downing St: "Safe Staffing = safe patients" March organised by Cure the NHS. The organisation is also proving information to help you write letters to MPs to urge them "to do everything in your power to reinstate the role of NICE in the development of safe staffing guidelines for the NHS, and to secure the publication of guidelines on safe staffing in A&E, due in May of this year"

For background information read: "Cure the NHS campaigner calls on Government to stop safe staffing work being scrapped ".

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"Support Wardens on Workfare – Blockade Finsbury Park Business Forum"
"Wardens at Finsbury Park station are being forced to work 30 unpaid hours a week for 6 months as part of the Tories’ workfare programme. This work is a compulsory condition for receiving a Job Seekers Allowance of £72 a week. Wardens that miss one day of work run the risk of losing 1 month of benefit payments, forcing many to work through illness."

On Thursday 18th June campaigners intend to blockading Finsbury Park Business Forum’s communications between 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm. See their Facebook Event for more information on the communications blockade and other action. Read "Workfare, Forced Labour and the new ‘Business and Community Wardens’" for background.

Forward

"After the Election - Where Next?" meeting - Thursday 2nd June"
Thursday 2nd July, 7.30-9.30pm - Stroud Old Town Hall, GL5 1AP.

Wages are low and getting lower, and the Conservative government is planning cuts to housing benefit, tax credits, disability benefits and pensions. The NHS is at breaking point, social care provision is being cut, schools are struggling. Public services are being chipped apart and more and more money is diverted from services and to private companies’ profits. Stroud Against the Cuts fought NHS privatisation locally and won in 2011/12 - join us for an informal discussion about what we face in the coming years and how we can support each other and fight back!

Articles of interest:

"Up to 70 jobs at risk at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College" (Stroud News and Journal), see also "70 jobs at risk at Stroud College after £3 million government cut" (Stroud Life)

"George Osborne has asked Iain Duncan Smith to find even deeper cuts to benefits" (of £15bn - The Independent)

"Job centres are becoming gladiatorial arenas where unemployed people and professionals slug it out, whilst the ethical battle rages" (by Dr Carl Walker - who leads a European Community Psychology Association Task Force on Austerity and Mental health and is a member of the National Health Action Party.

"7 Tips for Getting Organised in Your Community" (Housing Action Southwark and London for Novara Wire)

"Evidence of police complicity in blacklisting of trade unionists stretches back decades"

"NHS targets on A&E waiting times and nurse staffing levels axed to protect Jeremy Hunt" (The Mirror)

"Chief executive of firm accused of 'ripping off' NHS on staffing is a Tory donor" (The Independent)

"NHS staff most stressed public sector workers, survey finds" (Guardian)

"Doctors call for PFI debts to be cancelled as they affect care at Barts Health Trust" (London Evening Standard)

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