National Shop Stewards Network rally calls for the Trades Union Congress to name the date for a 24-hour general strike to stop the cuts The hundreds of trade union activists who attended the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) rally and lobby of the Trades Union Congress on Sunday in Bournemouth will have left certain that the boiling anger at the tsunami of austerity is pointing towards an autumn of important battles. Along with this is an ever-growing call for the TUC to name the date for a 24-hour general strike. "The NSSN rally", said PCS president Janice Godrich, "has become a regular event at the TUC, setting the tone and a fighting agenda to turn words into action this year". The indoor rally - that preceded an outdoor lobby - brought together TUC delegates and up to 300 other activists to hear contributions from trade union general secretaries: Bob Crow from the RMT, Steve Gillan from the POA, Ronnie Draper from the bakers' union BFAWU and Ian Lawrence from the probation officers' union NAPO; with activists from many unions and campaigns. There was no doubt that with the attacks raining down, with battles unfolding, the task facing supporters of the NSSN is to turn the anger into action. Janice finished by saying: "If we are going to send a message to the government, we need action on a scale not seen before". Ongoing austerity Bob Crow asked the rally: "In the last year, have things got better? Those who get sacked, now face a bill for £1,500 to go to an industrial tribunal, just to get in the ring". Speaker after speaker listed the pain brought to workers and their communities from the Con-Dem posh boys while their rich friends benefit. "If the minimum wage had kept up with the rise of the FTSE share index, it would now be £19 an hour" exclaimed rally chair Linda Taaffe. Helen Pattison from Youth Fight for Jobs was one of many to highlight the toxic effect of zero hour contracts facing up to 5.5 million workers. "I haven't spoken to anyone who isn't sick of their boss. From one week to the next you don't know your hours and how you will pay your rent". For more, go to: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/17374/10-09-2013/nssn-rally-calls-for-mass-action-to-stop-the-cuts

• published: 11 Sep 2013
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