Doncaster: activists build Unity Day School against cuts | 25 September

Resistance to the cuts in Doncaster has begun with activists calling an NUT backed Unity Day School on 25 September followed by a demonstration on the 29th for the European TUC day of action.

On Budget day, Doncaster actvists organised a protest in Doncaster against the cuts. Speaker after speaker linked up the budget with cuts to public services, job losses, war and domestic violence.

Everyone agreed on the need for a coordinated fightback involving trades unions and associations, community and faith groups, pressure groups and political organisations.
Immediately following the protest, a group of activists decided that an event was needed to pull together all those groups, organisations and individuals who wanted to oppose the cuts.

The idea of a "Unity Day School" was suggested. This was to be a working title, but the name seems to have stuck. It will take place on Saturday 25th September. The idea is that we have a main room for the opening and closing meetings, with a number of workshops in between.

We are hoping to have local and national speakers from all the groups involved. All groups will be encouraged to set up stalls.

The event will not just be a rallying call or a talking shop. It will be used to organise the kind of coordinated fightback that is going to be necessary to stop the vicious onslaught on our living standards that the con-dem government are planning (and have already started).

We will be following up the day school with a demonstration in Doncaster on Wednesday 29th September. This is the day that the European TUC has called for a European wide day of action.

So far, in Doncaster, the local NUT have passed a motion supporting this event and the following have put their names to it;

Mary Reape (Treasurer Doncaster NUT)
Hazel Raven (Chair Doncaster UCU pc),
Louise Harrison (Doncaster Unison women's officer pc).

It is early days yet, but we are confident that we will get the backing of a wide layer of the labour movement in Doncaster.
We would encourage others to organise similar events.

Download and use the model motion and letter.

Glenn Feeney is a Doncaster NUT committee member.