The NSSN/SP write
General strike action is decisively different even from the partial public sector general strike of November 2011 which involved about 2 million workers.
It would above all raise the consciousness of the advanced working class as to who really has the power on society to make things happen - even today with the number of workers in the unions half of what is was in the 1970’s the specific weight of the organised workers is much greater than ever before.
The first paragraph simply states the bleeding obvious, but they betray their ideological bent with their elitist Leninist formulation about raising workers consciousness. This coded left-speak is a call to their supporters to use the dispute to recruit "workers" to the Socialist Party itself. The NSSN is merely a conduit for this process.
The latter comments about the strength of the unions being in effect much greater than the 1970s is complete and utter nonsense. It shows how out of touch with the real world that these Marxist cultists actually are,
The strategy is to use the PCS union to undertake their tasks for them and "set an example" which they think will draw workers from other unions to their outlook. Wishful thinking methinks. Other than the Scottish Teachers union the EIS (who are in any case in conflict with the SNP in the Scottish Parliament) only the NUT seems even a possibility at this stage. However currently the NUT Executive have voted against action so PCS is probably going to have a very lonely dispute.
The consequences of their actions for PCS members could be disastrous. The dispute is highly unlikely to achieve any of its' aims and will end up demoralising large sections of the membership besides costing them money that they can ill afford in the current economic climate.
The Socialist Party care not a jot about anything but pursuing a political strategy that will recruit them a few new members.
PCS members would be ill-advised to vote for this unwinnable dispute. I have issued an e-mail to that effect this evening. The PCS exists to serve its' members not the interests of the Socialist Party.
Vote No to both questions.
The PCS claims are all legitimate. PCS members vote YES YES. Maximise the vote for a good bargaining position. Yeah, we ain't going to win everything we want, but a hefty ballot response strengthens our negotiators hand and actually reduces the prospect of strike action, which members can ill afford. Yes, The SP and extreme lefty hangers on under the guise of Left Unity are running the show in PCS, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. This ballot is not driven by Trotskythink and the start of the revolution, it is straightforward Trade Unionism. The government will not stop until it has destroyed trade unionism in the Civil Service, only then can it privatise it. Coal mines, anyone?
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