Devon SP in this weeks 'the socialist'

In this weeks 'the socialist', the newspaper of the Socialist Party, there is a special centre-pages feature on the postal strikes. Included in this is a report from Devon Socialist Party secretary on what has been going on across Devon, and our activities. The report is reproduced below:

Devon

Only a handful worked in Barnstaple and Bideford with over 95% out on strike. The strike was solid in Exeter even though there were only a few pickets there due to a different change-over time.

In Mid and South Devon the CWU scored notable successes in bringing out and unionising the delivery office at Chagford and achieving total stoppage at Bovey Tracey. Small towns and villages they may be but it shows the strength of feeling that exists and what can be done by active trade unionists.

Thanks in helping the strike were given by CWU reps to a Socialist Party member when he visited the Newton Abbot picket line. A simple letter sent to local newspapers supporting the cause had been reprinted by the union and sent to all CWU branches. The stoppage at Newton Abbot was 100%. At Teignmouth six worked out of 30.

Plans are being laid for when the next strike is called to visit the picket lines of Torquay and other towns and encourage trade unionists to show solidarity by visiting the picket lines.

Sean Brogan, secretary, Devon Socialist Party

17/7 Exeter branch meeting

At the recent Exeter branch meeting, the ongoing postal strikes were discussed, as well as the situation in Northern Ireland and the growth in membership of the Socialist Party in Devon, the south west and nationally.

Introducing the discussion was SB, who outlined the changed situation in Northern Ireland over the past few years, and since the accession to power of bitter foes Ian Paisley (pictured left, of the Unionist DUP) and Martin McGuinness (pictured right, of the nationalist-republican party Sinn Fein). He said that it was noticably quieter, and the police now walked the streets, albeit still carrying arms. Beneath this sheen though still lies the reality that the sectarian divide still remains and the national question remains unresolved.

The DUP-Sinn Fein government, despite being in office for some months now, has little to say on the contentious issues of health, housing and education. Both parties are committed to neo-liberal anti-working class policies, and sectarian politics. A new party needs to be formed in Northern Ireland based on a socialist programme uniting workers from both communities. Sectarian schooling and housing, which entrenches the conscious policy of the British ruling class of divide and rule, need to be ended.

The national question, in Ireland as well as Cyprus, Palestine/Israel, Kashmir, Sri Lanka and elsewhere cannot be solved under a capitalist system which promotes divisions between workers in order to exploit them. SB recommended books by the secretary of the Socialist Party of Northern Ireland (affiliated to the same international organisation as us, the CWI) Peter Hadden, particularly 'Beyond the Troubles' and 'Divide and Rule'. Both books are available online, if you click on the titles.

Regarding the postal strike, those present at the branch meeting talked about their experiences on the picket line, and in a discussion we discussed the propects for the action, the postal service and how we would work to help the postal workers in any way we could.

CWU action and Shop Stewards Conference report

Postal workers staged a second 24-hour strike over 12-13th July. Devon Socialist Party members have again supported the strike across Devon. There will be a fuller report on this website on Friday, but briefly, it is clear that the strike was still near solid. Going by our experiences on the picket lines, the CWU's estimate of 90+% seems accurate. The Royal Mail's claim of 5-60% is laughable.

In parts of Devon, Socialist Party members have also raised money for the striking postal workers, written letters to local newspapers, and delivered union leaflets outlining the reasons behind the action, and countering the misinformation of the Royal Mail bosses.

The important thing now is to keep up the pressure on the arrogant Royal Mail management who refuse even to negotiate with the representatives of the people who actually make our postal service work, and don't get fat million-pound bonuses for it. Public sector unity in opposing privatisation is also essential, as all parts of the public sector face similar threats.

The National Shop Stewards Network held its first conference on the 7th July, attended by nearly 300 trade unionists, and addressed by RMT (Rail and Maritime Transport) general secretary Bob Crow (pictured, left), PCS (Civil servants' union) general secretary Mark Serwotka and PCS President Janice Godrich.

There is a full report on the Socialist Party website here, but it's worth putting on here the significance of the establishment of the network, which in the words of Bob Crow, "will be seen as the starting point in rebuilding the TUC". The network, when it grows and develops, will play a key role in uniting workplace struggles and fighting for decent pay and conditions and opposing pay cuts and freezes and privatisation.

Also significant was the closing address by Bob Crow:

"We can't separate the trade union and the political path. We can have a great shop stewards' movement that can get pay rises and so on, but when the economy goes down those gains are taken back. That's why I argue we need not just new militant trade unionism but an alternative political party."

We fully endorse that position, which we have been arguing for quite some time, and campaigning for it in the form of the Campaign for a New Workers' Party.

Devon Socialist Party in this weeks 'the socialist' and postal workers campaign update

Presumably owing to space, only one report of the postal strike from Devon appeared in this weeks the socialist, the weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party. That report, on the strike in Barnstaple, can be found here.

Socialist Party members supported pickets in Plymouth, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Exeter as well as in North Devon.

There was also a report on the successful new members and contacts meeting we held last week. That cannot be found on the website, so we reprint it here:

New members' meeting

The Socialist Party in Devon held a successful new members' and supporters' meeting where Robin Clapp, the South West regional secretary, answered questions on the Socialist Party's programme, our history and ideas.

The first aim of the meeting was to introduce the Socialist Party's programme to our supporters, many of whom, having only met us in the last few months, had never been to our meetings before. Many at the meeting asked why we follow the ideas of Marxism, and how that relates to our day-to-day campaigning.

Secondly, we hoped that this meeting would make the ideas of Marxism more accessible to newer party members. Many people can find the political terminology and theories complicated. We therefore need to take time to discuss and explain and read so all our members understand why and how Marxism gives us the tools to build a socialist alternative to capitalism. Two people decided to join the Socialist Party after the meeting and we sold six copies of the socialist.

Jim Thomson, Exeter Socialist Party

Meanwhile in a new development, the postal workers union, the CWU have announced fresh strike action starting at 7pm on Thursday 12th July. Devon Socialist Party fully supports this action, and will again do everything we can to support the postal workers, politically and practically, in any way we can, in what may become a protracted struggle. The future of tens of thousands of jobs, the pay and conditions for those who keep their jobs, and our postal service is at stake.