Birmingham Nov 30 Strike demo

Brum strike
brum strike

Brief personal report on the Birmingham November 30th Strike demo today.

Submitted by Choccy on November 30, 2011

Today I joined thousands* on the strike demo in Birmingham city centre as part of the latest round of strikes touted as being about pensions, more generally against 'austerity' measures, and ultimately about the majority of people being shafted day in day out. Tens of thousands were on strike across the city, with up to 500 schools in Brum & Black Country closed because of the strike.

My own school was closed and the will wasn't there for a picket - most people were just happy to have a day off and do Christmas shopping. I was somewhat ambivalent about this, and it's something I'd like to discuss with others.

I was disappointed we didn't have a picket as there were rumbles that two or three selfish scabs would turn up to work, in an almost empty building, collect a days pay just so they could catch up on paperwork or whatever the fuck, cos they didn't wanna lose a days pay. The 'pension reforms' mean you'll lose a days pay, EVERY MONTH, FOR THE REST OF YOUR FUCKING CAREER!

While I was disappointed we didn't picket, the alienating nature of work anyway, never mind the stressful nature of teaching meant I completely understand why people would rather go and do christmas shopping - at least they actually went on strike!

So in the absence of a picket at work, I got up and did a tour of a few local pickets in south Brum - chatting to admin staff from Unison striking at the local cop-shop, teachers & their co-workers at a local secondary school that just defeated plans to turn them into an academy, the local university and an ambulance station.

People on the pickets were in a good mood and glad to have people up chatting with them and lots of passers-by tooting their horns, bus-passengers waving out windows and generally showing their support. I had a good chat with the teachers at a Bournville school - was really impressed with their campaign against becoming an academy.

A local ambulance station opposite Univ. of Birmingham also had a large, buoyant demo, while the university itself had pickets on all its entrances - but there are so many access points that they seemed spread a bit thin. I think there was a 'teach-out' there too but I didn't get a chance to have a look. There was a trot presence at all the pickets I attended, and union control of all was dominant with all slogans and banners being union material.

The city centre demo looked huge to me, but as a new person in the city, I wasn't able to compare to June 30th or others - chatting to people they said it was the biggest here for years.
I didn't see much of an anarcho presence (not to say there wasn't one, I just couldn't see any, as hard as I looked) and ended up sticking with the NUT lot all the way up to the NIA, chatting to some Anti-Academies Alliance people along the way.

Having heard the shit slogans from trots and bureaucrats along the way I decided against sticking around for the TUC assembly speeches. I'm hoping the positive chatter along the way about a general strike and 'everyone out next time' catches on, fuck knows it needs to!

* EDIT - estimates vary, BBC website said over 4000 this afternoon, while BBC 10oclock News said 30,000 and others have said 15,000 - lets just says SHITLOADS ;)

Comments

Ed

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on November 30, 2011

Great report! You do swear a lot though, innit.. ;)

Armchair Anarchist

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Armchair Anarchist on November 30, 2011

It was definitely a much bigger turnout than J30, around 15k. I went to the TUC thing, though f*ck knows why, left after half an hour.

Choccy

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on November 30, 2011

Ed

Great report! You do swear a lot though, innit.. ;)

mate, have you seen the libcom swearing stats? I am fucking miles ahead of all you cunts! ;)

tastybrain

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by tastybrain on November 30, 2011

Choccy

Ed

Great report! You do swear a lot though, innit.. ;)

mate, have you seen the libcom swearing stats? I am fucking miles ahead of all you cunts! ;)

That exists??

Choccy

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on November 30, 2011

google your chosen swear-word, right hand side go to 'filter by author'
I am clear winner for EVERY SWEARWORD with Steven and Fallback usually right behind me ;)

Choccy

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on November 30, 2011

well FUCK and CUNT at the very least

gypsy

12 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by gypsy on December 1, 2011

[youtube]rdizrGproHM[/youtube]

IWW execute Cameron + Clegg on N30 Strike Rally in Birmingham