Say No to Council Cuts and Attacks on Benefit Claimants

This Wednesday:
Say No to Council Cuts and Attacks on Benefit Claimants

Southwark Action Alert                                     23^rd February 2013

Southwark Council meets on Wednesday to confirm its Council Tax and budget for 2013-4. Not only will this mean more closure of services and community organisations but it also heralds draconian attacks on thousands of Southwark tenants and benefit claimants. A protest demonstration THIS WEDNESDAY (see below) will call on the Council not to impose the bedroom tax and cuts to benefits. Also that they refuse to evict residents who fall in arrears because of these cuts. Come and join us: 6 pm at the Council Offices, 161 Tooley Street SE1.

EVENTS LIST

Monday 25 February

Lobby of The Greater London Assembly meeting to decide the final budget arrangements of Mayor Boris Johnson for the Fire Service. Called by the FBU.

Monday 25 February

6.30pm. Fighting privatisation after the Health and Social Care Act:  Meeting of Defend London’s NHS /Keep Our NHS Public Meeting. Camden Town Hall, Judd St, WC1, just off Euston Rd and nearly opposite St Pancras Station. More information from www.keepournhspublic.com

Tuesday 26 February

1pm. Lobby the NHS Staff Council meeting to defend NHS Terms and Conditions. The Agenda for Change agreement will mean cutting sick pay and introducing performance pay for NHS staff. Venue: UNISON Building, 130 Euston Road NW1 2AY.

Wednesday 27 February

6pm-7pm. Protest against budget cuts, oppose the bedroom tax, cuts in council-tax benefit and eviction threats to benefit claimants.   Assemble outside Southwark Council Assembly for Budget/Council Tax. Venue: 160 Tooley Street SE1 2TZ. Called by SSOS, supported by these Southwark groups: Trades Council, Pensioners Action Group, Southwark Group of Tenants Associations, Disabled People Against Cuts and other anti-cuts groups. Bring banners, people and loud voices!  Facebook link and flyer. Please circulate the attached flyer, and contact southwarksos@gmail.com if your campaign group will attend.

Thursday 28 February

11am - 3pm. Better Public Transport Conference to assess the current state of public transport and discuss what pensioners can do to ensure concessionary travel remains a key issue in the minds of politicians. Organised by the National Pensioners Convention. Venue: St Pancras Hall, Lancing Street (near Euston Station) NW1 1NA. More information here .

Thursday 28 February

6pm. Housing Crisis in London event – to share experiences of housing struggles and share skills to take back to our own communities. Venue: Eileen House, 80-94 Newington Causeway, SE1 6EF. 6pm - People's Kitchen communal meal; 7.30pm - Discussion: housing struggles; 8pm - Film screening on housing homelessness and eviction. More information from: selforganisedlondon@riseup.net

Friday 1st March

12 noon. Direct Action to highlight PFI damage to the NHS. Meet at St Pauls Cathedral. (Planning meeting at 6.30pm on Tuesday 26th February at the occupied Harts Lane Studios, behind TK Maxx in New Cross close to New Cross Gate station.) More at www.SaveLondonNHS.org.uk/Direct Action.

Tuesday 5 March

1.30pm. Emergency Protest Against Back Door NHS Privatisation. a Lord's committee will discuss secondary legislation that will mean virtually all NHS commissioning will have to be done through competitive markets. Assemble College Green opposite House of Lords. Bring banners, placards, street theatre and more! Andy Slaughter MP and Steve Pound MP will join the protest. Facebook event here .

Friday 8 March

12noon. Direct Action on International Women’s Day against the cuts. Assemble at 12noon at Goldsmiths University of London (main entrance Lewisham Way) where you will be met and taken to a convergence point.

Details from June Jordan – see Facebook event here.

Saturday 9 March

11am. Benefit Justice Campaign Summit

To create one national voice to end the war on the poor; to oppose the bedroom tax, cuts in council-tax benefit, ending disability living allowance and other cuts. News report here. Venue: ULU, Malet Street, WC1E 7HY. Supporters include Defend Council Housing, Disabled People Against Cuts, National Shop Stewards Network, Right to Work. Download flyer and book your place here or email to: mail@dpac.uk.net or info@defendcouncilhousing.org.uk

Saturday 9 March

Times tba. Protests, performance and occupation of the pay-day loan companies. For more details contact wontpayday@gmail.com

Wed & Thurs 13/14 March

European-wide Days of Action against Cuts and Austerity. Solidarity with strikes and protests across Europe. Further details to be announced.

Wednesday 13 March

5pm. Lobby of Gove over Teachers Pay and Pensions. Assemble: Cathedral Piazza, Victoria St, SW1. March to DfE. Contact NUT for more information.

Wednesday 13 March

6pm. TUC pre-budget rally: A future for families: A future that works. Emmanuel Centre, 9-23 Marsham Street, Westminster. There is expected to be high demand for places, so please reserve a space online at http://www.tuc.org.uk/afutureforfamilies

Sat 16th March

2-5pm. Anti-Academies Alliance AGM on in central London. More details and leaflets available shortly from AAA website www.antiacademies.org.uk

Tuesday 19 March

7pm. Southwark Defend Council Housing campaign meeting. Venue: St. John's parish office, 18 Larcom Street SE17 1NQ. Details from fairymill@gmail.com

Wednesday 20 March

George Osborne will make his budget speech. Protests planned for central London. Various national campaigns will be supporting. Times and venues will be announced.

Wednesday 20 March

7.30pm. Southwark Save Our Services Organising Meeting – Main items: Building campaigns against the Bedroom Tax, for Benefits Justice, Save our Fire Stations. Room A3 at South Bank Uni London Road Building SE1. (note later start time due to protest events in central London)

ADVANCE NOTICE

Saturday 20 April

Housing Consultation about the future of housing in Southwark: Make your voice heard! One of a series of Southwark Council’s ‘community conversations’. Butterfly Walk, Camberwell SE5. (Time to be announced.)

Mid-May

London wide demonstration to save the NHS. Called initially by the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign and backed by the 600-strong Defend Whittington Hospital public meeting and the recent London Labour Party conference. Get your trade union or community organisation to back the call!

(To be discussed at the next Defend London’s NHS / London Keep Our NHS Public meeting on 25 February – see above)

Saturday 22 June

9:30am – 5pm. People's Assembly Against Austerity. Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London, SW1H 9NH. Details here .

ON-GOING CAMPAIGNS:

Fire stations closures campaign information at http://www.saveourstations.org.uk/

Southwark Disabled People Against Cuts meeting meet at Southwark Independent Living Centre, 10 Bradenham Close, SE17 2QB. Details from southwarkdpac@mail.com

Follow us!

http://southwarksaveourservices.blogspot.com/

Twitter @southwarkSOS

Facebook: Southwark SSOS