A BIG demonstration of more than 5,000 teachers, UCU university lecturers, PCS members members marched through Liverpool on the TUC Day of Action yesterday.
They marched to the Adelphi where UCU Regional Officer Saira Wiener received rapturous when she said: ‘We have a further 18 days of strikes planned, but we need to bring everyone out together in a General Strike to bring the Tories down.’
There was not enough room for everyone to get inside the Adelphi, so the meeting spilled out onto the street.
Lilly, a Liverpool teacher told News Line: ‘The 5% the government allowed has to be funded out of school budgets, which means other cuts in resources and children suffering and it leads to staff shortages.
‘This government has enough money for MPs’ wage rises and PPP contracts given to their friends. We need a massive shift politically.’
Teacher and NEU member Leigh Maddocks said: ‘I think with the state of the country at the moment and the amount of different workers from different sectors who are disillusioned with pay and working conditions, the only way to make a real difference to this Tory Party and how ignorant and pig-headed they are is through a general strike.
‘We need to bring these different unions and different workforces together. The TUC has got to do more.
‘There needs to be a bigger push and in my opinion a more aggressive push, if we are going to tackle this government because they are actually more aggressive in their treatment of workers.
‘We are threatened with all sorts, and regulations to stop events like this march from happening.
‘The unions need to serve the people who are in them, and if these strikes don’t do the job then we need to escalate and if the TUC isn’t going to call a general strike then we should remove these leaders and get in leaders who will.’
Earlier, on the picket outside Liverpool University early yesterday morning, Sam Glasper, a post graduate researcher, told News Line: ‘I think we should continue with our strike action indefinitely and there should be a general strike to topple the government.
‘I want a socialist government that will nationalise industry under workers’ directives.’
Danny Blair, told News Line: ‘I’m a lecturer in radiotherapy at the University of Liverpool. You find yourself in two minds because it’s not an easy decision come out on strike. I’ve got a young family with me here today. My kids’ teachers are striking and my eldest won’t cross the picket lines.
‘If I’m being brutally honest a lot of the issues don’t directly affect me personally, but it’s a matter of solidarity. It’s a matter of not just thinking about today thinking about the future, thinking about things long term.
‘We should have all come out years ago when the first underinvestment started. But it’s not too late now and now we are doing it. We have to fight.’
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