TUC delegates at the opening of the Congress in Brighton yesterday supported the Young Socialists lobby which demanded ‘Youth Demand a Future, Youth Demand Jobs’.
There was widespread support for the demand for TUC action in defence of London Metropolitan students, 2,600 of whom are threatened with being deported.
More than 50 Young Socialists kept up constant chants which included ‘TUC Get Off Your Knees Call a General Strike’, Defend the NHS Call a General Strike’, ‘Defend International Students – Deportation No Way’ and ‘Defend London Met Students TUC Must Act’.
UCU lecturers union delegate from Northumbria University, Veronica Killen, told News Line: ‘What this government has done to the London Met international students is dreadful. Their personal lives and their whole careers have been not just disrupted but hugely harmed, it sends a terrible message to the whole world.’
She showed an emergency motion that is being put to the TUC this week calling for ‘An immediate amnesty for all-London Met non-EU international students’.
Former lecturers union leader Paul Mackney said: ‘We’ve got to get behind the London Met students, the government must be made to withdraw its outrageous, cheap, xenophobic decision’.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber told News Line: ‘It’s a massive blow for these students, the government shouldn’t have acted in this precipitous way. We support the students and the university in trying to get the government to think again.’
Lukman Bello, the vice-president of London Met NUS, who was part of the Young Socialists lobby, said: ‘The TUC are part of a larger struggle and their members will be affected if we allow the actions of the government to go unchallenged, the should support us in all possible ways.’
Delegates spoke about the Prison Officers Association (POA) motion on the consideration of a general strike, David McCarty from the GMB Thamesmead said: ‘I agree with the call for a general strike. We can’t have any more cuts, it’s peoples’ lives that are being thrown away.’
Nick McCarthy from the PCS said: ‘The PCS is supporting the motion from the POA calling for a general strike’, he added: ‘our executive has also passed a resolution supporting the London Met students.’
Steve McCarthy, a UCATT delegate said: ‘We’re supporting the POA motion, we need to show this government the unions have teeth.’
Earlier, the Young Socialists joined the RMT/PCS march and rally of more than a thousand, many of them delegates to the TUC.
Janice Godrich, the president of the PCS told the rally: ‘Not only should we consider a general strike, but we should deliver a general strike.’
Afterwards she told News Line: ‘The motion from the POA was tied 16-16, so they are coming back on Monday morning. The motion says the TUC should discuss the practicalities of calling a general strike. I think we must go beyond discussing it, we must call it. We need a coordinated response to the cuts.’
On the march Mick Lynch, Eurostar RMT, told News Line: ‘The TUC has got to take a stand and organise coordinated action, a general strike is essential after the demonstration of the 20th of October. It’s got to be the next step these union leaders must wake up.’
Brighton resident Lesley Blythe said: ‘Cameron is trying to bring in free forced labour. Atos is persecuting people with disabilities. Cameron is de-professionalising teaching and he’s organising the theft of the NHS. I think there should be a general strike.’
Brighton student Ewan Atkinson, from Varndean College NUS, spoke out in support of the London Met students. He said: ‘It’s a disgrace, everyone should have an education no matter where you’re from. There should be a mass student walk-out. It was great in 2010 when there were mass student demos, I was still at school but we brought loads of people, more than a hundred from our school, marching in defence of education.’
Fellow Varndean student Sam Bland said: ‘I would welcome everyone out on the streets. We should organise occupations. Why aren’t we taking over government buildings? I’d favour a general strike and not just for one day, but until we get rid of the government.’
