Build the Alternative, Broaden the Struggle – Public Meeting

Thursday 8th September, 7pm, at the Birmingham and Midlands Institute. Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 3BS

Birmingham Against the Cuts and Right to Work are pleased to announce the details of our next public meeting, to be held in the run up to the Liberal Democrat conference demonstration on Sunday 18th September.

We have a great lineup of speakers already, with more to confirm. If you’re on facebook, attend our event and invite your friends

Jack Dromey MP
Bob Crow, General Secretary RMT union
Jody McIntrye, journalist and political activist
Paul Brandon, Right to Work
Eleanor Lisney, Disabled People Against Cuts
more speakers to be confirmed.

Chair: Caroline Johnson, Birmingham Unison / Birmingham Against the Cuts

Jack Dromey is the Labour MP for Erdington. He has been outspoken against the cuts, and has supported many events locally, including the Justice for All march, and gave an excellent speech at our public meeting on May 26th.

Bob Crow is the outspoken leader of the RMT union, who regularly take industrial action over health and safety issues, wrongful dismissals or in defence of their pay and conditions. Bob is a union leader who is not afraid to ballot his members for strike when it is needed, and is well respected by them in return. It will be great to have him talk here, in the light of potential upcoming strike action by public sector workers in the Autumn

Jody McIntyre is a journalist and political activist who was pulled out of his wheelchair by police during the student demonstration on the 9th December. Ever passionate and always interesting, it will be a pleasure to welcome Jody to our city.

Paul Brandon is the chair of the Right to Work coalition, who have called this meeting jointly with Birmingham Against the Cuts. Right to Work were instrumental in calling a demonstration at the Liberal Democrat conference, which was quickly backed by all the local anti-cuts groups working in the West Midlands and by the Regional TUC, before being adopted by national TUC.

Chaired by Caroline Johnson, Chair of Birmingham Against the Cuts and joint branch-secretary of Birmingham Unison, whose council workers were on strike on the 30th June and are likely to take more strike action in defence of pay and conditions during the Autumn.

We would like to welcome everyone to come and listen to these speakers, and will ensure that there is no confusion over timings and that there is plenty of time for us to take contributions from the floor as we build towards the Liberal Democrat conference demonstration in Birmingham, and other national demonstrations around the UK – at the Tory Party conference in Manchester, on October 2nd; in Coventry on October 22nd for the regional demonstration of the YFJ Jarrow March recreation, and in London on November 5th for their national demonstration and the 9th for NCAFC demonstration against the privatisation of education.

The watchword for us over the next month is leafletting – to build this meeting and the Liberal Democrat conference demonstration. If you are available to help, or know of an event, high street or workplace that should be leafletted, especially if you’d be willing to co-ordinate it, please email us. BirminghamAgainstTheCuts@Gmail.com
We are looking at leafletting on weekday evenings and mornings as well as weekends, all around the city at train stations, football grounds, local high streets or other areas, as well as the city centre so let us know when you would be available and what area(s) you could get to.
We will have printed leaflets for this event available from Friday, and should be leafletting in the city centre on Saturday.
Please keep an eye on this website for details later this week.

Around all of this there will be more local and regional events happening, with the vote on the health reform bill the day before this meeting, keep up to date with events with Save our NHS West Midlands.

You can download an A4 double sided version of the flyer here to email to other people. A5 flyers will be available from the weekend so let us know if you want some to deliver.