So& Wloirkdersa’ Lirbeirtty y No 247 23 May 2012 30p/80p www.workersliberty.org For a workers’ government Quebec government Rebekah Brooks Capitalism: tries to ban protest is angry can it last? page 3 page 4 page 9 Solidarity against bankers’ cuts blackmail See page Help the 5 Greek le ft! 6 May: Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras celebrates with supporters on gaining 17% in the elections; 21 May: Tsipras visits Paris seeking solidarity for Syriza’s stance against austerity NEWS What is the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty? Soaring cost of childcare Today one class, the working class, lives by selling its labour power to another, the capitalist class, By Esther Townsend Under current rules evitably reduce the quality but whether they can use it which owns the means of production. Society there has to be one carer of childcare and the at all. In the last two years, is shaped by the capitalists’ relentless drive to No wonder it is expen - for three children aged five amount of engagement 24% of mothers have left increase their wealth. Capitalism causes sive to bring up children. or younger. Truss wants a and interaction children re - work, and 16% have re - In January 2012, child - poverty, unemployment, the blighting of lives by ratio of 1:5. She argues that ceive. duced their hours, because care costs were a whop - the current ratio limits the The Department for Ed - overwork, imperialism, the destruction of the childcare costs are too ex - ping £63,099 of a total income of childcarers (an ucation says it is investing environment and much else. pensive. Against the accumulated wealth and power of the cost of raising a child average £11,000 a year), in free early years educa - More than a third of UK capitalists, the working class has one weapon: solidarity. until their 21st birthday lowering quality and tion, and the government parents rely on “informal” The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty aims to build solidarity of £218,000. pushing up prices. guarantees 15 hours per Chief executive of the week free child - childcare arrangements: through struggle so that the working class can overthrow A recent report by Con - capitalism. We want socialist revolution: collective ownership Daycare Trust Anand care/education. But the grandparents and other servative MP Elizabeth Shulka argued that chang - choice of childcare and relatives — arrangements of industry and services, workers’ control and a democracy Truss shone a spotlight on much fuller than the present system, with elected ing the ratio would force overall support for bring - which break down when this; the report said UK nurseries to increase child - ing up children has been representatives recallable at any time and an end to family circumstances has the second highest carer salaries, but, since undermined by cuts to ma - bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. change (e.g., when grand - costs of childcare in Eu - that cost would be passed ternity grants and child We fight for the labour movement to break with “social parents get ill). rope: 26.6% of average on to parents, it would not benefits and closures of Social isolation and partnership” and assert working-class interests militantly family incomes, or 40.9% help parents. In reality, Sure Start centres and loss of independence are against the bosses. of the average UK wage. salaries probably won’t in - after-school clubs (hit by the consequence of Our priority is to work in the workplaces and trade unions, Truss sees a solution in crease but the profits of local authority spending women of all generations supporting workers’ struggles, producing workplace bulletins, simplified regulation — private childcare compa - cuts). bearing the burden of helping organise rank-and-file groups. freeing up workers to care nies will. Increasingly, parents childcare cuts and spi - We are also active among students and in many campaigns for more children at the More worrying, the won’t be worrying about raling costs. and alliances. same time. changed ratio would in - the quality of childcare, We stand for: G Independent working-class representation in politics. G A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the Single parents struggle to find work labour movement. G A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to strike, to picket effectively, and to take solidarity action. By Cathy Nugent parents but particularly so for them alone is a disaster expanded over recent G Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, homes, for single parents — the if, in the absence of a years, none of these jobs, education and jobs for all. In 2008 New Labour vast majority of whom are strong trade union on your meet the real needs of any G A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. began to take away un - women — and even more side, you also have no workers. Nonetheless, Full equality for women and social provision to free women employed single parents’ so for parents of children partner or family to back under pressure to find from the burden of housework. Free abortion on request. Full entitlement to Income as young as five or six as you up. work, single parents take Support (IS) when their equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. children of that age are not GFrom the interviews: up these jobs. Increasing youngest child reached a at all independent. Black and white workers’ unity against racism. “When I worked 20 competition for these jobs, certain age — and the But “flexible work” is hours and my son was in G Open borders. and when many more peo - “qualifying age” was synonymous with poor hospital, I asked to go in G Global solidarity against global capital — workers ple are taking up part-time gradually reduced. pay, possibly inadequate different days to work my everywhere have more in common with each other than with work (even when they their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. hours (fewer than 16 hours hours and they said no.” These parents were G want full-time work), is Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest a week) and insecurity. “According to the job G switched to Job Seekers Al - making it much tougher workplace or community to global social organisation. Not surprisingly, a high centre there is a breakfast lowance and told to find proportion (22%) of single for single parents. G Working-class solidarity in international politics: equal club at a local school but work. In 2013 the introduction rights for all nations, against imperialists and predators big parents who do manage to there isn’t, because my The Tories completed get work (not a given in of Universal Credit will re - and small. children can’t walk the the erosion of any “special the current economic cli - move the threshold of 16 G Maximum left unity in action, and openness in debate. mile and a half unsuper - status” for single parents mate) leave within a very vised between two schools hours for when single par - G If you agree with us, please take some copies of Solidarity with the Welfare Reform short space of time. if I am at work. I haven’t ents can claim in-work to sell — and join us! Act — IS entitlement now The proportion of got a Tardis, I’d love one benefits. DWP research stops when the youngest 020 7394 8923 [email protected] “churn” is very high for but I don’t.” shows that single parents children are 5 or 6. G single parents for many “I’ve looked into local will then go for “mini 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, A recent report by Gin - reasons: it is more difficult child minders and cost - jobs” (of less than 16 gerbread, interviewing to make childcare arrange - London, SE1 3DG. ings, but there is nobody hours). But these jobs (in many single parents, high - ments work if you are on local. There is a nursery- so far as they exist) are lights the huge difficulties your own; it is more diffi - cum-after school club but even more short-term, and these changes have cult to cope with the it is so expensive. And low paid. GET SOLIDARITY brought into the lives of “squeeze” of work and there’s no bus link.” The future for many single parents. being a parent; and em - The benefit system does single parents is one of “Flexible working” is an ployers’ belief that “flexi - still allow for “flexibilities” massive insecurity: EVERY WEEK! absolute must for most ble working” is “flexible” for single parents, e.g., working for little scraps they can restrict their job of money, being on and Special offers search to certain jobs. But off benefits, rushing from benefit advisers often G Trial sub, 6 issues £5 Commissioning: GPs must one job to another, and withhold that information. trying to hold it all to - G 22 issues (six months). £18 waged £9 unwaged While unskilled, low gether against the odds. consider “public” option paid, part-time jobs have G 44 issues (year). £35 waged £17 unwaged Stroud Against the Cuts GPs Clinical Commission - (SATC), through their G European rate: 28 euros (22 issues) or 50 euros (44 issues) ing Group, created by the “Keep Gloucestershire’s Health and Social Care Health Alarm NHS Public” campaign, 11:59 Tick as appropriate above and send your money to: Act to take over the role of have scored a victory Mobilise to save the NHS choosing which organisa - 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, London, SE1 3DG against NHS privatisa - tions provide local health - tion. Cheques (£) to “AWL”. care services from the Or make £ and euro payments at workersliberty.org/sub.