This week saw what was described as both "the biggest public walkout since the Winter of Discontent" and "a damp squib". Well whatever it was I am proud to say I was involved!
Not only did I strike (well as a relief worker not in a union I technically didn't strike per se, but I didn't go into work), but I also went on my first ever protest march.
It was looking a bit iffy when we first got to the car park where everyone was meant to be meeting; there were hardly any people and they were only trickling in as the minutes ticked by. But then the next time I looked there was hardly room to move there were that many people! Although to be honest you didn't have to look to notice that - the noise gave it away...
Justified noise. The noise of dissatisfied and disillusioned public sector workers who weren't going to let the government screw them over again - at least not without a fight. The pay freeze for the last 2 years (give or take) not enough? The public sector is home to some of the most unwanted jobs, and its workers are undervalued & underappreciated enough without the government twisting statistics to make them look greedy! Public sector pensions are not goldplated - if you heard David Cameron's examples of nurse & teacher during the week then please forget it. He was making the new package seem better by using as few details as possible. For starters under the new conditions public sector workers are expected to work longer, so the pension is bound to appear bigger as a raw number - especially if you do what Cameron did and assume that you start at 25 and work the full 40-year career without any break... How many people is that going to apply to?
Anyway, I digress. The march. Yes, there was quite a bit of standing around at the start making a noise (something that can't be done "in a field" - it's a demonstration, if you're in a field who can you demonstrate to, a cow?), but we did eventually get going. I was a little nervous of the reaction that we would get, but other than one bloke that looked like he wanted to spit at us (and I would've been right in the firing line) it wasn't too bad. Some indifference, some curiosity and quite a few giving us a clap! A load of firemen were even lined up next to their fire engines cheering us on!
The rally afterwards outside County Hall did go on a little too long, given how cold it was, but at least some of the speakers made it worth it - some really inspiring stuff scattered amongst the depressing facts.
I'm not sure how much of a difference it will make, but I'm glad I took part. For my own future and to support my mum (which I think is the least I, or anyone, could do). And I'll strike again & again if needs be - how many times will it take for Westminster to listen?
