DEFEND OUR PUBLIC SERVICES!

Lobby Islington Council, 7pm, 

Thursday 7th October!

NO CUTS, NO SACKINGS IN ISLINGTON!

Lobby called by Islington GMB, NUT and UNISON and supported
by Islington Hands Off Our Public Services (IHOOPS)

For more information, telephone 07950 075088

To its credit, Islington’s newly elected Labour council has promised to resist the
cuts in public services and welfare being imposed by George Osbourne and the
ConDem government in order to make ordinary working people pay for a crisis
caused by the greed of fat cat bankers and the unrestrained workings of the free
market.

So why has it now agreed to implement £3 million cuts this year with
more to follow?

These cuts include:

Cutting funding for Southeby Mews Day centre, which provides a place to
meet, social activities, a cup of tea and sometimes a hot meal for Islington’s
pensioners, meaning that it will have to close.

 Decimating the borough’s schools Central Services department, with up to 51
teaching and support staff facing the sack.
The services provided by these staff are not “back room” or inessential. They
include providing for pregnant teenage girls as young as 13, supporting children
who have been – or are about to be – excluded from school and supporting
ethnic minority achievement and coordinating the Black Educators Network.

These cuts, bad enough in themselves, are only the start. The answer
given to one of a series of “frequently asked questions” sent to Central Services
staff, “Is this the end of the cuts?” was “Unlikely”.

Already, supporters of Southeby Mews Day Centre have launched a
campaign to persuade Islington Council to drop plans to cut funding and workers in
schools Central Services have resolved to fight to keep their jobs and the essential
services they provide to the borough’s children.

But they must not be allowed to battle alone. All of us who use public services in
Islington – and especially all those of us who work to provide them as well – should
rally to their defence.

If the ConDems get away with sacking education department Central Services
workers and closing down Southeby Mews Day Centre, who and what will be next?

A good way to show our determination to defend our public
services in Islington is to join the protest lobby of the next
full meeting of Islington Council
from 7 pm Thursday 7th October.

Come along – and bring your friends and workmates.

.