Jerry Hicks: no cuts phased or otherwise!

Candidate for General Secretary of the countries biggest union calls for ‘no cuts’ phased or otherwise! Jerry Hicks one of only four candidates for the General Secretary of Unite has made it clear where he stands on the issue of ‘cuts’. He said “This is a crisis not of our making, we should not be…

Liam

September 11, 2010

1–2 minutes

Candidate for General Secretary of the countries biggest union calls for ‘no cuts’ phased or otherwise!

Jerry Hicks one of only four candidates for the General Secretary of Unite has made it clear where he stands on the issue of ‘cuts’.

He said “This is a crisis not of our making, we should not be paying one single penny, not losing one single job nor face any reduction in benefits or services”.

He [Jerry Hicks] says, angry words will not be enough to stop the butchery to jobs, services and benefits we as ordinary people face from the Con-Dem government. The Labour party, argue cuts, but not so soon. The TUC leadership seem to fall into the same trap of believing cuts are inevitable.

Jerry Hicks points out that, a massive £100 billion goes uncollected from big business and the very wealthy in tax avoidance, this is where the money should come from to pay off the debt. There is an alternative, the case has to be made, then we will need to fight for it not just campaign.

We must build our way out of the recession, more jobs not less, more public projects not fewer, and the money is there, it’s just being spent on the wrong things.

Bringing the troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq saving lives and £ billions, coupled with scrapping Trident saving up to £75 billion. Spend that instead on

£25 billion on building schools, hospitals and council houses providing 100,000 jobs in construction the first 3,200 offered to the blacklisted workers.

£25 billion on ‘Green energies’, sea, solar and wind, creating up to one million jobs

That still leaves £25 billion for state pension increases making ours one of the best in Europe instead of being the third worse.

http://jerryhicks.wordpress.com/wp-login.php and http://www.jerryhicks4gs.com/

3 responses to “Jerry Hicks: no cuts phased or otherwise!”

jim denham

September 12, 2010 at 1:31 am

Hicks is the only candidate who “has made it claer where he stands on the issue of cuts”? Bollocks!
Read this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jun/24/len-mccluskey-unite-public-sector-jobs

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David Ellis

September 12, 2010 at 12:32 pm

I support Hicks as a rank and file candidate but I have to say that some of the above borders on the demagogic.

He seems to be making promises on behalf of the people whose votes he is seeking without regard to the `how’. How does he propose to force the collection of the £100 billion in missing tax. What will be the effect of removing £100 billion from circulation to pay the deficit? How will Trident be stopped? How will the cuts be stopped? How will he bring the troops home? The £75 billion on housing schools and hospitals, state pensions and Green energies. Are these one off investments or annual investments? Where will this money come from if more than a one off investment? How is it proposed to force these investments? What do the 1 million green jobs look like?

Hicks needs a more mobilising policy for action (close shops, staff committees, socialisation of construction industry) and a more blunt accounting of how the economy that workers need is to be achieved and shaped. He shouldn’t get into a `bidding war’ with the reformists. What about inflation and wage freezes and the immiseration of the unemployed, the VAT rise in January? How will these effect his members and how will he fight them? The key to fighting cuts of all descriptions will be mass mobilisation and mass political participation. Engergising the membership not promising them things.

If we are to build our way out of this recession surely we are going to have to take control of the financial reigns of the country and organise them differently?

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shug

September 13, 2010 at 5:28 am

Should he just stick to the bread and butter issues of the unions business,bettering the working and living conditions of his employers,the members.

Then again in our progressive capitalist society,our union reps, have adapted to the capitalist boardroom negotiation, of hand shake and meals and a few drinks,ending in compromise for the so called betterment of all.The results speak volumes of to who!s advantage.The union movement is not going to determine the outcome of any government fiscal drive,outside mass union membership and action.

Old lines, but like it or not the progressive capitalist society we survive in, is turning working ,pay and living conditions, back to Dickension times.Yeah rock on Jerry,he may look and seem old S/W/P,but he!h aren!t we socialist all simillar..

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Liam redux