Things seem to be pointing to further national action over pensions sometime in the period mid March to the end of March.

It seems possible that PCS along with up to 12 or possibly even more unions will take a one day strike. The question, as always, is what next. We all know from bitter experience in PCS that a series of one day strikes separated by months of inaction is not going to win.

From what we understand Unite and the NUT have been shaping their minds around what will win. Unite, drawing on their long running dispute in Southampton (a dispute we will return to in a future posting), are looking at selective action; NUT looking at rolling (e.g. a series of regional strikes where one region goes out, followed shortly by another region etc) and other actions. We think both are good ideas.

Of course the stumbling block, maybe PCS. Our leadership view’s on selective action is stupid and frankly dangerous; it is stupid as selective action is a valuable tool; it’s dangerous as the situation is too serious, the stakes too high, for such juvenile attitudes to what is just a tactic, to remain.

That’s where politics comes in. The Independent Left is standing in the NEC and DWP elections. We evaluate tactics for their effectiveness, given the concrete circumstances, rather than in advance make pronouncements as to what is acceptable and what is not. If you want a leadership that thinks as we do then please vote for us.