All activists should be building support for the strike on the 15 October. ‘Our’ strike should be day three of three days of action by various other public sector unions; the aim being to prolong in terms of publicity and political impact, the actions. Of course these actions are being addressed as much to the Labour Party as to the current government.

Unfortunately the local government part of the action seems to be unravelling. The councils have made a marginally improved offer and this seems to have thrown the relevant unions into confusion. As we write this, it is not sure whether the strike by the local government unions will take place.

Even if they are out that still leaves the NHS workers and ourselves. Now although the unions are taking co-ordinated action at the national level of course there is no formal co-ordination on the ground. Therefore we are urging branches to make links with NHS and local government unions if you can (we recognise this maybe very difficult so it would have been great if the national union leaders had started this work).

Of course no matter how successful the 15 October is, that still leaves ‘what next’ after that strike. Of course the PCS leadership have no plan, no strategy; they, like the rest of the public sector unions are just making it up one strike at a time.