By Steve McKenzie.
The Enough is Enough launch meeting in Clapham was a huge success, and the breath of fresh air that our movement needed.
The campaign has strong union involvement, with the RMT, CWU and UCU playing a central role.
Their general secretaries of these unions all spoke at the meeting, as did others from community campaigns who are also involved.
Labour MP, Zarah Sultana spoke well, and there were other Labour MPs at the meeting.
A full time GMB official, leading the strike of outsourced workers at St George’s hospital, also spoke.
There were many hundreds in attendance at the venue, a Victorian Theatre.
There was a big difference to campaigns we have seen in recent years. There was the clear understanding of the class nature of society, and the conflict between classes that is constantly taking place.
The wave of industrial disputes on the railways, Royal Mail, British Telecomm and in universities, was constantly referenced by the speakers.
Outsourcing and privatisation was accurately described as a ‘cancer in our society.’
People were urged to get down to the picket lines and show moral and financial support.
Industrial action on its own isn’t enough
It was good to hear speakers recognise the fact that industrial action on its own isn’t enough. Socialism and a fundamental redistribution of wealth is clearly needed.
In my opinion there is a qualitative change for the better taking place in our movement.
The Enough is Enough campaign already had 300,000 signed up to it, in just over a week.
Mick Lynch (pictured at top) urged people who are not in a union, to join up and get active. In encouraging others to reinvigorate our unions from the bottom up, he reflected the potential strength inherent in this campaign.
Simply putting our faith in others to transform society, does not work. The whole Jeremy Corbyn episode has taught us that.
It is about everyone getting involved and acting collectively.
The Enough is Enough campaign will now be organising similar meetings in major cities the length and breadth of the country.
At the same time we must be actively getting down to picket lines to show our support.
We need to get active in our unions working to strengthen them when they have good leadership and looking to change them where they do not.
We need to do whatever we can to help build the Enough is Enough campaign.
