On the 19th January forty people from 31 campaign groups, tenants and trade unions met in London and agreed to build an umbrella campaign to oppose "attacks on the poor and to fight for benefit justice".
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Campaign for Benefit Justice
Statement agreed by 30 tenant and other groups, including Defend Council Housing and Disabled People Against Cuts, at a launch meeting 19 January in London.
Cuts in benefits are an unjust attack on the poor. Cuts concentrated on Housing Benefit are already breaking up families, communities and support networks. They will mean poverty, debt and evictions.
We oppose all cuts in benefits and tax credits. We did not cause the banking and economic crisis and will not be scapegoated to pay for it.
We reject false divisions and stigmatisation of people who are low-paid or unpaid.
We will join with local and national campaigns including disabled peoples, tenants, unemployed workers, trade unions, students, pensioner, single mothers and others to oppose benefit cuts.
We will support and link up local campaigns.
We oppose all evictions and legal action against those hit by benefit cuts and support all actions taken in defence.
Umbrella campaign group forms to oppose Government's welfare cuts
Tenants, Disabled People Against Cuts and other campaigners are linking up in a national campaign against cuts on housing and other benefits.
Forty people from 31 campaign groups, tenants and trade unions met on January 19 in London and agreed to build an umbrella campaign to oppose "attacks on the poor and to fight for benefit justice".
The PCS trade union, with members in Job Centres and benefit offices, and Unite trade union are among those backing a united campaign.
Initial plans include a protest in February and a 'Benefit Justice summit' and further protests in March - one month before further benefit cuts, including the 'bedroom tax', come in in April.
In a statement, The Campaign for Benefit Justice, said: "Cuts in benefits are an unjust attack on the poor. Cuts concentrated on Housing Benefit are already breaking up families, communities and support networks. They will mean poverty, debt and evictions.
We oppose all cuts in benefits and tax credits. We did not cause the banking and economic crisis and will not be scapegoated to pay for it.
"We reject false divisions and stigmatisation of people who are low-paid or unpaid.
"We will join with local and national campaigns including disabled peoples, tenants, unemployed workers, trade unions, students, pensioner, single mothers and others to oppose benefit cuts. We will support and link up local campaigns.
"We oppose all evictions and legal action against those hit by benefit cuts and support all actions taken in defence."
Source; 24Dash
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Campaign for benefit justice
An organising meeting called on Saturday 19th January by Defend Council Housing (DCH), Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and Right to Work (RtW) attracted around 40 people representing 32 different campaign groups and union branches to build an umbrella campaign to oppose ConDem attacks on the poor and fight for benefit justice.
The idea for the meeting came from a workshop on Welfare and Austerity hosted by DPAC and RtW (Right to Work) at the Unite the Resistance conference in London in November.
Source; False Economy
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Unite the Resistance
Unite the Resistance is a trade union organisation. It is an organisation that is committed to pushing for more action against austerity within the trade unions. We see the trade union movement, and strike action in particular, as just one strand of the anti-austerity movement. We see it as a very important strand and are therefore dedicating our resources to strengthening it.
Other campaign groups such as UK Uncut and Occupy, and community-based anti-cuts groups such as Manchester Coalition Against Cuts, are also vital strands of the movement against austerity. We support the work of these groups and don’t wish to displace them or duplicate their work.
The key difference between these groups and Unite the Resistance is the emphasis on the trade union movement. We believe that the 2.5 million-strong strike of 30th November had the potential to win. And not just to win on pensions, but to inspire a general fightback against austerity in which the actions of groups like UK Uncut and Occupy could flourish. We aim to bring together all those who want to see more action like the 30th November strikes. We want to create a network of trade union activists who work together to push for more action in the unions, and give confidence to workers to fight back against austerity. We absolutely welcome and encourage any actions by other groups that help towards that end, and we want to work together with all those who agree that strike action can help us stop the cuts and stop austerity.
