On the 30th of June there will be a strike by (PCS, NUT, UCU, ATL), including hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, teachers and lecturers. Schools,universities, libraries, Council offices, the National Archives and many other public services will be closed, staging pickets and demonstrations across the country in resistance to the brutal government cuts. Students plan to walk out in solidarity. Unionised or not AS CULTURAL WORKERS WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO TAKE TO THE STREETS! The government has slashed the amount of Arts Council of England (ACE) funding by 30%. The ACE has been forced to impose cuts of 15% to many of the organisations which it has supported over several years. Some organisations have had their grant reduced to zero Local authority budgets have been severely reduced by central government and the arts have been cut in local areas. These cuts will lead to a reduction of employment ili the arts as well as the loss of community assets.
This means that unpaid internships are being used more avid more to cover the gap. Asking people to work for nothing in this way is illegal and also ensures that anyone who cannot afford to work for free is excluded.
The UK has set the trend for other cuts across Europe. The netherlands for example, has announced arts cuts of 40%. Cultural workers there rose to action with art bombs and petitions.
Let’s show our solidarity with all those affected by cuts here and elsewhere! SUSPEND ALL CULTURAL PROGRAMMING ON THE 30th! Bring your creative ideas to the streets! If you are not able to get your organisation to close for the day, then walk out, call in sick or take your toil and come out on the demonstrations.
Cultural Workers, support the strike on June 30th! If you are self-employed, freelance or intern, join the Precarious Workers Brigade at 8am at Hackney Community College, Falkirk Street, then going around Shoreditch with flying pickets and/or join us at 12.45pm at Arts Council England Office, 13 Great Peter Street, then joining Mass Strikers Assembly at 1pm near Westminster. See you on Thursday!
joint call-out between Arts Against Cuts and Precarious Workers Brigade
Precarious Workers Brigade (www.precariousworkersbrigade.tumblr.com),
Arts Against Cuts (www.artagainstcuts.wordpress.com)
