To: all trade union branches in Surrey and surrounding area, all community-based anti-cuts campaigns, organisations, service user groups and individuals who want to stand up for public services in Surrey
Dear friends,
Public services are under attack. In every area of public life, all the services we rely on in our everyday lives are threatened. From schools such as Shortwood Infant School in Staines (threatened with closure), to Fire Stations, Police Stations, Community Hospitals, Youth Services, Adult Education, Libraries, Bus Services and many more.
Surrey County Council have announced that they intend to make £180million in ‘savings’ over the next four years. All the boroughs and districts have announced programmes of cuts. Health Services are being gradually scaled down and privatised.
Why? Because this government (and all of the main opposition parties) have decided that bailing out the banks is a higher priority than supporting good quality, well-funded, public services.
Save Our Services in Surrey (SOSiS) has been launched by Surrey County UNISON and supported by Surrey County Council Trade Unions (SCCTU) to act as an umbrella group to spread information and to co-ordinate action against the cuts. Many trade union branches are struggling to defend their members jobs and the services they provide. Many more local people are getting organised to defend the services they rely on. Not a week goes by without more cuts being announced in the local press. We believe we need to stand together and support each other as the juggernaut of cuts and closures gets closer.
Many years ago, we had Trades Councils and Trade Union Resource Centres who could coordinate across campaigns and trade unions. At present we have nothing like this in Surrey.
I am writing to ask your union or organisation to affiliate to SOSiS. We are asking for a minimum affiliation fee of £50 for trade union branches, £20 for community campaigns/organisations and £10 individual membership. Please note that these are suggested minimum amounts and that we would hope for larger donations where possible. Surrey County UNISON branch has pledged up to £2000 to support this initiative.
Affiliation will entitle your union or your organisation, to:
• a mention in our list of sponsors
• a link to your website (if you have one)
• support to set up your own website if you do not have one
• regular email communications regarding local campaigns
• a regular supply of SOSiS leaflets and posters for campaigning activity
• membership and voting rights on the SOSiS steering committee (numbers yet to be decided)
SOSiS has just been set up and it will need to develop as time goes on, working out its own constitution, rules, aims etc. For now, we want to gather as many sponsoring affiliates as possible so we can hold a public launch event in the next few weeks – probably around a specific service which is threatened.
Please raise this at your next meeting and reply as soon as possible. Please click here to download this letter and the affiliation form to take to your next meeting.
In solidarity,
Chris Leary
Chair, Save Our Services in Surrey
