After March 26th – by Zita Holbourne, BARAC

(From http://righttowork.org.uk)

Right to Work is hosting a series of contributions from campaigners about the way forward after March 26th. The first article is by Zita Holbourne, co-founder of BARAC and member of the Right to Work steering committee.

March 26th for me was a starting point of bringing trade unionists, workers, service users, families and communities together to express and register their feelings about the cuts and send a strong message to the con-dem coalition that people are not going to stand by and accept the cuts without a fight.

In addition to the trade unions there were a huge number of community organisations and campaign groups present at the march but as they were made to join the end of the march they were not as visible as trade unions. There was no doubt that it was a brilliant day with a fantastic turnout but it’s a shame that the smaller groups many of whom represented those who are going to bare the brunt of the cuts were sent to the back of the march and that  trade unions, community groups and campaign groups were not mixed together more. 

As both a trade union representative and co-founder/ chair of a campaign group I was made to choose between the two.  In the end I marched with my family.
There is a great need moving forward for all of these groups with the one aim of fighting the cuts to work together and support each other and that community organisations and campaign groups representing those who will be hardest hit by cuts are given a voice and included in all aspects of the campaign going forward.

There is a mood for further action now with a number of unions balloting for or taking strike action  and the hope of co-ordinated strikes later on in the year.  An all out national strike would be really powerful as it would bring the UK to a standstill and have real impact in getting the government to listen and engage with us.

We need to reclaim our people power, include every community, worker and service user impacted and act with urgency because the cuts are hitting us now. We need to take action not just on the immediate impact on us but think about the futures of our children and young people who are being attacked left right and centre, demonised by the government and the media with  education  now only accessible if you are rich and with very little prospects on the jobs market and a vicious circle of job adverts calling for experience and young people not being able to gain the experience because they are barred from applying for vacancies.

We need to respond to the attacks we are facing now but also have a long term strategy for ensuring our young people have a future and prospects they can look forward to and that they are afforded opportunities and access to facilities, education and the labour market that are fair and equal, free of discrimination and prejudice.

Zita Holbourne, Co-founder/ Co-Chair Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK


Zita Holbourne is a performance and published poet http://www.myspace.com/zitaholbourne%29
She wrote the following poem after the demonstration, copyright Zita Holbourne

MARCH 26 MARCH, A POEM BY ZITA

ON COACHES AND TRAINS FROM ALL PARTS OF UK
WE ASSEMBLED ON EMBANKMENT TO HAVE OUR SAY
TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY
THAT WE WERE NOT GIVING UP OR GOING AWAY

 SOME MARCHED, SOME ORATED
SOME STAMPED ON THE HATRED
SOME ACTED DEFIANT
BUT NONE WERE COMPLACENT

SOME PLACARDS WERE DONATED
SOME LOVINGLY CREATED
SOME HELD BANNERS HIGH
SOME WAVED FLAGS TO THE SKY

MANY MARCHERS FELT CHEATED
BUT REFUSED TO BE DEFEATED
SOME MEETED AND GREETED
A FEW WERE VIP TREATED

SOME WERE WITH FAMILY
ALL WERE IN UNITY
SOME MADE A NEW FRIEND
ALL PREPARED TO DEFEND

SOME ROSE UP EARLY, TRAVELLED BY NIGHT
ONE WALKED TO MARCH THROUGH A WEEK OF DAYLIGHT
THERE WERE CHILDREN AND ELDERS
TRADE UNION REPS AND WORKERS

SOME VOICED FOR THE VOICELESS
SOME MARCHED FOR THE POWERLESS
SOME WERE QUIET, SOME WERE LOUD
SOME WERE OUT AND PROUD

THERE WERE BLACK ACTIVISTS RISING
DISABLED GROUPS LEADING
WOMEN BLOCKS OF PURPLE AND GREEN
BOLD AND BRIGHT SO THEY’D BE SEEN

SOME WERE ON FOOT, SOME ON SHOULDERS
SOME WERE FOUR LEGGED, SOME CARRIED BANNERS
SOME CAME IN WHEELCHAIRS
SOME CAME WITH PUSHCHAIRS

SOME WERE CIVIL SERVANTS, SOME FIRE FIGHTERS
SOME NURSES AND CARERS, SOME WERE BUS DRIVERS
SOME HAD FLAGS, SOME PLACARDS DISPLAYED
HOLDING UP INFLATABLES, WHILST HANDS WERE WAVED

SOME WERE WORSHIPPERS, SOME WERE ATHEISTS
SOME WERE POLITICIANS, SOME WERE SOCIALISTS
SOME WERE STUDENTS AND SOME WERE TEACHERS
SOME WERE DRESSED UP LIKE STRANGE CREATURES

SOME TOOK DIRECT ACTIONS
SOME WERE IN FACTIONS
SOME PROUDLY DISPLAYED TRADE UNION NAMES
SOME CAME FROM LOCAL OR NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

SOME MARCHED INTO HYDE PARK
SOME STAYED WAY AFTER DARK
SOME SHELTERED A WHILE TO AVOID THE RAIN
SOME LEFT EARLY TO CATCH A BUS OR TRAIN


SOME MARCHED FOR EDUCATION AND JOB SECURITY
SOME MARCHED FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
SOME MARCHED FOR JUSTICE, SOME AGAINST POVERTY
SOME MARCHED AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AND FOR EQUALITY

SOME WENT ON TO RALLY AT TRAFALGAR SQUARE
UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVED WEARING RIOT GEAR
 FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND MARCHED FOR THE ALTERNATIVE
ON THE MARCH 26 MARCH,  STRONG, DETERMINED AND POSITIVE