Queers Against the Cuts launched

By Anton Johnson

LEFT FRONT ART convened a meeting of Queers Against the Cuts on 27th January at the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies Library in London bringing together a diverse group of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) groups and individuals to look at how to get the LGBTQ communities involved in the anti-cuts campaign and see that they are not marginalised within the anti-cuts campaigns.
Representatives from Unison LGBT, CWU, Labour Representation Committee, Socialist Workers’ Party/Right to Work, Socialist Party LGBT Group, Queer Resistance, TUC LGBT Committee, Sertuc LGBT Network and Left Front Art came.
The meeting was positive in that it was recognised that there is activity going on either in the union LGBT groups – such as Unison or self-organised Queer groups in Manchester and London.
The meeting agreed to support the Pink/Black bloc that had been organised for the anti-cuts demonstration in London on 29th January, along with a range of future activity.
And it agreed to act as a co-ordinating hub, noting the work being done by Queer Resistance and Queer Riot.
Future proposed activity includes: leafleting for the TUC demonstration on 26th March with some street theatre in Old Compton St and a public meeting in March.
The meeting agreed that the idea of a LGBTQ block on the TUC march would be taken back to the TUC LGBT Committee so that they could look at facilitating that.
The meeting noted the invisibility of LGBTQ in the anti-cuts campaigns and events. It was agreed to approach these campaigns to make sure the LGBTQ voice and issues are heard.
Two coming anti-cuts conferences were announced: the Right to Work People's Convention on 12th February and the Progressive London conference on 19th February.
There is to be another planning meeting of Queers Against the Cuts on 8th February in central London, where co-ordinators will be agreed to take the work forward.
If anyone is interested in being involved with Queers Against the Cuts please email mabuse@mabuse.plus.com
The next meeting of the Sertuc LGBT Network is on 9th February at 6 pm in TUC Congress House, Great Russell St WC1. Any Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans trade union member in London, South East or East of England is welcome to attend.
At the meeting there will be a report back on anti-cuts work in the region. For more information about the network you can contact its secretary: Thierry Schaffauser (GMB) on email zezetta.star@gmx.com