If Not Now Then When?

I finished work early today with the intention of coming home and working on my speech for the TUC on monday, but found myself uninspired.

So I farted about on You Tube for a bit. I listened to a bit of Tevin Campbell and some vintage Al B Sure. It made me nostalgic for the 80's and 90's.

I thought back to what I was doing then. I was living under a Conservative government. I was a single mother on benefits. I lived in a council flat with my rent paid and looked after my baby. I wanted to work, but seriously couldn't afford it. I lived on bugger all money. I walked every where, I went without a social life. I never went on holiday. You know, the things that we are supposed to take for granted as everyday.

But you know what? With all of that I felt richer then than I do now 24 years on.

My baby is all grown up and planning a family of his own. I am again living under a Conservative government. Now I work. Full time. I pay my own rent. I live on bugger all money. I walk everywhere. I go without a social life. I can't remember the last time I went on holiday.

So nothing has changed it would seem. The poor are still scum. Immigration is still the cause of all ills. I am still  disgusted by what I see and I still feel the need to fight injustices.

I would say that some things are worse. I am a trade unionist and proud to be so. On monday starts the TUC Conference and I will be there and will be proud to be there. The first motion up is on Trade Union rights and how they don't actually conform to the Human Rights Act.

We have had our power and strength eroded by successive governments for years. Now is the time to take the power back. Who could have seen the communal stroll last saturday and not have felt that this was the time? Who could have seen the March For The Alternative and not have felt that this was the time? Who could have witnessed the mass strike action on June 30th and not felt that this was the time?

This is why I am proud to be part of the trade union movement and why I will be proud to be representing PCS next week at Congress.

But I'm even more proud of what I will be doing on sunday. There is a lobby of the TUC https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=222515987782045 . Now I know that there are those who think it a pointless exercise, there are those that see it as a waste of time and campaigning resources. But if we get a good turnout it will show that there is a will for further action, for the General Strike that was alluded to at Congress last year. And maybe it will change nothing. But maybe it will.

I don't want to read my grandchildren's blogs in 25 years time and wonder why we didn't do enough.

If now is not the time to really fight for change then when?