Coronavirus measures – We are Not in this Together!

After weeks of dithering in the face of the impending Covid-19 pandemic, and talk of managing the waves of infection to “build up herd immunity”, there were panic measures introduced to require social distancing and whole industries were closed down. Financial measures were announced to pay for the furloughing of millions of workers, with the state paying 80% of the basic salary. Those who would not qualify for the furloughing scheme were to claim unemployment and sickness benefits. The basic rate for these benefits is so low that the Government added an extra £20 a week to these basic rates for a year in order for those claiming the benefits to survive at all. A three month “holiday” on payments for credit agreements was rushed through and now everything is on hold for the moment. Meanwhile thousands of workers have been dying, often because of the lack of protective equipment in hospitals, in transport and other essential services, while daily government briefings try to claim: “We are all in this together!”

Vast sums of money are being provided to businesses to ensure their survival. The Government and the Bank of England is producing money out of thin air to keep the economy on life support. Some on the so-called left are fascinated by this extension of state spending, and state support for industries, as some kind of social democracy in action. The new “renovated” Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer, and trade union leaders, are just aching to get involved in such activities. But soon all these state finances will have to be paid for, and it will be taken out of the working class. Then it will be even more important for the workers to be organised independently for their own interests.

Organise as a class, think as a class, act like a class!