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Delegates vow to support outsourced members

(24/06/11) Conference vowed to support members in the expanding private and community sector today, as delegates debated the challenges of organising across that sector.

UNISON's national delegate conference heard how branches were finding it "difficult to support people in these sectors", sometimes having to deal with 150 employers.

Steve Bennett for Northants county branch called for the national executive committee (NEC) to work out how to improve things and how best to "organise and recruit".

Steven Brown of Quarriers told conference of the difficulty of organising a branch of "600 members, from Elgin to Bath, with 10 stewards".

Mary Powell of the London housing group agreed that "it's difficult", but added that, when UNISON's community group was formed, it had 60,000 members - and it's growing.

She emphasised that facility time - or the complete lack of it in many places - was a major issue, but called on delegates to see the challenges as an opportunity.

"Let's take the fight back to the government and show that we can take anything they throw at us".

Moz Greenshields for the NEC said that, while the union is opposed to outsourcing, it does also offer an opportunity to recruit.

And she praised the motion as providing "a national strategy" for meeting the challenge.

Among a raft of recommendations and suggestions to branches and regions, conference instructed the NEC to develop a national strategy for the individual representation of a fragmented workforce, recognising the problems in time off being available across employer groups within one branch.

Delegates defend right to strike

(24/06/11) After a week in which the prospect of industrial action over pensions was a recurring theme in Manchester, UNISON delegates defended their legal right to strike.

Delegates voted for a motion in defiance of government plans to tighten strike laws, dictating a minimum ballot turnout as high as 60% before industrial action could be legal.

NEC member Sarah Crowe told conference: "The government has obviously not given much thought to this. If they had used the same principle of 60% turn-out for political elections, how many of their own MPs and councillors would have been elected?

"Having such a hurdle for our strike ballots, but not for national elections would certainly be unfair."

Mark Ferguson of Scotland noted that there were also threats to such things as employment tribunals. "They want to ban strikes in public services and deny any opportunity to challenge employers," he said. "It's all part of a political dogma and ideology that hates public services."

Mr Ferguson added that the government was particularly afraid of UNISON, because it knew the union would lead resistance to the cuts, job losses and pension reforms. "They know that if they can't break the union, their carefully concocted plans will fail."

Gordon McKay of the NEC asserted that, "The only people who decide if we take industrial action will be our members. Not the government, not the lawyers, not the courts."

Conference called upon the NEC to:

seek expert advice and opinion on industrial action law and possible hostile amendments;
work in coalition with the Institute of Employment Rights and campaign groups;
examine possible legal remedies using European and human rights legislation, in defence of trade union rights;
work with the TUC to develop and mount a broad campaign of resistance to any restrictive proposals;
raise awareness amongst members of the value of effective industrial action.

Mr McKay used the debate to pour scorn on Liberal Democrat ministers, particularly business secretary Vince Cable. "Mr Cable will defend employment rights - as long as people don't use them."

Delegates decry 'school eat school' culture

(24/06/11) UNISON today repeated its call to its school members to support striking teachers on 30 June.

In the final session of this year's NDC, the union also vowed to continue its fight against the Education Bill and the ConDem's escalation of the academy schools programme.

It seemed apt that, on the eve of the teachers' strikes, the conference's final debate should be on education.

UNISON is supporting the teachers' action over pension cuts and has sent clear guidance to its members, advising them not to carry out any duties not in their contracts, and which would otherwise be performed by teachers.

"We have advised all our schools members to do the right thing - and support the teachers," said the NEC's Steve Warwick.

Mr Warwick told delegates that education was the "test bed" of the coalition's politics of cuts and marketisation, which would lead to greater inequality and unfairness, and a "school eat school" culture.

"The Academies Act was rushed through faster than the anti-terrorism legislation after 9/11," he said.

"Next they cut higher education funding and tripled tuition fees. Then they cut further education funding, and the education maintenance allowance for poor teenagers. And they want to push Sure Start and nursery provision to the private and voluntary sectors."

He noted that the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland "can show us how to provide modern, inclusive education for all our children."

And he said that UNISON would not stop fighting the government's plans, alongside the other education unions, students, parents and governors.

Andrew Berry of Islington branch told conference the education reforms represented "one of the biggest and most ideological attacks on the welfare state."

He said that UNISON had to go further than defending current provision - "we have to set out a vision of what we think the future of education should look like."

On an individual level, Mr Berry urged more UNISON members to follow his lead in becoming a school governor, a position from which he was able to successfully argue against his school seeking academy status.

Delegates passed a wide-ranging education motion which included calls on the NEC to:

continue to promote good local comprehensive schools for every child;
work with the other education unions, the TUC, Anti-Academies Alliance and Campaign for State Education against privatisation and in favour of comprehensive education provided through local education authorities;
campaign against the Education Bill, and against the cuts in state benefits, EMA, careers/connexions, youth and other education and children's services;
continue to campaign against cuts in further and higher education, and the introduction of increased tuition fees in England;
work with Labour Link to influence Labour Party policy to support comprehensive education provided through local education authorities.

Online campaigning is 'essential', conference told

(23/06/11) UNISON must embrace social media as a key tool in the campaign for public services, recognising the potential support amongst the "dynamic online community", Manchester delegates heard today.

Lisa Kelly of the national young members forum reminded conference of the "spectacular success" of the Link to another website Andrew Lansley rap video, which played a distinctive role in the protest against the Health and Social Care Bill and had "reached an audience we rarely speak to, in their own language".

Praising UNISON for funding the video, Ms Kelly urged the union to direct such "boldness and vision" toward other ventures in online campaigning.

"Online is not a luxury, it is not optional and it is not the future," she said. "It's here and now, and it’s essential."

Delegates called on the NEC to provide guidelines for engagement with online campaigns, "consistent with the union's policies and values".

But they also agreed that social media represented an addition, not an alternative to traditional campaigning and organising methods.

The NEC's Sue Highton told conference that stronger organisation "must be at the heart of the fightback against the coalition government."

Ms Highton noted that although UNISON's membership had grown every year since the union’s formation, overall union density was disappointingly low.

"The more members we have, the stronger we are," she said.

"We need a strong workplace organisation to resist an even more confident and aggressive employer

She spoke of the need to recruit more members, increase the number of workplace reps, strengthen workplace organisation and develop stronger alliances within the community, "particularly those who depend on us."

Conference welcomed the new NEC guidelines on community organising, and encouraged regions and branches to use them to forge new community alliances and campaigns.

"Many branches are already involved in building such coalitions," said Ms Highton. "We need to share their experiences and successes in order to inspire others."

In a further organising debate, delegates called upon the NEC to pursue an urgent audit of union spending, to determine a reprioritisation away from "servicing" activity to "campaigning" work.

Conference vows to organise for the future

(23/06/11) "Organising and recruitment are the key elements of our campaigns," delegates heard this morning.

Linda Hobson from the Northern region noted that it had "never been more important to offer workers a vibrant union", saying that the success of the Million Voices for Public Services campaign revealed that that was just what UNISON is.

She noted that "we must build density" and "we must recruit young members."

Jo Spear of Southampton University Hospital praised the Three Companies project, which she told conference had "changed our lives".

She explained how the intensive organising programme had achieved 98% density and, with it, huge improvements in the terms and conditions of her and her fellow workers and members.

Those included sick pay, but most of all, "we have won our respect".

Among specific actions, conference instructed the NEC to:

reprioritise spending from a 'servicing' model to an 'organising' one;
evaluate the Three Companies project and follow this with a programme of training organising staff in the techniques that have been successfully piloted.

It was also agreed that branches and regions should develop organising plans as a part of campaign activity against the cuts.

UNISON steps up fight to save the NHS

(23/06/11) "The future of the NHS is at stake," said delegates to UNISON's national delegate conference this morning – and pledged to "make sure this is a fight we win".

Paying tribute to what the union’s campaigning has already achieved, James Anthony for the national executive committee noted: "We've retoxified the NHS as an issue for the Tories."

And he urged activists to take action on the NHS’s birthday on 5 July.

Pat Barrett of the national retired members committee told the hall: "A lot of us can remember, if you didn’t have 1/6d, you couldn’t see a doctor.

"Imagine that if you’ve got a poorly kiddie."

And she urged branches to use retired members in the fight.

"We can help. We've still got fire in our bellies. Jack Jones kept campaigning until he was 96. He used to have a song: 'Keep right on to the end of the road’. And we have to do that to save our NHS."

Clare Williams for the NEC said that the government had no democratic mandate for the "wholesale dismantling of the NHS".

But she observed that "the NHS remains the largest untapped market in Europe", which was why the government wanted to privatise it for their friends in big business – friends such as "Care UK, which funded Andrew Lansley’s campaign".

Diane Kelly from the North West also stressed that neither Conservative nor Lib Dem manifesto had contained the changes now being proposed to the NHS.

The coalition agreement didn’t mention such reorganisation either, while David Cameron had promised there would be no more top-down reorganisations in the health service either.

As one delegate put it: "How can you tell when a Tory is lying? Their lips move."

Conroy Lawrence of London highlighted the "very real risk to people’s lives" of the plans, adding how important it was to "engage with the public" on the issue.

Speakers told conference about cuts that were already happening, about waiting lists that were growing and about how surgery such as hip and knee replacements, and cataract operations was being declared 'non-essential'.

"We need to fight," said Bev Miller of the national Black members' committee, while Debbie Turner of central Lancashire stressed that, in that fight, "nothing is more important than constant, strategic local action".

And after one speaker had made a Freudian slip, calling the government "Condoms", Gilly Anglin-Barrett noted, to great applause: "Condoms are valuable health tools. The ConDems – there’s nothing valuable about them, but they are tools".

Amid a raft of measures, delegates called on the NEC to:

continue to make the case for a universal, comprehensive and equitable NHS that focuses on patients and not profit;
work to expose the lie that NHS spending is protected and highlight the impact of cuts on patients and staff;
build alliances and work with community groups, local councils and the Labour Party to fight the changes.

'Stop the great pensions robbery'

(22/06/11) "Lies, damned lies and the inventions of a Tory poodle."

That was how Jane Carolan described what UNISON is facing as she introduced the pensions debate with a statement from the national executive committee (NEC) in Manchester this morning.

And she had particular scorn for "Tory lackey" Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, whose intervention last week suggested that the government is negotiating in bad faith, having already made up its mind what it will do.

She also noted that public sector pensions had "already been future-proofed by the last government - and it would be nice to hear them mention this".

As the debate itself got under way, speaker after speaker focused on two key points:

the need to organise and build for any industrial action;
the need to combat the "lies" in much of the mainstream media by educating the public.

Lilian Macer of Scotland said that it was "vital that this government be stopped".

She reminded delegates that the attacks on public sector pensions are "political", as they act as "a barrier to privatisation."

And she added: "If anyone out there thinks that privatisation is a good thing, I have only two words for you – Southern Cross".

She urged delegates to "organise, agitate and educate to stop the great pensions robbery".

Rae Voller for the women's self-organised group called on conference to "end this nightmare - and dream again of a fair society".

Delegates heard that it was essential not to allow the government and its allies to turn the issue into a them against us, private versus public question, saying that private sector pensions were poor, but would not be helped by a "race to the bottom".

The importance of involving both young and retired members in campaigning was emphasised, while delegates also heard how Black people would be disproportionately affected by the attacks.

Ash Dhobi for the national Black members committee said that members were being made "to pay for the mistakes made by the bankers and financiers".

Mark Clifford for the NEC noted that: "No one can do everything - but everyone can do something" to build the campaign.

Clare Williams for the NEC spoke of a "litany of broken promises" and asked: "Are we seriously expecting paramedics, nurses, domestics and porters, doing heavy manual work, to work until 68?"

Manchester local government delegate Steve Swift said that "we need to arm ourselves with the facts" and tell people those facts, as well as responding to inaccuracies in the media.

Gilly Anglin-Jarrett of Northamptonshire called on everyone to "stand together" and urged members to "work on your RMS data, support the motions and do the work", while John Gray of Greater London stressed the need to "organise carefully".

Among a raft of specific decisions, conference instructed the NEC to:

call on the Labour Link to work to gain a commitment from the Labour Party to repeal the change from RPI to CPI when re-elected;
develop a campaign strategy to defend public sector pensions and in support of affordable pensions for all workers;
encourage and support regions and branches to campaign locally;
raise awareness of the disproportionate impact on women and Black people;
campaign to address the myths around public sector pensions that are being generated by the right-wing media.

Conference wary of mutuals

(22/06/11) Conference today noted the significance of mutual and social enterprises in the government's efforts to redesign the delivery of public services, smoothing the path to privatisation and, said Dave Auger of Wolverhampton, "undermining the position of unions in the public sector and making it easier to dismantle services".

Delegates heard that mutuals and social enterprises were subject to competitive tendering, as well as the cuts that were affecting the public sector.

They called on the union's national executive council to look at all aspects of mutuals and social enterprises in delivering public services and make sure that branches and regions have the resources to be effective in responding to the issue.

Birmingham members to strike against savage cuts

(22/06/11) UNISON council workers in Birmingham have voted to take industrial action in protest against a new contract proposed by the city, which attacks their pay and conditions.

Birmingham local government branch members voted by a 76% majority for the strike, which will take place on 30 June.

News of the action was greeted with cheers at the union’s conference in Manchester today, during a debate in which delegates voiced their determination to defeat the ConDem coalition.

Graham Horne of Birmingham local government branch told conference that the city council had been led by a ConDem coalition for six years – and that the city’s public services had been “squeezed of funding” long before the government announced its austerity cuts.

Those services will lose £330m over the next three years. “Birmingham is known as the second city,” said Mr Horne, “but it is second to none in terms of cuts.”

Adding insult to injury, the authority has “declared war on staff” with what has become known as the Martini Contract, because it will allow council bosses to change or reduce working hours as and when they feel like it, forcing employees to work “any time, any place, anywhere”.

The contract will also lead to thousands of workers losing pay, and affect such conditions as weekend and shift pay.

Conference condemned the government for “mounting an ideological attack on the public sector disguised as financial necessity” – an attack that was being implemented “with relish” by coalition councils across the country.

Delegates agreed on the need to build an effective anti-cuts coalition with the TUC, other unions, trade union councils, community groups, services users and the public, and to resist attacks on hard-won terms and conditions.

It was also agreed to publicise wherever possible the role of the Liberal Democrats in implementing those cuts.

As Mr Horne told delegates: “The future is not orange. The future is purple and green.”

Conference also emphasised the need to build the union’s density in every workplace, if it is to counter the attacks on public services.

'We will strike to defend our pensions'

Dave Prentis issues rallying call at UNISON NDC

(21/06/11) "Today is our union's call to arms," declared general secretary Dave Prentis in his keynote speech to UNISON conference in Manchester this afternoon: "We will strike to defend our pensions.

"To those who say 'name the day', I say - 'a day won’t be enough. This coalition won’t move with just one day of action.' To those who say 'negotiate' I say 'any time, anywhere, for as long as it takes'.

"Strike action will need to be sustained. We’ll listen to none of the emotional blackmail from our politicians and the media. How dare they say we should not be taking action after losing so many jobs, after the pay freeze - to defend our pensions?

"If this coalition is so worried about the people who use our services they shouldn't be closing them down. If they're so worried about disruption they shouldn’t be privatising them."

He spoke out against "the bankers who crashed our world. The venture capitalists who sucked the life blood out of Southern Cross.

"It is this coalition who set our nation on a reckless course. They are the enemy - this coalition, with no democratic mandate, taking a chainsaw to our public services."

Slamming the government's NHS review, he branded it "a cynical exercise in deceit and deception.

"They may have paused, but they didn't listen. Their aims remain. So this union remains on red alert. The threat to our NHS is greater than at any time since 1948: acoalition with no democratic mandate led by Tories who don't believe in our NHS."

To cheers, he declared: "This union has the faith, and this union has the fight. We will defend our NHS. We will defeat this bill, and we will win."

But he also had a warning for the Labour Party: "In future, we will only be supporting Labour candidates who support our values, our union, our people."

And for shadow Cchancellor Ed Balls, who has warned unions against striking, he had a message: "When we want your advice, Ed, we'll ask for it."

In a rallying call to members, he vowed: "The campaign we are fighting isn't just about pensions, it isn't just about jobs and pay, it's about the kind of society we leave to our children.

"It's about protecting and passing on the rights our grandparents fought for: the welfare state; universal public services."

He pledged the union would build "a united, co-ordinated, sustained campaign of public education, community organisation, with targeted industrial action and mass mobilisation."

And to a standing ovation he called on members "to find within yourselves the strength, the resolve, the courage to march on – determined, united, one million strong. And conference, if we do that – we will win."

Pensions 'triple whammy' hits workers

(21/06/11) "Last year I said we should hide our fear and show our fight. This year the fear is evident, and now's the time to fight," said UNISON president Angela Lynes, addressing national delegate conference.

"This year the attacks on members' pay, jobs and pensions has been unprecedented," she said.

"On pensions the government is determined to hit us with a triple whammy - they want us to pay more, work longer and then get less when we retire."

She accused Chancellor George Osborne of refusing to accept the need for a "plan B" even though his "plan A" for the economy clearly wasn't working.

"Growth has stalled, preventing the government from hitting even its own deficit targets," she pointed out.

"Unemployment is huge, homelessness is on the rise and spiralling inflation has meant that the poorest are once again the hardest hit.

"One of the ways the government thinks it can save cash is by parcelling as many of our public services off to the private sector as possible."

She cited recent failings of a private hospital in Bristol exposed by a Panorama programme, and the crisis in the Southern Cross care homes, saying: "These failures have not been taken on board. Far from it. The government now wants to do the same with the NHS in England and other key public services.

"It's more sick society than big society."

UNISON's answer to this onslaught is to organise effectively, improve our density and do everything we can to defend public services and protect jobs, pay and conditions.

Ms Lynes told delegates of the union's £20m fighting fund, of which half is ring-fenced for industrial action. She told conference that branches can apply for funding to defend services and jobs.

"We can rise to meet the challenge," she affirmed.

Conference plans to build the fight back

(21/06/11) "Keep recruiting, keep organising, keep educating."

That message was at the heart of this afternoon's impassioned debate about the nature of the cuts and campaigning against them at UNISON's national delegate conference in Manchester.

Speaking for the national executive committee (NEC), Gordon McKay told delegates that both the Million Voices for Public Services and Public Works campaigns "have worked" in changing public opinion about the cuts.

And he added that "polls are now swinging away from the government", before urging activists to maintain the pressure by building the union and the campaign.

Conference heard of the damage to the country's economy that the government's policies are already doing.

Stephen Brown of Quarriers branch said that "cuts and the Big Society are two sides of same coin", while Dave Low of Wigan described the deficit as "a cover for cuts," for transferring wealth "to the already stinking rich".

Jane Carolan stressed the need for the union to "make a coherent economic argument" in fighting the "ideological choice" that the government had made to cut.

And she also called on the Labour Party to support the union, "rather than leaving it to the Archbishop of Canterbury."

Several speakers highlighted the issue of tackling tax avoidance by big business as just one alternative to the cuts, while others said that the union "had earned the support of our communities" in the last 12 months.

Referencing the famous 'Welcome to Manchester' football poster, Noel Bailey of Manchester called on delegates to come back to the city on 2 October to protest outside the Conservative Party conference, and "make the Tories really unwelcome in our city".

For the NEC, Bob Oram emphasised the "failed neo-liberal doctrine" of the last 30 years, which all parties had followed.

And he said that the union still "had a lot to do if we're going to win hearts and minds".

Sonia Howard of Kensington and Chelsea also stressed how "vital it is highlight the ideological nature of the cuts" and cited how a councillor in one of the poorest areas of her London borough had described it as "a dungheap".

Among a raft of measures, conference instructed the NEC to:

continue the work the union has been doing through the Million Voices for Public Services and Public Works campaigns, and build on that, including promoting the alternative budget;
work with the TUC, STUC, WTUC, ICTU and other trade unions, while also continuing to build alliances with community groups;
work with UK Uncut;
work with the TUC to organise the demonstration in Manchester on 2 October.

News from Local Government Conference 2011

'If you want my sick leave, have my condition as well'

(20/06/11) "If you want my sick leave, have my condition as well," said Nikki Young of the Suffolk County branch, speaking about the value to disabled people of disability leave, and asking for understanding from colleagues, who might resent the time needed to attend hospital appointments.

national disabled members' delegate Peter Stafford told delegates that, as he waited anxiously for a diagnosis during a recent illness, he was grateful that the one thing he didn’t have to worry about was his next pay cheque.

"This government is hell-bent on getting rid of national agreements," he said. "Don't be tempted to opt out of national agreements for short-term gain."

And he joked: "It's a conservative dominated coalition - a ConDom government. But sadly it affords us no protection!"

Conference agreed to fight to protect the National Joint Council agreements enshrined in the Green Book, agreements that are highly valued, especially sick pay arrangements for disabled workers.

UNISON recognises social work heroes

(20/06/11) UNISON celebrated the remarkable achievements of members in social work this afternoon, with the union's first Outstanding Social Work Awards.

General secretary Dave Prentis told the local government conference that social workers' "hard work often goes unrecognised", despite their keeping "children and vulnerable adults safe".

"Across the country, they work in tough conditions, made all the more difficult by high vacancy rates, and heavy caseloads, not enough supervision and support," he added.

The union decided to tackle that lack of recognition - and the awards are just one of the ways of doing that.

From Warrington came Fiona Morris and Angela Jolley.

From Wakefield, came Hannah Ferguson, Susan Frank, Sandra Manuel and Carolyn Scott.

Karen Love came from West Lothian, Joanne Mills from Northern Ireland and Janet King from Cambridgeshire.

There was also a special award for Paul Couchman of Surrey, who died two years ago, but was unanimously nominated by his branch.

Mr Prentis said that, "in recognition for his huge contribution to social work, UNISON's national office is going to match fund the £200 award for the highest performing social work applicant in 2011, bringing their total grant up to £400."

Increase in petrol costs fuels anger

(20/06/11) "We aren't trying to fiddle our expenses - we'll leave that to the politicians," quipped Ian Jones from Flintshire County branch in Wales/Cymru. "But we shouldn't have to subsidise our employers' travel bills."

Along with Aberdeenshire local government branch, he was moving a composite motion on car allowances and rising fuel costs.

With the rising cost of fuel, the real cost for members in rural areas who need their cars to do their jobs is no longer covered by the mileage rates.

This is particularly true of members in remote rural areas of Scotland and Wales, especially homecare workers and social workers, who are a lifeline to the most vulnerable in society

"Asking members to pay for this fuel from their salaries is a pay cut," insisted Patricia Morrison from Aberdeenshire

Public sector workers 'piled high and sold cheap'

(20/06/11) "It's not about reducing the deficit, but about piling public sector workers high and selling them cheap."

That was the analysis as delegates to UNISON's local government conference in Manchester debated attacks on members' terms and conditions this morning.

Deirdre Costigan, for the LGBT self organised group, stressed how the attacks are "ideological" and intended to soften up public services for privatisation.

But she gave a rallying call to conference, proclaiming: "This is what unions are for!"

Tina Roach of South Tyneside spoke of the "confusion and false hopes" that had hit low-paid workers who had been told by the chancellor that they would receive a £250 pay increase.

Tony Gravier of the South West regional committee described the last year's struggles in Swindon, where the council slashed terms and conditions.

The union fought back, took selective industrial action and won back much of what had been lost.

"Together we bargain," he said. "Individually, we beg."

Rhona Hendry from the North East urged delegates: "Recruit, organise: for together we are stronger".

Carol Maleham of the service group executive (SGE) emphasised that "public service workers are bearing the brunt of neoliberal attacks - but we are fighting back."

She reiterated the importance of using equality impact assessments in that struggle.

While Linda Jones of the North West said that, in having car allowances dropped and parking fees enacted etc, "our members are subsidising their employers' choices.

"The race to the bottom must stop: inform, educate and agitate."

Among its decisions, conference called on the SGE to:

encourage branches to use the union's general political fund for campaigning, and provide information on how to access it;
restrict reductions to pay and conditions by all lawful means;
develop a high-profile media campaign to highlight the vital nature of members' work in a cuts climate;
develop effective organising strategies to draw more members into campaigns and build density.

Conference also stressed the importance of continuing to build the campaign for a living wage, making sure that branches were fully equipped to work on the issue.

Fight against privatisation

(19/06/11) Delegates vowed to continue the fight against privatisation and the two-tier workforce at the UNISON local government conference in Manchester this afternoon.

Paul Gilroy of the service group executive called on the union to "continue to campaign against privatisation" adding that research shows "the benefits of keeping services in house."

Conference highlighted the experience of Southwest One a joint venture 75% owned by IBM, to provide 'back office' functions for councils and other public authorities in the region, described by Helen Jeffries of Somerset County branch as "public cost and private benefit".

And Kevin Duguid of Edinburgh pointed out: "Privatisation means the local economy damaged, it means jobs lost, it means local money disappearing into private coffers never to be seen again."

Delegates declared that "local public services are best provided by democratically accountable local authorities and public bodies" and vowed to campaign to get that message across.

'We can win'

(19/06/11) UNISON local government conference laid "the basis to take the campaign forward and win the biggest war on the welfare state" in Manchester this morning.

Moving a comprehensive composite motion on fighting the cuts, service group executive speaker Glen Williams said its length reflected "the fact that UNISON is facing the biggest threat ever, led by a government hell-bent on making fundamental and irreversible changes, on making our public services another corpse for the financial vultures to feed on."

Delegates declared that "the Conservative government is playing on people's fear of the economic uncertainty to pursue its agenda through a con trick built on endlessly repeating a big lie:

an unprecedented deficit due to government overspending - the big lie;
the national debt is out of control - the big lie;
debt repayments are higher than ever - the big lie;
cuts are inevitable and necessary - the big lie;
there is no alternative to cuts - the big lie."

In the face of this, said conference, "2011/12 merely marks the beginning of a sustained attack on public services and local government is bearing the brunt of these attacks."

But, noted Rena Wood of the North West region, "we are still the fifth richest country in the world."

And Ian Campbell of Middlesbrough branch warned: "Cameron and Osborne are not surgeons cutting slowly and carefully for your own good - they are butchers in suits."

To meet that challenge, said Nicky Ramanandi of Newcastle City branch, "we need a clear organising agenda in our workplaces, involving both members and non-members, a campaigning agenda in our communities and a political agenda.

"With that, we can win."

Delegates agreed and vowed to mount a comprehensive campaign against cuts to jobs, pay, conditions and services, including using the union's Million Voices for Public Services campaign to develop arguments against the government's austerity approach and for "an alternative economic agenda based on growth, creating jobs and progressive taxation" as well as building support for industrial action.

And as Neelo Farr of Wales/Cymru declared: "To make a difference, industrial action needs to be co-ordinated."

Members pledge to 'build for historic victory'

(19/06/11) UNISON members at the union's local government conference in Manchester voted unanimously to build the campaign for concerted industrial action against government attacks on their pensions this morning.

In debates that were characterised by determination, speaker after speaker emphasised the need to "build for an historic victory", with head of local government Heather Wakefield telling delegates that the union would be "in UNISON in unison".

Ms Wakefield condemned government Danny Alexander as a "thieving tomcat" after he spoke out on Friday, pre-empting the result of ongoing negotiations between the government and unions, and she urged activists to make sure that any strike ballot would be won "with the sort of majority that leaves this government in no doubt".

Linda Hardy of Newcastle said: "We have to build the resistance - we can win this battle."

Sean Fox of Lambeth stressed that pensions are "part of our pay," while Sue Laws of Walsall General said that it was vital to fight the view of public service pensions as 'gold plated'. She told conference to "work with Labour Link, with the General Political Fund... to dispel the myths around pensions".

And she also said it was vital for experienced activists to "support those members who've never taken action".

Ash Dhobi described the pensions attack as an attempt "to make our members pay for the bankers", adding that any such attack would have "a disproportionate impact on Black people," as there is "disproportionate poverty among Black pensioners".

Other delegates pointed out the importance of using social media to combat the influence of "the Daily Mail and the Sun".

For the service group executive (SGE), Chris Tansley told conference: "We're the ones who really know what 'being in this together' means - being in UNISON".

Conference instructed the SGE to "mount the biggest possible campaign against detrimental changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), alongside other service groups and trade unions covered by the scheme, and the national executive council (NEC)".

It was agreed to "make preparations for early, lawful industrial action within UNISON's rules, and co-ordinate with other trade unions".

The SGE was instructed to carry out further research to show the viability of the LGPS, and maintain a strong media campaign to inform the public of the union.

UNISON - the union

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Mini Cruise Bruges- 3 Day Trip

Friday to Sunday 28th-30th October 2010

Travel to Hull by coach to cross on the over night ferry to Zeebrugge (cabin & meals included) we travel by coach into Bruges. Once you have spent your day in Bruges wandering up and down the Canals and Market Square we return to Zeebrugge by coach for the overnight ferry back to Hull and return home midday on Sunday

Cost £129 per person.
Contact Jon Harding 01706 925953 or email jonathan.harding@rochdale.gov.uk
Julie Mottram 01706 925761 or email julie.mottram@rochdale.gov.uk

TUC March

MARCH FOR THE ALTERNATIVE

Jobs:Growth:Justice

Saturday 26 MARCH 2011

Assemble at 11am on Victoria Embankment, between Temple Place and Blackfriars, to march to a rally in Hyde Park.

Rochdale UNISON together with Oldham UNISON have booked a coach for our members to this important national demostration. To book your place contact Rochdale UNISON on 01706 925952 or Email: unison@rochdale.gov.uk

ROCHDALE LG UNISON AGM 2011

To Be Held

Wednesday 2nd March 2011

12:15pm Reception Room, Rochdale Town Hall

Wednesday 2nd March 2011

6:15pm Reception Room, Rochdale Town Hall

Buffet will be served at the start of both meetings

UNISON Young Members Event.

BAND NIGHT: "MAD WITH THE GOVERNMENT"

Saturday 27th November 2010,8pm-11pm

Venue:Rochdale Labour Club, The Landing 89-91, Oldham Road Oldham Road, Rochdale, OL16 5QR

For all UNISON Young Members

Admission is FREE, for Tickets please contact the Rochdale UNISON Branch Office ASAP on 01706 925952

Tickets are available on a first come first served basis, donations welcome for future events.

PRESS RELEASE 18^th November 2010

ROCHDALE COUNCILLORS RUNNING SCARED

Rochdale councillors change meeting rather than face anti cuts lobby. UNISON believes Lib Dem resignations are direct result of services being slashed.

Rochdale UNISON learned today that the planned council cabinet meeting has been moved on the day they were planning a lobby, just days after distributing a poster advertising the event. The union had written out to all its members asking them to lobby a council meeting which has cuts on the agenda and had sent out a poster this week. And now the council has changed the meeting so that it takes place during the working day rather than at 4pm, which is the earliest time council staff can finish work.

Branch Secretary Helen Harrison said, “This is a cynical move to prevent workers who are facing job losses or cuts to their terms and conditions from protesting. It is a massive coincidence that this meeting was changed just days after we publicised the lobby. I have been out speaking to our members and they are extremely upset about what is happening to them and to services in Rochdale . Now they are having their right to protest about it taken away from them.

“If councillors in Rochdale want to implement these cuts they should have the courage of their convictions to face the very people they affect. But if they think the protest won’t go ahead they are very much mistaken. These cuts also affect the vulnerable in Rochdale and we know that users of services and members of the public will be coming along to protest as well. We would urge anyone who feels angry about these unfair cuts to come along and show the council that attacks on the poor and vulnerable are not acceptable in this community.

“Now we have learned that four Lib Dem councillors have gone independent with several more considering the same. Clearly we have not heard from these councillors yet but I have no doubt that this is in connection to these shameful cuts which will have such a massively damaging impact to our community. I only hope the coalition is listening.”

Ends

UNISON is the largest union in Rochdale , with over 4,000 members

The Rochdale council cabinet meeting was originally due to take place at 6pm on the 24^th November, but was moved then to 4pm, and yesterday was moved to 3pm.

Rochdale UNISON Trip

A Great time was had by all, we are looking to run another trip in about 6/9 months time.

Amsterdam 3 Day Trip

Friday to Sunday 31st October 2010

Travel to Hull by coach to cross on the over night ferry to Rotterdam (cabin & meals included) we travel by coach into Amsterdam. Once you have spent your day in Amsterdam wandering up and down the Canals and taking in a cafe bar or 2 we return to Rotterdam by coach for the overnight ferry back to Hull and return home midday on Sunday

Cost £109 per person.
Contact Jon Harding 01706 925953 or email jonathan.harding@rochdale.gov.uk

News from UNISONS NATIONAL Conference

Apprenticeships are key

(18/06/10) UNISON reiterated the importance of proper apprenticeships today, and pledged to publicise the special £10 union rate for apprentices and use it as a recruitment tool.

Helen Britten of North Yorkshire said that, given the economic situation, "it was more important than ever that we expand the fight for expanded apprenticeships."

And she pointed out that public service apprenticeships in Yorkshire have enjoyed an “almost 100% completion rate,” as opposed to the "68% national rate."

Kieran Grogan, who is a joint young members officer in Bolton branch, said: "Some apprentices are on £10 per week – they call it work experience, even when they’re going to college for a full day each week. It’s a disgrace."

Pay freeze means pay cut

(17/6/10) Conference today condemned the government's pay freeze for public sector employees for 2010/11 - which, with inflation, effectively means a pay cut for millions of workers.

The union noted that while two thirds of public sector employees earn less than £18,000 a year, many of the banks - which caused the current economic crisis - still pay "obscene" bonuses.

"At the moment most people are concerned with keeping jobs," said Paul Gilroy of Newcastle City branch. "But we must keep pay on the agenda."

Jim Board of Doncaster said: "Cameron and Clegg say the pay freeze for public services in this country is to run for four years. That could mean a 20% cut.

"These are life-changing pay cuts, which will hit the low-paid the hardest. Their pay will be reduced to a level they simply can’t sustain."

Delegates also noted the desire of employers to undermine national pay bargaining, which must be retained and strengthened.

They agreed that the campaign for real improvements in pay must continue to be a priority for the union - and that the use of industrial action may be the most effective means of winning acceptable improvements.

They also agreed to support the Living Wage campaign, and to support broadening UNISON's bargaining agenda on local government pay, to include:

a minimum wage for council workers;
access to affordable childcare;
developing career pathways; and
investing in workplace learning and development.

'We don't want them in our union'

(17/6/10) "There is no room in this union for fascists." That was how national executive council member Mark Clifford introduced this afternoon's rule change debate on dealing with members of the far-right and UNISON.

Conference voted to insert a new rule into the section on 'Becoming a member', stating:

"A member of a political party, whose constitution, aims or objectives expressly or impliedly promote racism, or whose objectives are contrary to the objectives of UNISON, specifically the equality provisions set out in … the rule book, shall not be eligible for membership of the union.

"This specifically includes, but is not solely limited to, the British National Party, the National Front and similar parties, as decided from time to time by the national executive council."

Mr Clifford explained the need for that flexibility on the grounds that: "Two years ago, we didn't know of the English Defence League – now they're a menace on our streets."

In a sentiment that was expressed by speaker after speaker, Gary Firth of Calderdale local government branch said of the far right: "We don't want them in our union!"

And needing a two thirds majority to see the rule changed, conference left no doubt, backing the rule change unanimously.

Conference backs Robin Hood Tax

(17/06/10) Billy Bragg led UNISON delegates in a stirring rendition of the Robin Hood theme, sang behind a sea of natty green masks, in Bournemouth this morning.

Behind the jovial performance was a serious point – the support of a tax on the financial sector that could go some way to saving public services from the knife.

Conference voted in favour of placing the union firmly behind the campaign for a Robin Hood Tax, a financial transactions tax levied on banks and City firms.

It is estimated that a global tax of less than 1% on such transactions as currency trading, and the selling of stocks and shares and derivative products, could raise £250bn a year internationally.

This money could be used to protect and promote public services, combat poverty at home and abroad, and tackle climate change.

It’s likely that such a tax would also deter the sort of irresponsible speculation that led to the current crisis.

Jean Butcher of the NEC told delegates: “Not only can we argue that public services should not be cut, but that there are other simple and effective ways to deal with the economic problems – while controlling the banking sector at the same time.

“What makes this campaign so critical to UNISON members is that it recognises the value of public services in tackling equality and poverty in the UK and around the world.”

The model for the Robin Hood Tax is the Tobin Tax, which has long been supported by UNISON.

The current campaign is the brainchild of the comedy writer and director Richard Curtis, but is supported by a coalition that includes the TUC, Oxfam and 100 civil society organisations.

BNP can be beaten

(17/6/10) Billy Bragg thanked UNISON members for the part they played in ousting the BNP from his home town, of Barking, in the general election.

And he said that "a new generation of anti-fascist activists" will have been inspired by the defeat of the BNP in London, the Midlands and the North.

The famous singer and political campaigner was a special guest of the union on its third day of conference. And his speech was preceded by a video showing him take on the BNP's Richard Barnbrook – who lost his own council seat in the election – on the streets of Bragg’s beloved Barking.

"Barking & Dagenham is no more or less racist than your own home town," Bragg told the delegates. "The problem was that these toe-rags stirred up trouble. The real problems in the area are those of social mobility, social services and social housing. The presence of immigrants is not the problem.

"I'm here to give a big thank you for the work that UNISON, centrally and its individual members, did against the fascists in the election. Without you the people in Barking & Dagenham would have been left on their own."

He added that he was particularly impressed by the number of young people fighting the BNP's "racist fascism".

He added: "Our work is far from done. Just because we managed to sweep them out of the streets of Barking & Dagenham, like so much dust, doesn't mean we can be complacent.

"But what it does prove is that these people can be beaten."

Political activity more important than ever

(16/06/10) With the threats posed to public services by the coalition government, it is more important than ever for UNISON members to engage in political activity, locally and nationally, Bournemouth delegates agreed today.

"There are major challenges ahead of us," said deputy general secretary Keith Sonnet. "It's imperative that we maximize our efforts in relation to political activities across the country."

Delegates backed recommendations to improve the way the political fund works, provide more training and support for branches and communicate widely throughout the union.

Both the General Political Fund and Labour Link had a crucial role in UNISON's plans to build alliances with community groups and politicians to defend public services and jobs.

The findings of the two-year review of UNISON’s political fund effectiveness, agreed by conference, showed two contrasting experiences.

On the one hand, both sections of the union’s political fund have facilitated successful lobbying and campaigning, which have brought tangible benefits to UNISON members.

On the other, levels of awareness, engagement and local political campaigning across many branches is still far too low.

Seven out of 10 branches consulted for the review never applied for funding from the General Political Fund, said Mr Sonnet. One out of three had never lobbied their local MP or approached the media.

The review found that levels of transparency, participation, activity and effectiveness could all be improved.

The NEC also has a role to play in improving understanding of the roles and the working of both political fund sections – as well as encouraging UNISON members, branches, service groups and other sections of the union to liaise with the political funds, in advancing UNISON objectives.

Conroy Lawrence of Lewisham Hospital branch said: "There's never been a more important time to get our campaigning and political work right.

"But it is up to all of us. It is not something you can just leave to the political funds or the NEC."

'I'm not a fat cat. I'm not even a skinny kitten'

(16/6/10) "As women's life expectancy increases, it's as much a curse as a blessing. Twenty years or more in retirement means 20 years or more in poverty for many women," was the chilling message from Eileen Best of the National Women’s Committee.

An alarming 50% of women aged between 35-44 make no pension provision at all, as they are faced with the stark choice between paying the bills now, or saving for the future.

While UNISON has successfully campaigned for the rights of part time and temporary workers to join pension schemes, low earnings and breaks from employment because of caring responsibilities combine to reduce women's pensions.

The current government intends to cut many services which have supported women carers - including breakfast clubs at schools, after school clubs and day care centres. This will roll back the gains made in the last ten years, once again making it harder for women to keep full time jobs.

"The gender pay gap is a life-sentence for many women. It doesn’t end with retirement," said Ms Best.

This was demonstrated by Lorraine Avery of the East Midlands who, in three years' time will be expected to live on her pension of £38.03 per week.

"I'm not a fat cat. I'm not even a skinny kitten," she declared. "I don't want to be forced to beg on my zimmer frame."

Delegates pledge to fight outsourcing

(15/6/10) UNISON will continue to promote the value of publicly delivered services, resist the privatisation of public services to outsourcing companies and work to counter the artificial distinction between "back office" and "frontline" functions.

"Private sector companies are getting rich on the backs of low-paid workers," said Ros Norman from the East Midlands.

"Politicians continue to outsource, despite the fact that many concerns have been raised about the performance of such companies," she said.

Outsourcing too frequently means poorer quality services, poorer terms and conditions for members and reduced accountability to the public. Examples were given from Northampton, Edinburgh and Somerset.

But positive examples of a successful campaign to resist outsourcing were cited by Joanne Nicholson from Newcastle city branch.

Annette Mansell Green of West Midlands police staff branch warned that: "These companies will destroy us if we don't have the density in our branches. Density is the key to this issue."

News from The Local Government Service Group Conference

'Because we're all worth it'

(14/06/10) In an angry and passionate debate, local government members defended themselves from the myths that have been peddled about being overpaid.

Speaking for executive, Carole Maleham told delegates: "We know we deserve an increase".

"We keep hearing all the rubbish that the private sector is taking all the pain – but we'd better get the paracetemol ready, because it’s a myth."

And Mirza Hamie of Bury local government said: "The bankers and financial institutions should share the pain too – why just us?"

Saying that the Conservatives are "still the party of privilege", he added that members knew they deserved a proper pay rise, "because we’re all worth it."

Abi Quinsey of Birmingham branch told delegates: "It's not fair that a chief executive's pay is 14 times that of a care assistant.

"All we want is a fair day's pay for a fair day's work."

Amongst a raft of agreed actions, conference called on the executive to:

continue to build the joint union campaign within the NJC, SJC and at local level;
develop links across all local government bargaining groups in the UK to ensure a co-ordinated campaign against the pay freeze;
continue to highlight the vital roles that local government workers play;
ensure that UNISON uses the Equality Impact Assessment processes to prevent cuts and discrimination;
broaden the bargaining agenda to include a minimum wage for council workers and affordable childcare.

Councils stash reserves whilst £6bn is cut

(14/06/10) "We've got to defend the weakest sections of our communities," said Peter Stafford of the National Disabled Members Conference. "The reserves that are being held by local governments could pay off 50% of the £6bn of cuts that George Osborne is demanding. Why are these reserves being stashed away?"

Conference voted to argue the case against council tax freezes and cuts, and to utilise unallocated reserves to retain employment, especially of disabled workers instead of financing the costs of redundancies.

They've taken the care out of caring

(13/06/10) "They're taking the care out of caring." That was the feeling dominating this morning's first session of UNISON's local government conference in Bournemouth.

A raft of motions (together with a screening of the UNISON-funded film Privatising home care – stories from Norfolk) dealt with social care, as delegates examined the issues of personalisation and social care, disability and training and support for personal assistants.

Speaker after speaker voiced concern that personalisation – while sounding a nice idea on the surface – would be used to privatise and cut services, reducing choice rather than increasing it.

It was noted that privatisation would hit training, pay and conditions of the staff who provide vital social care – damaging the service itself as well as the service providers.

There is no incentive to invest in training, one speaker explained, if a private company has a high turnover of staff because it has cut pay and conditions in order to win a contract.

And Anne MacCormack of the further education and sixth form colleges sector observed that a lack of training could also have a negative impact for carers as well as clients – not knowing how to lift properly, for instance – even though carers are increasingly taking on responsibilities for many of the jobs that district nurses used to do.

Angela Hamilton for the national disabled members' committee pointed out that the lack of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on care staff will also benefit those wanting further deregulation, as it again cuts or avoids costs – but could increase abuse against the vulnerable.

And she also noted that, for disabled people, privatisation of social care "increases exclusion if services are lost.

Helen Davis of Barnet said that "the government wants care to be more dependent on family and friends", adding that that would inevitably affect families whose members have to work longer to make ends meet.

"It's a class issue," she stated.

At the same time, social workers are suffering strain and burnout as a result of under-resourcing and a high-profile press reaction if things go wrong.

As Glen Williams of the service group executive noted: "I have been accused of being responsible for the murder of babies, the theft of children from their homes and the sexual abuse of vulnerable people by the gutter press, because I am a social worker."

"We are damned if we do and damned if we don't," added Dave Auger of Northampton branch.

There was short shrift for government ideas that the answer lies in the private sector or cutting "back office" staff.

"You don't cut bureaucracy by creating a new one around commissioning and contract compliance," said another SGE speaker Dave Buss. "You cut it by freeing social workers from desk-bound tasks."

The idea that "back office" staff can be cut without affecting frontline services, added Glen Williams, "is like cutting out the back four and Green fingers from the England team and expecting Wayne Rooney and company to provide a defence and still score goals."

Delegates agreed a range of policies to defend social work and the members who provide them, including:

proper funding and resourcing to implement the Social Work Taskforce recommendations;
agreements on national workloads;
campaigning for a universal model of national social care based on the principles of the NHS, paid through general taxation and National Insurance;
reviewing and monitoring the impact of underfunding and personalisation on the delivery if social care, jobs, pay and conditions;
campaigning for adequate funding to meet the real needs of users and potential users, plus high-quality training and employment;
calling for all personal budget schemes to include an option for local authority in-house services;
making sure that equalities and human rights played their part at the heart of social care.

"We need to work together to mobilise our members and the families that rely on our services," declared Clyde Shakespeare of the West Midlands. "Their voices must be heard."

The fightback is underway

(13/06/10) The fightback is underway – and this is what unions are for. That was the message from UNISON’s local government conference this afternoon, as delegates debated the union’s "biggest challenge for decades."

"In the long term, building our own organisation is the best way to defend our members and services.

"We mustn’t let government divide so-called frontline and backline staff."

UNISON must be ready to fight the "devastating tsunami that is coming our way" with a new government planning historic cuts to public spending, local government service group chair Chris Tansley (pictured) told conference.

Introducing the annual report, he warned that the Tories were "using their lib-dem puppets" to front up cuts that would devastate local services.

But we will defend jobs and services, he said, because "this is what we were created for."

Various speakers came forward to relate tales of dealing with councils with cuts in mind. Graham Horne of Birmingham local government told how, in six years of a Tory-Lib Dem council in the city, council tax had only been raised by 1.9% every year.

"It's not so much a freeze as a deep chill," he said. "It's a gradual squeezing that’s a bit like sleeping with a boa constrictor."

And as Brenda Johnson of the East Midlands put it: "We might need these services ourselves one day – let’s protect them now!"

Paul Gilfoy of Newcastle City branch urged the union to continue "campaigning under the Million Voices banner, promoting an alternative".

Speakers talked of the importance of building links within communities, of political education and of the union and, as Caroline Johnson of Birmingham local government put it, giving "members the confidence to fight the cuts".

On the importance of the union providing information and resources, "“this is what your union can do for you," said one delegate, before adding: "the second part is what you can do for the union", cascading that information to the members and communities.

Khi Rafe of Lambeth said: "Up and down this country, our members are in fear of their jobs. Up and down this country, families are looking to UNISON to give a lead."

And she went on: "We are a fighting union. We are an organising union."

Delegates agreed to a busy agenda for the coming year in a strategy to oppose cuts to jobs, pay and services, including:

continuing to campaign for well resourced, directl provided, high-quality local services and jobs, through well argued national and local campaigns, including continuing to promote the Million Voices campaign;
ensuring that job security remains a key priority, while accepting the need to support those threatened with compulsory redundancy;
promoting the economic case for a "redundancy freeze" and the union's alternative budget;
continuing to promote the existence of the redundancy guide and continue to update this strategy;
working with others to change the media-created negative perception of local government workers.

'Let's counter the pension myths' say delegates

(14/06/10) Local government delegates called on members to counter the myths about the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and campaign to defend and reform the scheme at their conference today.

The LGPS is sustainable in the long term, conference heard, although there will be ongoing serious cost pressures on the scheme. Local government employers will be under serious pressure to cut the scheme.

All the myths that are being put out by the media, politicians, local councils, the Taxpayers' Alliance, the CBI, the Institute of Directors and others have been rebutted in a series of leaflets produced by UNISON.

The average local government pension for women is just £2,700, which pensions officer Glyn Jenkins pointed out is only just enough to keep members above the threshold for means-tested benefits.

UNISON will continue to answer the critics of the scheme with hard facts. "There's no instant fix, but the hard slog continues," said Mr Jenkins.

He expressed concern at the government's "cap and share" proposals for cost-sharing within the LGPS. UNISON has put forward proposals to share costs fairly in a way which doesn't penalise members.

He also noted that the government's "so-called independent commission" was formed of private pension advisors, and there are rumours that next week's emergency budget will contain proposals to cut the LGPS.

Mr Jenkins rallied the members, saying: "The battle has started. Every single member is invited to take part to counter the myths and lies that have been put out."

LGBT delegate Dierdre Costigan welcomed the previous government's decision to allow surviving partners of civil partnerships equal pension rights with married couples, but she called for full survivor pension rights to be extended to unmarried cohabiting partners.

UNISON 2010/11 Pay Claim W