TUC delegates at their annual Congress in Brighton on Tuesday voted unanimously to defend public services and pay.
Composite Motion 06 Campaigning for public services and against the pay cap was moved by Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis. He said: ‘I’m representing Unison’s 1.3m members who are keeping our public services going. One million women leading the way – nurses, dinner ladies, teaching assistants, social workers and so many more.
‘Our people didn’t cause the recession, but they are now paying the price, decimated by the Tories’ austerity agenda. Our public services have been cut, closed down and privatised. Thousands are fearful for their jobs, and even more fearful for the essential services they provide. Looking after the sick and the vulnerable, caring for our children, and the elderly.
‘But on Saturday our people, for the first time in a decade, heard a message of hope, a clarion call that there is another way. An alternative message that it doesn’t need to be like this. For the first time in a decade there is a new language about opposition, of challenge, of holding this vicious government to account as they slash and burn all we hold dear.
‘There’s been £160bn of cuts across the board – local government and social care are teetering on the brink. Our NHS is under siege, and there’s a pay cap for another four years, on top of the five we’ve already had. George Osborne lied when he claimed Britain will get a pay rise. Tax credit cuts will penalise the poor and low-paid. A teaching assistant earning £16,300 with one child will see her net pay fall by £1,800 a year, and millions of other working families will see their incomes hit.
‘In the Labour party leadership election we’ve heard talk of a kinder, more compassionate world, one where public services matter and its people matter before profit. We’ve been given a vision of a better world that works for everyone, not just the self-serving few. It’s no shock to anyone here that people want an end to austerity, more council houses and more opportunities for unemployed young black people.
‘It is no shock that people support more money for our NHS, and an end to a six year pay freeze for low-paid public service workers. For too long now, public sector workers have made do with half-baked promises from our own politicians. Yes, promising fewer cuts than the Tories, less privatisation than the Tories. But we don’t want fewer cuts than the Tories, we want no cuts to our public services. We don’t want less privatisation than the Tories, we want no privatisation for our NHS, and no privatisation for our local government, police and probation services. No selling off our public services on the altar of privatisation.
‘Over the coming months, we’ll hear a lot about replacing Trident, but how on earth can we justify Trident, when adult social care is on the point of collapse, when wards are closing in every city, and when there’s more than a million without a job, without a hope. This is our time to smash the consensus that austerity is here to stay. It’s our time to create a new path that offers hope and opportunity for those already left behind. To set out an alternative to the cuts agenda, the privatising agenda, and to the pay freeze destroying lives.
‘There’s now a clear message that there is another way. A society for fair pay for all, a society that cares, and an NHS Bevan would be proud of. Now is our time, with our movement leading the way strong and visible, with demonstrations, protests, lobbies, and co-ordinated action. The vicious Trade Union Bill will not stop us organising. It will not stop us striking, standing up for the lives of millions and protecting the vulnerable.
‘We will make our union stronger and united we will build coalitions, and we will resist. We will be strong and we will defy, and if that takes us outside of the most draconian legislation in the western world so be it. Our union will remain true to our members.’
Seconder Geoff Fletcher of Prospect said: ‘The proposals are not only unacceptable, they’re mean!’
Delegates went on to vote unanimously for Emergency Motion E3 Government attacks on the emergency services.
The motion states: ‘Congress resolves: a. to oppose any moved by police and crime commissioners to take control of local fire and rescue services, or other emergency services
‘b. for the TUC and its affiliates to work with trade unions in the emergency sector to run a high-profile campaign in opposition to these government proposals
‘c. for the TUC and its affiliates to write to MPs, councillors and other representatives explaining our opposition and urging them to oppose the government’s proposals at all levels.’
Moving the motion FBU delegate Andy Noble said: ‘On top of all previous attacks on the fire service, the government now plan for police and crime commissioners to take over the running of the fire service.’
He warned: ‘They also want them to take control of the ambulance service. They have already targeted London and Manchester.’ He added: ‘This will hit national pay and conditions and lead to the privatisation of the fire and rescue service. It’s part of the Tories’ plan to decimate trade unions and will compromise the independence of community services.’
Noble warned that firefighters will come under attack if they are seen as attached to the police and pledged that the ‘FBU is opposed and will lead a political campaign against the proposals’. Seconding the motion, GMB delegate Charles Adje said: ‘The Tory government agenda is to privatise public services further. This is also an attack on FBU members’ pay and conditions. The GMB has members in fire control rooms. The proposals are a disaster waiting to happen.’
Speaking in support, Debi Potter of Unison said: ‘This affects our members not only in the fire service but the police. A number of police staff have been cut and now there’s talk of outsourcing. The proposals open up part of our public services to further privatisation and cuts in our wages.’
Delegates also approved a TUC General Council Statement on Refugees.
This said: ‘People are fleeing from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and other war zones in numbers not seen since the end of the Second World War. Conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa have created the largest refugee crisis in generations.’
It commits the General Council to campaign for a Government policy to:
‘i. recognise that the UK must play a full role in supporting refugees and fulfil its moral and legal obligations to significantly upscale its resettlement programme
‘ii. participate fully in a continent-wide response to the refugee crisis
‘iii. make welcome tens of thousands of refugees whether from the Middle East or already in Europe
‘iv. fully fund refugee resettlement, avoiding the exploitation of refugees and avoiding extra pressure on poorer inner-city communities, whilst ensuring that the international development budget is only used in line with OECD guidelines on official development assistance.’
