OVER 1,000 trade unionists from all the public services joined a TUC rally at Westminster yesterday, where they demanded that their leaders call action now to stop privatisation.
The rally in Westminster Central Halls was addressed by Gail Cartmail (Amicus), Mark Serwotka (PCS), Dave Prentis (UNISON), Mary Turner (GMB), Tony Woodley (TGWU), Paul Noon (Prospect), as well as teachers’ union leaders.
Earlier, the union leaders staged a photocall with TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber outside the Houses of Parliament, in a plea to the Blair government to halt its privatisation drive.
As yesterday’s rally was finishing, Leicestershire UNISON member Steve Jeggo told News Line: ‘If Blair and the government won’t listen, then obviously a general strike by the TUC is an option that has to be thought about.’
Ken Brazier, another UNISON member, from Herts and Bedfordshire ambulance service, said: ‘I think there must be action by the TUC if they’re going to try and privatise the NHS.
‘It’s the most important service in the country.’
Elaine Kennedy and Jackie McMonagle, members of Amicus West of Scotland education branch, said: ‘We flew from Glasgow this morning.
‘We’re technicians who work in schools and every year we’re seeing more and more cuts, resulting in frontline services being stripped to the bone.
‘The TUC has to tell its trade union affiliates who pour millions into the Labour Party coffers to say: “Either you’re going to support us or we’re not going to support you’’.’
Amore Robinson, a member of the PCS civil service union in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), said: ‘We’ve voted to come out on strike next Wednesday, January 31. We will be working on getting everyone out on that day.
‘I think a one-day strike of all public service unions is required and that’s what our general secretary, Mark Serwotka, was saying on the platform today.
‘Brown is behind all these cuts in the civil service.
‘He’s already announced further cuts after 2008 and I’m under no illusions whatever that he’d be any different from Blair.
‘I believe in a socialist government.’
Hundreds of workers queued up to lobby their MPs after taking part in yesterday’s mass rally.
Helen Finkill, Amanda Foster and Emma Lipscombe, members of Newcastle City UNISON, spoke to News Line.
Helen said: ‘Our local authority is attempting to either privatise or close all the childcare provision.
‘I believe there has to be a general strike against privatisation, definitely.
‘It’s a disgrace that this is happening under a Labour government. It’s not what we expected when they were voted in and it’s a betrayal really.’
Paul Boskett, president of the Community and Youth Workers Union, who was leafletting members of the public, said the government plans to hand services for young people ‘to the highest bidder’.
‘We are fighting it,’ he said. ‘This lobby is not the end, but the start of our extremely serious campaign.’
Eric Poche, from the Chagos Islanders Community Association, told News Line: ‘We are here to make people aware of our situation and to get the support of the trade union movement.
‘We are going to have a rally on February 10 in Crawley.’