Wednesday 20 October 2010

Public service staff are big losers

In further comment on the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announced by the Chancellor today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Public servants did nothing to cause the recession, but will pay a heavy price today. Their pay has already been frozen, now they face half a million job losses and increased pension contributions that will add up to a reduction in take home pay.
“With spending cuts likely to cause another half million private sector job cuts, the idea that they will all get shiny new private sector jobs is wishful thinking. And if you add all of those meant to be returned to jobs by welfare reform, you end up in the realm of fantasy. Politicians may want to look optimistic, but ministers would have more chance of closing the deficit by buying lottery tickets.
“It is also fantasy to say that these are ‘backroom’ job cuts that will not affect service delivery and quality.
“Public sector job losses are likely to occur in some of the UK’s more depressed regions where private sector job creation is already extremely poor. Job losses will depress local economies even further – and the cycle of decline has a good chance of bringing back the deep north/south divides of the 1980s.
“While we can give half a cheer for the commitment to keep DB pensions, public sector staff who keep their jobs could see big increases in contributions. Today’s £1.8 billion savings target could come on top of increases already in the pipeline in some schemes. On top of this a change in the discount rate could trigger even higher contributions.”

The poorest have become the victims of a political jape, says TUC

Cheryl Pidgeon speaking at the
Midlands TUC event on public sector cuts
Responding to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announced by the Chancellor today (Wednesday), TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “Right across government the Chancellor has announced eye-watering cuts that will have a desperate impact on communities, business and hard-pressed families. But he has not had the guts to spell out the detail, and instead tried to talk up a few crumbs of good news.
“Worst of all, to score a cheap party political point about Labour spending plans, he has loaded cuts on to benefits and welfare payments. Those who have not had a minister fighting their corner but who are most vulnerable to cuts have lost the most today. The poorest have become the victims of a political jape.
“But the biggest tragedy of all is that the spending review is likely to fail on its own terms. These cuts will depress the economy by causing a million job losses and undermining business and consumer confidence. There will be plenty of pain, but little to gain.”

Tuesday 19 October 2010

TUC All Together rally in Central Hall

Trade union members from all over the country attended the Methodist Central Hall in London to re-affirm that there is an alternative to the spending cuts we are expecting in the Comprehensive Spending Review, tomorrow (Wednesday). 
Brendan Barber speaking at today's rally.

Over 2000  members crammed into Central Hall, leaving several hundred outside as we reached capacity on a balmy autumn day. Those fortunate enough to get inside heard a number of contributions from a string of union general secretaries, led by speeches form the TUC's Brendan Barber and UNISON's Dave Prentis.
The rally was followed by a lobby of Parliament where both Conservative and Lib Dem MP's were to be targeted. The Tories, we have been told, were called to a meeting and constituents were left to meet the MP's staff. If true, one wonders how they will react when constituents visit their surgeries to ask for advice and support as a result of the governments policies to cut jobs and services.


Bright future for school students

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a question time session at a local Birmingham school with a year 10 Economics class. The format was as the BBC show, although on the BBC the invited panel guests turn up unlike the local Lib Dem councillor who didn’t show. A shame, as she would have given a different take on a series of excellent questions put to us by a group of very bright students.

Questions covered the government’s response to the current economic situation, the role of equalities in the UK, pay for public servants and the position of women in the workplace.

I came away thinking that our futures will be all the richer if students like these are allowed to grow and develop and are afforded life and work chances that many of my generation have taken for granted. At this point, one can only hope.

Midlands TUC Public Services event

Keith Sonnet addressing the meeting
The Midlands TUC held its Public Services conference last Saturday (16th October) to discuss the regional response to impending cuts in public services. Headline speaker for the event was UNISON Deputy General Secretary Keith Sonnet.

The meeting heard from delegates about individual union approaches to the impending - and indeed already announced - cuts.

Workshop sessions were held on specific themes, Organising and Communities, Communications, the Political and industrial responses that would be necessary. Over 70 delegates attended the half day event held at The Spot Conference Centre, Derby.