Tuesday 1 May 2012

PCS Birmingham Candidates' Question Time Event


PCS held a 'Candidates Question Time' (CQT)event ahead of the local elections for Birmingham City Council elections. 

The 'CQT' was held in Birmingham because Birmingham City Council is the biggest council in Western Europe and, like the national government, is currently led by a Tory/Lib Deb Coalition

Leaders from all parties fielding candidates for the City Council elections were invited. Every party sent either their leader or deputy.  No far right parties were invited.

The event also included  Birmingham Trades Council and Birmingham Against the Cuts. 

There were over 40 delegates at the event.

Sian Ruddick (PCS Regional Chair) chaired the meeting and invited candidates to state their positions on the PCS pledges.   This was followed by questions from PCS members and other delegates.  To finish Sian asked leaders to state their position on support for the PCS (and other unions ) in strike action on 10 May 2012.

All leaders (bar the Tory and Lib Dem leaders) stated that they fully supported the PCS pledges, and planned the strike action on 10 May 2012.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of the Labour party, used the event to ‘announce’ the fact that if elected their party would introduce a Birmingham Living Wage (as per the London situation) for all its employees and encourage all other employers in Birmingham to follow their lead. Disappointingly he did not feel that they would have any money to reverse cuts that had occurred already.

The event was filmed, and can be seen on the links below.
Part I

Part II

Part III

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