UCATT conference calls for campaign against public sector cuts in the building sector.

UCATT, the building and construction workers union, held a packed conference on Friday 17th November, looking at the effects of public sector cuts in their industry. The cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme was just one act of a government determined to push through cuts against any opposition.
The conference, held in Derby, heard form keynote speaker and UCATT General Secretary, Alan Ritchie, on the impact of the cuts and what UCATT had been doing to avert the damage that would be delivered to the public sector.
Steve Muphy, UCATT Regional Secretary for the Midlands added that the union would need to win back the workplace, "And start where we are strong - by organising!".
The contribution from Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon highlighted the social impact cuts would have at a time when house building was in the doldrums, housing benefit was being cut and jobs were few and far between.
Workshop sessions highlighted the need to campaign to get the union's message out wider than just to members; community mapping to see where the union could best get involved locally; further the union's political education; and ensuring that the UCATT message was heard loud and clear within the Labour Party.
In closing, Steve Murphy said, "This conference is just the start, we have to get out there and convince people that these cuts of mass destruction are an attack on all our communities".