Bolton Unison are right to raise the question of branch wide industrial action in opposition to compulsory redundancies - we need to start having these arguments now with our members if we are to be able to win ballots - and disputes - over the coming years.
The inspiring example of Bolton got me thinking about what we all need to be doing now.
We need to use every weapon in our armoury to resist the job cuts which are already upon us.
We should find a way to empower lay and full time officials to bring applications for protective awards wherever that may be useful.
The legal requirements upon employers in a redundancy situation (to consult "with a view to reaching agreement" on measures to avoid, reduce or mitigate redundancies) gives us more support than the law does in most cases - but we have to be prepared credibly to threaten and - if necessary take - legal action where employers flout their statutory duty if we are to assert the little power the legislation does give us.
As well as industrial action and legal action the critical factor, at least in public sector organisations which retain some vestige of democratic accountability, is political lobbying and campaigning.
Whereas private sector employers are motivated more or less directly by the search for profit, public sector bodies (and local authorities more than any other) are politically driven.
It is precisely because the control of public services by elected Councillors can make that control responsive to popular pressure that successive Governments have sought to restrict the autonomy of local Councils and remove services from their direct control.
What will save a service or prevent some job cuts will be a political calculation (informed perhaps by the impact of industrial action or by a legal judgement).
Which is why my local branch is convening an open meeting to discuss establishing an anti-cuts campaign in our borough as I am sure many other branches are. We hope to link up with Pensioners, Tenant Activists and other trade unionists to create a framework to assist and co-ordinate the spontaneous community opposition to cuts which is already beginning to emerge.
This overarching campaign can mobilise political pressure to augment the effectiveness of any industrial or legal action taken by trade unionists and will add strength to our voice in negotiations.
(Those who were present for the contradictory decisions of Unison's Local Government and National Delegate Conferences on the question of Trades Councils and Total Place might be amused at the irony of the caution of the officers of our Trades Council in relation to our initiative.)
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1 comments:
Jon,
'Which is why my local branch is convening an open meeting to discuss establishing an anti-cuts campaign. We hope to link up with Pensioners, Tenant Activists and other trade unionists to create a framework to assist and co-ordinate the spontaneous community opposition to cuts which is already beginning to emerge.' Totally agree with you on this one especially in Lambeth where community led pressure on the politicians works and there are, of course, examples of this. Only concern is that you ensure that any meetings are clearly communicated within and outside the branch. Good luck.
Nick
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