Mark Littlewood doesn’t have (has never had) a real job. Instead he is Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs, a (mysteriously funded) weirdo right-wing “unthink tank” (as explained here) – but he knows what’s what!
Writing for the Daily Mail he explains that public servants are the pampered, the privileged and the protected.
This fabulous insight has certainly turned my world upside down.
I can certainly see that the Adventure Playground workers in my branch who lost their jobs this summer when the employer made 70% funding cuts earlier this year were “pampered” by being offered a massive and unaffordable cut in their hours. And all local government workers are truly “privileged” to be in the third year of a pay freeze. Most of all though, the many workers made redundant against their will this past year are truly “protected” from the pain of continuing at work with the kind offer of their P45.
Or, on the other hand, maybe not.
Maybe those who are pampered, privileged and protected are those who move between easy jobs with libertarian campaigns, rightwing political parties and reactionary think tanks? Does Mr Littlewood deal with difficult casework, work unsocial shifts or live under constant fear of losing his job? What do you think dear reader? I doubt it.
Those of us with real life experience of public service work know that this reactionary nonsense is rubbish. However, we need to bear in mind that the odious Mail, which is, in fact, the most widely read daily newspaper amongst UNISON members, is also read by many with no such experience.
Therefore, all of us who care about the future of public services – and all of us who want to win the pensions dispute – need to be alive to the need to rebut lazy reactionary nonsense wherever it is vomited into public consciousness.
Public services are as important to the functioning of the private sector of the economy as is the “wealth generating” private sector to the funding of the private sector. Neither one is parasitic upon the other, both are in a symbiotic relationship – which is one reason why we campaign in defence of public services.
As we move towards 30 November every one of the foaming-at-the-mouth reactionaries like Littlewood will be unleashed. We need to face them down and expose their lazy and ill-informed arguments.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Read all about it...
The dear old Grauniad really didn’t quite get what was happening with the pensions dispute in Monday’s editorial, so it’s good that we got a serious response in to their confusion.
Contrary to what the Grauniad Leader writers may think, the Government's "offer" last week was no offer. It doesn't matter if they turn it into a "formal offer" - it's crap. It doesn't touch the immediate proposals in any way, and the "protection" for older workers is just an aspiration which we have to help the Government achieve at the expense of younger workers. "Offering" us 60ths in a future career average scheme (which will be much cheaper that our current final salary 60ths schemes) is hardly an offer!
To be fair to my favourite liberal paper they had provided a platform for an important expression of support for our struggle from young Labour Party activists yesterday. Wherever a serious attempt has been made to ask Labour policitians to back our cause they have agreed. The only areas where we don't have Labour Councils considering support for our struggle is where we have failed to ask. (Note to UNISON Labour Link - do some work!)
It’s key that we sustain support for the 30 November strike action across the whole movement – which means we need to rebut the argument that Danny Alexander has offered us anything and also that we need to welcome and value all support from within the Labour Party.
Contrary to what the Grauniad Leader writers may think, the Government's "offer" last week was no offer. It doesn't matter if they turn it into a "formal offer" - it's crap. It doesn't touch the immediate proposals in any way, and the "protection" for older workers is just an aspiration which we have to help the Government achieve at the expense of younger workers. "Offering" us 60ths in a future career average scheme (which will be much cheaper that our current final salary 60ths schemes) is hardly an offer!
To be fair to my favourite liberal paper they had provided a platform for an important expression of support for our struggle from young Labour Party activists yesterday. Wherever a serious attempt has been made to ask Labour policitians to back our cause they have agreed. The only areas where we don't have Labour Councils considering support for our struggle is where we have failed to ask. (Note to UNISON Labour Link - do some work!)
It’s key that we sustain support for the 30 November strike action across the whole movement – which means we need to rebut the argument that Danny Alexander has offered us anything and also that we need to welcome and value all support from within the Labour Party.
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Yeah right
In the latest shot in the propaganda war, the Government have planted a story in the Indescribablyboring which suggests that they gleefully anticipate our forthcoming strike action, believing we will alienate “public opinion”. Apparently, we have fallen into their “trap” by fighting to protect our pensions (whereas, of course, we can all well imagine that they would be livid if we had simply decided to swallow a massive attack upon our living standards…)
Well the online poll by the Grauniad gives us 77% support and the Torygraph gives us 82% support. The reality is that the great majority of working people (whether conscious of their being working class or believing themselves to be “middle class”) know that the great majority are being done down in this bankers’ recession, in which only the very wealthiest – who caused the problems in the first place – are protected.
Public sector pensions are not some indefensible perk, they are the sensible provision of security in retirement for those who, in their working lives, are required not to be influenced by improper motives. Public opinion is not against us, and the targets of this Tory propaganda (the weaker elements in our own leadership) must ignore this nonsense from our enemies.
Oh Danny boy...
Youthful Liberal Democrat wunderkind Danny Alexander clearly visits from a parallel universe, judging by what he has to say to the BBC today!
Danny boy claims that union leaders want a strike which isn’t in the interests of union members, and that’s why the good old Government will try and talk directly to the workers, rather than those pesky leaders (like rabid militant Dave Prentis who has wantonly promised to keep essential “life and limb” services going on a strike day…)
This nonsense is clearly part of a public relations campaign which was also the entire purpose of the “improved offer” on pensions earlier this week (which wasn’t improved in any significant way and doesn’t alter anything about the pensions dispute).
The rebuttal unit at UNISON HQ is going to be kept busy – and in particular we need to develop a clear and persuasive response to the question “why are will still striking if the Government have made an improved offer?” (to which of course the answer is that they haven’t really, but we need to work it up in a bit more detail).
Mind you, if Danny Alexander wants to talk directly to ordinary UNISON members I’ll be happy to arrange it for him…
Thursday, November 03, 2011
All out!
UNISON's democratic structures have called for industrial action following the member ballot (http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2513).
That means we are moving toward action at the of this month (on "N30").
This changes everything.
Our national leadership wants us to fight hard for our pensions.
At a local level, branch activists are convinced of the need for a serious fight against cuts and job losses also.
If there are (lay or full-time) officials between these two levels not prepared for the hard work required to deliver these aspirations then let them depart.
For now, let's be clear. UNISON balloted members for action and they have voted to take action. We. hope each and every member who has been balloted will both have voted for and will take take such action.
It's a hard job we activists are given over the next month - to persuade people to do what they don't want to. Strike action is never easy and always painful.
But this is the action which is now necessary.
Now we move forward.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
That means we are moving toward action at the of this month (on "N30").
This changes everything.
Our national leadership wants us to fight hard for our pensions.
At a local level, branch activists are convinced of the need for a serious fight against cuts and job losses also.
If there are (lay or full-time) officials between these two levels not prepared for the hard work required to deliver these aspirations then let them depart.
For now, let's be clear. UNISON balloted members for action and they have voted to take action. We. hope each and every member who has been balloted will both have voted for and will take take such action.
It's a hard job we activists are given over the next month - to persuade people to do what they don't want to. Strike action is never easy and always painful.
But this is the action which is now necessary.
Now we move forward.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
All out on N30
We are now heading for strike action on 30 November (http://lambethunison.blogspot.com/2011/11/its-yes-and-we-are-not-alone.html).
Who should strike?
Everyone who has been balloted should strike!
Every UNISON official and activist has an obligation to have this argument with every member (and every recruit!)
No excuses.
Get out on N30!
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Who should strike?
Everyone who has been balloted should strike!
Every UNISON official and activist has an obligation to have this argument with every member (and every recruit!)
No excuses.
Get out on N30!
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Solidarity with Waltham Forest
UNISON members in Waltham Forest are holding a branch meeting on Monday (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/2011/11/02/branch-meeting-monday-7th-november/) to discuss a long running dispute over conditions of service in which a (notionally) Labour authority is threatening over 1,000 staff with the sack (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/2011/11/02/over-1000-council-employees-still-not-signing/).
This dispute has arisen because - rather than make savings in the use of expensive consultants and agency staff, the authority has decided to rob £3 Million from the pay packets of predominantly lower paid workers through a series of changes to terms and conditions. Disgracefully the Council have resorted to bullying to try to get workers individually to accept changes which have not been agreed by their trade union (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/2011/10/19/latest-management-bullying-to-get-you-to-sign-their-new-contract/).
UNISON resistance has already seen off an attack upon national sick pay - but as the branch's report to the Council's own Staffing Committee (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Report.pdf) makes clear - the Council has lacked the confidence even to have a meaningful dialogue.
How shameful to see this conduct from a Council led by a former UNISON official whose biographical details claim he used to fight workplace injustice (http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/leader/leader-biog.htm).
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
This dispute has arisen because - rather than make savings in the use of expensive consultants and agency staff, the authority has decided to rob £3 Million from the pay packets of predominantly lower paid workers through a series of changes to terms and conditions. Disgracefully the Council have resorted to bullying to try to get workers individually to accept changes which have not been agreed by their trade union (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/2011/10/19/latest-management-bullying-to-get-you-to-sign-their-new-contract/).
UNISON resistance has already seen off an attack upon national sick pay - but as the branch's report to the Council's own Staffing Committee (http://www.unisonwalthamforest.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Report.pdf) makes clear - the Council has lacked the confidence even to have a meaningful dialogue.
How shameful to see this conduct from a Council led by a former UNISON official whose biographical details claim he used to fight workplace injustice (http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/leader/leader-biog.htm).
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Looking at what the Government are doing to our pensions
In order to assess what the Government is up to in relation to public service pensions the best thing must be to see what they themselves have to say.
Before assessing today’s announcement it is important to be clear about what, according to the Government, has already been agreed (that is to say, agreed by themselves with themselves, probably over a very agreeable meal and some fine wine…) and is therefore not changed by what has been said today.
These “agreed changes” include not only the change in uprating pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reduces the lifetime value of our pensions by at least 15%. This change, which hits private as well as public sector workers, transfers £83 Billion pounds from workers to bosses (including the Chancellor of the Exchequer) over the next fifteen years. The Government, which is waiting as we are for the outcome of our legal challenge to this act of theft, has proposed no change whatsoever on this point. (If you haven’t already signed the e-petition against this do so now!)
Incidentally, the RPI/CPI change make the Government liars when they say that one thing that won’t change is the value of our accrued benefits. They tell public servants that “all the benefits you have earned, up to the point when any changes are introduced, are fully protected”. Given that our benefits, post retirement have been reduced by tens of billions of pounds by George Osborne’s sleight of hand with price indexation, this is the sort of statement which makes Nick Clegg look like a decent and honourable individual.
Another area of what the Government are calling the “agreed changes” which are not touched by today’s announcement are the contribution increases, about which HM Treasury say; “Employee contributions will rise from 2012. This was announced as part of the Spending Review and there has been a consultation on this issue already. Members of public service pension schemes will pay more for their pensions from April 2012. Average increase in member contributions for public service pension schemes (excluding the Local Government Pension Scheme) should be assumed to be 3.2% of salary. Average increases for the Local Government scheme should be assumed to be 1.5% of salary.”
This statement is also riddled with outright lies. The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) consultation is still underway – and the only reason that the contribution increases in the LGPS are lower than in the other schemes is because the Government are also proposing detrimental changes to accrual rates with immediate effect (hitting all workers including the lowest paid). For those who don’t find the dishonesty of Tories (and their Lib Dem stooges) at all shocking, the important point is that the contribution increases – a 3% extra tax on public servants who choose to save for their retirement – are taken as a given by the Government. The Chancellor’s cash grab on our financially viable and affordable pension schemes, to raise billions annually to pay off the deficit caused by the bankers, is still on – and nothing Danny Alexander and Francis Maude said this morning has changed any of that.
The great bulk of the changes which can be illustrated by UNISON’s pension calculators are therefore simply not touched by the “offer” made by Danny Alexander this morning. The only material change for most members is to Box 8 on the LGPS calculator and Box 10 on the NHS calculator, where the accrual rate in the “new” scheme should now be set to 60ths. (I hope the necessary changes to the online calculators can soon be made). This is a modest concession, increasing the value of pensionable service post 2015 by some 8%, but the other “concession” announced today is somewhat more problematic.
If you read the detail of today’s publication from the Cabinet of millionaires, you’ll read that “the Government’s objective is to provide protection to those who on 1 April 2012 are within ten years of Normal Pension Age,” however this objective is to be met in scheme specific negotiations subject to overall cost ceilings. In other words, any protection for those close to retirement must be at the expense of those further from retirement.
For a trade union movement which already fails to reach the great majority of young workers, collusion with these age-related divide and rule tactics would be the kiss of death!
That’s why our General Secretary, Dave Prentis, did well to lead a strong response from the TUC to the poisoned chalice offered by Ministers this morning. The Government are not confident or strong. They have not made this offer conditional upon withdrawal of strike action but instead say that it remains open to the end of the year.
Today the Government showed weakness both by shifting their position and by the bluster which accompanied that move – but they also showed the animal cunning of the British ruling class as they tried to give as little as possible whilst trying to divide their opponents and take advantage of the weakness of those who see their role as mediators rather than leaders.
Tomorrow will see the result of the largest ballot in the history of British trade unionism. UNISON members will speak and we will say that we are prepared to fight this Government to defend our pensions.
Let that be our answer to the Government. A million workers prepared to take on the Cabinet of millionaires. (The turnout in the ballot mayn’t be all we might have hoped for, but that’s why the last Tory Government introduced postal ballots – to depress the turnout!)
Wednesday 2 November 2011 was the day that those who don’t want workers to fight the Tories tried and failed to set the agenda. Tomorrow will be different.
Before assessing today’s announcement it is important to be clear about what, according to the Government, has already been agreed (that is to say, agreed by themselves with themselves, probably over a very agreeable meal and some fine wine…) and is therefore not changed by what has been said today.
These “agreed changes” include not only the change in uprating pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reduces the lifetime value of our pensions by at least 15%. This change, which hits private as well as public sector workers, transfers £83 Billion pounds from workers to bosses (including the Chancellor of the Exchequer) over the next fifteen years. The Government, which is waiting as we are for the outcome of our legal challenge to this act of theft, has proposed no change whatsoever on this point. (If you haven’t already signed the e-petition against this do so now!)
Incidentally, the RPI/CPI change make the Government liars when they say that one thing that won’t change is the value of our accrued benefits. They tell public servants that “all the benefits you have earned, up to the point when any changes are introduced, are fully protected”. Given that our benefits, post retirement have been reduced by tens of billions of pounds by George Osborne’s sleight of hand with price indexation, this is the sort of statement which makes Nick Clegg look like a decent and honourable individual.
Another area of what the Government are calling the “agreed changes” which are not touched by today’s announcement are the contribution increases, about which HM Treasury say; “Employee contributions will rise from 2012. This was announced as part of the Spending Review and there has been a consultation on this issue already. Members of public service pension schemes will pay more for their pensions from April 2012. Average increase in member contributions for public service pension schemes (excluding the Local Government Pension Scheme) should be assumed to be 3.2% of salary. Average increases for the Local Government scheme should be assumed to be 1.5% of salary.”
This statement is also riddled with outright lies. The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) consultation is still underway – and the only reason that the contribution increases in the LGPS are lower than in the other schemes is because the Government are also proposing detrimental changes to accrual rates with immediate effect (hitting all workers including the lowest paid). For those who don’t find the dishonesty of Tories (and their Lib Dem stooges) at all shocking, the important point is that the contribution increases – a 3% extra tax on public servants who choose to save for their retirement – are taken as a given by the Government. The Chancellor’s cash grab on our financially viable and affordable pension schemes, to raise billions annually to pay off the deficit caused by the bankers, is still on – and nothing Danny Alexander and Francis Maude said this morning has changed any of that.
The great bulk of the changes which can be illustrated by UNISON’s pension calculators are therefore simply not touched by the “offer” made by Danny Alexander this morning. The only material change for most members is to Box 8 on the LGPS calculator and Box 10 on the NHS calculator, where the accrual rate in the “new” scheme should now be set to 60ths. (I hope the necessary changes to the online calculators can soon be made). This is a modest concession, increasing the value of pensionable service post 2015 by some 8%, but the other “concession” announced today is somewhat more problematic.
If you read the detail of today’s publication from the Cabinet of millionaires, you’ll read that “the Government’s objective is to provide protection to those who on 1 April 2012 are within ten years of Normal Pension Age,” however this objective is to be met in scheme specific negotiations subject to overall cost ceilings. In other words, any protection for those close to retirement must be at the expense of those further from retirement.
For a trade union movement which already fails to reach the great majority of young workers, collusion with these age-related divide and rule tactics would be the kiss of death!
That’s why our General Secretary, Dave Prentis, did well to lead a strong response from the TUC to the poisoned chalice offered by Ministers this morning. The Government are not confident or strong. They have not made this offer conditional upon withdrawal of strike action but instead say that it remains open to the end of the year.
Today the Government showed weakness both by shifting their position and by the bluster which accompanied that move – but they also showed the animal cunning of the British ruling class as they tried to give as little as possible whilst trying to divide their opponents and take advantage of the weakness of those who see their role as mediators rather than leaders.
Tomorrow will see the result of the largest ballot in the history of British trade unionism. UNISON members will speak and we will say that we are prepared to fight this Government to defend our pensions.
Let that be our answer to the Government. A million workers prepared to take on the Cabinet of millionaires. (The turnout in the ballot mayn’t be all we might have hoped for, but that’s why the last Tory Government introduced postal ballots – to depress the turnout!)
Wednesday 2 November 2011 was the day that those who don’t want workers to fight the Tories tried and failed to set the agenda. Tomorrow will be different.
Not nearly good enough
So the Government have offered 1/60th accrual rates in the future career average pensions and protection for those within ten years of retirement.
That was always going to be their offer on accrual rates anyway (and represents a massive overall reduction in pension payouts compared to 1/60th accrual in a final salary scheme. As for the proposal that the trade unions should sacrifice the interests of young workers to protect those closer to retirement – that’s hardly a strategy for the future of the movement!
I don’t like to disagree with a fellow trade unionist but I can’t see how these proposals are "worthy of serious consideration". We now know what the Government is prepared to offer to avert a strike.
Now let’s see what we can make them offer by striking! Tomorrow’s ballot result will show UNISON members voting for action, and this will be followed by results from many other unions.
Now is not the time to give up.
Update - it is clear that the strike on November 30 will be going ahead (depending of course on the ballot results, of which more tomorrow)
That was always going to be their offer on accrual rates anyway (and represents a massive overall reduction in pension payouts compared to 1/60th accrual in a final salary scheme. As for the proposal that the trade unions should sacrifice the interests of young workers to protect those closer to retirement – that’s hardly a strategy for the future of the movement!
I don’t like to disagree with a fellow trade unionist but I can’t see how these proposals are "worthy of serious consideration". We now know what the Government is prepared to offer to avert a strike.
Now let’s see what we can make them offer by striking! Tomorrow’s ballot result will show UNISON members voting for action, and this will be followed by results from many other unions.
Now is not the time to give up.
Update - it is clear that the strike on November 30 will be going ahead (depending of course on the ballot results, of which more tomorrow)
Talk, but don't wobble!
Our trade union leaders have been called to the Cabinet Office this morning to hear about some cosmetic enhancements of the Government’s “offer” on public service pensions.
No doubt wobbly people will want to wobble in response to any sign of a concession – but I am confident UNISON will stand firm. It’s clearly UNISON’s imminent “YES” vote that has the Government beginning to at least seem to shift, but our members will expect that we don’t settle for anything less than the withdrawal of the current proposals for a cash grab on our pension funds.
UNISON activists now need to do all we can to help our fellow trade unionists in GMB and UNITE, and other balloting unions, to get the “YES” votes we all need.
No doubt wobbly people will want to wobble in response to any sign of a concession – but I am confident UNISON will stand firm. It’s clearly UNISON’s imminent “YES” vote that has the Government beginning to at least seem to shift, but our members will expect that we don’t settle for anything less than the withdrawal of the current proposals for a cash grab on our pension funds.
UNISON activists now need to do all we can to help our fellow trade unionists in GMB and UNITE, and other balloting unions, to get the “YES” votes we all need.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
The Final Countdown - vote YES now!
With the UNISON pensions ballot closing on Thursday, this really is the very last chance anyone will have to vote "YES" in the biggest ballot in the history of British trade unionism.
Let's hope for a good turnout and a strong, positive "YES" vote!
Let's hope for a good turnout and a strong, positive "YES" vote!
Take action for fair pensions for all
The two linked legal challenges to the Government’s unilateral switch from uprating pensions in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – costing us all some 15% or more of our lifetime pension income – were heard in the High Court between 25 and 27 October.
The ever informative website of the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance predicts that we won’t have the judgement for some time – and I guess an appeal would be quite likely too. However, the e-petition has now exceeded 70,000 signatures, and as we need 100,000 for a parliamentary debate – now would be a good time to sign the petition!
This is an issue which unites public and private sector pensioners and – with evidence that declining active membership could undermine the future of the LGPS – it is vital that we do all we can to build such unity. As we defend our pensions we need to articulate a positive alternative of fair pensions for all.
Signing an online petition can be dismissed as mere "clicktivism" - but forcing a parliamentary debate on the question of pensions would not be an irrelevance as we prepare for the biggest strike of our lives (so far).
The ever informative website of the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance predicts that we won’t have the judgement for some time – and I guess an appeal would be quite likely too. However, the e-petition has now exceeded 70,000 signatures, and as we need 100,000 for a parliamentary debate – now would be a good time to sign the petition!
This is an issue which unites public and private sector pensioners and – with evidence that declining active membership could undermine the future of the LGPS – it is vital that we do all we can to build such unity. As we defend our pensions we need to articulate a positive alternative of fair pensions for all.
Signing an online petition can be dismissed as mere "clicktivism" - but forcing a parliamentary debate on the question of pensions would not be an irrelevance as we prepare for the biggest strike of our lives (so far).
Moving forward to N30
Regular readers of the blog, Sid and Doris Blogger, will appreciate the total coincidence which saw SERTUC issue confirmation of the strike day demonstration within an hour of the last post on this blog.
There will be a regional rally in London. This will be 2.15 to 3.15pm on Victoria Embankment and the road will be closed for the event. SERTUC and London unions will coordinate speakers – more information later. There is likely to be a march to join the rally at 2pm – provisional arrangements are assemble in Lincoln's Inn Fields from 12 noon, move off at 1pm to the Rally on the Victoria Embankment – details will be finalised shortly.
Branches staging local events will, I am sure, generally bring these forward to enable members to support events in the boroughs and go on to the London demonstration.
I very much take the point made to me privately by a well-informed correspondent that we cannot necessarily expect all the General Secretaries to be at the London rally. This will - ballots permitting - be a UK wide strike and it is certainly true that in the North, Wales and Scotland (and for that matter Northern Ireland) where trade union density is higher, there will be strong support and major - and important - rallies.
However, I hope that UNISON will field a significant speaker for the London rally which will inevitably draw an unfair share of media attention. UNISON turned out massive numbers on 26 March and a fair few of those were from London.
As we move towards the declaration of our ballot result in the next 48 hours we need to begin to prepare our members for the absolute necessity not only to take strike action on the day but to do the maximum possible in terms of activity - whether picketing, demonstrating or (best of all) both, guided always by an understanding that our objective is to exert political pressure through our lawful industrial action and associated activities.
Now is the time for the sort of leadership that tells people not what they may want to hear but what they are required to do.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
There will be a regional rally in London. This will be 2.15 to 3.15pm on Victoria Embankment and the road will be closed for the event. SERTUC and London unions will coordinate speakers – more information later. There is likely to be a march to join the rally at 2pm – provisional arrangements are assemble in Lincoln's Inn Fields from 12 noon, move off at 1pm to the Rally on the Victoria Embankment – details will be finalised shortly.
Branches staging local events will, I am sure, generally bring these forward to enable members to support events in the boroughs and go on to the London demonstration.
I very much take the point made to me privately by a well-informed correspondent that we cannot necessarily expect all the General Secretaries to be at the London rally. This will - ballots permitting - be a UK wide strike and it is certainly true that in the North, Wales and Scotland (and for that matter Northern Ireland) where trade union density is higher, there will be strong support and major - and important - rallies.
However, I hope that UNISON will field a significant speaker for the London rally which will inevitably draw an unfair share of media attention. UNISON turned out massive numbers on 26 March and a fair few of those were from London.
As we move towards the declaration of our ballot result in the next 48 hours we need to begin to prepare our members for the absolute necessity not only to take strike action on the day but to do the maximum possible in terms of activity - whether picketing, demonstrating or (best of all) both, guided always by an understanding that our objective is to exert political pressure through our lawful industrial action and associated activities.
Now is the time for the sort of leadership that tells people not what they may want to hear but what they are required to do.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Monday, October 31, 2011
Now it gets interesting
Before I say anything else let me say "Vote YES!!"
The UNISON ballot is almost over - but there is still time for members to post ballot papers which have been overlooked.
The GMB and UNITE ballots are just beginning - and deserve our attention also.
However, anticipating a "YES" vote and the inevitability of action, we do now need to reflect upon the tactics needed to win this vital dispute.
Since I don't always get the Morning Star on days when I am not at work I owe a hat tip to the "almost-official" UNISON Anonymous Blog (http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2011/10/striking-while-iron-is-hot.html) for reporting on the latest contribution to this debate by the ever-interesting Gregor Gall (http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/111265).
Gregor hones in on a vital difference between public sector and private sector industrial relations (which escapes some of our officials to this day!) He observes that "strikes against private employers are essentially economic where the point is to cause loss of revenue and profit to the employer - terms that do not equally apply to a public or state employer."
In the private sector an employer is driven by the "bottom line" - in the public sector the approach of our employer is determined by "political contingency."
This means that we need to maximise the political impact of industrial action - and that this is more important than (for example) sustaining picket lines on every workplace.
We do need to call, clearly and unequivocally, for strike action on 30 November (once we have the ballot result) and we need to stiffen the resolve of those who may have been deluded by all the talk of "partnership" that has streamed out of our Regional office in recent years. Those who fail to strike on 30 November (unless properly exempted to provide "life and limb" cover) will be scabs and those who make excuses for them will be lower than vermin.
However, having got strike action from our members we must repay their sacrifice with an intelligent strategy to maximise the impact of their action. This must mean an early Central London march and rally on 30 November. Those who stand in the way of this necessary objective are traitors to our cause and must be shown no quarter.
If SERTUC fails to organise an effective platform in Central London for our General Secretaries to articulate our demands then it will become an irrelevance. No UNISON official has any mandate or authority to oppose an early Central London demonstration on 30 November and I hope no one is abusing their position to weaken our campaign in such a way.
UNISON members are putting their faith in our leadership. Now more than ever we need our leadership to rise to this challenge and to ensure that all our Union's resources (including all our employees) stand together in unity to advance our cause in the dispute that will write our history.
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Friday, October 28, 2011
Why is there a weekend? And what should we do this weekend?
In deciding what to do this weekend, perhaps you are driven to wonder why there is a weekend?
In the period immediately after the industrial revolution employers sought to maximise profit by pursuing the strategy which Marx called "absolute surplus value" - without changing the process of production they sought to extend the working day and week in order to increase the surplus which they extracted from their workers (who created all the value in the first place).
This strategy was defeated by the nascent workers movement, which fought for the "Ten Hours Bill" - to limit the working hours of children in order to limit the hours of the whole workforce. Out of these struggles to limit working time - so that working people should have leisure time and not exist merely as "hands" to do the bidding of their masters - came a requirement upon the employers to change tack. Henceforth, to make more profit, the capitalist employers had to turn to the strategy which Marx called "relative surplus value" - revolutionising the production process in order to make more profit out of the same quantity of working time.
It was because working people resisted exploitation that capitalism found the dynamism which has propelled it forward into the twenty first century. By forcing capitalists to change production processes in ways that drove up labour productivity - because the approach of simply increasing working time had been defeated - it was workers' struggle which initiated the trend for labour productivity to rise over time, which has enabled increases in living standards over the past two centuries.
This struggle for leisure time also gave us the weekend.
So (and regular readers Sid and Doris Blogger will have seen this coming) if we owe both the weekend and increasing labour productivity - and hence living standards - to the organisation of the working class, what should we do about this?
Well, this weekend we should do all we can to remind UNISON members to vote "YES" in the pensions ballot.
Going to the library? Say "vote YES"!
Going for a swim? Say "vote YES"!
Registering a birth, death or marriage! Say "vote YES"!
Visiting a hospital? Say "vote YES"!
Got it?
This is the decisive struggle of our generation.
Don't think that, if we fail in this struggle, the FTSE 100 Directors, descended from the early Victorian mill owners, who have taken massive pay rises in the past year, won't take back the weekend that was won for us. Already precarious workers do not have this.
Don't think that any of our employment rights or trade union rights are secure if we can't win this fight to defend our pensions. Already vulnerable workers do not have these.
Don't think that any of the democratic and social gains of the twentieth century are secure in the twenty first if we lose the strength of the labour movement which won all these things in the first place.
This weekend - remind a UNISON member to vote "YES"!
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Further correction - tomorrow is the day to remind UNISON members to vote
It’s good to see UNISON pulling out the stops to get the vote out in the pensions ballot. In the Eastern Region an imaginative ballot-paper-posting photo opportunity demonstrates that this dispute is an excellent opportunity for joint service group working. There have been 300 briefings in the North West and 240 in the South East. The West Midlands Region has set up a “walk-in centre” for branch activists – and this imaginative approach to building a constructive partnership between regional staff and lay activists has paid dividends (with, I understand, almost 500 workplace events organised by the Region during the ballot period, additional to events being organised by branches themselves).
It’s not just at Regional level that an unprecedented effort is being made. I know that some colleagues in the Greater London Region have welcomed colleagues from national office to assist in organising and campaigning for a “YES” vote. Regions can clearly learn from other Regions, and our Region in London can learn the importance of cross service group working and of a positive relationship with lay activists. This will be key to effective strike action on 30 November and beyond, and therefore to defending our pensions and our trade union.
Of course the key level for activity is the branch – and branch activists have the chance to make one final push for members to vote. I am therefore correcting both of the last two posts on this blog and now consider that tomorrow, Friday 27 October, is the very best day to remind a UNISON member to vote! (And if you’re not at work, why not remind your Facebook Friends who are UNISON members, and remind them to remind theirs?)
It’s not just at Regional level that an unprecedented effort is being made. I know that some colleagues in the Greater London Region have welcomed colleagues from national office to assist in organising and campaigning for a “YES” vote. Regions can clearly learn from other Regions, and our Region in London can learn the importance of cross service group working and of a positive relationship with lay activists. This will be key to effective strike action on 30 November and beyond, and therefore to defending our pensions and our trade union.
Of course the key level for activity is the branch – and branch activists have the chance to make one final push for members to vote. I am therefore correcting both of the last two posts on this blog and now consider that tomorrow, Friday 27 October, is the very best day to remind a UNISON member to vote! (And if you’re not at work, why not remind your Facebook Friends who are UNISON members, and remind them to remind theirs?)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Correction - tomorrow is the day to remind UNISON members to vote "YES"!
I know that yesterday evening I blogged that today was the day to remind UNISON members to vote "YES" in the pensions ballot.
Reminding members to vote is crucial. The Tories introduced postal ballots for industrial action in order to ensure lower turnouts, giving them the opportunity to claim - falsely - that Unions call action unsupported by our members.
Since the Tories introduced these rules our lives have not got less busy, we don't have less junk mail, and we aren't more familiar with using the post (one member today wanted to know where to click to cast their vote!)
We have to do all we can to drive up turnout in the ballot.
This evening though I got the reminder email from our General Secretary.
I therefore now think that tomorrow may be the crucial day to remind UNISON members to vote "YES".
Friday may also be a good day for that...
Reminding members to vote is crucial. The Tories introduced postal ballots for industrial action in order to ensure lower turnouts, giving them the opportunity to claim - falsely - that Unions call action unsupported by our members.
Since the Tories introduced these rules our lives have not got less busy, we don't have less junk mail, and we aren't more familiar with using the post (one member today wanted to know where to click to cast their vote!)
We have to do all we can to drive up turnout in the ballot.
This evening though I got the reminder email from our General Secretary.
I therefore now think that tomorrow may be the crucial day to remind UNISON members to vote "YES".
Friday may also be a good day for that...
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
It's "Remind a UNISON member to vote Day!"
UNISON members have until Thursday next to return their ballots in the vital industrial action ballots over pensions - but only until next Monday (Halloween!) to request a replacement ballot by phoning 0845 355 0845.
The UNISON ballot in the run up to 30 November is the largest in trade union history. Many thousands will already have voted - many thousands still can. It's in all our interests that the unions win the pensions dispute.
Whether you are a UNISON member or not you come across us in your daily lives, in hospitals, libraries, parks - you are never far from a UNISON member! Why not make tomorrow, in fact every day until Monday at least, the day you remind a UNISON member to vote?
The UNISON ballot in the run up to 30 November is the largest in trade union history. Many thousands will already have voted - many thousands still can. It's in all our interests that the unions win the pensions dispute.
Whether you are a UNISON member or not you come across us in your daily lives, in hospitals, libraries, parks - you are never far from a UNISON member! Why not make tomorrow, in fact every day until Monday at least, the day you remind a UNISON member to vote?
From Choose Youth to Dinosaur Planet
Myself and my children attended today's "Choose Youth" (http://chooseyouth.org/) rally and lobby of Parliament (http://chooseyouth.org/events/).
I initially turned down a "Choose Youth" sticker since I thought it would make me look like I was on a quest for the fountain of youth, or perhaps cosmetic surgery.
I needn't've worried, as we joined the well attended (and overwhelmingly youthful) rally at Central Hall at the point at which the young new General Secretary of UNITE, Len McClusky, was giving a stirring oration, shortly followed by our own, evergreen, Keith Sonnet who was cheered to the rafters for calling for tax justice, the cancellation of Trident and bringing troops home from Afghanistan as alternatives to cutbacks in youth services.
There were numerous moving contributions at the rally from young people and youth workers. It's plain that restricting the life chances of working class young people isn't some unfortunate byproduct of Coalition policy - it is a central and deliberate goal of that policy.
We left rather than listen to Stephen Twigg (I won't let my son watch the Horror Channel) in order for the youth contingent of our lobby to talk to our constituency MP, Caroline Lucas (http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl.html), who proved herself a diligent and attentive constituency MP - who had also already signed the relevant Early Day Motion (http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/1013).
We then spent a while in the gallery of the House of Lords, which is a bit like watching Dinosaur Planet inside a Faberge egg.
My only advice to other parents, contemplating active citizenship as a half-term treat, would be to bear in mind that you can't get out of the Palace of Westminster without passing the gift shop, where the prices ensure that you will have an opportunity to do your bit to help the Chancellor deal with the deficit within one Parliamentary term.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
I initially turned down a "Choose Youth" sticker since I thought it would make me look like I was on a quest for the fountain of youth, or perhaps cosmetic surgery.
I needn't've worried, as we joined the well attended (and overwhelmingly youthful) rally at Central Hall at the point at which the young new General Secretary of UNITE, Len McClusky, was giving a stirring oration, shortly followed by our own, evergreen, Keith Sonnet who was cheered to the rafters for calling for tax justice, the cancellation of Trident and bringing troops home from Afghanistan as alternatives to cutbacks in youth services.
There were numerous moving contributions at the rally from young people and youth workers. It's plain that restricting the life chances of working class young people isn't some unfortunate byproduct of Coalition policy - it is a central and deliberate goal of that policy.
We left rather than listen to Stephen Twigg (I won't let my son watch the Horror Channel) in order for the youth contingent of our lobby to talk to our constituency MP, Caroline Lucas (http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl.html), who proved herself a diligent and attentive constituency MP - who had also already signed the relevant Early Day Motion (http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/1013).
We then spent a while in the gallery of the House of Lords, which is a bit like watching Dinosaur Planet inside a Faberge egg.
My only advice to other parents, contemplating active citizenship as a half-term treat, would be to bear in mind that you can't get out of the Palace of Westminster without passing the gift shop, where the prices ensure that you will have an opportunity to do your bit to help the Chancellor deal with the deficit within one Parliamentary term.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Get the vote out - one last push!!
I am on leave this week but, since I only have this leave to enjoy because previous generations built a trade union movement to fight for it, I retain an interest in the absolute priority for our Union today - maximising turnout in the pensions ballot.
Members of my branch can expect to hear from me this week - and it won't be a postcard.
UNISON Branches should send out reminder messages by bulk email, using the official template online at http://www.unison.org.uk/efocus/news_view.asp?did=7310.
Stewards should ensure they have spoken to every member, and branches should aim to speak to as many members as possible, whether by walking through workplaces or sitting at a telephone making calls.
We need everyone on this now.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Members of my branch can expect to hear from me this week - and it won't be a postcard.
UNISON Branches should send out reminder messages by bulk email, using the official template online at http://www.unison.org.uk/efocus/news_view.asp?did=7310.
Stewards should ensure they have spoken to every member, and branches should aim to speak to as many members as possible, whether by walking through workplaces or sitting at a telephone making calls.
We need everyone on this now.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
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