UNISON to launch health campaign at TUC

Today’s meeting of UNISON’s delegation to the Trades Union Congress agreed two motions to be submitted by UNISON to the TUC.

The first motion, on the campaign to defend the National Health Service, calls upon the TUC to lead a major campaign against job losses and privatisation. Dave Prentis, General Secretary, reported from yesterday’s meeting of health unions.

All health unions are complaining to the Secretary of State about the current trend of Government policy – Dave reported his view that some Government Ministers do not know what is going on in the health service.

UNISON will be convening fringe meetings at the TUC and Labour Party Conferences on behalf of all health unions, and plans are in hand for a mass lobby of Parliament in the autumn and probably a major national demonstration in the New Year.

I tried, without success, to persuade the delegation to include a specific reference to the Keep Our NHS Public campaign, in line with UNISON Conference policy.

UNISON’s second motion is on public services and opposition to privatisation. It states – quite rightly – that “there is no role for markets in public services because they are harmful, wasteful and unjust.”

This afternoon the National Executive Council will be meeting and we expect to receive further information about the campaign to defend our public services – and our NHS in particular.