Today's news (http://m.guardian.co.uk/?id=102202&story=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/15/public-sector-job-cuts-cipd) from the people trying to turn Human Resources into a profession (http://www.cipd.co.uk/default.cipd) is a further indication that Peter Mandelson is getting his Blairite way and public sector job cuts are in the pipeline even ahead of the General Election.
Incidentally, the news that public sector pay is anticipated to lag well behind private sector pay at the same time as jobs are cut illustrates that pay restraint is no easy path to job security.
The head of the public sector at KPMG reportedly says that "it's only a matter of time" before the worst public spending cuts anyone can remember. News reports do not tell us whether he was salivating at the thought of the lucrative contracts all this "downsizing" and reorganisation will bring for companies like his.
It's not a matter of time though is it?
It's a matter of political choice. If we want to let the bankers whose industry the taxpayers bailed out cajole us into deficit reduction at the expense of vital services rather than ourselves taking ownership and control of the financial sector that's up to us. It is we who permit the bankers to be our masters rather than our servants.
Unison's excellent alternative budget proposals (http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1670) demonstrated clearly that other political choices could be made. It is now up to us to fight for those choices.
It is because we need a debate and discussion about how to do this that I welcome the opportunity of the Unison General Secretary election (in which I support rank and file challenger Paul Holmes) - but it's as important to remember the deadline for submission of Conference motions comrades!
Now more than ever is the time for open and challenging debate.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
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