UNISON is gearing up for major challenges facing members in the coming year, with the ground laid at the union’s national executive council meeting in London today.
The meeting considered both the issues facing public service workers and the ways the union is meeting them.
Looking at the year ahead, general secretary Dave Prentis noted that local government is likely to enter a period of far bigger cuts.
With some councils possibly getting close to a situation where they will have to stop delivering services, the union will continue mounting a forceful campaign against cuts and austerity, including working with the TUC, other unions and wider campaigns.
And in the NHS, Westminster cuts mean that services are under threat in the devolved nations such as Wales, as well as England where the government’s Health and Social Care Act applies directly.
But there are positive examples of UNISON acting to defend members as well, said Mr Prentis, pointing to last week’s UK-wide celebration of teaching and classroom assistants, which saw the union go into hundreds of schools as part of a hugely successful campaign.
Similarly, the union’s campaign for a living wage continues to be a major priority and notches up successes.
And UNISON is pushing ahead with its work with credit unions to provide a real alternative to the pay-day loan companies many members are being forced to turn to after three years of pay freezes.
The NEC was meeting the day after a successful UK-wide strike of higher education workers organised jointly by UNISON, Unite, UCU and the EIS, the second day of action against a 1% pay offer from university employers.
The meeting thanked and congratulated members involved in the sector-wide action and also sent a message of support and solidarity to workers at the University of Liverpool who are taking separate action today against attacks on their terms and conditions.
News story: Liverpool staff strike over pay cuts
Mr Prentis reported that the union has witnessed an increase in industrial action ballots among members – reporting 40 current or recent ones – who have seen the real value of their pay fall by 12%-15% already.
“All of us need to be campaigning at grassroots level on these issues,” he told the meeting.
The union has launched an overarching campaign – Worth it – to help build the case that workers who provide public services – whether in the public sector, private sector or community sector – are worth fair pay.
UNISON campaign: A living wage
UNISON key issue: Local government pay (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
The executive also received an update on plans to privatise the probation service in England and Wales, where the union is preparing for an industrial action ballot after negotiations broke down.
UNISON key issue: Probation – keep it public and local
News story: probation talks break down
On the positive side, the NEC heard that the union’s recruitment campaign launched in spring has been a success, with a 30% increase on the 2012 recruitment figures, even as jobs continue to be lost as part of a sustained attack on public services.
The meeting agreed to continue the campaign into 2014 as part of building and strengthening the union to meet the challenges ahead.
The NEC also:
- agreed the union’s budget for 2014 and endorsed the accounts for the first nine months of 2014;
- agreed the union’s objectives for 2014;
- agreed to hold a ballot on continuing the union’s political fund in 2014, which the law requires to be held by 2015;
- received an update on planning for the 2014 national delegate conference;
- congratulated members at Future Directions in the north west, who have taken 29 days of strike action so far against employers plans for massive cuts in pay, terms and conditions.
The meeting sent a message of full support and solidarity to the UNISON Scotland and Scottish emergency and other public service workers in the wake of the weekend’s devastating accident which saw a police helicopter crash into a Glasgow pub.
President Maureen Le Marinel noted that many health workers in particular displayed their dedication by turning up to work at their hospitals despite not being on duty.
The NEC also sent condolences to members who had lost family – and the families of members who had died – in the Philippines typhoon. It urged branches and regions to help negotiate time off for affected members.