“We need strong branches. We’ve got to be active.”
That was one clear message from today’s meeting of the UNISON national executive council in London as the union geared up for another major four-week recruitment drive starting on 28 April – and to respond to increasing membership anger over “derisory” pay offers in public servcies.
The NEC heard updates on the pay consultation taking place in local government and related services, including schools, over the employers’ 1% pay offer for England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and plans for an industrial action ballot if that consultation shows members rejecting the offer.
Key issue: local government pay
The meeting also heard of the anger among health workers over health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s refusal to implement the independent pay review body’s recommendation for a 1% pay increase across the board in England.
Next week’s UNISON health conference in Brighton will discuss an emergency motion on a pay campaign that could include industrial action – though the details will vary among the four countries of the UK as governments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast have varied responses to the pay review body’s report.
There were also updates on pay negotiations in other sectors representing UNISON members, including higher education, where talks on the 2014-15 claim start shortly, and police staff, where a claim has been submitted for a rise of 3% or £500, whichever is greater.
The NEC sent messages of support and solidarity to members involved in local disputes and industrial action, including a number of universities, local government workers in Barnet and Care UK workers in Doncaster, who have just completed their 16th day of industrial action and have more planned over Easter.
That will include a rally in Doncaster on Good Friday (keep an eye on the union website for details) and branches can send messages of support. Details can be found on the UNISON website news pages.
News item: Doncaster care workers strike again
General secretary Dave Prentis reported that this activity was taking place against an inceasingly difficult background as increasing attacks on public services under the guise of austerity mean growing job losses, which in turn mean a shrinking membership, even with increases in recruitment figures tied to our recruitment campaign work.
But despite this, the union is scoring some notable successes, said Mr Prentis, pointing to the successful campaign to prevent the George Eliot Hospital in the West Midlands being privatised, an increasing number of councils signing up to the union’s Ethical Care Charter pledge on decent standards of care and proper pay and conditions for care workers, getting universities to sign up to the living wage and the campaign against zero-hours contracts.
News item: pressure frees George Eliot Hospital from privatisation threat
Document: UNISON Ethical Care Charter
Today’s meeting also
- decided NEC policy on motions to national delegate conference in June and agreed amendments to submit;
- agreed which motions to support for priority discussion at conference;
- agreed its policy on proposed rule changes submitted to the conference;
- agreed the draft annual report to conference;
- received an update on planning for the conference;
- heard updates on recruitment campaigning and organising work;
- received a report on planning for the legally required political fund ballot in the autumn.
