“We have good reason to be optimistic. It feels a bit like the tide is turning.
“The government should be in no doubt: UNISON is strong. UNISON is resolute – and UNISON is up for the fight.
“Together we rise, conference!”
That was the message at the heart of today’s address to UNISON’s national delegate conference by general secretary Christina McAnea.
And conference did rise, with cheers, applause and a standing ovation as she concluded.
Threaded throughout, it was a speech in which she gave voice to the anger and frustration of members, struggling with the “worst cost-of-living crisis in over 70 years,” made by an uncaring government in Westminster.
“And the poorer you are, the higher the price you pay,” she said.
“Struggling families forced to choose between heating and eating. Food banks stretched to breaking point. Mental health services on their knees. One in four people missing meals.”
And Ms McAnea was scathing of the Tory government’s attitude, saying it should hang its head in shame.
“But instead, ministers are going round telling those hardest hit by the crisis to work more hours or take on an extra job.
“Worried about not having enough money to feed your family? Spend more time making meals from scratch – in between the extra hours – and the extra job you take on, of course.”
She told delegates how her own mother, a low-paid school cleaner and dinner lady, “made soup every single day to make meals go further – but being a low-paid worker, even she would have struggled on a budget of 30p a day.”
£840 a roll for wallpaper?
The government was so out of touch, she told conference, because “they don’t understand us, because they’re not like us.” A perfect illustration of this was the Downing Street wallpaper.
“Seriously,” she said: “£840 a roll, and that doesn’t include the cost of putting it up”.
And to laughter and applause: “For that kind of money, I’d expect it to walk in on two legs and apply itself to the wall!”
But more seriously, the general secretary was in no doubt that the crisis is down to political choices.
“The Tories choose not to increase taxes on the wealthiest. And were dragged kicking and screaming into a windfall tax. They stubbornly refuse to increase capital gains tax.
“Instead, the government is increasing National Insurance – a tax on working people. If you get your income from stocks and shares – and I’m sure loads of you do – or four or 4,000 buy-to-let properties, you pay nothing more.”
A choice by the powerful
Poverty, she stated, “is a choice made by the powerful.
And Ms McAnea said that instead of helping the less well off, the government was happy to let those who unashamedly profiteered from the pandemic off the hook.
And within the last week, “we learned that the chancellor” failed to insure against interest rises on government debts. Sunak’s blunder cost taxpayers a staggering £11 billion.”
That would give every single public sector worker in this country a decent pay increase, she said.
“Instead, we see the very people whose courage and dedication got the country through the pandemic, now having to rely on charity.
“And that’s why we’re taking to the streets this Saturday. I hope to see as many of you as possible, walking with us, beside the UNISON banner, in London.”
The dying days of a corrupt government
“We are witnessing the dying days of a corrupt and out-of-touch government. A government that’s hanging onto power – but out of ideas.
Unlike the government, Ms McAnea said that UNISON’s priority was dealing with the cost of living crisis.
“Our pay claims are in. We don’t know what offers we’ll get, but just this week at our service group conferences, I’ve asked all our branches to get strike-ready, because conference, that’s where we’re heading.”
Acknowledging the difficulties in meeting ballot thresholds, she said that the union would do everything possible to get ‘yes’ votes.
She cited case after case where the union has won victories, from Glasgow to Sandwell to Dundee to Wales; from Cranfield to Cambridge, Manchester to Northern Ireland.
Getting outsourced staff brought back onto Agenda for Change national pay rates, getting Serco workers brought back inhouse; regrading and re-banding successes in many NHS employers, which puts between £1,500 and £3,000 into the pockets of thousands of low-paid workers.
But she told delegates that such successes “don’t happen by magic. You don’t just suggest it and hear employers say: ‘Oh, that’s a good idea, I wish I’d thought of it’. Wins like these take hard work – and each one has to be fought for.”
She reported that, in terms of her manifesto pledges when standing to be elected general secretary, the branch support and organising fund, the UNISON College, the member participation and engagement projects and the recruitment and organising strategy are all now delivering for members.
To loud applause and cheers, she said: “I’m absolutely committed to being a member-led union. One that works in partnership with our staff, with all the parts of the union and one that makes sure no single part of our union will dominate.”
“Our members don’t run away from an emergency or a crisis – they go towards it to help fix it, to help others get through it. We demanded a public inquiry [into the handling of the pandemic] and we will make sure the sacrifice of our members is not forgotten.
“So – are we going to sit back and let the liars, cheats and fraudsters in Westminster tell us we don’t deserve a proper pay rise?” Conference roared back a ‘No!’
“Are we going to let them get away with saying we need to practise pay restraint?” Again, ‘No!’
Johnson gets something right
“Just the other day Boris Johnson said: ‘The union barons will once again protest’. Well, conference, he got that right – we will protest!
“And if we have to, we will strike to protect our members and to protect public services.
“And if we’re going to be united as a movement, we need to be united as a union.
“So let’s get our members to look up. Let’s encourage them to be positive and hopeful, by showing them that we’re ready for the fight.
“We will win if we’re organised and we’re focussed.
“Together we rise, conference!”
