Louise Nousratpour at TUC Conference, Brighton
Wednesday May 16, 2007
The Morning Star
FURIOUS delegates at the Civil Service union PCS conference in Brighton warned the government yesterday that it will face a summer of discontent because of growing anger over privatisation, job cuts and pay.
Conference unanimously endorsed proposals to co-ordinate industrial action where possible with other public-sector unions whose members are also affected by the below-inflation pay offer of just 2 per cent.
On job cuts and privatisation, delegates agreed to intensify the union's campaign and to consult as widely as possible with its 300,000-plus members on further industrial action.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said that the unanimous vote was "for intensifying and escalating the campaign," which has already seen two national strikes this year, as well as other actions short of strike.
"We will now be seeking to hold as many meetings with union branches and activists across the country as possible to discuss the way forward," he said.
Public-sector union UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis sent a message of solidarity, giving his union's full backing for co-ordinated action.
Pointing to new Labour's "relentless drive" to privatise and cut public services, he stressed: "Unions cannot fight these battles alone and PCS and UNISON should be working together to maximise our impact in responding to the attacks on us."
Mr Prentis invited PCS to discuss in the weeks ahead "how we can liaise on developments on pay, so, where there is industrial action, we co-ordinate where possible such action."
Mr Serwotka welcomed the support of UNISON as "very significant" for the campaign.
Education unions NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers have already signalled their support for co-ordinated action, while the UNISON health conference voted to ballot for strike over pay last month and the Communication Workers Union is currently balloting members over the issue.
Mr Serwotka explained that, over the summer, PCS will meet internally and with other unions to take the campaign forward.
This could lead to to mass action, including extended national walkouts and targeted action, by the end of summer.
Delegates heard that civil ser-vants were starting to be hit by compulsory lay-offs under government plans to cut 100,000 jobs, which have left members stres-sed and demoralised and facing violence from irate customers.
About 25 wildlife officers will be laid off this week and officials at the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Work and Pensions also face compulsory redundancy.
"PCS stands ready to negotiate," Mr Serwotka stressed, but only if the government halts its attacks on pay and conditions.
"Faced with a cut in living standards, more privatisation than the Major and Thatcher years combined and savage job cuts, delegates today have said they will stand side by side with other public-sector workers and, where possible, co-ordinate industrial action," he said.
"The government can move to quell the discontent running through the civil and public service by starting to value its workforce with fair pay and by recognising that decent public services need public servants to deliver them."
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