Jack arrives on cue as our Matt defends public sector

UNISON Scotland secretary Matt Smith couldn't have timed his defence of the public sector better at the STUC.

First Minister Jack McConnell arrived on the stage just as Matt was saying, "The First Minister was quoted recently as saying there was a need to rebalance the Scottish economy, not by shrinking the public sector but by growing the private sector."

The rumble in the hall alerted Matt to the fact that Jack McConnell had arrived and he added: "Well, Jack, you're mostly right. We need to recognise evidence suggests the private sector grows best when the public sector is a major generator.

"It's time the business community moved on from their narrowly focused and self-interested arguments."

Matt reminded delegates that the public sector actually stimulates and supports business through research, education and buying goods.

"The business community too often call for cuts in public spending when what they really want is a bigger slice of the cake for themselves, via contracting or, at the extreme end, PFI/PPP."

UNISON had launched a report that provides evidence that challenges the claim that public sector spending in some way 'crowds out' private investment.

Matt stressed it was long past time that business and right ­ wing commentators stopped "dogmatic and unevidenced attacks" on the public sector, and moved the debate on to a more informed analysis of the interaction between public and private sectors in a successful economy.

See the report at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/addingvalue.html

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