ORGANISE!
Building links as union gears up to fight attacks

by John Stevenson

Organisation is the key as UNISON Scotland sets out plans to fight the biggest attacks we have seen on public services, jobs, pay and pensions in the months ahead.

The first major event is a Scottish strategy conference on 4 September to be addressed by General Secretary Dave Prentis. It will focus on organisation, involving activists from all parts of the union, staff and community groups.

Earlier in the week, UNISON’s Scottish Committee will hold a two-day seminar (see below). Future key events include the European TUC day of action on 29 September and a major STUC march and rally in Edinburgh on 23 October.

UNISON Scottish Convener Mike Kirby said, “David Cameron has launched his ‘Big Society’, the so-called ‘big advance for people power’. This is solely about saving money and will pass the buck for the fearful reduction in funding public services.

“UNISON Scotland will continue to engage with civic society and community groups, through our Public Works campaign.

“Our conference on 4 September will bring together UNISON branches, service groups and self organised groups, other trade unions, representatives of voluntary sector and community groups, to debate an action plan to defend public services.”

A briefing to staff for 4 September underlines the challenges ahead.

“We have to maintain our strength by building our membership density, we have to ensure that our branches and activists have the skills and confidence to campaign effectively at local level.

“We have to make sure that our staff, members and the wider community understand that there are alternatives to wholesale cuts in public services.”

Scottish Secretary Matt Smith said, “4 September is an important milestone in our campaign to build support for our public services and for those who work in them. “These services came in to being because of need and lack of provision. That need is greater now than ever before and those seeking to destroy them through so called alternative provision would do well to tell us of their alternative plans before destroying current provision.

“In our campaign we shall be challenging the argument that there is a financial case for massive expenditure cuts.

“Those making calls for such action need to understand the implications for jobs, for services and for many local economies.

“The threat is as great to jobs in the private sector as in the public sector,” warned Matt.

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