Campaign launched against £300million in cuts

by Chris Bartter and John Stevenson

General Secretary Dave Prentis launched UNISON’s major ‘Public Works’ campaign at a public services rally at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on 6 February.

The next step in the campaign will be a major march and rally in Glasgow on 10 April.

Dave launched the campaign with Local Government Chair Stephanie Herd, Health Chair Tom Waterson, Police Staff Chair Raymond Brown and Dick Carrabine from Govan Community Council.

Dave attacked all political parties’ ‘macho politics’ and announced that the union’s research has uncovered cuts of £300m across Scottish local government with a planned job loss of over 3,000.

“No school cleaner gambled billions on the stock exchange. None of them created this recession. Why should they be expected to pay for it?” said Dave.

He also pointed to the danger of cuts plunging the economy back into recession as public spending is the only engine of growth we have. “Spending on public services makes sense if you are trying to grow the economy. “

He said, “for every pound spent on public services, 64 pence goes back into the local economy.”

Dave made it clear that all the major parties were to blame in a rush to the bottom, but reserved particular criticism for David Cameron’s Tories who, he said, hadn’t changed.

“They are calling for savage cuts - using the crisis to dismantle the welfare state. 20% cut in public expenditure over two years, but tax cuts for the rich. A world of haves and have nots.”

He also urged Gordon Brown to learn from President Barack Obama’s decision to stand up to American bankers. “Let’s hear more about pay freezes for bankers,” he said. “Lets hear Gordon calling for every last dime to be paid back to the taxpayer.”

The rally, was attended by around 400 UNISON delegates from branches all across Scotland, and invited guests from communities fighting cuts.

The week before, Glasgow City Branch reached out to the community with a successful open meeting for members, unions and community groups affected by cuts. City of Edinburgh Branch is set to follow with a meeting to set up a joint campaign with community and service user organisations.

UNISON is now building to towards the mass march and rally on 10 April in Glasgow. Full details were going out as we went to press. Check the website for updates.

UNISON will be making public spending a major campaign issue in the forthcoming General Election campaign.

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