The reason the Tories can justify five
years of pay cuts for public service workers
is simple according to UNISON’s
Gordon McKay. “They don’t
like you!”
“In fact it’s far deeper
than that”, he said. “They
despise you. Every public sector worker
whether it is in the NHS, education, or
local government who delivers world class
public services to the ill, the young
or the vulnerable is a barrier tp the
selling off of these services to the Tory
privatisers who see big profits there
for the taking and they hate you for it.”
“The attack on public sector pay
is the crudest example of the disrespect
and disregard the Tories hold public services
and public service workers in”,
said Gordon
He was backing and EIS and PCS motion
calling for a joint pay strategy across
Scottish public sector unions.
Gordon told delegates that home carers
are £2,500 a year worse off that
they were five years ago. Early years
workers are £3,000 a year worse
off and 48% of NHS workers in a Scottish
city are struggling every day in in-work
poverty.
“These pay cuts for decent hardworking
people who our communities rely on stand
alongside a five year 30% pay rise for
FTSE 100 chief executives. Has happened
at the same time as HSBC, Vodafone and
Starbucks along with many others have
avoided paying their tax with the connivance
of the Tory Treasury”, said Gordon.
“And it has been over the same
period that the Scottish Government has
lost two and a half billion pounds by
a Council Tax freeze that disproportionately
benefits the wealthiest.”
Gordon said UNISON is proud of its achievements
in winning the Living Wage for its members
in the NHS and for toploading pay awards
for those most in need.
“The reality however is that our
members, decent men and women, are having
to maker decisions about who will go without
a meal to ensure their kids get fed. What’s
the best night to turn the heating off
because they can’t have it on every
night. And whether they can get another
year out of that coat.”
“That’s Tory Britain 2015
and it is to the shame of us all",
he said.
“Public service workers deliver
the lifeline services that we, our families
and our communities rely on.
“If the UK and Scottish Government
do not treat the people who deliver these
services with dignity and pay them fairly
then UNISON will give our members full
support in taking industrial action, and
the most effective way of achieving a
successful industrial action strategy
is where the unions in this hall work
together.”
