Meeting in UNISON headquarters in Belfast today, UNISON representatives from across the Public Services – Health, Education, Universities, Housing and from the Community and Voluntary sector, have launched the Fightback Campaign to protect public services in Northern Ireland.

UNISON members are gearing up for a major lobby of the Assembly to protect the Northern Ireland budget. The union has produced an alternative budget which has the potential to save NI from economic chaos.

Patricia McKeown, Regional Secretary said  “Our members are not fooled by the constant claims of “We all have to face our share of cuts.  We’re all in this together”.   There is no need for cuts.  There is another way.

Tory propaganda has convinced many people that there is no alternative to ‘slash and burn cuts in our public services’.  UNISON has a very different view.  The union has produced an alternative budget which, if adopted by the UK Government would bring in all the money needed without a single cut in services and jobs.   

The Northern Ireland version of our alternative budget - Future At Stake leaflet is capable of turning our economy around.  We are now on mission to convince the NI Executive and all political parties that this is the right way to go if all our people are to have a decent future.

If we don’t stop them now, our government Ministers are in danger of agreeing a budget with cuts so drastic that they will throw the Northern Ireland economy into a depression from which we may never recover.

On their current plans up to 40,000 jobs will be lost.  As many as 30,000 of them in the public service. This heralds the destruction of the NHS, the Welfare State and our education system.   It will also put hundreds of small firms out of business.  It will increase poverty on a scale not seen since the 1930’s.

UNISON members have pledged to bring the campaign to every community and neighbourhood in Northern Ireland. The People need to know.

UNISON reps are now sharing the information with

   1.Family and friends

   2.Local MPs and MLAs asking them to support our position and confirm that they will NOT vote for cuts

   3.Managers and school Principals.  Their jobs are at risk too. 

   4.Community groups, clubs and churches to which our members belong.  We believe none of them will want to see a return to the days of the depression or the conditions which undermine the Peace Process and all of them rely on public services.

   5.Through the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, UNISON is joining with all unions in a united campaign.

  

On the 29^th September unions across EUROPE are taking to the streets with the same message for their governments.  ‘NO TO AUSTERITY – PROTECT JOBS AND SERVICES'.

On that day UNISON members will join rallies in Belfast and Derry. This is the start of the main fightback campaign.  On 22 October the UK Chancellor will announce the cuts.   Our Executive must not follow his lead. 

The following month on Saturday 23 October unions here are mobilising for one of the biggest demonstrations we have ever seen.   People will march for jobs and justice and to protect our services.  Meetings have commenced in  workplaces and local towns to plan for both the 29^th September and the 23rd October as part of the campaign to get our Assembly and Executive to produce a very different plan for the people of Northern Ireland from that set out by the Tories.