On Friday 12 February UNISON launched its 'Protect our Public Services Campaign' in Belfast with the support of the General Political Fund.

 

Branch activists from across the union were in attendance to hear General Secretary, Dave Prentis, and Regional secretary Patricia Mc Keown outline how access to the fund will help in the fight to protect jobs, services and rights.

 

The following is the content of Dave Prentis' address to the hall.. 

 

"At a time when other governments in Western and Northern Europe are spending more on health and social care to create jobs, stimulate their economies and to eliminate health and other inequalities, the government in Northern Ireland is drastically cutting back on its health, social care and education budgets.

 

Not only does this not make sense, it is guaranteed to widen inequality in a society which crucially needs world class public services upon which to build its future.   

 

The vital role public services and our members played throughout the conflict is universally acknowledged.   

 

Why then, now, when there is global and domestic crisis and when the gap between rich and poor is widening, would any right thinking government downgrade such services as its number one priority?

 

UNISON views the recent findings of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation very seriously.   They paint a bleak picture of growing inequality across the UK. 

 

They are at the worst in Northern Ireland where not only are we dealing with a society which has the highest economic inactivity rates in the UK, unemployment is growing faster and the level of poverty, particularly child poverty is untenable.  It is now estimated that half the population exists below an acceptable minimum income. 

 

Not only do we need our world class public services to address all of the issues this creates in Northern Ireland society.  We have proved that they can do much more than that.

 

UNISON has pioneered ground breaking projects in partnership with public employers and local communities which prove that public services can make a dramatic difference in the lives of ordinary people.   

 

Our award winning West Belfast Greater Shankill project in the health service has now brought over 150 people out of long term unemployment and into real healthcare jobs.  At the same time it is upskilling our existing members and creating new career paths for them.

 

People who never thought they would get a chance to prove themselves now speak about a renewed dignity.  They report that their children are now seeing hope where before there was none. All this for tiny amounts of public funding and an enormous personal contribution from public employers and workers alike.   In the climate of cutbacks such projects are the very beacons of hope which face extinction.   This is totally wrong.

 

Look at the numbers. Public services and jobs here are already suffering.  Health & Social Care has now taken a further £113m budget cut, bringing its deficit to £700m.   Schools are being hit with over £100m in budget cuts and the University of Ulster is proposing cuts in all sectors, along with the threat of privatisation.  In that regard I want to pay tribute to our members in the University are standing firm against privatisation and exploitation at great cost to themselves.   The attitude of the employer is a scandal and UNISON will continue to confront their total disregard for the equality laws.

 

It is now clear that even more drastic cuts are to come.  There is no guarantee that the ‘block grant’ from the UK Treasury will be protected or uplifted.    This places the very fabric of society in N Ireland in jeopardy and is guaranteed to deepen economic recession.

 

UNISON’s campaign message is clear.   We will fight to protect and develop our public services.   We will hold the UK Government to its responsibility, enshrined in to Good Friday Agreement, to bring forward a Bill of Rights which protects the Peoples’ right to health and social care, decent public housing, educational opportunities for all children, decent jobs and freedom from poverty.   We will defend the key role which our public services play in creating a fairer and more equal society.   We fully support our union leadership in Northern Ireland and we will back our members in any action they decide to take to protect, defend and develop our services and jobs."

 

Your workplace representatives, contacts and stewards will be meeting with members over the coming weeks to gain your support for the GPF. Please sign up now and help create the funds we need to fight back! (click on the leaflet for more info on the GPF)