UNISON 2010 Health Conference - Preview‏

Responding to the Challenges - Defending the NHS
UNISON, the largest Health union, meets from 19-21 April for the annual Conference which comes at a critical time for public sector workers.

With all the main political parties focussing on the need to reduce public sector spending to pay for the biggest economic recession caused by the failure to rein in the Market this could not be a more important time for health workers to be debating our priorities for the future.

There may be some differences with the Labour Government, however the onslaught which would be faced by the whole public sector, including the NHS if a Tory Government is elected cannot be underestimated

As part of UNISON's Million Voices for Health it is important the campaign against cuts to public services, jobs cuts and attacks on pay and pensions is maximised in the time up to the General Election, but also the strategy for responding to the challenges post General Election is agreed.‬‪ ‬‪The investment in the NHS over the past years of a Labour Government have brought real benefits, and we must unite to defend them.

There may be some differences with the Labour Government, however the onslaught which would be faced by the whole public sector, including the NHS if a Tory Government is elected cannot be underestimated.

The phoney guarantees that the NHS would be protected have to be exposed. All claims that frontline services will be protected must be challenged as it is a false promise. As health workers know only too well there is no differential between frontline and backroom staff, health care is best delivered by a health team, and from within the public sector.‬‪

‬‪The agenda for Health Conference reflects these priorites for health staff not only as public sector workers, but also as those who deliver vital health services, and understand what privatisation, marketisation, and efficiencies means in reality. ‬‪

‬‪Key debates will be held on‬‪
‬‪‪• Million Voices in defence of the NHS: UNISON's campaign against privatisation, fragmentation and outsourcing - ensuring the NHS as the Preferred Provider for the delivery of health services.
• Meeting the economic challenges facing the NHS.
• Defending NHS Pay and Terms and Conditions, making it clear UNISON will not accept a pay freeze for health workers.
• Health and Wellbeing - implications of the Boorman Review
• Building a more effective union
• International Solidarity ‬‬

Conference will be able to hear about the great victory for Sodexho workers in Devon who are part of the invigorating SEIU 3 Companies project recruited people to the join the union, to organise themselves and then to strike and win an improvement in terms and conditions. Learning lessons from the 3 Companies organising approach is crucial in building the union to face the future challenges.

Giving international solidarity to other trade unionists across the Globe is critical. Many of the challenges we face as trade unionists, and health workers are the same, however the conditions many of our comrades in other countries organise in extremely harsh.

Conference will be hearing a speaker from the National Association of Hospital Workers in Colombia, which is the most dangerous Country in the world in which to be a trade unionist. Hearing about their struggles and how we can provide solidarity will be give the conference the chance to think about how we can strenghten our solidarity work.

All in all a critical conference at a crucial time for public services, health workers, and all those who rely on the NHS day in day out.

Clare Williams