UNISON's General Secretary received a standing ovation from delegates at the heath service group conference this morning. In a passionate defence of the NHS and the UNISON members who deliver health care, Dave Prentis said that UNISON would not settle for delays or minor amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill, 'we will fight every step of the way until this Bill is left lying in the gutter'.He said that, although in his third term of office, he had never been so proud of the union. In every town and city of the UK UNISON branches and members are battling to defend terms and conditions as well as gearing up to fight the big battles ahead on pay, pensions and privatisation. Hundreds of thousands of members had shown our opposition to the Con Dem Coalition in London on 26 March.
Dave outlined the union's determination to stop the privatisation of the blood and transplant services. He said our campaign is not just about jobs and pay but "about what kind of society we pass on to our children and future generations - universal services and the jewel in our crown the NHS. The proudest achievement of our movement. 62 years on this is our pledge to Nye Bevan. We will fight to save the NHS. The NHS is not for sale."