Cuts are decimating not transforming local government

This is the headline message within an excellent piece on the impact of the cuts and on families in the north east from Gill Hale UNISON northern region secretary. Hale argues ‘Work is no longer a means out of poverty, but perpetuating its indignity through low pay. Why, in the sixth richest country in the world, should people in work be reduced to going to food banks to put food on their tables?'
     A moot question indeed and one partly answered by the ultra-right wing response from the CBI to outrageous Tory proposals to decimate the rights of those same working poor to fight for better wages and job security. Capitalist self-interest.
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/opinion/gill-hale-cuts-arent-transforming-8431321

Anna Rose

Tory plans will put public service unions in a legal straitjacket

Tory manifesto proposals to impose a minimum turnout (50%) and a minimum threshold of support (40% of all those balloted) will make it impossible for unions to conduct ‘lawful’ industrial action in large public service bargaining groups. Put simply, on a 50% turnout an 80% yes vote will be required otherwise the ballot will be legally invalid. An acceptable response to this attack on union rights has now gone well beyond the development of positive policies (such as on line voting and workplace ballots) and requires a sustained political campaign exposing the proposed measures as a severe attack on our democratic and human rights. It requires unions to urgently develop new strategies to challenge these attacks on our right to defend our jobs, pay and conditions.
   It is perverse that the political elite can accept as valid opinion polls based on a fraction of 1% of the electorate yet deem turnouts of say 40% as unrepresentative of a large workforce. Taken together with the imposition of expensive fees to access Employment Tribunals, attacks on time off for union reps, removal of DOCAS etc, it is clear that the Tories are working towards an end game of destroying trade unionism in Britain's public services.