UNISON public services message taken to Liverpool Pride

Yesterday Liverpool held its third Pride march and festival. Local UNISON members were present campaigning on public services in particular raising awareness of spending cuts in youth and HIV support sevices. Liverpool branch activists were joined by NW LGBT activists Carl Phillips (Knowsley branch), Darrell Burns (Wirral & West Cheshire health branch) and Eileen Best (Stockport branch & chairperson of regional LGBT group) - pictured at the busy UNISON stall.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14427989

UNISON Young Members hit the streets of Cardiff‏

This weekend saw nearly 100 UNISON young members on the streets of Cardiff spreading the word about the union's Million Voices campaign, and getting members of the public to sign up in support.

We cannot allow the future of our young people to be thrown away

Unions were made for times like these and Kenny Bell's rousing speech to the Northern Public Services Alliance yesterday showed just why. Focussing on the human cost of the cuts, mounting a rallying cry for services, engaging and defending the future of young people and calling for unions, workers, families and communities to stand together against the onslaught, he said Cameron would regret the attacks because "we, united, will win". Read more here and see a video of the speech at http://www.unison-northern.co.uk/ or at http://www.youtube.com/user/NorthernUNISON#p/a/u/1/-FCwN4RS9pQ

UNISON activist education & training summit‏

Members of UNISON regional learning and organising committees and education staff from regions and national got together with NEC members in Birmingham for the annual education forum last weekend. They heard the latest on the future of funding for activist education: in short, from January there is no funding for any course which is not on the Qualification Credit Framework. This has meant that 16 out of 37 Trade Union qualifications are no longer funded, and short courses (under 30 hours) won’t be funded at all.

NHS Direct U-turn - unions and public acting together

Over forty UNISON NHS Direct Reps from across England meet at UNISON Headquarters yesterday and reiterated their determination to remain vigilant on the future of NHS Direct after the Governments U turn.

Leaders organising to meet the challenge

“Everyone can be a leader. The key is to translate what we do on a day to day basis into leadership.” That was the inspiring message from Roger McKenzie, West Midland’s Regional Secretary, as he kicked off UNISON’s 2nd National Leadership School last week.

Stop the cuts? Yes we can!‏

On the eve of TUC Congress, a timely report of some victorious early battles in the long war to protect public services and the welfare state from the Con Dem onslaught. Campaigning and organising against cuts works – now is our time. Read more: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=6320

If the cuts are to be derailed, there must be an alternative‏

Seumas Milne, writing in today’s Guardian, predicts there is “little doubt that the unions are about to return to the centre stage of British public life”. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/08/cuts-derailed-alternative-unions

The public face of a million voices‏

Today’s Morning Star interview with Dave Prentis in which UNISON GS Dave Prentis gives his take on the fight against Tory cuts:

FW: The case for a one-off tax of the rich‏

Greg Philo, research director of Glasgow University Media Unit has an interesting article on the Guardian website in which he makes a simple but profound point on the supposed financial crisis: “a one-off tax of just 20% on the wealth of this group (richest 10%) would pay the national debt and dramatically reduce the deficit”. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/15/deficit-crisis-tax-the-rich

'Liberating the NHS' - the truth really was in the title‏

Yesterday we sew the real motivation behind Lansley's plans for the NHS. Those who were dismissed by the Coalition Government, and accused of scaremongering, can today say 'we told you so'. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/01/nhs-trusts-private-patients

Making the case for progressive reform of public services‏

Professor Gregor Gall, writing in the Morning Star, identifies a right wing hegemony of ideas when it comes to making the case for improved public services. http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/93408

When Enough Is Enough - NJC Trade Unions Register Formal Dispute with the Employer‏

The Letter to Sarah Messenger, the Employer’s Side Secretary from the NJC Trade Unions Secretaries (26th July) could not have made it any clearer: ’Enough is Enough’. http://www.unison.org.uk/localgov/pages_view.asp?did=11563

Public sector cuts - 'Tell Dave'‏

UNISON Northern has launched a 'Tell Dave' campaign in response to David Camerons consultation exercise inviting public sector workers to identify cuts. David Cameron has written to public sector workers asking for ideas on reducing the deficit - so let's tell Dave......

• Make the banks cover the cost of the crisis they caused.
  
• Tackle tax avoidance.
• Cut unnecessary defence spending.
• Cut spending on consultants and agency staff.
• Engage with Trade Unions and staff to deliver real efficiency and improvement.

Tell Dave on http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/

RALLY AGAINST NEW HOSPITAL CUTS - HARTLEPOOL SATURDAY 26TH JUNE‏

This Saturday UNISON will be joining MPs from around the region, local councillors and Hartlepool residents to make a public stand against the coalition Government’s decision to cut the funding for a new hospital for North Tees and Hartlepool. The rally, to be held at the cenotaph, opposite the civic centre, in Hartlepool at 2:30pm on Saturday 26th June, will give people an opportunity to sign a petition protesting against the cut as well as signing a letter to be sent to Prime Minister, David Cameron, asking him to reverse the decision.

Top Economist slams Tory Plans

Danny Blanchflower, a top economist and a former member of the Bank of England Committee on Monetary Policy has written a scathing condemnation of Tory spending plans in today’s Daily Mirror. Accusing both Cameron and his Chancellor of economic ignorance, Blanchflower is the latest example of a professional economist supporting the case for sustaining demand within the British economy rather than slashing public expenditure.

Wonderful destruction of taxdodgers alliance

Check out the UNISON Scotland blog for a wonderful destruction of the taxdodgers alliance rubbish about public sector jobs, by Chris Bartter. http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/2010/03/big-business-group-rattled-by-unison.html

Tax Dodger's Alliance attacks UNISON campaign to save jobs and services‏

The Times leads today with a report that the British Government is being pressed by the unelected European Commission to ‘outline further spending cuts and spell out where the axe will fall’. The Commission is due to release its latest assessment of Britain’s plans to reduce the deficit tomorrow but a leaked report confirms that it will state “a credible timeframe for restoring public finances to a sustainable position requires additional fiscal tightening measures beyond those currently planned.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7063308.ece

Dave Prentis launches Northern region 'Vote for Public Services' campaign‏

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, yesterday launched UNISON Northern region’s ‘Million Voices - Vote for Public Services’ campaign. To a packed audience Dave promoted the region’s vision for the future - which builds on the Million Voices themes of social justice, good jobs, and decent public services.
http://www.unison.org.uk/northern/campaigns.asp

Hard-hitting campaign film now online‏

The Million Voices campaign moves up a gear with the release of this hard-hitting film about who could be hurt by public service cuts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGeZ6Z9hTcE

We need as many people as possible to see this film and speak out for public services before it's too late. UNISON activists are being asked to share and forward the link to members,colleagues, contacts, friends, and family.
PUBLIC SERVICES. DON'T WAIT TILL THEY'RE GONE TO DEFEND THEM.