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General secretary speech | Homophobia
debate
Our union, our vision
Dave Prentis warns of action to defend pensions
 We
are again at Conference for a second fun packed day at the seaside,
said Dave Prentis, UNISON's General Secretary, as he was warmly
welcomed by Conference.
Dave added, "And to our Irish delegates, our Welsh Delegates and
our Scottish Delegates. I have just two words to say 4-2 - I do
believe we are an inclusive union."
Still chuckling, Dave continued "Our own Conference, our own Big
Brother experience. 3,000 of us locked up in a room without windows
for 5 days, cameras on us, everyone wondering who will be there
first to be expelled."
But this was the lead to serious point to be made about racism
.
"And I'll tell you who will be the first to be expelled from our
own union, if I have my way - Mr Robert Baggs - this UNISON member
who stood as a BNP candidate in the South West on 10 June. There
is no place in our union for racist like him. There is no room for
BNP activists."
"We will search them out. We will flush out their poison. As long
as I am General Secretary there will be no room for bigotry and
intolerance in this union. Referring to Kilroy 'Slik' and the UKIP,
he warned "it's only one small step from xenophobia to racism."
International
Turning to UNISON's international work, Dave said, "UNISON has
a long proud record of international solidarity. It's our union
at he forefront of the coalition against the war in Iraq. It is
our union at the forefront to of the campaign for peace in the Middle
East and the creation of a Palestinian state. Speaking out against
the terrible injustices being visited on the people of Palestine.
"It is our union openly showing solidarity with our brothers and
sisters in Colombia where 43 trade unionists were barbarically murdered
in the past year. Our union showing solidarity with our brothers
and sisters in Cuba faced with a rampant, aggressive Bush administration
on its door step.
"And on Cuba, it's UNISON involving youngsters our Cuba Project
- opening their eyes to bigger worlds. And our union making videos
for schools on the horrors the absolute horrors of the holocaust."
"It is also our union which a has a vision of an inclusive society
that campaigns against racism, poverty, discrimination in our communities
and at work. One of the few unions to be growing in size, in strength,
and influence."
Labour
On the performance of the Labour Government, Dave said "None of
us can seriously question this government's commitment to investing
in our public services and to full employment. Yes more doctors
since 1997, more nurses, more teachers, but also, teaching assistants,
healthcare assistants 300,000 more public services workers, and
extra six billion pounds going into our hospitals not just this
year but for the next three years. Real improvements worth holding
on to. Too much to lose."
Dave urged Conference never to forget what life was like under
the Tories, "None of us can forget the damage the Tories did running
down our schools, our hospitals. Three million out of work. Whole
communities abandoned. Savaged!"
"Make no mistake they're back - the same masks - the same destructive
agenda. Michael Howard pretending to be a human being - the man
who thought the poll tax was a great idea, Thatcherite though and
through. And that is why it is such a tragedy this term has been
characterised by our differences - our arguments - rather than the
values we have in common."
Pensions
"We will not put our heads down, gobs shut for Labour. If this
Government continues to put forward right wing policies, we will
not sit back and watch our pension schemes being dismantled. Apparently
it's all your fault. You're living too long.
"We are told that our schemes are so generous they are now indefensible.
I'll tell you what's indefensible - the breathtaking hypocrisy of
MPs and ministers voting themselves the best pension scheme in Europe
and then having the bare faced cheek to tell the rest of us that
the country cannot afford decent pensions - Directors adding millions
of pounds to their own pension schemes while telling their workers
that their schemes are being closed as they are too costly and living
too long?
"Tell that to the manual worker whose life expectancy has only
risen by just over 1 year since 1972, one year in thirty years.
So she must work five years longer. Too generous? Tell that to the
local government worker whose average pension is only £3,800 per
year.
"This is about dignity. It's about security. It's about workers
and pensioners being treated fairly. We will unite with other unions
with pensioners and community groups to stop attacks on our pensions
and our retirement age. And let the Government be in no doubt, we
will take action to protect our pension funds and, if our service
groups agree, we will take industrial action."
"And don't you get sick of hearing politicians and their advisers
banging on about choice - as smoke screen for privatisation. If
they listened, they would know that what people really want are
good local health service, decent local schools, their local transport
services to improve. Safer streets. Affordable housing. And what
do they mean by choice? Schools choosing their pupils. Flagship
hospitals choosing their patients? But where is the choice for the
most vulnerable? Choice base on right wing principles is the denial
of choice for our poorest communities and we will oppose it."
Public not private
"And I tell you, our union has choice . We chose overwhelmingly
last year to stay within the party , but I want to make it clear
on behalf of this conference and on be half of me personally that
our choice is not unconditional and I have a few choice words for
this government Humility not arrogance peace not war. Public not
private."
On UNISON's affiliation to the Labour party, Dave said, " At last
year's conference, I gave a commitment to making the Labour Link
work for us and that is what we are doing. The Big 4 Unions - Amicus,
GMB , T& G, ourselves working in UNISON - One voice."
"My sole purpose in being the General Secretary is to build on
what the thousands of representatives who came before us have achieved
to keep faith with their ideals and to take our cause forward. I
am not New Labour. I am not Blairite. I've always made that clear.
"But I really do believe that I am an ambassador for our union;
for our members. Confident in our cause. Working with other to win
our agenda. Confident in having your support . And you have a big
part to play. If there's any purpose to this week it has to be to
take our union forward. Make us stronger, more influential, better
equipped."
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Don't wait 30 years to challenge homophobia
Motion 33: Challenging Homophobic Harassment (South East Region)
This motion left members of the conference in no doubt that although
the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003 gave
protection to workers against discrimination, especially against
harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Mags Dunbar, Scottish NEC member passionately appealed to conference
that "we needed effective policies and procedures."
For that reason, she went on, "we need to ensure our stewards are
all trained and familiar with sexual orientation, and encourage
Lesbian & Gay members to become stewards."
Conference was urged to make sure that every UNISON branch acts
on this issue now. In a moving reiteration to conference, Mags challenged
conference not to wait 30 years to do something about it.
This had to stop and all members were encouraged to continue in
their effort to make sure that employers bring in effective programmes
to tackle all forms of homophobic harassment such as improved policies
in training and publicity.
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