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National
Conference Bournemouth 2002 |
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Scotland
Daily Briefings
Tuesday 18 June No 2 Report |
CALL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE INVESTMENT AND NEW MEASURES
TO TACKLE POVERTY
If what makes sense is what works - PFI
doesn't
 Scotland
took a lead role in the keynote economic debate on the first day
of Conference."If UNISON were to have a motto, it should
be public spending, public spending, public spending", Glasgow's
Jane Carolan told Conference as she moved Composite A for the
NEC on the Third Comprehensive Spending Review.
The motion called for a campaign to highlight the contribution
public services make, to demand more investment in those services
and to warn against the threat to spending from European Monetary
Union.And a key element of the motion was to encourage branches
to be directly involved in the campaign.
"We don't just want public services, we want first class
public services", said Jane, "and you don't get that
on a shoestring.
"If you want a successful economy that benefits everyone
you need investment in public services".
That investment had to be funded by taxation and the National
Insurance increases to fund the NHS were a start.Rounding on an
amendment criticising the NI rises, Jane said, "The richest
10% will pay £10 a week more.. at the same time the poorest 40%
will gain with the greatest gains for the poorest", said
Jane.
Jane turned to PFI, "If the Government t aren't listening
to any of our other arguments, they might want to take on board
that PFI is bloody inefficient.
"If what matters is what works, PFI doesn't", she said.
Scottish Convenor Mike Kirby stressed the need to deal with child
poverty.
"Labour has achieved much - increased Child Benefit, small
increases in Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance - and lifted
a million children out of poverty. But that still leaves three
million to go", said Mike.
He called for benefit grants to be brought back with ‘Child Development
Grants' at key stages in a child's life; health & safety grants
for cookers and furniture; secure homes grants for those rehoused
and opportunity grants for childcare and travel as people move
from welfare to work.
"All this would cost a mere £800 million a year", said
Mike. He also called for increased anti-poverty campaigns and
a wider public debate to include the voices of the poor.
Glasgow's Anne McNair called for "The funding of public
services to be at the heart of the debate".
She told of the Accounts Commission report in Scotland which
branded PFI as "more expensive, and based on implausible
calculations".
She reminded delegates that two Scottish Councils (West Dunbartonshire
and Falkirk) had rejected PFI.An amendment criticising the National
Insurance rises was defeated as Conference put its full weight
behind the motion.
Billion pound boost for NHS not enough
Karie Murphy, Glasgow Health Branch, moved Composite B, calling
for UNISON to continue to campaign vigorously for a publicly provided
NHS, free at the point of need and funded by general taxation.
Karie said "In most areas of health policy this union is united
- united in our support of the funding principles of the NHS,
united in our unequivocal support of all NHS staff, united in
our ambition to provide the best treatment for all citizens."
"Our service group recently accepted the introduction of a pilot
that saw the transfer of 15% of staff to the private sector. But
85% of staff remained within the NHS. In the long term, this decision
was wrong and we must campaign for change."
Karie continued "Recently my father in law was admitted to Casualty
at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Every bay was full. 16 patients
were lying on trolleys. The average waiting time was 7 hours.
There was no emergency receiving bed in the whole city. The place
was carnage. And it's not good enough. UNISON will continue to
demand more."
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
Proud to be a public service worker
Pride in our services, pride in the people who deliver them and
pride in our union was the theme of Veronica Dunn's presidential
address.
"The Government weren't the first to say that public services
need modernising and that education and health should be a priority.
UNISON has been saying it all along", said Veronica.
"Our members are committed to progressive reform - they
want to improve standards - they want to deliver on labour's election
pledges. In fact we are the only people who can deliver - but
we don't want to be the ones paying over the odds - by losing
jobs or conditions", she added.
"We need to keep piling on the pressure" in defence
of and to promote public services."We are using every opportunity
we can to voice our vision for public services, but we are doing
it from a long term, thought through strategy of what works."
International
Veronica was also proud of UNISON's international involvement."Internationalism
has always been an important principle for UNISON", she said
and she recalled two events in particular.
"The September 11 atrocity in the USA and subsequent events
and my visit to the Middle East, where I and my colleagues heard
first hand the news of the Israeli army's slaughter of Palestinians,
have convinced me more than ever that engagement in international
work is vital in an ever shrinking world."
Veronica also covered the threats to pensions and the evils of
racism. She paid particular tribute to UNISON's role in a coalition
fighting to defeat the British national Party in England's North
West Region.
Veronica finished with a reminder of the importance of trade
unions.
"Trade unions wouldn't exist if there was no need for them.
UNISON wouldn't continue to exist if our role was played out.
We still need to improve and protect the pay and conditions of
our members; we still need to be a voice for our members as citizens".
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