National Delegate Conference 16-19 June 2008

Tired of feeding the hand that bites them

Dave Prentis

As a response to Labour's latest plans to extend privatisation to a new level within the National Health Service, Dave Prentis, has called on Labour Link, formerly UNISON's Affiliated Political Fund, to suspend constituency development payments to the party.

Dave explained that the planned privatisation within the NHS would be more radical than anything we have ever seen, even under Thatcher and included:

· market testing of all NHS services;

· a new competition panel to provide redress to those private companies who don't think they're given a fair chance;

· a panel producing guidance that even Blair's former health adviser described as "looking like it has been written by a neo-liberal economist on speed;

· a panel instructing primary care trusts to privatise 75% of their community services - district nursing, health visiting, pathology, physiotherapy with only 25% to remain within the public sector.

On keeping only 25% in the public sector, Dave added "To do, they say, otherwise would be anticompetitive. Our NHS infested with expensive consultants, embedded picking over the fruits. And what has happened to the author of this disaster - Mark Britnell - He's now on paid gardening leave for six months. Until that is - he takes up his new appointment with KPMG."

Dave gave a resounding message to Labour that UNISON would not continue to support the Party if it continued headlong with its privatisation agenda, "Our members are tired of feeding the hand that bites them. I call on Labour Link to ensure that our union only promotes and supports prospective labour candidates who are willing to stand up for our values of public service."

Dave was clear that UNISON should only work with and support trade union MPS who also stand up for the union's values, and that Labour Link should ensure that any labour party manifesto does not continue the privatisation of our public services and those who provide them.

"We must demand a manifesto that puts limits on privatisation. We must demand a manifesto that rebuilds public provision. We cannot tell our members to campaign and vote for a party whose manifesto promises more competition and more privatisation of our public services."

He slammed self serving MPs for the ongoing expenses fiasco - "Disloyal to their party, disloyal to their constituents, I can't help but compare that to what happens to our low paid members, members who face employer cross checks between salary and benefits. Any possible fraud, even for the smallest amount, and our member is sacked. One law for them, one law for our members." He went on to slate the Government for bailing out the banks, and ignoring the people that matter.

"Our union is at a crossroads.", said Dave, "Our members will not vote labour if they believe Labour has deserted them or let them down." International Dimension "A momentous year. A magical moment", said Dave, highlighting historical landmark of the US presidential elections, "The most powerful nation in the world now proud to have a leader who is black. A big road from slavery to emancipation. From civil rights struggles to the highest office in the land. A black family moving into the 'white house' built by slaves."

On UNISON's campaigning for peace in the Middle East, he said that only when an independent viable Palestinian state is created alongside a secure Israel will there be a chance for peace. UNISON Highlights Dave congratulated the union for recruitment figures that were up for fifteenth year running, for Welfare Services with £750,000 going struggling members; for Legal services winning £33 million for members and for its Learning Agenda, celebrating 20 years of Return to Learn.

On Equal Pay, he explained, "Our union taking 45,000 equal pay cases, standing up for women, righting a wrong. And unlike the no win no fee lawyers, not charging a penny." "These are members to be proud of. Services to be proud of. Activists to be proud of. A union to be proud of."

Time for a change

Dave said that the collapse of the financial system were the inevitable consequences of a society built on greed. "It's time for change. For too long this labour government has let the billionaires, the bankers, and the private profiteers call the shots."

"It was they who told the government they wanted a bigger slice of our public services, And the government cow toed - Giving them more and more and more….Their private jets, And their yachts. Wealth, Power, Privilege on a scale never seen before." "And did our people benefit?" asked Dave, "What do you think? Wages squeezed; jobs casualised; pensions cut back and public services suffering. Housing more and more unaffordable; ordinary working people working longer and harder to make ends meet."

"But the government said from on high, This is the only way. The market knows best. The private sector knows best. Consultants know best. And in the end, conference. They conspired to drive our economy off the cliff. Safety nets for some - crash landings for most. Billions for bankers."

Dave explained that the casualties were ordinary people, "Their hopes, their dreams shattered, their darkest fears realised. Workers - dedicating their entire lives to a firm, a factory, a school, a hospital, suddenly finding themselves in a job centre. Their redundancy package running out, no obvious way forward. Families - who saved and struggled, Put their heart and soul into making a home for their children. And now the bailiffs are coming to take away the keys."

It's UNISON members, explained Dave, who are getting people re-housed, giving them financial advice, benefits advice. It's our members in social services, social workers so often vilified, who are looking out for the most vulnerable.

It's our members in voluntary organisations, who are a lifeline for those struggling with family breakdown. It's our members in schools, colleges, who are helping people reskill - not lose hope. It's our members in the NHS, in Mental Health who are making sure everyone gets care."

On the future, Dave asked, "What will be the legacy? Busted banks, baled out by taxpayers. Discredited politicians saying sorry, Thinking they can restore our trust by waving cheques. They broke no rules? Oh yes they did. They broke the rules of common decency, Of integrity - they trashed the meaning of public service and public lives.

MPs who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Not in my name

Dave vowed to continue to campaign rigorously against the BNP, "Not in my name and not in this union's name." He criticised Labour politicians concerned about saving their own skin rather than changing their disastrous policies.

"Our people are crying out for change. But it's not about personalities. It's about the policies this government and previous governments have pursued. Policies that are an anathema to the values of our union - values of social justice, public service, solidarity, responsibility, public accountability. Policies that have taken our economy in the wrong direction. Policies that are damaging our public services.

"It's the treasury pushing outsourcing as the only way for councils to make efficiency savings. Councils falling over themselves to hand services to private companies, swallowing their false prospectus, when the evidence shows it will end up costing more. It's the department of business and enterprise pandering to every need of the private public services industry - Multi-national companies with government contracts worth billions, always looking for a bigger slice of the cake, invading every corner of the public service with no evidence base, no monitoring, no real assessment of the costs and benefits. Raw dogma, driven by powerful private interests."

"And the lunacy is that. Our public finances have been plunged deep into the red as the government has spent trillions protecting the economy from the reckless profiteering of the private banking sector. And the very same government says the solution is to hand larger and larger chunks of our public services over to private companies that will always put profit before public interest. Absolute lunacy. No wonder that for the first time ever, over 70% of public service workers now say they won't vote labour and that 73% of the public and 80% of public service workers say that private companies should not run our public services."

Despite this Labour are proposing the radical privatisation within the NHS just months away from an election.

He emphasised. "Our union is at a crossroads. Our members will not vote labour if they believe labour has deserted them or let them down. It's not about a labour government warning us that the Tories will cut spending by 10%. We expect that . It's about convincing us that labour will not do the same."

"It's not just warning us that the Tories will privatise back office services. It's convincing us that labour values public employment and will end the market madness."

"Today we launch the biggest campaign the union has seen - "A million voices for change, a political campaign to voice the anger and fear our members feel, a campaign to show members we're on their side. Our union will bring together an alliance of all public service unions- local government, health, civil service, teachers, and education. An alliance to fight job cuts, to defend our public services. Our union will bring together all health unions inside and outside the TUC. A united fight to save our national health service.

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