Working together to fight the cuts and promote public servicesPCS and Unison are committed to working together to fight cuts and promote public services. This will involve campaigning, co-ordinating and, where possible, taking action in unity and support of each other.
The attack launched by this government on public services and the welfare state is unprecedented and unjustified. In freezing pay, slashing jobs and attacking pensions the government is seeking to make public service workers, and everyone who relies on the services they provide, pay for the deficit caused by the financial sector – whose benefits, bonuses and tax concessions remain largely unchanged.
There is an alternative
The cuts to welfare entitlements and public services will be detrimental to the vulnerable, to the quality of service and to the economy. There is an alternative, as set out in UNISON’s ‘Alternative Budget’ and the ‘The PCS alternative to cuts’:
Protect and create jobs to secure the economic recovery
Tax the banks, big business and the super-rich, with a crackdown on evasion and avoidance
End wasteful spending on Trident, consultants, agency staff and the costs of privatisation
Involve staff, unions, service-users and communities in developing an alternative agenda for a sustainable economy and fairer society.
What we will do together
At national level PCS and UNISON will establish a Liaison group to promote joint activity and co-ordinate our joint campaign. This liaison group will co-ordinate a joint approach to TUC public sector campaign activity. The liaison group will also promote, build and co-ordinate public sector alliances across central and local government, and co-operation in terms of communications and media strategy, including press releases, leaflets and sharing resources.
To highlight the alternative to the government's budget cuts and promote public services, PCS and UNISON will jointly organise a “There is an Alternative” event in later 2010 or early 2011. This will bring together trade unionists, politicians, academics, voluntary and community groups. The aim will be to raise awareness that there is an alternative economic strategy to the cuts and develop a broad coalition to fight the cuts and promote public services.
At regional level the unions develop practical ways of supporting joint campaigns. This will include twinning officers and organisers, developing regional campaign teams, regional events and road shows, and developing links with voluntary and groups. The aim will be to build and support regional public sector alliances across central and local government.
At local level we will develop and support links between members and activists. This will include joint workplace meetings, joint public leafleting, locally organised town meetings and joint community activities.
United we stand
The government's cuts agenda will devastate public services and undermine the fabric of the welfare state.
Working together over 1.5 million union members will be united to fight the cuts to public services. Working together we can present our economic alternative to the coalition cuts agenda to the public.
