AUTUMN The Newsletter for all Regional Labour Link Officers & 2012 Constitency Labour Party Delegates and Activists in the North West EDITION

WELCOME TO LABOUR LINK

UNISON are upping our game in a precisely because it was formed by Inside this issue: bid to influence the Labour Party to the trades unions to counter the dominance of our laws by help improve the lives of public National Labour 2 service workers and our families. employers who lobbied hard other Party Conference Dave Prentis, our General Secretary, parties. We were proud that one of Conference 3 has said that unions were created the key achievements of Labour on Briefings not for the easy times, but for the election in 1997 was the hard times, the likes of which we National Minimum Wage, a Report back on 4 ‟s now face. It has never been more UNISON policy which the party Speech important both to secure a change adopted and brought into law. of government, but also to ensure Report back on 5 The party are now listening to our Labour is elected, adopting policies Ed Balls‟ speech drive to make this a Living Wage. that connect with all people NHS, Equalities 6 suffering under austerity at present. & Local Gov

We have always been involved with Opposing 7 the Labour Party since the merger Austerity in 1993. We are mindful that the PCC Elections 8 party is called the Labour Party WHO‟S WHO IN LABOUR LINK NORTH WEST

Labour Link comes under the key Objective number 3, Campaigning, which is headed up by Lynne Morris, Regional Manager of Cheshire & Merseryside Team.

UNISON has committed additional resource to this work by committing a named Area Organiser, Jason Hunter ([email protected]) to helping build our influence in the party through the Labour Link.

Both are ably supported by Gillian Breeze who provides administrative support and much more to this effort.

2 UNISON has impact at Labour Conferences

UNISON has been heavily took part in one of the panel October march and our involved, and had a great and discussions introducing the campaign against police well received impact at both case for the Living Wage. privatisation in the run up to the National Labour Party the Police and Crime Conference in Manchester, A key debate was on the Health Commissioner elections. and the earlier North West Service. Gillian Breeze, who worked on Party Conference in Blackpool. the stall for most of the week said , “I thoroughly enjoyed National Labour Party working on the stall and Conference meeting UNISON members and The North West Region had 3 CLP delegates from around the delegates as part of the country”. National UNISON delegation, all of whom spoke or raised UNISON also were heavily questions. They are Anne Sandra Maxwell (pictured involved in 3 key fringes, 2 McCormack, of St Helens above) a UNISON nurse focussing on the parlous state College Branch, the Regional employed by NHS Direct, of social care and the need to Chair of Labour Link, Angie introduced the debate by high- address the insecurity of our Rayner, Local lighting how ambulance call- elderly, and the de-skilling and Government Branch and Liz outs rise as the telephone exploitation of care workers as Cameron, Salford Local helpline is de-skilled to save attempts are made to provide Government Branch money. She was supported in care on the cheap. the audience by a group of (Representing our Disabled Again, the need for a national members self organised UNISON health workers including Craig Wilde, North care scheme, dismissed by the group). Each have produced Tories as a death tax in 2010, an article below. West Ambulance Branch Secretary. will not go away without serious UNISON made a big impact on agreed to reverse the Coalition attention. the Conference floor. Our reforms, not by yet another Dave Prentis also shared a motion on the economy, reorganisation, but by changing platform with Len McCluskey, “Promoting an Alternative to the focus of whatever General Secretary of Unite, Billy the Coalition Government‟s structure he inherited to an Heyes, General Secretary of Austerity Programme”, was integrated approach to health CWU and Paul Kenny, General carried. UNISON delegate, and care by public delivery, Secretary of GMB. Each Francesca Massey, (pictured away from private sector outlined their opposition to below with ) involvement. He made the austerity of the coalition with point that privateers stand to Dave particularly emphasising gain £20 billion from the the need for Labour to feel the Coalition plans, exactly what pain of public service workers the government is cutting from after 3 years of pay freeze and the NHS. to constructively support our UNISON also had impact efforts to secure better pay around the Conference. Our which will provide vital demand busy stall, promoted the 20th Continued on page 3

Pictures by Mousetrap Media

3 continued from page 2 UNISON for the economy. The share of wages in national income is the lowest since the CONFERENCE 1930‟s and without spending power at that level, the heavily indebted banks won‟t lend to businesses to expand our BRIEFINGS economy. We can‟t wait until 2015 to make our case to the nation that public service workers are hurting, and growth The key issues UNISON covered include : suffers into the bargain. Prosperity and Work The Economy Public Services UNISON North West Delegates speaking and taking part in debates at Health the Education and Skills Anne McCormack Crime, Justice, Citizenship and Equalities Policing Equalities Sustainable Communities Housing Local Government Transport Low Carbon Economy Angela Rayner Britain in the World European Union Nuclear weapons QUESTIONS

UNISON has formulated questions for the Labour Party to underline our policy concerns on all the above issues. Please feel free to adapt these questions and themes to make interventions to increase UNISON‟s profile within your Constituency Labour Party (CLP). Elizabeth Cameron

UNISON produced high quality briefings for delegates on key issues at the Conference. These are attached with this newsletter.

They are also available on the following web site link:

www.unisonnw.org.uk/labourlink

Pictures by Mousetrap Media

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Ed Miliband Gave a Rousing Speech to Conference Delegates in Manchester and here is what Anne McCormack, Chair of the Regional Labour Link Committee , had to say

His speech was warm, “rip- off for everybody personal, showed else” as the Tories plan leadership, humour a tax cut for millionaires and that he was Prime whilst millions suffer and Minister material. the Lib Dems stand idly There was much in this by and let it happen. speech to raise the spirits of Labour Party He exposed the fact members and much to that borrowing is rising encourage voters to as the government‟s cast their votes for the austerity fails. He Labour Party at the next election combined the spirit of fighting for a fairer, united Britain. fascism, rebuilding the country under Labour in 1945 with He spoke of our shared values the Olympic spirit of today and aims, a commitment to the “ ...the rebate for the in a bid to cast Labour as NHS, a vision of hope to the top and the rip-off for the natural party of young, the vulnerable, the sick government and the Tories and the elderly – a new way as a divisive party of the forward for our country and our everybody else” few. He appealed directly to delegates welcomed Ed‟s Tory voters to rethink their commitment to repeal the decision. Health Act. He showed the banks and big business that he The following day, at a UNISON wasn‟t afraid to take them on but meeting, he followed up by said little to excite us on promising to buck the trend pay. and make us a one term opposition, whilst also The commitment to promising to march and repealing the Health Act speak at our rally on 20th was warmly welcomed but, October . as we know, the devil is in the detail. He spoke of Clearly there is a long way to public/private go, and many difficult issues partnerships, to address. However, he commissioning and other certainly confounded the things that we would like media, and Tory critics, who to examine in more detail. until very recently saw him as their best hope of clinging to He condemned the power in 2015. Not any “rebate for the top” and the longer.

Pictures by Mousetrap Media

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Angela Rayner, Vice Chair of the Regional Labour Link, reports back on Ed Balls speech to Conference

Much has been played out in the real terms means that public people skills and decent jobs. It media regarding the rift between sector workers earn 10% less will invest in an alternative the Trade Unions and the stance than in 1996! No bold future that brings new and from Ed Balls on austerity, the proposals on how like in the improved public transport and need for public sector pay years after 1945 we can be services, construction by freezes, not to make any bold and inspirational giving building and investing in mass promises on the economy and people hope and a way out of social housing. We need to spending promises that we poverty. force the banks we have bailed cannot keep. But how far away out to borrow to small and from each other are we really? To avoid a two tier Britain then medium businesses so they can Ed needs to stand up and provide real fiscal stimulus. It's If you listened to Ed's vision and through our public services time to show that these are not proposals that he announced lead by example against the pipe dreams but that we can today then we cannot disagree, neoliberal agenda and win invest now to ensure that like in however what was evident was back our Nation and the 1940's we are a what he didn't say. No mention Communities. To show that a government that inspires, not on how to support those workers living wage and investment in lies down but leads our Nation struggling with a pay freeze that infrastructure will benefit our to greatness once more under in reality is a 15% pay cut and in economy and give our young Labour.

Liz Cameron reports on the addressed the “We want care and compassion NHS, Equalities and Local Women‟s Conference outlining not money and markets” Governments debates . the aims of the Shadow Cabinet The party will publish a monthly to protect the equalities agenda, NHS check report, that people Conference was an extremely the interest of women and single can feed into. A report was positive and participative event. parent families. I felt proud to have been shared which showed the rapid present at the launch of “One Health advance of privatisation with Nation”. The whole of services going out to tender. Shadow Minister for Health Andy conference swelled to the Ambulance services are going Burnham gave an excellent over- promise of a nation in unity. I out to Arriva bus company. view, both in workshop sessions was also glad to have been at There has been privatising and and on conference floor, of the the Women‟s Conference , to commissioning of support Labour position. He reassured see how the equalities argu- services. us that the Health and Social ments developed and were Care Bill would be repealed, and “Markets deliver fragmentation taken into the main conference. that integration of health and the future demands integration” Women will be the most likely to social care services would raise the issues for disability “...We will have to deliver a one enable the services to work due to their roles as unpaid systems approach to health and together for the ultimate benefit carers and for women „s issues community care, a one person of the person who received such as safety, and domestic approach where councils will them. violence . Continued on page 6

6 continues from page 5 I challenged Anna Eagle in a access to GPs, increased workshop for women and trade spending in schools, free take a lead role on commission- unions about the support to prescriptions for all, free bus ing being able to link with trade unions in terms of issues travel for disabled people and housing , leisure, all aspects of such as the 3 year pay freeze in help for people made people‟s good health..”. respect to low paid women and redundant. They have , candidate in the single parents in occupations managed to retain the NHS, Manchester Central by-election, such as dinner ladies, teaching boast of nil compulsory spoke of her success working assistants, carers and cleaners redundancies, the living wage, with an Occupational Therapy now having to access pay day and of a plan to boost the team. A UNISON challenge made loans and using food banks for economy, with specific her more aware of the potential survival. I also asked about the investments to create jobs for dangers of fragmented services stance they were taking as young people in their country. and inadequate services of social Shadow Cabinet on issues such It was an excellent and care providers re assessments as Section 138a questionnaires. encouraging conference but, and provisions of aids and She responded by asking for us overall, I felt there was too to send her the intelligence so adaptations. much positive spin on sparse they can act. Other matters of initiatives, and too much Equalities equality ran throughout the harping back to Labour‟s past conference. When challenged in the Women‟s record, however good in some Conference at the women in trade In the Local Government areas. This was a little out of place in an atmosphere of unions workshop, Yvette Cooper debate speakers welcomed the vicious cuts being said they would be looking to number of councils now seeking implemented. Also whilst protect the interests of women, to pay the living wage as supporters of the party did not single parent families and carers. opposed to the minimum wage. blame Labour for these Con- Within her conference speech she However on the ground we know Dem policies, it was clear that said, that there is strong feeling that people wanted a clear steer the Labour controlled councils, “You don‟t cut crime by cutting as to how our Labour councils admittedly hardest hit in the the police. We need a new vision would respond in this current st coalition division of cuts, ought for 21 century policing, we need time as well as in the future to be taking a stronger stand to proper checks and balances” when we will hopefully help resist the cuts and save jobs deliver a Labour government She spoke also of her keenness where they can and this was once again. We are looking for to continue to support the sexual expressed. There was also some more action on the planned violence support services. And to feedback on the housing repeal of legislation in respect support young people with jobs projects which are being built in of equality and employment and the issues which were most some areas. However it was rights, as well as better important to them including declared that more affordable support for trade unions along increased education in schools in housing is required because with a clear position to specific areas and finished by despite the work taking place, support us in our actions to boasting, they ...“cannot address the lift the pay freeze. mountain of outstanding need “. “Plebs of the world unite, we There is work to be done. have nothing to lose but this We heard from Wales Minister Government” Carwyn Jones, with their Five points for the future; increased

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Opposing Inequality and Austerity

Austerity and market become a more unequal society, in practise. If wages don‟t economics have been but also how this has both grow in line with portrayed as the only contributed to the current productivity, economic alternative for our future. For economic crisis and how crisis is likely to follow as our activists to challenge this, inequality has a corrosive effect who will buy the produce of UNISON aims to provide on the quality of life and real well our economy. political education material to being of our citizens in com- help you to fight back. parison with more equal coun- tries. It also suggests that

You will have seen the trade union membership and “ECONOMYTHS” post cards bargaining strength is critical in and various other material keeping society in balance and since the Coalition was has both helped Britain fare elected. better than more unequal societies like the USA. How- (Please ask for more if you ever, in as much as union have not). strength has declined, this is at the root of many of our real Here, with this pack, we problems in today‟s society. enclose for your use ”Why The key issue is that the market Inequality Matters” from the can create wealth that could Centre For Labour and Social make society better, but only fair Studies (CLASS). The booklet and balanced distribution brings describes how Britain has this to the benefit of most people

What You Can Do!

Please get the messages, questions and issues raised in this bulletin discussed in your Branches. Then seek to take these views into your local Constituency La- bour Parties. For further advice contact Jason Hunter.

8 Police and Crime Commissioner Elections

USE YOUR VOTE ON - 15 November 2012