I attended UNISON Scotland's Strategy Conference against cuts to public services on 4 September 2010. In attendance were UNISON members, as well as activists from other unions and representatives from community groups. In the morning sessions speakers addressed the conference, updating delegates on the forces driving the cuts.
David Prentice, UNISON General Secretary began by pointing out that this was not just an attack on services, and public sector jobs, but, as 70% of the money earned by public sector workers is spent in the local economy, businesses would be affected just as much. He pointed out that when the NHS was founded, and through till the 1960s, debt was higher than it is now, yet there was investment in public services and the welfare state. Raising the issue that bankers have quickly returned to making big profits, despite being responsible for causing the current economic crisis, he pointed out the the income earned by the top 1% in society would pay for the NHS, Schools and Local Government combined, and that the richest 1000 in the country increased their wealth by £130bn over the last year, a 30% increase, and enough to cover the deficit just through this increase. He quoted organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and Oxfam, who have said that the emergency budget announced is a blow to the most vulnerable, and risks making life harder for the poorest in society. Stressing that this government was ideologically opposed to public services, he reminded delegates that there was no 'soft underbelly' to public services - that this is not about cutting waste, or about so-called 'gold plated pensions', but will mean the closure of schools, hospitals, libraries and care homes.
Stephen Boyd, STUC Assistant Secretary follwed by giving an introduction to the STUC's campaign 'There is an alternative'. He gave further statistics on the current economic situation, the effect of the budget, and historical records. Through these we saw that borrowing is still below long term average levels, and that the reports in the media purporting to show an increase in public sector employment were due to the nationalisation of the banks. He concluded by giving 5 reasons why the UK is not Greece:
The afternoon session I attended was on campaigning against the 'ConDem' agenda. It was apparent that it was not just in Moray senior officers were often leading the council, and that campaigning needed to target not just the public, but informing Elected Members, and giving them the right questions to put to managers.
To finish off the day we each pledged to take personal action to campaign against the cuts - my own is to try and get more coverage in the Northern Scot and Press and Journal.