I paid some attention to the pay caps imposed on the public sector in my previous post titled “An open letter to Gordon Brown” about the imposition of pay caps on the public sector. Well Gordon, it looks like you weren’t paying attention at the time - perhaps the possible wave of industrial action over the next few months will force you to have a rethink on the whole idea.
Of course, the recent statement by Alistair Darling about setting 3 year pay deals, which has grabbed the headlines, doesn’t actually change anything since the pay cap was for the Comprehensive Spending Review period anyway. Real terms pay cuts are still real terms pay cuts whether you introduce them one year at a time or three years at a time. What it has done however is to focus the minds of people on the realities of what it means. Lets look at the situation for some of the key unions:
Unison
Workers in Health accepted their previous pay deal with a qualifying statement that they expected to make up lost ground in 2008. It’s now clear to them that this will not happen, which leads to the previously unimaginable situation of the NHS potentially going on strike.
Workers in Local Government not only rejected their 2007 offer, they actually voted in favour of taking Industrial action against it. It was only by an incredible act of betrayal of their membership by your loyal lieutenant Dave Prentis and the majority of his executive in refusing to take action that you were rescued in 2007. Do you feel that even he would attempt to hold back his membership for a further three years? Even if he tried, his membership would find a way of throwing him from office and you would likely be faced with your worst nightmare - a left led Unison. Talking of left led unions…
Public and Commercial Services
How would the PCS react to three year below inflationary rises? I think we already know the answer to that since a rise amounting to zero percent per year was imposed on the DWP. They are taking strike action against it. Whilst there may be over 200 separate pay negotiations in that union, a handful of the Departments make up the vast majority of the members. We already know from the national actions they have taken over cuts and privatisations that they will come out as a union. Whilst they can’t take national action over pay, several large departments taking separate action over pay will amount to much the same thing.
The teaching unions
The teaching unions are a mixed bunch, but the NUT has come out clearly against what is happening. Steve Sinnott may have spent 2007 fiddling whilst Rome burns with the many delays in going to ballot, but it may well have led to a situation where a ballot on the 2007 pay offer effectively becomes a statement of intent for following years. There goes any attempts to say that education is safe in your hands.
Other Unions & Associations
Unite have already said that they are opposed to the imposition of three year pay deals and, whilst not opposed in principle to 3 year pay deals, they are opposed when done in tandem with the imposed pay cap. The Police are up in arms about the refusal to award their independently agreed pay settlement in full, which will prove to be a difficult problem all round. We have already seen what the POA are capable of - will your cowardly restoration of the Conservative Party introduced strike ban (showing NuLab’s true colours) stop a repeat performance? Can you afford to take the risk is an important question as imprisoning their leaders after any strike would have no impact on the devastating effects the initial action would have had, especially if protracted. All of the TUC affiliated Unions with members in the Public Sector are now joined together in the Public Services Liaison Group and the PCS have already called for joint action. The First Division Association and Prospect, their fellow members of the Council of Civil Service Unions have spoken out against the suggestion of public sector pay being an inflationary driver, with a jointly commissioned report dis-proving that myth. Overall, the vast majority of the 4.5 million public sector workers are represented by Unions who are opposed to the squeeze on their pay, and joint action is looking like a very realistic possibility.
2008 could well turn out to be the year the Labour party is forced to make a decision - do you still have any real link to the wider labour movement? Your “it would be worse under the Tories” argument may not be enough to save you any longer. Action is required to back the statement up or the might of the labour movement may be about to re-awaken from it’s slumber and flex a few muscles. Can you afford to take that risk?
The Scottish Stoner
