Public and Commercial Services Union

Motion A601 was carried

NEC attitude: support

Conference notes the Budget statement of April 2009 setting out the government’s response to the economic crisis. Further cuts of £15bn are planned, with £6bn in the current spending round. Spending limits will be restricted to 0.7% growth from 2011-12, something that will have a catastrophic impact on jobs, conditions and services and there is to be further market testing and privatisations, including in Land Registry, Royal Mint, Ordnance Survey and Met Office. It is certain that even deeper cuts will be implemented whoever wins the general election and, given the government’s optimistic growths forecasts, it is entirely possible further cuts will be announced before the election. Conference notes the contrast between the massive sums spent in propping up the banking and finance sectors, which were in large part responsible for the economic crisis, and the decision to cut and destroy vital services.

Conference rejects the government’s response to the economic crisis as set out in the budget statement and the idea that working people should lower their expectations and be forced to pay for a crisis they did not create: it likewise rejects the economic illiteracy of a policy which cuts jobs, drives down conditions and destroys services, which can only deepen and extend the crisis. Unrestrained free market neo-liberalism has failed and in order to tackle the economic crisis a major reversal of these policies is necessary

The incoming National Executive Committee is instructed to meet as soon as practicably possible following conference to set out in detail a strategy in response to the budget statement based on the instructions set out below and to then begin the most comprehensive process of awareness to build support amongst members for our campaigning strategy to defend jobs, pay, conditions, services and the public sector. The NEC is further instructed to build awareness of and support for, our campaigning strategy in wider society, particularly with other trade unions in both the public and private sectors and demand the widest possible unity in action from the Trades Union Congress.

Conference agrees to campaign for the following measures to defend the public sector and to ensure working people do not bear the brunt of the economic crisis. PCS should campaign for adoption of these measures by the TUC: -

a) Full nationalisation of the banking and finance sectors under democratic control, scrutiny and accountability with full protection for workers and compensation to shareholders only on the basis of proven need.

b) Nationalisation of all public utilities, including transport, on the same basis.

c) Measures to the taxation system that will significantly increase the contribution made to society by the wealthy and big business and to take the most stringent measures to end tax evasion.

d) Implement a major programme of public works and council house building with a key focus on the provision of social housing and with an increased and developed role for councils in housing. Appropriate measures to end house re-possessions.

e) An end to public sector cuts, including the Gershon and so-called “Efficiency” cuts in the civil service, privatisations and Private Finance Initiatives. The end of the use of private sector consultants in the public sector with the full disclosure of consultant and PFI/privatisation costs over the past 10 years. For an expansion of the public services.

f) Abolition of the “market” in health and education with full free access to all and the abolition of tuition fees and the re-introduction of grants.

g) Opposition to any attempts at dividing working people on the basis of race, gender, for full equal opportunities, an end to the long hours culture, protection and expansion of family friendly policies, full protection for unemployed workers and others dependent on state benefit with full access to a public employment service and, for unity between public and private sector workers.

h) Defend workers rights, for repeal for the Tory/Labour anti union laws.

i) Defend the minimum wage legislation and increase rate to £8ph, with a single rate for all.

j) Investment in sustainable manufacturing industry with particular regard to tackling climate change.

Conference instructs the NEC to: -

1) Oppose all attempts to cut jobs, wages, pensions, civil service compensation scheme and other conditions: oppose cuts in services.

2) Campaign for full unity in action amongst public sector unions and the TUC in opposing attacks on the public sector, including national demonstrations and industrial action if required.

3) Develop and expand media, legal and Parliamentary campaigning and activity.

4) Build links with other European public sector unions, call for a conference of these unions in order to coordinate awareness and campaign work in defence of jobs, services and conditions and to work together in advocating and campaigning for an alternative to the free market.

5) Develop and increase resources for the Public Services Not Private Profit campaign. Full support for the People’s Charter.

6) Develop closer working and cooperation with other unions in both the public and private sectors at local and national level, including expansion of the Trade Union Coordinating Group, using Trades Councils and other local bodies, establishing new bodies if necessary, to organise local solidarity and campaigns in defence of jobs, pay, pensions, conditions and services.

7) Work with unemployed groups and through the TUC centres and other regional bodies, actively assisting in building unemployed workers organisations, to build solidarity to oppose government’s welfare policy. Continue and develop our Welfare and Tax Justice Campaign work.

8) Promote solidarity between workers of different nationalities and ethnic origin in the face of all division arising from the worldwide economic recession.

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Motion A4 was carried

NEC Attitude: support

This conference notes the vast amounts of public money pumped into a number of troubled UK financial institutions. The senior banking officials could now be said to be public servants, given that their institutions could not operate without public money.

This conference further notes that the Barack Obama administration in the United States has frozen the salaries of White House officials earning more than $100,000 (approx £72,500) to demonstrate that senior Government officials are not immune from the impact of the recession.

We believe that all officials earning similar amounts in the UK banks that have received help from the taxpayer should also have their pay frozen and not receive any bonus payments. Given that these same officials by their greed and incompetence have caused the current recession which has led to tens of thousands of workers losing their jobs, this is a reasonable demand.

We call on the NEC to pursue this policy with the Government through all available means including through the TUC.

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Motion A5 was carried

NEC Attitude: support with statement

Conference is incensed by the antics of those who defend the big bonus culture even in the midst of the present economic crisis. The very architects of the current recession have sought to hold on to their undeserved payouts. Meanwhile, during the past 12 months, members of the Senior Civil Service have enjoyed bonuses at the same time as forcing so-called efficiency savings onto ordinary staff, whilst asking working people to “tighten our belts” (sic). These people should lead by example and forgo their bonuses and pay rises. Conference instructs the NEC to make efforts to call senior managers to account by the following means:

• Use freedom of information provisions to discover the salaries, privileges and bonuses received by high level managers and publish the results.
• Through parliamentary questions.
• Openly and publicly pressurise them to share equally in the sacrifices they expect others to make due to the economic situation.

(E marked motions associated with lead motion: E1-E3, E158-E197, E602-E605, E638)

Guillotined: A6, A7