Public and Commercial Services Union

Martin Cook, Labour Candidate, Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich Borough Council
 

Do you support PCS's campaign for fair pay for public servants?

Ipswich Borough Council Labour Group believes that all employees should be paid a fair wage. When Labour was running the council, we raised the council's minimum wage above the national one and made it applicable to all employees, regardless of age. We are concerned that the Tories and Liberal Democrats now running the council have still not implemented Single Status Harmonisation - indeed they have recently put back the implementation date by another 6 months.
 

Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?

Ipswich Borough Council Labour Group does not support job cuts if they will lead to a cut in service to the public. We have opposed the job cuts being made by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats running Ipswich Borough Council. We are already seeing reductions in service as a result of these cuts.
 

Where do you stand on privatising public services?

Ipswich Borough Council Labour Group does not support greater privatization of locally delivered public services. We have campaigned against plans by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats running the council to spin off the council's StreetCare operation as a separate company and against the Conservative-run County Council's plans to privatise social care services. Campaigning by Labour in Ipswich has made it politically impossible for the Tories and Liberals to privatise council housing or the council owned Bus Company.