Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/686/12832
From The Socialist newspaper, 21 September 2011
Recognition won back - at a price
Rob Rooney, Plymouth Unison shop steward, personal capacity, and Socialist Party member.
Unison has won back recognition by Plymouth city council but only after agreeing to a cuts package which inflicts devastating losses on some workers.
The Tory administration summoned Unison, along with GMB and Unite, to talks in January on how to cut £18 million from the city budget over the next three years. When, in August, Unison refused to sign the deal, management took the unprecedented step of de-recognising Unison, by far the biggest union at the council.
With heavy hearts, the branch voted to accept a revised cuts package. I have always argued against accepting any cuts and consequently voted not to accept.
Management have made minor improvements and made it clear that, with the agreement of GMB and Unite in its pockets, they were set on imposing the cuts even if Unison refused to sign.
There's no getting round the fact that this is a defeat for all Plymouth city council workers.
The challenge for the branch is making sure every Unison member is prepared for the fact that management will try to come back for more.
In the battles ahead it is crucial that all three recognised unions act together, that a democratically elected joint shop stewards committee emerges and that a policy of no cuts of any kind is adopted. Unison is calling for a mass meeting of all three unions.
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In The Socialist 21 September 2011:
Building for 30 November strike
We won't pay for the bankers' crisis!
30 November - the fight of all our lives
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Gloucestershire: Rage ignites against NHS privatisation
12th hour reprieve for Dale Farm
Socialist Party news and analysis
Wales mine deaths: Privatisation comes under the spotlight
Private rail companies - a licence to print money
Socialist history
Poplar 1921: 'Better to break the law than break the poor'
Socialist Party feature
2011 Labour Party conference - a debate: Can Labour be reclaimed?
International socialist news and analysis
Kazakhstan: Dictatorial regime threatens socialist activists
Floods devastate Sindh: Crisis worsens, hundreds killed
Socialist Party youth and students
Don't let the Con-Dems steal our future!
Save Devon youth service: "time for young people to stand up"
Jobs, homes and services, not racism
University - pay more, receive less
Youth protest movement grows in Israel
Socialist Party workplace news
Southampton council workers vote for more action
Remploy workers "will not go gently" - or at all!
Expelled from Unison for effective anti-cuts leadership
Bus workers force management climb-down
Protesting construction workers call for national strike ballot
Recognition won back - at a price
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