The Socialist 4 July 2012 Kick 'em out!  Jail the banksters! Nationalise the banks under popular democratic control It's our NHS - let's fight for it! Welsh Labour's health service 'redesign' means cuts! South London NHS: Socialist councillors said: 'Axe PFI, not our NHS' PCS votes to stand candidates in national elections Sexuality, austerity and socialism Kazakhstan: Resisting state oppression, fighting for survival London buses: "This is why we're in the union" Wales Shop Stewards Network conference calls for 24 hour general strike RMT conference: Vote for one-day general strike Essex FBU strike back at bullyboy management Unite needs fighting socialist policies Supporting Sheffield recycling workers Obituary: Roger MacKay, a tireless fighter for socialist ideas Immolation horror - we demand jobs Leicester: Police undermined opposition to racist march Racist and hooligan EDL invades Dewsbury |
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Home | The Socialist 4 July 2012 | Join the Socialist Party It's our NHS - let's fight for it!Resist attempts to rip up health workers' rightsLeaked proposals describe how a consortium of 16 NHS organisations in the South West intends to break away from national collective bargaining in order to launch an unprecedented attack on health workers' pay and conditions. It seems that most NHS health organisations, and therefore all major acute hospitals, in the South West have paid £10,000 to join the consortium. Other health organisations, such as social enterprises, are looking to establish a close relationship. It is clearly a calculated attack on what the government and NHS bosses perceive to be a region where the Unison union is relatively weak. The document outlines measures to reduce the wage bill from 68% of overall costs to 60%. These include pay cuts of up to 15%, an increased working week, a holiday entitlement reduction for those who receive extra through long service, reduced payment for weekend working and changes to sickness pay. These proposals, if implemented, would be the biggest ever onslaught on the living standards of health workers, with almost every benefit we've ever won abolished. Not surprisingly, gone is the language of social partnership and working with the staff. Instead, we have a declaration of war on health workers and trade unions. They are, however, expecting resistance from the workforce, but have a strategy to force through their plans. Ultimately, if all else fails, they intend to terminate the contracts of NHS staff and then re-engage them on new terms and conditions. We could see thousands of nurses and other health staff in the South West threatened with losing their jobs. The document does not acknowledge the hard work and professionalism of NHS staff. Instead, we are seen as a financial burden that needs reducing. Of course, there is no mention of the costs incurred through numerous boards of directors, senior managers, or PFI. If these proposals are implemented in the South West, then health workers nationally, followed by all public sector workers, will face similar treatment. Every reform, benefit, and right enjoyed by health workers has been won through the struggles of trade unions over many years. To defend these gains, Unison in the South West, but also nationally, needs to launch a massive campaign, starting with a major regional demonstration of health workers in the South West as a step towards regional strike action. In this issue Socialist Party campaigns
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Socialist Party feature
Socialist Party LGBT
International socialist news and analysis
Socialist Party workplace news
Obituary
Socialist Party appeal Youth fight for jobs
Socialist Party review
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