Socialist Party members
Unison Health Conference has voted to launch the pay campaign for NHS workers, as Starmer’s Labour government launches austerity after 14 years of Tory cuts to pay and services.
Socialist Party members gave critical support to the Service Group Executive motion, which agreed a national consultative ballot and then a vote for industrial action if the pay offer is inadequate.
But Socialist Party members Dave Byrom and Eve Miller criticised the view of the standing orders committee that the demand in the composite motion (that the union fights for a £15-an-hour minimum wage in the pay claim – which is Unison policy) contradicted the main motion. In reality, it would have strengthened it.
Dave and Eve demanded a real fighting campaign of national strike action, coordinated with other health and public sector unions.
Eve ended her speech by condemning Starmer’s Labour government for not repealing the 2016 Trade Union Act, meaning that yet again, any strike ballot would have to get over the Tories’ undemocratic voting thresholds.
“Let’s be honest, if MPs were subject to the same 50% turnout thresholds as us, none of them would be elected!”
- Full report of the conference next week
