|
COALITION HAS
‘DECLARED WAR ON OUR PEOPLE’ PRENTIS TELLS TUC
UNISON general secretary
Dave Prentis told the TUC Congress that now was the ‘time for
action’ to end the government’s damaging austerity measures.
He addressed Congress to make the case for – ‘A future that
works’ – urging the TUC to renew its fight against the
government’s unwelcome and failing austerity agenda, and promising
coordinated action if they refuse.
He said that the 20 October Demonstration must be a ‘launch
pad’ for an organised, united campaign against austerity.
Saying the coalition had ‘declared war on our people’
through the pay freeze, pushing workers closer and closer to
economic oblivion while the rich remain untouched, he added that
industrial action would be the inevitable response that if the
government refuses to bring an end to austerity.
The full speech can be found below:- "At the start I want to pay tribute, like Brendan, to the
fantastic athletes who made the Olympics so successful and the
volunteers, but Congress I also want to pay tribute to the 80,000
women, men and children in the Olympic stadium who showed George
Osborne exactly what they thought of him.
The day George Osborne was rumbled and the crowd who spoke for all
of us weren’t booing pantomime villains, but real life villains who
are destroying Britain.
Tory Britain; an economy in crisis; the longest recession for 50
years; 625 public service jobs gone every single day of this
coalition; and more to come; the worst child poverty record of any
government for a generation.
A Britain where last week Save The Children, an international
charity, launched an appeal to help UK families plunged into poverty
by cuts and recession. Stories of kids going without hot meals,
winter clothes, missing out on school trips. Working families
struggling with rocketing prices, plummeting pay.
An Oxfam report warning of inequality in Britain not seen since
Victorian times; heart rending stories that shame this government
and anyone who supports it.
And in Britain; walk down any high street, open any newspaper, turn
on the TV, legalised loan sharks offering pay-day loans, interest
rates reaching 4000%. An industry that is now worth £2bn a year, and
six in ten using money to pay their household bills or to buy
essentials, trapping families in a downward spiral of debt and
despair.
Our people. Our kids.
The cost of food going up again by another 10%, the cost of gas and
electric rising even more. We know, Congress, that it takes just a
£50 increase in monthly outgoings, and that would plunge one third
of families into financial ruin.
Britain is changing beyond recognition.
Employment rights are under attack, sacking workers to be made
easier than ever before. Britain where ‘sit alone’ judges; not
tribunals; decide unfair dismissal claims; where ‘zero hours’
contracts are all the norm.
A world where bankers with no shame are now speculating on food
prices as millions face starvation.
Britain where everything is up for sale: our NHS, our care services,
our education services; essential services being privatised.
£27bn of contracts are to be signed in the coming year alone;
despite the scandals, despite the failures. A4E; Southern Cross;
G4S; ATOL and its discredited benefits tests; and failed council
contracts.
And the Tories, the Tories, with no road to recovery, know their
policies aren’t working, and are using austerity, the recession to
destroy our public services, to destroy our welfare state. Without
austerity, they couldn’t privatise our NHS, privatise policing,
close libraries, attack the hard-won rights of working people.
A coalition which has declared war on our people; our people facing
a 3rd year of pay freeze. Living standards slashed, while the rich
and the powerful remain untouched.
And congress this is the point: it is our job to lead the fight
back. To protect our heritage. To defend that fairer society that
those who went before us fought for. To fight for a future that
works. To ensure that 20 October is the biggest anti-cuts
demonstration in our history. A day that will give hope to our
people, hope for a better, fairer society.
And the 20 October has to be more; much more than just a march. It
must be a launch pad for our campaign against austerity. After that
day we must march on, united, coordinated.
The Tory posh boys think our members are afraid – afraid of losing
their jobs, afraid of asking for better pay. But it’s our job as
leaders, as trade unionists, to raise them up, and to show our
members what they are really worth.
And as a TUC we must be out there campaigning, organising, building
a movement, building alliances of all unions.
We are never stronger than when we coordinate industrial action,
when we speak with one voice. Yes, we will seek decent pay, fair
pay. Yes, we will negotiate; that is what our membership expect us
to do.
But make no mistake, if employers refuse to negotiate; if the
attacks continue; we will deliver the coordinated action which is
called for in this composite.
Now is the time for action.
Join us and march for a future that works, on 20 October 2012, in London,
Glasgow and in Belfast.
unison.org.uk/20102012." |
 |
CHIP SHOPS ‘BATTER’
IT OUT TO BE CROWNED CHIPPY OF THE YEAR 2012!
SEPTEMBER 2012 will see
local chip shops start their crusade to be awarded Chippy Of The
Year 2012 as ‘Chippy Of The Year, in association with Holland’s
Pies’, launches! With some of the best chippies in the UK, local
regions Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside will go head to head
in this North West chippy challenge!
Produced in Lancashire for over 160 years, Holland’s Pies is one of
the North West’s best-loved pie makers; producing a range of
delicious pies, puddings and pastries for local chip shops in the
North West. Whether it’s delicious home cut chips, perfect pudding &
peas, tasty fresh pies, rich homemade gravy or quality fish that
makes your local chippy a keen contender, Chippy Of The Year, in
association with Holland’s Pies, is asking for chippy lovers
everywhere to make their vote!
As part of a campaign to raise awareness for chip shops in the North
West, Chippy Of The Year 2012 will run until December, when the
winning chippy will be crowned. Fans can vote for their favourite
chippy through a number of voting channels, including online at a
dedicated Chippy of the Year
website, by completing a voting
form, available at the local chippy and posting to a freepost
address. There will also be a Chippy Of The Year QR code, featured
on posters in local chippies, which will allow customers to use
their smartphones to link straight through to the Chippy Of The Year
website.
For more information on Chippy Of The Year 2012 and how to vote
visit:-
chippyoftheyear.co.uk. For
further information on the Holland’s Pie range please visit:-
hollandspies.co.uk. Like us at
facebook.com/hollandspiesofficial
and follow us on Twitter @hollandspies.
* Freepost address: HOLLAND'S, NWW 8101, ACCRINGTON, LANCASHIRE, BB5
2SA
Electoral law
reform needed
THE Electoral Commission
publishes its responses to the Law Commission’s consultation on
electoral law reform, which closes on Monday, 17 September
2012. To assist
the consultation and encourage widespread responses, the Electoral
Commission has also published 2 research papers. The first, a
comparison of international electoral law and the second looks at
challenging elections results.
In the UK, election results may be challenged by a candidate in the
election or an elector by issuing legal proceedings known as ‘election
petitions’. Those who wish to challenge an election result face
a number of hurdles, which for many are likely to be insurmountable.
These barriers include the cost of bringing a petition, initial
costs are over £5,500 and this could increase significantly where a
court hearing is involved; the present complexities surrounding
presenting and serving a petition and the legislative difficulties
in establishing if there are grounds for a petition.
Electoral Commission Legal Counsel, Bob Posner says:- "The
law governing election petitions dates back to 1868 and is largely
unchanged. A process that was created in the Victorian era is
unlikely to be well-suited to elections held in the 21st
century. In the last 150 years the UK has seen the expansion of the
democratic franchise, an increase in the number and type of
elections and the introduction of postal voting and the use of
electronic communications; this all suggests that reform is urgently
required."
The Electoral Commission observes that the high standards by which
elections throughout the world are now assessed did not exist in
1868 and contends in the case of these international standards, the
UK’s system is inconsistent.
A further obstacle to challenging election results is that while one
candidate may challenge an election result, for local government
elections at least four electors must agree to submit an election
petition. Drawing a parallel with other laws, the Electoral
Commission’s submission points out that there is no requirement for
multiple applicants in the rules that govern judicial review
challenge.
Bob Posner adds:- "The constraints we highlight
in our submission reflect the need for reform. Electoral law is a
fundamental building block of our democracy, enabling decisions on
who represents us and makes the laws that touch all our lives. The
right to a transparent and accessible means of challenging election
results is its guarantee. It could be argued that the current
legislation casts election petition as an attack on the system. Far
from it, they are its very defence and there shouldn’t be any
inherent deterrents to remedying election irregularities."
Responses can be made by clicking on
here.
|
