Unison conference looks for two-tier fight

13 Jun 02
Unison is gearing up for a head-on collision with the government as its annual conference looks set to reverse the union's support for ministerial proposals on the two-tier workforce.

14 June 2002

A number of motions submitted for the union's annual local government conference on

June 16–17 suggest members are pushing for more militant action against the use of the private sector and the two-tier workforce.

The Southern Region is urging the union to reject the Best Value Review Group's proposals to develop a code of practice for outsourced staff. The branch argues that the code will not be mandatory and acceptance of it undermines Unison's campaign against privatisation.

'This conference therefore reverses the decision to endorse the government's proposals and instructs it to continue to campaign against privatisation,' the motion says.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis is already seeking an urgent meeting with Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott for assurances that he will honour work on the two-tier workforce begun by former local government secretary Stephen Byers.

Prentis, seen as a moderate, is largely credited with getting Byers to set up the Best Value review in return for Unison slowing down its anti-privatisation campaign last year.

But members, unhappy at the proposals put forward after six months of talks, are unwilling to be placated. The Kirklees branch states that 'nothing short of strike action will make this government take notice'. It is asking members to vote for a national strike campaign against privatisation.

If Unison votes to accept these motions, it will find itself politically aligned with the GMB, which has already rejected the proposals on the two-tier workforce.

PFjun2002

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