13 September 2002
Following a blistering attack on Labour's use of private contractors in the public sector, delegates unanimously passed a motion backing opposition to privatisation – the first time the TUC has officially adopted such a stance.
John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB, later told Public Finance: 'If genuine debate on privatisation is what the prime minister really desires, we would encourage it. It will show that the scheme has been a failure.'
Leading lights in the public sector unions are privately furious that Tony Blair avoided direct confrontation over Labour's privatisation policy, claiming he was 'gifted' a get-out clause by delegates' opposition to possible military action in Iraq.
Edmonds is believed to be angry that some of his colleagues helped Blair escape a roasting over public services by bringing forward the emergency motion on Iraq, which became the focus of Blair's speech on September 10.
A spokeswoman for the GMB said: 'We understand that Iraq is a very important, sensitive issue. But the domestic agenda can't be ignored, because it affects our members and the whole of the public sector.'
Public service union leaders did make their views about Labour's privatisation plans clear to Blair in a private meeting after his speech.
One high-profile Blackpool delegate described the Iraq motion as 'this year's September 11', implying that Blair had escaped a mauling in a similar way to last year, when news of the terrorist atrocities in the US broke hours before he was due to speak.
Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, launched the conference debate, saying he often felt the unions were 'getting nowhere' in convincing the government to drop its expansion of the Private Finance Initiative and public-private partnerships. He said both corroded workers' wages and benefits.
Prentis said: 'The government hears us, but doesn't listen. The prime minister spoke of something we all want – modernisation. But the reality is different. We live in a brave new world where profit is king and markets and competition rule.'
He attacked auditors and accountants for helping the government and private firms to further privatisation. He said the 'big four' accountancy firms had 'no regulation, no declarations of interest, auditors auditing themselves, lenders lending to themselves and a web of deceit bordering on corruption.'
TUC leader John Monks, regarded as one of Blair's biggest unionist allies, backed the motion, saying 'let's be honest and recognise that the ideology [of PFI] is an inadequate guide to policy.'
Just 24 hours earlier, a determined Blair told delegates that he would entertain union concerns, saying 'my door is open to any union leader.' But he warned delegates that reform would continue and that privatisation was a likely part of that.
'I offer a partnership. No prejudices. No preconceptions. On either side. One test only: what is good for the service and the user of the service. We will listen to you about workforce conditions – I ask you to listen to us on the need to reform,' he said.
Later, Mary Turner, president of the GMB, unveiled an 'I'm proud to be a wrecker' T-shirt, which mocked the government's infamous 'wreckers' jibe, widely interpreted as aimed at the unions.
She said: 'If looking after the terms and conditions of my members means I'm a wrecker, then I'm proud to be a wrecker.'
Also see News from the TUC Conference in Blackpool
PFsep2002
