The election results signal nothing but confusion, says Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis
So, as the parliamentary results and implications of this election unfold and unwind, I think the messages from the electorate are clear enough.
No one politician was seen as having all the answers. The voters may have fallen out of love with Labour, but they certainly haven't fallen head over heels for David Cameron either. And as for Nick Clegg, it now seems it really was only a one-night stand.
But there is undoubtedly a widespread desire for a different way of doing things – a more transparent and accountable political system, and a fairer and more sustainable economy. And, as poll after poll showed us, there was clearly no appetite for the deep and savage cuts to public services that some tried to persuade us were inescapable and the right way forward.
Don't get me wrong, there's no denying the challenges which lie ahead. Our economy is in a fragile state. Unemployment remains worryingly high, and could grow higher. And every council across the land does face a period of tight budget constraints.
We all have a responsibility to help find a way through these difficult times, ensuring everyone has a say, helping to repair our economy, and protecting the services that will be the foundation of a fairer and more prosperous future.
Local government workers will certainly do their bit. They always do. They have been on the frontline of fighting this recession – looking out for the most vulnerable, providing extra support for struggling businesses and households, helping people back to work, and getting our economy moving again.
Moreover, their pay has provided the critical stimulus to the economy – 64p of every pound going back into local shops and businesses.
And they need no lessons in ‘doing more with less'. Council staff have been doing it for years – meeting increased demand and driving up performance ratings, while coping with redundancies, recruitment freezes, stringent efficiency targets and repeated below-inflation pay increases.
Unison too has its part to play. Unsurprisingly, people have been joining in record numbers over the past six months, as public service workers nervous about their future, look for protection and support, an independent voice to make their case, and the strength that comes with solidarity.
That doesn't mean conflict is inevitable. Research from the Association for Public Services Excellence shows how our branches have played a pivotal role in managing change and delivering value for money in councils throughout the country – engaging staff in the process of identifying savings, and developing new ways of working.
Full trade union involvement will be essential if we are to avoid the many pitfalls which lie in our path, and we have shown that where we work together with employers, we can deliver tangible benefits to staff, service-users and taxpayers.
So, we will always be ready to talk. But we'll also hold employers and political decision-makers to account. We have been training our workplace representatives to scrutinise council budgets, understand procurement processes, identify skills gaps, and monitor equality impacts.
They will have an invaluable contribution to make to local decision-making. But they won't hesitate to speak out against any attempt to cut costs by discriminating against vulnerable groups, undermining employment standards, compromising service quality or jeopardising community wellbeing.
We will be looking for commitments to avoid compulsory redundancies, guarantee equal opportunities, look to in-house improvement before cut-price privatisation, and include all local stakeholders in full and open consultation over service changes.
And we will continue to campaign for quality public services and a fairer society for all. When they asked for our votes, all the parties promised to protect our public services and treat public service workers fairly.
We will not allow public service workers to be penalised, in their pay packets or their pension entitlements, while a blind eye is turned to the continued excesses of the banks. We will never accept that throwing public service workers on to the dole queue is any kind of a solution at a time when we need more people working, spending locally, and paying taxes.
v We will not stand by while vital services are parcelled up and sold off to the cheapest bidders – the profiteers of the private ‘public services industry' who see a fiscal crisis as a lucrative opportunity. Some boasting a distasteful ‘excitement' at the cuts to come.
We will ensure the dedicated work of all our members is valued, from the scandalously low-paid women in vital caring roles, to the much-maligned ‘back office' staff who keep things running but are too often taken for granted. And we will be on the side of service-users and local communities who don't want to lose libraries, colleges, nurseries, day centres, care homes, estate wardens, advice lines, community projects or any of the services and facilities so crucial to their quality of life and the future of their families.
