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September 2006
Britain: TUC renews opposition to privatisation and marketisation
Composite 8: Public services
At a time of unprecedented change in public services, when 'reform' has rapidly become a fundamental attack on the role of the public sector, Congress believes we must provide a strong and relevant response to government policy, whilst also presenting progressive, positive and practical alternatives based on the values and experience of our members.
The legacy of record investment, public sector jobs growth and commitment to funding through general taxation is being overwhelmed by a 'reform' agenda which is based on the philosophy that the threat of privatisation is a necessary driver for performance and will see public services being sold-off in 'competitive' processes that discriminate against the public sector. Congress notes that this policy is threatening not only the effectiveness of public services, but in some cases, the very existence of those services. There is no role for markets in public services because they are harmful, wasteful, and unjust. Furthermore, Congress views with concern the view in Government that pays little respect to the importance of the public service ethos.
Congress also recognises that the quality of services and employment will be further undermined by the Government's dogmatic determination to privatise work and have more public services delivered by the so-called 'third sector.' Congress reminds government that there is no evidence that the third sector is able to deliver better public services. These policies deny the legitimate role of the public sector and lead to a loss of local and national accountability, 'marketisation', and the atomisation of public services. Wealthy individuals and private companies exploiting workers and the public alike should be named and shamed.
Congress is committed to the achievement of world-class public services and rejects the current government public sector reform policy. Congress calls on the Government to revise its public sector reform policy with a view to ensuring that all plans for public sector reform:
i) are accompanied by a clear and evidenced-based business case to demonstrate how they will improve the specific public service; and
ii) take account of staff, public and parliamentary responses to full consultation and the need to win staff support.
Congress congratulates the thousands of civil servants who have taken action over the past year in opposition to the Government's politically driven budget cuts, headcount reductions and privatisations that are damaging services and worsening working conditions.
Congress recognises it has been the willingness of union members in the civil service to take action that has so far prevented compulsory redundancies.
However, Congress notes that the Government's next Comprehensive Spending Review will intensify the drive for cuts and so-called 'efficiencies'. This will contribute to increasing workloads, stress, delays, backlogs, failing services and assaults on staff.
Congress calls on the General Council and Executive Committee to:
a) offer full support to the civil service and other public sector unions in the event of further industrial action to defend jobs and services against cuts, privatisation and offshoring;
b) ensure public sector unions are engaged with the Government on the Spending Review 2007;
c) coordinate a high profile campaign on the threat to public services from the Government's current public sector reform policy; and
d) mobilise parliamentary support for the TUC's policy and work with public sector affiliates in organising a rally and lobby of Parliament, and debate proposals for the organisation of a national demonstration and campaign day to promote public services and to oppose the policies of contestability and privatisation, at the earliest possible date after Congress.
Congress calls upon the General Council to lead a vigorous campaign, uniting all unions by:
1) continuing to provide critical analysis of private sector initiatives;
2) promoting progressive alternatives;
3) building the international coalition against the global trade in education, health and other public services;
4) organising communities against the transfer of public land and assets to the private sector;
5) campaigning against destructive reforms in health, education, local government and criminal justice and wherever they appear in public services across the UK;
6) building campaigning alliances on key issues to maximise political and bargaining strength;
7) providing affiliates with campaign material and advice;
8) developing the case and campaign for a strong and accountable public sector, as a vital contribution to the cohesive, economic and social well being of the UK as a balanced and economically mixed democratic society; and
9) preparing a thorough response to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit's Discussion Paper The UK Government's Approach to Public Services.
Mover: UNISON
Seconder: PCS
Supporters: Napo
GMB
National Union of Teachers
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
Prospect
Composite 9: National Health Service
Congress remains concerned at the lack of clear government policy on plurality of provision within the National Health Service.
Unprecedented investment and the repeated objective to provide health care free at the point of need are obviously to be welcomed and applauded.
However, at a time when the NHS workforce is under stress, not least because of mixed messages over funding levels and performance, all staff and the public deserve to be told the truth about the Government's intentions.
The current lack of clear direction is damaging the health service. For example, service reform is held up as a central objective whilst resources are given disproportionately to outdated and inefficient models of provision in the private sector.
The dedication of all who work in the health service has traditionally maintained the NHS despite underfunding, misguided policy and attempts to fragment it. It is disgraceful that this exploitative approach seems to be being pursued once again and scandalous that this should be by a Labour Government.
Congress calls on the Government to treat the workforce and the public with respect. If privatisation is the objective, ministers should state openly that this is so. If integrated service delivery is desirable, let us see policies that encourage this. If the Government really cares about good practice and reform in NHS services, we should see them encouraging and backing these reforms.
Congress values the NHS and calls upon the Public Services Forum to insist the Government makes clear its policy on public service provision.
Members want to deliver high quality, accessible public services. Congress therefore also calls on the General Council to galvanise collective pressure to secure a commitment from the Government for proper dialogue with trade unions over the future direction of the NHS.
Congress believes increased investment in the NHS and the consequent improvements for patients and staff is vital.
Congress, however, notes the creeping privatisation of the National Health Service and the exorbitant costs of the hospital building programme under the Private Finance Initiative. Congress, condemns marketisation of the service in all its forms, most recently the plan to privatise English primary care commissioning services revealed by an advert in the European Union official journal. Private firms will decide which treatments and services are available to patients and whether NHS or private hospitals provide them. As with Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS in 2005, these plans have been drawn up without consultation.
Congress believes the General Council has an instrumental role to play in confronting privatisation, job losses and service cuts and calls upon the General Council to:
i) coordinate a major campaign across health unions, patients, users and professional groups and communities, to challenge the marketisation of the NHS, halt further privatisation and expansion of private sector involvement;
ii) campaign for a fully-funded and resourced NHS with an emphasis on quality of service as opposed to cost-cutting and wasteful pursuit of targets;
iii) campaign for a nationally planned and managed service;
iv) call on the Government to engage in partnership with all staff to promote co-operation and positive transformation;
v) defend and promote systems of greater cooperation and collaboration in Scotland and Wales, that provide an alternative vision of healthcare;
vi) provide capacity-building advice for unions to collaborate and to challenge marketisation; and
vii) lead a political campaign to defend and promote existing excellence in the NHS, using all means at the disposal of the trade union movement.
Congress calls on the General Council to organise a demonstration in spring 2007 to take forward these demands.
Congress notes that, despite record levels of investment in the NHS and real advances in patient care, many NHS organisations are struggling to overcome large financial deficits.
Congress regrets that the NHS faces a £620 million deficit in 2006, and it recognises that sending in teams of accountants to improve the financial management of the worst performing NHS Trusts does not alleviate the effects of the deficits on members of the public who need to use NHS services. Among other unwelcome occurrences, a number of Trusts have been forced to delay operations, close hospital wards and impose recruitment freezes. The recovery programmes being put in place by Trusts are now starting to bite hard, with both patients and staff suffering, including many thousands of new graduates who cannot find work in the health professions they have trained for.
Congress also notes that proposals to invest in health promotion set out in the Governments' White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say are undermined by the rush to tackle historic deficits resulting in 'slash and burn' cuts to services such as health visiting, mental and sexual health.
It is no coincidence that against a backdrop of rapid reform and wider market-based initiatives, such as Payment by Results, job losses are being announced on a daily basis with many PCTs and hospitals facing financial deficits. These are stymying the efforts of members who support many aspects of the modernisation agenda and want to see the NHS thrive.
Congress calls on the Government to take a more realistic approach to resolving the current deficits, which does not put short-term expediency before the long-term health of the NHS. Specifically:
a) longer timescales for NHS trusts to establish financial stability;
b) an end to job cuts and freezes;
c) an urgent rethink on the expensive distraction of bringing competition into the NHS;
d) a halt to the quick fix of targeting staff training and development for cutbacks; and
e) the development of a long-term strategy, including a financial strategy, for health service staff education and development which provides stability, is sustainable and is informed by clear and unambiguous data from effective workforce planning.
Mover: UNISON
Seconder: SoR
Supporters: Prospect
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Amicus
Composite 10: Education and Inspections Bill and marketisation of education
Congress condemns the 'direction of travel' towards privatisation contained within the Education and Inspections Bill. Congress believes the Bill will increase marketisation in the education service, encourage social segregation and undermine equality of access for young people to high quality education.
Congress believes that the TUC must continue to give the highest priority to exposing and campaigning against the damaging effects of such legislation.
Congress welcomes the Government's commitment to raising the average investment per pupil to today's private school levels and instructs the TUC to press the Government to achieve this target.
Congress expresses its deep concern, however, that the Government's funding target has been obscured by its determination to press ahead with the divisive proposals within the Bill.
Congress instructs the General Council to:
i) establish a working group to draft a strategy paper to be presented to the Government setting out the TUC's alternative to Trust, Foundation and Academy schools;
ii) continue to give the highest priority to campaigning against the Government's attempts to privatise public services and co-ordinate a national demonstration against the marketisation and privatisation of education and the Government's Academies and Trust Programme;
iii) hold a conference to launch the strategy with the aim of enhancing comprehensive education, developing the campaign to block the damaging aspects of the Bill and raising the level of school funding; and
iv) monitor the Government's progress in securing parity in funding with private schools and press the Government to achieve this target by the end of this administration.
Congress notes that the Government's pre-occupation with diversity and independence of secondary schools contradicts its earlier mantra 'standards not structures'. It notes further that historically major advances in levels of achievement have followed expansion of opportunity or curriculum and assessment change. Congress, therefore, calls on the Government to recognise that further improvements to pupil achievement depend on substantial reform of curriculum and testing arrangements from 0-19 to encourage children and young people to develop the broad range of skills and understanding they will need as adults.
Congress believes that such reform could contribute towards a range of social justice outcomes including reducing pupil disaffection, reducing damaging class differentials in achievement, and improving the acquisition of key skills to enhance employability.
Congress condemns current thinking on provision of schools, which tends to fragment the system and distort proper public service accountabilities and the funding regime encouraging local authorities to support academies and adopt PFI, including Building Schools for the Future.
Congress recognises that central government, the local community, parents, carers and pupils should all be entitled to a say in shaping the service, but rejects both the present overwhelming predominance of Whitehall to the detriment of other stakeholders and also the handing over of schools to unelected and unaccountable bodies whether or not they are profit-motivated.
Congress notes that the terms and conditions of support staff have been the first casualties of fragmentation, marketisation and privatisation.
Congress calls upon the General Council to commission research and a report into the whole Academies programme, including:
a) admissions procedures;
b) the impact of the current funding regime in promoting academies;
c) the impact on standards achieved by pupils; and
d) the impact on the whole education service in the communities in which they are based.
The findings of such research should be published widely.
Mover: National Union of Teachers
Seconder: Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Supporter: UNISON