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Below you will find details of the local issues we are currently addressing: NHS Campaign - no to privatisation & competition We are working closely with the LATUC to raise awareness of the increasing levels of outsourcing of services within the NHS. Our Delegates attended a Lobby of Parliament on 1st November 2006 along with trade unionists from all over the country under the banner of “NHS Together”. Our secretary’s report is given below:
NHS Together- Lobby of Parliament On Wednesday 1st November, Trade unionists from Chorley made the long journey to London to join the lobby of Parliament organised by the TUC. Thousands of demonstrators descended on the capital to send a clear message to the government that the NHS is under threat from creeping privatisation of its services. We welcomed the large increases in resources and investment by the Labour party that has seen over 300,000 additional staff working in the NHS in the 10 years between 1995 and 2005, this is in contrast to years of under investment by the Conservative Party. But now we are facing a situation of constant re-organisation, budget deficits, job cuts and the fragmentation of services. The government are helping to create a private medical market through the transfer of patient care out of the NHS and into the private sector. We also see the private sector given preferential treatment, it is estimated that 7 billion pounds is being taken from NHS budget and is being made available to the private sector for routine surgical services. The private sector receives a guaranteed income stream even if the number of patients that they are supposed to treat is not met. In one example, Southwest Oxfordshire PCT paid over a quarter of a million pounds to a company, which carried out 40,000 pounds worth of operations and assessments. Of course these private providers are profit-making enterprises, which are also free to reject patients that they consider to be high risk. We have recently witnessed the government privatising profitable parts of the NHS for example the NHS logistics an award winning enterprise within the NHS. Hospitals building programmes using PFI (private finance imitative) have been reported to be a financial disaster.
Steve Turner (Secretary) said, on the day of the lobby we were met by our MP Lindsay Hoyle, this meeting was constructive and informative. In Chorley we need to explain to the public our concerns, make no mistake the re-organisation of the NHS will have an impact on us all. We intend to set up a public meeting in the near future; we urge the public of Chorley to attend this event. If anyone would like to join us with this important campaign please contact us. Yours fraternally
Steve Turner (Secretary)
Photographs of the day can be seen in our Picture Gallery page.
Defending Chorley Council Housing This campaign has now closed following the tenants decision to transfer their homes in March 2007 to Chorley Community Housing. The Trades Council’s final report on the campaign is given below:
Defend Council Housing - Final Report Chorley Borough Council decide to Transfer Housing stock to a Private Company although this company will be a not for profit organisation the Trades Council felt the emphasis of housing provision would change form one of human need to one of personal or institutional greed and launched a campaign against the transfer. The council agreed to set up a not for profit organisation which would be know as Chorley Community Housing RSL (Registered Social Landlord) and would fall under the umbrella of Adactus Housing Association (Manchester). So called not for profit RSL’s are making massive surpluses, generate massive pay rises for senior managers and consultants and profits for the banks.
For clarity our report will come under several categories.
Government Policy The Government stated in its May 2005 Manifesto “By 2010 we will ensure that all social tenants benefit from a decent, warm home with modern facilities.” Although the manifesto commitment is to be welcomed the methods to achieve this are strongly opposed by all the major trade unions. We support what is known as the Fourth Option (Direct Government Investment) instead of the three-privatisation options of the government.
Tenants are bullied or conned into thinking the only way to get improvements or keeping services intact is by supporting one of the three government options. New Labour is carrying out the dismantling of the Welfare State by privatisation of publicly owned assets in small changes until we have a full marketisation of all spheres of the economy. In Chorley this means the privatised company could borrow money and would be able to keep money now clawed back centrally by the government. Also monies that are used for other departments from revenues would go to the new company. This would mean the new privatised company would be approximately £2.5 million a year better off in revenue than the council and able to borrow. This put the council in a grossly unfair position in comparison with the private sector.
Government Politics There is no sign of the Government changing their mind after three votes at conference to create a level playing field and a committee inquiry in the commons stating the unfairness of this policy, New Labour are intent on this privatisation route for public housing.
Chorley Borough Council and Politics of the Town Although the Housing Stock was in reasonable condition the Council (under Labour no over all control) decided to go for this option (Stock Transfer) given the parameters above. The Labour controlled executive put it to the Labour group with one councillor voting against. The policy was passed. There was no resistance form the Tories, Lib Dems or Independents so this meant out of 47 councillors there was only one against. The housing stock in Chorley is already very well maintained after years of investment, indeed at a community meeting they (the council) had to admit that we would reached the Decent Homes Standard 3 years earlier than required. The Labour MP (Amicus Sponsored) for the Town openly backed the Campaign supporting privatisation and even opening the Stock Transfer Shop; this was after a letter backing us in our endeavours. We wrote to him asking for his support and in a reply 27/10/05 stated he was in support of the Fourth Option and supports the union’s stance on this issue. He then stated in a reply 25/04/2006, to the chair of Chorley Tenants Forum that he does not support the Chorley Trades Unions NO campaign. Hundreds of copies of his letter were copied and used by the council to support their campaign. We have reported his actions to the NW regional committee of Amicus (awaiting a reply)
Comparison of Resources Chorley Trades Union Council had 8 Volunteers and a budget of £1500. Chorley Borough council had several full time staff and a Budget underwritten by Adactus of £480,000.
Independent Advisors Paid for by Chorley Borough Council and only offered information on the pitfalls if specifically asked, they seemed only to want to promote the advantages of transfer and the reality of government policy.
Campaign.
Unions Campaign started with leafleting areas of Chorley and then holding public meetings, we showed a video made by Unison on Sefton Council Stock Transfer and then explained our position and took questions. All but one meeting was poorly attended. Amicus produced a postcard asking tenants for support for the NO Campaign, we had 101 returned. We sort the support of the Defend Council Housing Campaign and they produce two excellent newsletters for us. These were very effective. We acquired a newspaper based on the Chorley Campaign kindly funded by Unison We got selective press coverage although the press were bias in favour of Transfer always leading with the yes campaigns views. We took a coach to the National Lobby of parliament on 8th February 2006 in London, this allowed tenants and trade unionist to gain invaluable information. We leafleted throughout the Borough on three occasions. We organised a street demonstration in the town centre on 25th March 2006
Council The Council produced one-sided very bias glossy publications and a DVD they also phoned and visited every tenant. We received a number of complaints from tenants that were upset at repeated visits to their homes and increasing number of telephone calls. They produced a steam letters for tenants. The council opened a Transfer Shop in the Centre of Town and converted several homes home using private contracted labour. We challenged the council publications and reported the council to the district auditor. It seemed clear that the council’s publications were unbalanced and clearly supported the transfer. We feel this is in breach of guidelines in the government’s stock transfer manual 2005. Trades Council Chair, and Borough Councillor Andy Birchall, was threatened legally by the Council for complaining internally about a publication that stated the tenants had made up their mind and supported the councils YES vote. Our Secretary was threatened with legal action also, this was clearly a publicity stunt aimed to discredit the officers of the Trades Council. The threat of legal actions against us was published in the local newspaper (front page) 5th July 2006, just before the tenants were asked to vote on the proposed transfer.
The Vote The Vote was held over a period of a month allowing the Council to up the Campaign in this period. The result was announced on 8th August 2006 2940 where entitled to vote? 69% turnout. 63.1% in favour 36.9% against. In absolute terms this means that 2029 took part in the vote. Of these 63.1% voted yes = 1323 36.9% voted no = 748 Overall less than 50% of the tenants voted yes if you take in to account the overall figure. 1323/2940 x 100 = 45 Therefore only 45 %, a minority, voted for. Apparently this is acceptable in the democrat rules of transfer.
Conclusion. We believe we have strong moral, economic and political arguments to defend Council housing and public ownership more generally. The Government seems intent on promoting the interests of Business at International, European and Local level. We were pitted against all these forces and the opposing arguments are supported by the State and Business we feel we live in a one policy state exploitation of workers by degree is the theme of the day from our political elite. We put up good resistance against very powerful interests and are not disappointed in our efforts but bitterly disappointed in a Government who is a traitor to our fundamental beliefs. Chorley Trades Union Council will continue to campaign in favour of public ownership and control and are about to embark on a defence of the Health Service locally.
To all those who supported us morally, politically and financially a warm felt and sincere thank you. We, the officers would also like record our appreciation for the fantastic effort and commitment from our delegates whom we asked so much. Cheers and all the best from everyone at Chorley Trades Council. Yours fraternally,
Steve Turner (Secretary) Amicus Andrew Birchall (Chairman) T&GWU
All information on this Web site is copyright 2008 by Chorley Trades Council. |
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