TUC tells Government to stop selling public services short as workers lobby Parliament to oppose privatisation
(Press release 23 January) As public service workers set out for Westminster today (Tuesday) to lobby MPs, the TUC has told the Government to stop undermining public services by underselling real improvements made since 1997 and to work with staff and service users to secure the changes needed to improve services further.
In a response to a No10 Strategy Unit discussion paper , the TUC says that unions accept the need for continuous improvement in public services. But the TUC paper, Reform, not Permanent Revolution, says that ministers should stop saying that reform is necessary because public services are failing as it damages morale and causes resentment, especially at a time when the Government is trying to keep public sector pay rises below inflation. Instead ministers should recognise that public service systems are complex and cannot be improved through quick fixes. They should aim for improvement by:
- reducing top down performance management targets and instead giving services flexibility about how they meet service standards;
- accepting that the public sector ethos cannot be safeguarded by writing terms and conditions into contracts with private suppliers;
- rejecting the use of market mechanisms and accepting that a plurality of suppliers fragments public services, replacing collaboration and partnership with competition;
- rethinking the approach to giving users choice in public services, so that users are given the choices that they want to exercise rather than using choice as a quasi-market-mechanism to pit providers against each other; and,
- strengthening the capacity of public services to improve by boosting the skills of the workforce and involving staff in change.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ’This Government has put new money, staff and resources into public services, and it has made a real difference. Yet rather than reaping their due political rewards, they have begun to alienate staff across the whole public sector, which is why hundreds will be lobbying MPs today.
’Public service staff recognise that there must be continuous improvement, but ministers seem to urge permanent revolution without celebrating the achievements that staff have made so far, thus sending the message that their efforts have been in vain. The Government compounds this by an ideological preference for the private sector that fails to recognise the importance of the distinct public sector ethos.
’It’s time for a fresh start to reforming public services. Ministers should start by recognising that the first lesson that any private sector change manager teaches is that taking your staff with you is crucial. They should work with public sector staff, treating them as part of the solution, not part of the problem.’
NOTES TO EDITORS:
A copy of Reform, not Permanent Revolution is available here
Today’s rally and lobby of Parliament involves hundreds of civil servants, teachers, local government workers and health service employees from across the UK. Speak Up for Public Services is a TUC co-ordinated event involving all 28 affiliated unions with members in the public sector. It takes place in two Westminster locations, the Houses of Parliament and Methodist Central Hall. The rally in Methodist Central Hall starts at 12.30pm and will run until approximately 2.30pm (map reference http://www.c-h-w.com/location/index.shtml).
Immediately afterwards (from 2.30pm), lobbyists will be heading for the St Stephen’s entrance to the Palace of Westminster to lobby their MPs.
Speakers at the Speak Up rally include: TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber; Amicus Assistant General Secretary, Gail Cartmail; GMB President Mary Turner; NAPO General Secretary Judy McKnight; NASUWT General Secretary Chris Keates; NUT General Secretary, Steve Sinnott; PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka; POA General Secretary Brian Caton; Prospect General Secretary Paul Noon; T&G General Secretary, Tony Woodley; and UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis.
Before the rally and lobby begin, there is a photocall at 11.30am on College Green, opposite the Houses of Parliament (map reference http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=51.4974&lon=-0.1267&scale=10000&icon=x) involving TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber and union general secretaries who will be using a giant megaphone (as used in the Speak up for Public Services logo www.tuc.org.uk/speakup) to tell MPs in Parliament that unions are concerned about the increased involvement of private firms in the public sector. Union spokespeople will also be available for interview on College Green.
Contacts: Media enquiries: Tim Lezard T: 020 7467 1248; E: tlezard@tuc.org.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk
Press release (800 words) issued 23 Jan 2007
date: 22 January 2007
embargo: 00:01hrs Tuesday 23 January 2007
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