|
17
February 2010
David Cameron's announcement
on Monday that the Conservative party would encourage the
establishment of workers co-operatives in the public sector
was exposed by unions to be nothing more than Tory spin.
Saying the proposal would
"unleash a new culture of public sector enterprise
and innovation" David Cameron has been accused of
masking his attempts to side step trade unions and pursue
the break up of essential public sector services.
The real consequences
of the Tory proposals could see an end to national agreements
on pay and conditions and instead a more 'competitive' arrangement
where various sectors would compete to undercut each other.
With a Thatcherite emphasis on efficiency and productivity,
employee's needs would be secondary and the increased competitiveness
could see some public sector jobs driven out of existence.
In a calculated attempt
to win votes from disillusioned Labour supporters the Tory
pledge was described as 'clueless' by the Co-operative Party,
who disputed Cameron's understanding of co-operative values.
Unite's Assistant General
Secretary Gail Cartmail argued "national agreements
for pay, employment conditions and pensions will have to be
disbanded" and said "David Cameron is using
the language of socialism to mask a break-up of public services"
(Guardian 15.2.10).
Rather than reinforce
the positive work of trade unions in protecting the employment
conditions of their members, Tories plans for co-operatives
are intended to undermine the position of unions within the
public sector making it easier for the Conservatives to dismantle
services.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read more:
Tory
spin masks new privatisation drive - Morning Star 16.2.09
|
