Have received a questionnaire from PCS - the Public and Commercial Services Union.
Worried about cuts for public services and campaigning for fair pay for its members, the PCS is asking candidates for their views on public services. These views will then be distributed locally to members proir to the election to help them make up their mionds when they cast their votes.
I publish my responses here as well.
Do you support PCS's campaign for fair pay for public services?
An unequivocal YES. The vast majority of public service worker are extremely dedicated to providing good public services to people who need them. In return for this dedication, they deserve a decent level of pay and conditions
I believe that public sector pay barely affects inflation as the inflation indices are compiled from goods and services that are almost entirely provided by the state sector, yet the effects of inflation are directly felt by public sector workers. So a below inflation wage settlements are actually a pay cut.
A National Agreement is essential for a fair and equitable way of dealing with salary scales. It is extremely inefficient to manage 200+ separate sets of negotiations. The outcome often brings resentment and dissatisfaction. Time and energies would be better spent on delivery successful public services.
In addition, a single National Agreement gives all Trade Union members a minimum standard of pay and conditions, irrespective of how well individual branches are organised. That is what the Trade union movement is about - Strength in Unity.…
As a member of BECTU (the theatre and broadcasting union), I was proud to stand with you and NUT/UCU colleagues at the recent rally at St James Park in support of your aims
Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?
Civil and public service staff are the front-line in delivering our policies to the public. Cuts over recent years has placed an undue burden on front-line staff and services have been stretched. Further cuts could have an adverse effect on the services delivered to the public.
Many job cuts are proposed on the recommendation of unelected and unaccountable consultants. The money paid to these consultants could be better used by investing in people.
I believe that job cuts will impact on the delivery of services to the public, leading to a poorer service to the public. However, I must qualify this statement - sometimes the need for particular jobs reduces, and then redeployment or "natural wastage" (with no compulsory redundancies) should be used.
We must invest in our staff in the same way as we invest in infrastructure and equipment.
Where do you stand on privatising public services?
I am totally opposed to the general principle of privatising public services. I believe in people not profits. That is the reason why I am standing as the Labour and Co-operative candidate in the coming election.
Privatisation should be mutually exclusive with the delivery of public services. Public services need to benefit the end users of those services, not big business nor shareholders.
Replacement by the private sector almost invariably means inferior terms and conditions for staff, and the desire of the private company to make profits means a poorer service for the public.
I am proud of the fact that when I was last a councillor (on Blaby District Council in 1995-99) the Labour Group on the Council (NOC, but Labour-led) successfully fought off a plan to privatise the refuse collection service.
An unequivocal YES. The vast majority of public service worker are extremely dedicated to providing good public services to people who need them. In return for this dedication, they deserve a decent level of pay and conditions
I believe that public sector pay barely affects inflation as the inflation indices are compiled from goods and services that are almost entirely provided by the state sector, yet the effects of inflation are directly felt by public sector workers. So a below inflation wage settlements are actually a pay cut.
A National Agreement is essential for a fair and equitable way of dealing with salary scales. It is extremely inefficient to manage 200+ separate sets of negotiations. The outcome often brings resentment and dissatisfaction. Time and energies would be better spent on delivery successful public services.
In addition, a single National Agreement gives all Trade Union members a minimum standard of pay and conditions, irrespective of how well individual branches are organised. That is what the Trade union movement is about - Strength in Unity.…
As a member of BECTU (the theatre and broadcasting union), I was proud to stand with you and NUT/UCU colleagues at the recent rally at St James Park in support of your aims
Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?
Civil and public service staff are the front-line in delivering our policies to the public. Cuts over recent years has placed an undue burden on front-line staff and services have been stretched. Further cuts could have an adverse effect on the services delivered to the public.
Many job cuts are proposed on the recommendation of unelected and unaccountable consultants. The money paid to these consultants could be better used by investing in people.
I believe that job cuts will impact on the delivery of services to the public, leading to a poorer service to the public. However, I must qualify this statement - sometimes the need for particular jobs reduces, and then redeployment or "natural wastage" (with no compulsory redundancies) should be used.
We must invest in our staff in the same way as we invest in infrastructure and equipment.
Where do you stand on privatising public services?
I am totally opposed to the general principle of privatising public services. I believe in people not profits. That is the reason why I am standing as the Labour and Co-operative candidate in the coming election.
Privatisation should be mutually exclusive with the delivery of public services. Public services need to benefit the end users of those services, not big business nor shareholders.
Replacement by the private sector almost invariably means inferior terms and conditions for staff, and the desire of the private company to make profits means a poorer service for the public.
I am proud of the fact that when I was last a councillor (on Blaby District Council in 1995-99) the Labour Group on the Council (NOC, but Labour-led) successfully fought off a plan to privatise the refuse collection service.
No comments:
Post a Comment