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(01) PCS calls on the executive of the GFTU to actively campaign for, and lend support to, their brothers and sisters in the unions who oppose current economic government policy. (02) “austerity” programme which is exemplified by drastic cuts in government The spending, are unnecessary and ill conceived. The cuts focus on those who can least afford to make sacrifices, and increase further the gap between the rich and the poor. At the same time as cuts in benefits and housing allowances are being implemented, the Chancellor has chosen to cut the top rate of income tax from 50% to 45%. He has hitherto turned a blind eye to corporate tax avoidance and only now, because of a public outcry, been forced to devote more resources to the pursuit of those revenues. (03) Employees in the public sector face redundancy, a pay freeze followed by a 1% pay cap and higher contributions to their pension schemes. Most Government department budgets are being cut by around 25% over a four year period. Additional cuts of 1% in 2013 and 2% in 2014 have recently been announced. The clear policy of cutting the size of the State Sector is consistent with the conservative party philosophy. (04) avowed economic strategy of cutting the state sector and releasing resources The for private sector led growth is not working and will not work. The resultant cut in demand, creates a climate of uncertainty in which investment is most unlikely. Banks have become unwilling to lend in such circumstances. The unemployment figures disguise the real economic truth. The country is in recession. Over 3 million workers are under employed. Employer techniques such as zero hours contracts have emerged to give employers the flexibility they want at the expense of employee security. Public sector workers are paying for the mismanagement of the financial markets and the banking crisis. (05) PCS calls on the GFTU to support all campaigns which seek to resist the “austerity” programme and that call for government action to prioritise investment in infrastructure and the creation of jobs and growth. It represents an economic fallacy. It calls upon the Executive to share platforms with other unions disposed to countering a government policy which is unfair and demands a greater sacrifice from the least privileged, rather than from the better off. PCS further calls on the GFTU to support those unions taking industrial action, individually or in a coordinated way, to protect jobs and the standard of living of their members.
Public Sector Cuts
Resolution 09
GFTU | BGCM Resolutions 2013/2015