Unions prepare for fight back
By politics.co.uk staff
Britain’s trade unions are meeting in Manchester for one of the most important conferences in the TUC’s history.
The disparate unions discussed how to fight back against the series of spending cuts to be implemented by the treasury after the autumn spending review.
Unions already plan for mass protests on the day of the spending review, and are coordinating how later action will take place.
The organisation opened the conference with a statement delivering a stark warning to the country about the effect of George Osborne’s reforms.
Deep spending cuts would trigger mass joblessness and stifle recovery, the TUC warned. The private sector would not be able to the take up the slack, as envisaged by in this year’s Budget.
“There is scant prospect that the private sector will now create the new jobs needed,” the statement read.
“Falling confidence suggests a stagnant labour market and at best a jobless recovery.
“But the prospect of further deep public spending cuts makes even this look like an optimistic scenario, as both public-sector staff and employees in the many companies that depend on the public sector for orders lose their jobs.
“Women, disabled people and those from black and minority ethnic communities are likely to be among the biggest victims of the cuts and the greater inequality they will bring.
“Unlike cuts, tax increases need not bear down on those least able to afford them, and can reduce inequality across society as a whole.”
The TUC is meeting in Manchester for the next four days.
