Forum 09: Ed Miliband – Labour Party Manifesto

(Better late than never – this is my report on Ed Miliband's speech to UNISON Labour Link Forum at Manchester the other Saturday – usual health warning that this is based on my very hurried typed notes)

“Ed started off by paying tribute to UNISON and to Labour Link and its leadership. He then mentioned that it was the first time he had ever shared a panel with his families midwife. It turns out that NHS Nurse, Rachel Voller, who was chairing the Forum had been the midwife at the recent birth of his child. He praised Rachel for being brilliant at calming down “panicking dads”. He then said that he was sure that she was also very discreet. There was a gentle heckle from a certain former UNISON president on the floor who claimed that Rachel had not - and she had “spilled the beans”. Never!

Ed then got stuck in with telling us that all MP’s owed us an apology. They had let us down. Most had not personally abused the system but they should have not allowed the scandal to have happened in the first place. Especially for those of us in public service who work for a Labour Government and expected better.

There are 5 things we now need to do. Firstly, we need to remember our values and why we came into Party. Not about the better management of the economy but a battle of competing visions. It’s about fairness and justice. Who we stand up for. The role of the market is not about who can manage it better. The Tories believe that the recession should take its course. This is their belief in free markets. While we do believe that government can be a force of good. There is a basic difference in values.

Secondly the Tories believe “if it isn't hurting it is not working” and “unemployment is a price worth paying”. We don’t - and what this means is that we put money into the economy. To prevent all the repossessions compared to last time. We have forced the banks to keep lending and prevent massive long term unemployment. We have guaranteed job/training to all under 25 for 6 months. There is a big difference between us and them. No matter what - the recession would have been deeper and more painful under Tory rule.

It’s no more “business as usual”. Unfairness has to change. The increase in higher rate tax is an example. Why have working people voted in the past more or less for Labour? The minimum wage shows we have raised the living standard of the people we represent. Need to show how we will further raise this standard of living for our people.

We have unfinished business. The Social Care lottery needs reform. We need to make Social Care a central part of the welfare state. Family Policy is key. Scandinavian countries are way ahead of us. Not only use minimum wage but also use tax credits

Thirdly. Climate change. This is the area. The biggest challenge. But it is not the biggest challenge in everybody’s lives. In 60 years time people will ask did we face up to the challenge. Need to show big ambition in climate change. What do you get with a Labour government you won’t get with Tories? We want growth, jobs and a sustainable environment. Our values are to make sure poor don't pay the most to counter climate change.

Fourth: We have to show the contrast with the Tories. They want a referendum on the Labour Government rather than a debate on who they stand up for. Ken Clarke, when he became a shadow minister again, said that the inheritance tax policy commitment “is an aspiration”. The Tory high command said “No it’s a commitment”. They want a smaller state - that is what they believe in. Need to warn people about the Tories. We have made enormous gains - 18 weeks hospital waiting lists and the massive school building programme. His CLP has been transformed. Massive changes. For example, Surestart, which they will do away with. What if Tories get in - what does it mean for Doncaster North?

Fifth: Why did we come into the Party - because we are idealists. We are the real idealists. We are the people who think that public services can transfer people’s lives. Idealism is a missing component of government. My brother (who I don't usually quote) said recently When you are out of Government you know too much of it and when you are in Government you know too little of it. The country is not crying out for Tories. If we get this manifesto right we will win”.

(Compared to Harriet the previous day - Ed did get a bit of a pummelling in the Q&A. Especially over transport policy, public housing and privatisation. He tried to give assurances that there was no plan to market test 75% of elective NHS services but Forum was determined to give let the minster responsible for drawing up the Party manifesto for the next election know that things need to change. In the nicest possible way of course).

Forum 09: Defend Public Sector Pensions – Composite 2.

(This post is a little late – it’s the speech I made moving this composite supporting Public Sector Pensions on behalf of London region at the UNISON Labour Link forum the other weekend. It was to no real surprise passed unanimously)

"Chair, Forum...Firstly can I say that I am speaking as someone who had invested nearly 20% of his pay for over 20 years in Public Sector Pensions. For the last 16 years I have also been a member nominated representative on my scheme investment panel.

Forum, it is a strange, strange world we live in and I think it is only now that we fully understand and appreciate the job of work that was done in recent years by our Labour Link and UNISON to save our pensions. If there had not been a Labour Link, arguing with facts and passion to defend our pensions, we would not now have a guaranteed, safe, final salary pension scheme.

To be frank Forum, the battle to save our pensions is not over. The vultures are gathering. Let us be crystal clear – the Conservative Party even under cuddly Cameron will abolish our pensions. The Liberal Democrats even under Saint Vince Cable will abolish our pensions. They will abolish our pensions and replace them with insecure, unstable personal pensions with massive cuts to employer contributions.

Forum, our enemies, for that is what they are; our enemies’ attacks on our pensions are based on two things – Lies and Spite. The first of the many fibs are that public pensions are in some way “fat cat” pensions! Now all of us here, today, know that to be a lie. But what you need to do is let all your branch members, your friends and families, know that in reality the average public sector pension is under £5,000 per year. £100 per week is not a “fat cat” pension. Especially when compared to the millions paid to Royal Bank of Scotland “Fred the Shred” for actually losing our pension funds hundreds of millions of pounds of our money.

The 2nd lie that is being told by our enemies is that our pensions are in some way “unaffordable”. Forum, this is rubbish. This is untrue. We must do everything we can, at every opportunity to refute such porkies. Let me explain further.

I am a member of the local government scheme (LGPS) and was tupe transferred to a housing association who only offers a Group private pension to their other staff. My membership of the LGPS costs my employer 13.8%, repeat 13.8% of my salary. They even put that figure on my pay slip each month. Now if I was to transfer to the Group private pension scheme it would cost them 16% of my salary. Not only this they would have to pay more for life assurance to replace our “death in survive benefits”, and even more to pay for a Permanent Health Insurance policy (PHI) to replace our medical early retirement benefits.

Forum, this is the truth of the matter not the lies. The truth also is that Pensions are an expensive business. It does cost money to provide decent pensions. No matter what system is actually used. Remember also that the best public pensions cost less than 0.5% in running costs per year while personal pensions can swallow up to 40% of contributions in commissions, administration and fund managers profits.

So in fact our public pensions are affordable, cheap to run, secure and safe. So why do our enemies attack our pensions? The answer, Forum, can only be ideological spite. The traditional open Tory belief that Public=Bad; Private=Good; Collective= Bad; Markets= Good.Forum, there is 5 million of us in the public pensions, in local government, in heath and in utilities. Forum we desperately need to work for the re-election of a Labour government, for its faults, to save our pensions. There is clear red water on this issue. Please support this composite.

(this is an off the wall thought and not in the motion - If you are really serious about ending poverty for all in old age? – How about compelling all employees, employers and self employed to join their local council pension scheme? Contributions collected either direct from all or the Inland Revenue? Just a thought).

Forum 09: Harriet Harman

Harriet had a warm introduction from National Labour Link Chair, Steve Warwick. She seemed to be in a relaxed and confident mood. Started off making very positive remarks about UNISON being the voice of public services in CLPS, councils and Parliament. The importance of collective bargaining in workplaces. This is a very difficult time. Hard to overstate the crisis. Booming markets one minute then no housing boom. Then MP expenses. The anger of low paid UNISON members who are also paid out of public purse. Anger most of all from Labour Party activists since we expect these things of the Tories not Labour. Really important that don't judge all MPs by this standard. The strain does hang over all MPs. Important that we change the system. But remember also Cameron's £24,000 per year for his stately home. The Daily Telegraph deliberately used to the leaks to target Labour MPs. However, we can't say anything about it now since the public is so angry. There is more to come and Labour side will have to face very a difficult process. Tories want it to cloud the political debate.

What needs to be brought forward is if the Tories had been in power they would have said “let the banks collapse... let the recession take its course and cut public spending now”. At the recent international economic conference she had assumed that everyone would be flocking around Obama on his first visit – no, they were all following and speaking to Gordon about what to do over their economic crisis's.

Thanked unison for its work on equality and how without unison the Equality Bill would not have happened and still need our support. Cameron apologised yesterday about Section 28, now they have worked out it wrong but they are still voting against the Equality Bill.

The Q&A went okay. She answered questions about MP expenses., privatisation, pensions and equalities. She was not aware of plans to privatise and market test 75% of NHS services and said she was sure that there are no plans approved by ministers to do so.

She finished by reminding us that we have got to be determined and united. If we struggle between ourselves at the moment remember the Tories would slam the door on the unions. We have our disagreements but we must unite. Don't believe we are written off we are not.

Steve Warwick formally thanked Harriet for her speech and asked her to remind the Labour Party of the importance of having a manifesto for the next election that 1.3 million UNISON members can all sign up to for.

UNISON Labour Link (APF) Forum 2009

This is a quick post from Manchester. I'm just back from a meal out (a superb Turkish restaurant called the “Topkati Palace” in Deansgate) with fellow London delegates.

Tomorrow's agenda includes debates on motions, keynote speakers RH Harriet Harman MP and our GS Dave Prentis, workshops on “influencing the Government on key issues arising from UNISON national delegate conference”, MEPs panel Q&A, more motions then ending up with the traditional Friday night “Social”.

This is the elected national forum of the UNISON political fund which is affiliated to the Labour Party. It used to be called the “Affiliated Political Fund” or APF. This is a completely voluntary affiliation paid by those UNISON members who want to support and influence the Labour Party.

We live in “interesting times” in UNISON Labour Link and I am looking forward to a good debate on motions and during workshops. Needless to say – I will be expressing my views on things and hopefully posting over the next 2 days.

BTW – I have mislaid my Mobile -so apologies to anyone who is trying to get hold of me. You can email.