Union gearing up for public service changes

Unison, Europe’s largest public sector union, is readying itself for a "cataclysmic change" they expect to happen to the UK’s public services over the coming months.

Its general secretary Dave Prentis told the body’s national executive council yesterday (June 3rd) that although reducing a deficit of £150 billion is a challenge, this is due to the bailing out of the banks rather than the fault of its members.

He also suggested that because the Conservative Party failed to get an overall majority in the new parliament, its "ideologically driven" cuts message had not been warmly embraced by the voters.

Furthermore, he argued that the only priority for Unison was to protect its members and its jobs.

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The union’s national conference takes place in Bournemouth, and will run from June 15th until June 18th.

In the Queen’s Speech at the end of last month, the coalition government stated its intention to reduce the national deficit through efficiency savings in the public sector including spending cuts and pay freezes.

By Cameron Thomson