PRESS RELEASE: PRESS RELEASE: PRESS RELEASE: 10th October 2010 Immediate
We must fight to defend every job
Jerry Hicks,
grassroots candidate for the position of Unite General Secretary, says Unite
must reject the Con Dem Government’s plans to slash Civil Servant
redundancy payments.
He [Jerry
Hicks] argues that Unite must work with the other Civil Service unions to build
mass resistance and joint industrial action; this will be vital if the Unions
are to protect the terms and conditions of tens of thousands of their members.
The previous
Labour government’s proposed changes to the Civil Service Compensation
Scheme (CSCS) – this details redundancy terms for civil servants –
were successfully challenged in the courts by the PCS union.
The Cabinet
Office is now threatening to change the law to prevent future legal challenges
and is asking Civil Service unions to sign-up to a scheme even worse than
proposed by Labour. The cuts include slashing compulsory redundancy terms by up
to two thirds.
Jerry Hicks
says, "The reason redundancy payments are being attacked now is obvious;
the government wants to cut thousands of Civil Service jobs on the cheap".
However, the ConDems are also trying to head off any fight back against job
losses with changes that result in voluntary terms being better than those for
compulsory redundancy.
Jerry Hicks
said "The government hopes that when workers are faced with the threat of
losing half of their redundancy pay they will not risk fighting. The CSCS
changes will be used as big stick to frighten our members with. There is no way
Unite should be signing-up to them."
The recent
protest by MoD workers in Telford demonstrates the depth of feeling amongst
workers, who are angry about the CSCS cuts. There needs to be a gear change
throughout the union; Unite, together with the other Civil Service unions, has
to take the argument for co-ordinated industrial action into every workplace.
To build for strike action our union should follow the example of workers in
Telford and organise mass rallies in every town.
Jerry Hicks
believes that Unite must fight to defend every job and must put every effort
into opposing these changes. He argues that the Unite leadership and the 3
other candidates standing for General Secretary should make it known that they
will fight these changes. He also calls on them to build mass meetings and rallies
in support of an industrial action ballot to protect the original CSCS
conditions.
Jerry Hicks
says "This is the type of action that will stop these cuts, it’s the
type of action any candidates who consider themselves in any way fit to lead
our union must be prepared to throw themselves into. My opponents in this
contest are all Assistant General Secretaries of Unite, well placed to organise
and lead such a campaign; I challenge them to act now".
ENDS:
Notes to
Editors: Jerry Hicks having come second in the election for Joint General
Secretary, Amicus section of Unite less than 18 months ago is thought by many
to be a possible winner in this election of the whole Union.
Jerry Hicks
can be contacted direct by phone on 078 178 279 12 or by email
jerryhicks4gs2010@yahoo.co.uk
For more information visit www.jerryhicks4gs.com
