Roger Bannister is a member of the Unison union's national executive, and campaigning to stand for election as Unison general secretary. Roger says the union must fight the cuts in Birmingham, which are being repeated by councils, health authorities and the education sector nationwide:
"THE PROPOSED culling of jobs, conditions, pay and public services has begun. Dave Prentis, Unison's present general secretary, attacks the Tories who run Birmingham council but Labour councils will make similar cuts. Will he attack them? Why can't the Labour government bail out our public services as they did with the banks?
Following the rejection of an initial offer for 2009 Northern Ireland civil service pay in April, NIPSA has now received an improved final offer. The union has embarked on a 3-week consultation with their civil service branches with members attending pay meetings and voting whether to accept or reject the offer. The Civil Service Executive Committee which has a Broad Left majority has reluctantly recommended the offer to members. However we do not describe this as a good offer or even a fair one and falls far short of our 2009 claim.
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