Jun 26 2007
UNISON will step up its campaign in support of the NHS, while opposing privatisation and the growth of the market, its national conference decided in Brighton this afternoon.
One speaker after another lamented the growing marketisation of the NHS and the negative consequences for services of the growing role of the private sector.
“What we are seeing is the patchwork privatisation of our NHS,” warned delegate Tony Phillips: “The result of a system that takes taxpayers money out of the NHS and puts it into the pockets of fat cat profiteers.”
Conference warned that the depth of the crisis within the NHS requires vigorous opposition and welcomed the union's plans for a national demonstration on 13 October, vowing to with the NHS Together coalition to mobilise support.
“We should demonstrate that our hearts, minds and feet are with the health service and not with this government that seeks to break it up,” said Pauline Walker of Kings College branch.
The union will also extend its work with grassroots organisations which are organising local campaigns to resist market initiatives, involving patients and the public in health and helping exercise a greater iinfluence on local decisions.
Conference agreed that UNISON should oppose Conservative plans for the NHS but regretted that it was the Labour government's policies on the NHS and the failure of many Labour MPs to effectively oppose them that had enabled the Tories to capitalise on UNISON's criticism of the government's policy.
Claire Williams, from the Northern region, noted that every one of the 21 Labour cabinet ministers ws facing cuts in their constituencies in health services and declared: “We have the strength, we have the ability, lets get out there and win. The NHS is too important to lose.”
http://www.unison.org.uk/