'Time to act'

Unite delegate Bridie McCreesh made a passionate intervention in a debate on the public sector on Tuesday (September 24) at Labour conference.

“Our public sector workers need real change now,” she said. “We need funding for our services and communities. We need decent restorative pay. We need an end to job cuts — an end to chronic stress, overwork and burnout. And an end to profiteers leeching money out of our services.”

Bridie said she was “sick and tired of hearing politicians talk about ‘difficult choices’ and ‘fiscal rules’, to justify continued cuts”.

While Bridie noted that it was “fantastic” that the Tories were “finally out of power” she added that “Labour must prove that it is in power to make real change”.

“Ordinary working people did not vote Labour, just to allow George Osborne, Jeremy Hunt or Michael Gove to continue to dictate pay and funding from beyond the political grave,” she continued.

“Tory fiscal rules will not provide vital care for our elderly and vulnerable, and keep them warm in the winter. They won’t keep our libraries open.”

Bridie highlighted that these rules will also not keep streets clean and safe “when entire cities go bankrupt”.

“Austerity has always been a political choice,” she added. “It is a choice we will never accept from a Labour government.”

Bridie told conference that Unite and other local authority trade unions were “balloting once again for strike action over pay”.

“For 14 years we have fought austerity,” she concluded. “Labour was elected for change. It can and must do better – time to act.”

By Hajera Blagg