The word ‘no’ is a tiny word.
It can be used as a refusal or a denial. It can be used in a negative way, or in a positive way.
It is one of those words that if you type it in lowercase - ‘no’ - it is almost silent, but if you type it in capitals – ‘NO’ – it seems to scream at you from the page.
I think over the coming months we are going to hear more of this tiny word!
The Coalition’s strangulation of the Public Services will begin to bite as we see (and are seeing now) more service’s cut and more jobs put at risk.
Bit by bit the welfare system is shrinking as a thousand tiny cuts take place hoping to soften us up for the large scale attack and massacre to our services that is planned.
If the tiny cuts (like the recent withdrawing of funding for free visits to London Zoo for schools) are like paper cuts, then what is around the corner will be like amputation without anaesthetic!
At least in Lord Nelson’s day they used to give large measures of rum to numb the pain!
The Union, on it’s own, cannot stop all the cuts, but together, with other unions, local communities and user groups, we can prevent many while at the same time building formidable resistance for the future.
This takes time.
Those people who sit back moaning and complaining at everything, only speaking to demand ‘what’s the union doing about this!’ need a reality check.
We will fight to defend what we can, but until, and unless, a real political and social revolution happens, cuts and attacks on working people will carry on. It is not a change of team every four years that we want, it is a change of the rules.
NO is a powerful word but it has to be used intelligently and politically or it will lose it’s meaning and power.
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The NHS Employers have put a proposal to the unions nationally that basically calls for a trade off between jobs and pay within the NHS.
In return for an agreement on a two year freeze of Agenda for Change pay spine incremental progression, they will commit to a ‘no compulsory redundancy’ agreement.
This is on top of the planned two year pay freeze.
That is the core of the proposal but please read the full account on our website.
This is a major decision that the unions have to make. A decision either way, yes or no, has profound implications.
It is not an easy decision for some representatives from health trusts who are seeing hundreds upon hundreds of their colleagues being given redundancy notices. They may have good reason to accept this type of deal.
To accept the deal will see Agenda for Change halted in it’s tracks. To reject the deal will see potential job losses.
I do not underestimate the responsibility resting on the shoulders of the members of our Health Executive who have to make that decision.
I do not underestimate it because I am one of those Executive members. I accept the responsibility.
I do not believe that the Union should enter into an agreement like this.
That tiny, powerful word will surface next week.
I will write a short blog after the meeting early next week (w/c 10th January 2011) to update.
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Our ECP (Emergency Care Practitioners) members were sent their ‘at risk’ letters this week.
They are at risk because their role is being withdrawn through lack of funding by the PCT (Primary Care Trust) units.
The Union will be involved in making sure they are all treated fairly and in line with the ‘Management of Change’ Policy.
Redundancies have already been ruled out so we expect them all to be reallocated into other jobs and roles chosen by them from the options available.
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The English language is funny isn’t it?
By changing one letter in a word you can completely change the meaning.
A topical example at New Year is the word ‘resolution’.
If you change the s for v you get ‘revolution’!
I wonder how many people wished for that?
The battle over privatisation within the NHS and the greedy profit seeking private companies brings us to the word ‘health’.
If you change the h for w you get ‘wealth’!
Spooky isn’t it?
Concerning the present crisis, if I change one letter from the word ‘bankers’ I get….. censored and took off the Internet!!
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If you are reading this, work for the London Ambulance Service or are eligible to join, and are not yet a member of UNISON Join Today!
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We are stronger together.
Eric Roberts
Branch Secretary.
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