The Union’s National Ambulance Sector and Health Service Group Executive voted on Monday (10th January 2011) to overwhelmingly reject the NHS Employers proposals regarding an Incremental Pay Spine freeze v Redundancies.
I stated in my last blog that I would be speaking and voting against the proposal at both meetings, and that is what I did.
This is a good decision. It sends out a positive message that our union will not be blackmailed or held to ransom over a crisis that is not of our making.
I know that the employers and the right wing press will spin and twist the decision. They will try to depict us as giving up an opportunity to save members jobs. That we don’t care.
Well let them try I say.
Their proposal was smoke and mirrors that could not be delivered. They could not guarantee the protection of one single job, never mind thousands.
And in return for this Wooden Horse of Troy proposal our members were asked to give away their legal, contractual rights under Agenda for Change. It would have been the beginning of the end.
We know that job losses are planned. We know that millions of pounds are to be withheld from the National Health Service by this Coalition Government.
We know that has deep consequences. We know that we may not be able to stop all of it, but, free from this appeasement proposal, we at least can fight without our hands tied behind our back.
We are a strong union, that has made a strong decision, that can only make us stronger.
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While all that was going on, people may have lost sight of the fact that the Coalition’s White Paper on the future of the NHS (Equity & Excellence: Liberating The NHS) is expected to go before Parliament on Tuesday 18th January 2011.
If Members of Parliament vote to make it legislation, then it will become the most dangerous attack on, and the biggest threat to, the NHS as we know it.
Liberating the NHS means privatising the NHS in the Coalitions lexicon.
Those three small words within the White Paper that mean so much to privateers, opportunists and global companies alike: unfortunately not ‘I Love You’ but ‘Any Willing Provider’ rings a death knell to a free, fair, democratic health service for all.
Those three words mean that anyone, from anywhere, can bid for any contract within the NHS.
Anyone, from anywhere!
Ambulance Services will not be immune or protected.
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It is not all doom and gloom of course: King Kenny is back at Liverpool!!
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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!
 I Am Frontline You Are Frontline We Are All Frontline
We are stronger together.
Eric Roberts
Branch Secretary.
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