The Politics Of Shock And Awe

I said in my last blog (April 14th) that the Coalition’s cuts were ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ and I make no apology here for carrying on with the war and demolition analogy. For that is what it is!

The term Shock and Awe is best remembered as the military doctrine and strategy used by the United States of America in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In fact the strategy’s full moniker is Shock and Awe – Achieving Rapid Dominance.

It has been a military tactic, one way or another, going back hundreds of years and it could be argued came into its own in the second world war with the German Blitzrieg and the United States dropping of the Atom Bombs on Japan.

Shock and Awe now has a commercial wing with companies lodging Trade Mark applications to use the name for a variety of products ranging from golf equipment, bowling balls, shampoo and, erm – condoms!

The principle of Shock and Awe is also used by Governments in civil society. The Coalition’s attacks on the welfare state and public services is a form of Shock and Awe, minus the bombs, the jackboots and the Vera Lynn songs granted, but it is used for the same purpose and with the same devastating affect.

Massive cuts, brought in quickly, all at once, over wide areas, constantly, relentlessly, coldly. 

Shock and Awe wrapped up in a ‘we’re all in it together, no alternative’ flag.

It is meant to get us down; it is meant to blunt our resistance; it is meant to break our will; it is meant to confuse us; it is meant to leave us feeling helpless: it is meant to turn us into rabbits in headlights.

Of course the Coalition does not see it this way, or should I say they do not describe it this way.

They describe it as ‘liberating the NHS’ and ‘setting the markets free’ and let’s not forget ‘the big society’ or ‘smaller State’.

What has all this got to do with staff within the London Ambulance Service you may be thinking? Haven’t we got our own problems that need sorting out?

You are right.

We do have our own problems, but unless we acknowledge where they come from (historically and politically) then we are made to fight with one hand behind our backs.

Our Service and the people we serve are a victim of this Shock and Awe tactic and we will just be bystanders if we do not understand what is happening, why it is happening and in whose interests it is happening.

The second stage of Shock and Awe is privatisation. This is the answer to the ‘what, why and whose interests’ question put in a nutshell.

There is an ideological and semantic battle being waged which the ordinary people of this Country led by their trade union have to win.

I made a speech on behalf of UNISON London Region to the Annual General Meeting of SERTUC (South East Region Trade Union Congress) at Congress House, London, last week outlining the impact of the cuts on the LAS and our staff.

I repeated that the Coalition’s statements that the NHS was ring-fenced is a lie. I repeated that the statement that ‘front line’ posts would be safe was another lie.

This has to be repeated over and over because the general public are being hoodwinked.

I repeated that the London Ambulance Service was a successful public service and that the people of London, and our staff, had benefited greatly from a strong partnership with UNISON within the organisation, but the continuous success and partnership was now under huge threat.

I repeated that no very senior manager had yet stood up and said that the cuts to the LAS was wrong and that that was a disappointment to me. Silence can sometimes be construed as acceptance and agreement. I know that can’t be the case.

Every other Ambulance Service in England is preparing to publish their own Cost Improvement Programme (CIP) after London Ambulance made public theirs. It will be interesting to see the national picture.

Once we get these then we can really understand the true impact on ambulance services and staff of this massive ideologically motivated cost cutting exercise.

Let us dig in, dig deep and stay disciplined. We can push back the politics of Shock and Awe. Please check the website for updates on UNISON campaigns.

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The Rest Break Review is carrying on with a further proposal from management being discussed by LAS Senior Sector Representatives next week. The proposals and response will be shared widely via local representatives as soon as possible.

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The threat to our pensions rumble on. We are at a serious period in the campaign with Branches being asked to check their membership records for a potential national industrial action ballot in the autumn. Members are asked to make sure details are up to date at all times.

Our Branch now has five Pensions Champions: Pete Hannell (Branch Officer for Pensions), Richard Chow (EOC), Mark Weller (South) George Achilles (East) and Nathan Adams (EOC). More information will be sent out regarding the responsibilities of this team in due course.

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Managers within our Service at every level need to be in a Trade Union. Management in Partnership (MiP) will be holding an information/recruitment day in the foyer of LAS Headquarters, Waterloo, on 16th May 2011 from 10.00hrs until about 15.00hrs.

Managers are invited to come along and speak to the representatives present. If it is not possible to get to Waterloo please email me and I can arrange for information to be sent to you. More information will be put on the website nearer the day.

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Information of all issues can be found elsewhere on our website.

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Happy May Day!

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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