Posted on February 24, 2011 by Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition
The following has been sent to all Brighton and Hove City Councillors and is endorsed by GMB and UNISON local government branches.
Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition Election Pledge
The biggest cut to any government department is 27% to local council funding. The responsibility for implementing Westminster’s austerity package is being passed on to local government. In Brighton and Hove this will mean an overall cut of £28 million according to the budget strategy, which will be voted on in March 2011 by the full council.
With the national debt having been higher for 200 of the last 250 years, tax evasion and avoidance running at an estimated £120 billion a year and as the richest 1000 people in the UK have increased their wealth by 33% in 2010, it is very clear these cuts are not driven by economic necessity.
The Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition therefore asks every candidate to agree and adopt the following pledge as part of their election commitments:
__________________________________________________________
During my election campaign I pledge to:
■Publicise the fact that public service cuts are wholly unnecessary and driven by political dogma;
■Publicise the fact that alternative and just sources of income are readily available to central Government to fund public services;
■Work for the anti-cuts vote to be maximised;
■Work proactively and vigorously with ward and city anti-cuts campaigns;
■Oppose all use of discrimination and division to promote a cuts agenda.
If elected I pledge to:
■Oppose and vote against any attempts to set Council budgets which will result in cuts to public services and local jobs or a worsening of terms and conditions for council staff;
■Oppose and vote against any attempts to cut or privatise individual public services;
■Oppose any above inflation increase in council tax and instead campaign for a progressive national tax system where the rich pay more;
■Propose an alternative ‘no-cuts’ budget which could involve use of reserves and/or council borrowing powers and a campaign against the government to replace the funding they are cutting from local government;
■Fully support industrial action taken by trade unions to defend their members’ jobs, terms and conditions from cuts;
■Use my position to argue against all cuts and support and publicise campaigns against privatisation and cuts in jobs, services or benefits.
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@brightonhovetuc
Meeting Dates
Meetings take place on the second Wednesday of the month
We alternate between executive committee meetings and full trades council meetings. All delegates are encouraged to attend full meetings and any trade union member may attend as a visitor.
Email BrightonTradesCouncil@gmail.com to be informed of meeting dates and times.
How to get involved
Contact: In the first instance contact the General Secretary Andy Richards at brightontradescouncil@gmail.com
Trades union councils consist of representatives of trade unions or branches of trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area. A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades unions council in the area in which it meets.
Trades union councils consist of representatives of trade unions or branches of trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area. A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades unions council in the area in which it meets.
Who are we and what do we do?
Trades union councils bring together trade unions to campaign around issues effecting working people in their workplaces and local communities.
Trades Union Councils consist of trade unions or branches of
Trades Union Councils consist of trade unions or branches of
trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area.
A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades union council in the area in which it meets. Each branch will then send delegates to the trades union council's meetings. These branches pay an affiliation fee. Their delegates elect officers from amongst themselves to represent the views and priorities of the constituent branches and to take responsibility for working for and supporting the policy of Congress and the Trades Union Council (TUC) General Council. This is because trades union councils are registered with the TUC, rather than being entirely independent bodies. The Annual Conference of Trades Union Councils takes place over a May weekend.
Brighton Hove & District Trades Council was first formed in the function room above The Eagle pub in Gloucester Road, Brighton in 1890.
Aims and objectives
> Raise public awareness of rights at work and the union role in enforcing those rights.
> Promote organising and recruitment drives to build union membership.
> Support union and community campaigns for dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond.
With the threats of racism and fascism, changes in the labour market and debates over the future of public services, the trade union voice in the community is as important as ever.
The capacity of trades union councils to provide a local response and to organise trade unionists into coalitions with other progressive forces is crucial. They do this by providing services which keep local trade unionists up to date with developments within the wider trade union movement, and by taking up relevant local industrial and community issues.