Unions' strike threat over cuts
Union leaders today warned of a new winter of discontent involving strikes and civil disobedience after accusing the coalition of "demolition" government.
Union leaders today warned of a new winter of discontent involving strikes and civil disobedience after accusing the coalition of "demolition" government.
Brendan Barber said the current austerity drive would damage public services and cost huge numbers of jobs.
blogs/2010/09/13/winter-of-union-discontent-may-finally-be-near">Blog - Winter of union discontent may finally be near
He told the opening day of the TUC Congress in Manchester: "Spending cuts will not only devastate services but do untold damage to our economic prospects."
The TUC general secretary accused coalition politicians of breaking pledges to spare frontline services adding: "Every service in every community is under threat."
He said unions had to mobilise so that the cuts become the issue that decides the next election.
"Now is the time for us to build a diverse, dynamic and progressive alliance for change. This year's election did not give anybody a clear mandate to start slashing public spending. What we've now got is not just a coalition government, but a demolition government."
Union leaders warned of strikes and campaigns of civil disobedience to fight spending cuts, being brought in to tackle the country's huge deficit.
Members of Unison staged a protest outside the conference hall today warning of the scale of cuts the public is set to lose.
General secretary Dave Prentis insisted: "The coalition Government's cuts agenda is driven by ideology, not necessity."
By Daniel Wainwright