This Friday, the national UNISON Industrial Action Committee meets to discuss their response to the 55% vote in favour of strike action in local government over pay. The vote is a clear rejection of Gordon Brown’s pay restraint and reflects the impact that the economic crisis is having on thousands of UNISON members. Yet the outcome of this ballot wasn’t a racing certainty by any means. In fact the initial position of the Local Government Service Group Executive was particularly muted. On top of that the GMB announced the result of their consultation on local government pay (which in some cases was restricted to sounding out branch secretaries) the day that the UNISON ballot began. The GMB voted overwhelmingly to accept the below inflation deal. UNISON members were told by the national leadership that they were going to have to agree to substantial strike action to be able to shift the employer’s position. So in fact the 55% rejection of the 2.45% offer represents UNISON members sticking their heels in, despite the position of the GMB and in spite of the lukewarm approach of the national leadership.

Backed into a corner

We have explained over the past few months that UNISON members were increasingly being backed into a corner as a result of rising fuel and food costs. As we explained recently: “The effects of this debacle are being felt throughout the country in hospitals, schools and offices delivering essential services to the sick, the young and the old. The camel's back is bending under the weight. Sooner or later it'll snap. Maybe over pay, maybe over cuts, it depends on events”. Socialist Appeal UNISON Special June 2008

It’s obvious that the mood has begun to harden. The 55% vote is the same as that on the consultative ballot. But it is most likely that those who voted in the consultation were in general the more active layers. We saw a similar process last year over pay when the employers came in with a lower offer than the union had consulted on. The noises coming out of Mabledon Place (UNISON HQ) also reflect the pressure they are under. It’s no surprise that last weeks delegate conference voted to consider taking action over mileage allowances and likewise the possibility of re-opening the negotiations over the Health pay deal reflects the pressure building up. In similar vein Paul Kenney of the GMB has talked of a mutinous mood and the GMB have even voted to stop supporting anti union MPs. Now the PCS have decided to go ahead with a ballot.

The significance of the possibility of re-opening the Health claim can’t be underestimated. Reports that we have received indicate that in many hospitals and other NHS facilities the threat of cuts and redundancies means that for many people pay has been the least of their worries. In that respect the low turn out over pay in Health and the 2:1 vote reflected the concerns of the members. We understand that the leadership in health initially wanted to accept the employers offer. So pressure is clearly building up.

We’ve had enough of pay restraint

All of this adds up to a pretty favourable situation to launch a strike over pay. David Cameron has made it very clear what the Tories position would be. He’s demanding “tough action” against the unions. We’ve seen the attitude of Labour’s right wing leaders towards strikes in the past period. The ball now however is very much in the UNISON’s court. The Industrial Action Committee must vote to back up the decision of the members. We’ve had enough of pay restraint.

The union needs a bit of clear leadership. We are fully aware that table thumping and radical noises from the leadership are one thing, but getting the bureaucracy to turn words into action is a completely different kettle of fish. Branches and activists should be putting pressure on the leadership and the bureaucracy and demanding that we fight for the full claim. After all six per cent is a very modest demand. Any talk of a “compromise” over a slightly higher offer would only serve to sell the members short. UNISON should also urge the GMB to revisit their decision to accept the deal. We need maximum unity and, to paraphrase Paul Kenny, a Public Sector Pay mutiny.