Saturday 28 April 2012

Unison's manifesto for the local elections

Unison, the major trade union organising local authority staff, sent out a manifesto (four-page pdf) to all elected representatives in Wales last week. It is admirably non-party political.There are even ideas which chime with Liberal Democrat policy: more devolution to local communities and a fair local property tax. It is a pity the union doesn't go further and call for local income tax. All three measures would require central government decision, of course.

The union also wants to keep social housing and care homes in local authority control. They should be aware that it is too late in the case of Neath Port Talbot - and a few other Labour-controlled authorities.

One cannot argue with the call for fair treatment of local authority workers' pay, but all circumstances, including comparison with equivalent private sector people, have to be taken into account.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Not forgetting Bridgend County, also Labour controlled whereby social housing is owned & run by V2C and more recently, the Maesteg Children's home has been closed.