A COUNCIL leader has admitted: “Our budget wont be fair.”

Blackpool Council Labour leader Simon Blackburn has warned that services will be taken from the needy and staff will lose their jobs.

He told the Blackpool Gazette: “Will it be a fair budget? No, because we’ll end up taking services off people who need them and end up losing staff we should be keeping.

“But I am confident it will be fairer than the budget the Conservatives produced.”

Blackpool has taken a robust approach to the highest paid jobs at the council – Labour has already axed five senior roles, including tourism director, saving £1.8m over four years.

Now another two top jobs are to go – the  executive director for children, adults and family services and the director of the Blackpool Services Directorate.

Only chief executive Neil Jack has stayed on a six figure salary, pocketing £100,000 a year.

Coun Blackburn said £10m savings would be found from a restructure of senior management and cuts to councillors’ remuneration which would save £3million over four years.

But there will be further job losses say the council with up to 100 compulsory redundancies. Unions say the job losses could be double that.

The Government has cut Blackpool’s grant by £5.4m, following cuts of £27million last year which saw 750 jobs axed, including 350 compulsory redundancies.

Savings of £1.5m will come from workers agreeing to take four days’ unpaid leave for the second year running, but pay increments will be re-introduced and a scheme forcing council workers to pay for parking will be scrapped.

Writing in his Leader’s Blog, Councillor Blackburn added: “Once again it is a reduction in our grant funding from Government that has led to this situation. Northern councils like ours with high levels of poverty and a consequent high demand on local public services, are suffering more than most.”

Read more at New Year Decisions

More council cuts to come

UNION members are stepping up the pressure on the Government with a central London rally to stop the Health and Social Care Bill.

Wednesday 7 March will see nurses, midwives, doctors, physiotherapists, managers, paramedics, radiographers, cleaners, porters and other employees from across the health service joining with patients to fill London’s Central Hall in  Westminster for a 6pm ‘Save our NHS’ rally.

Hundreds of health service workers from across the North West will be travelling down to London to join the protest.

Andrew Lansley’s Bill is hugely unpopular with NHS employees and patients, who have major concerns that the Bill will force competition and markets on to the NHS, allowing the private sector to take over NHS services.

The ‘All Together for the NHS’ campaign has called the rally amid fears that the NHS will be broken-up, care will worsen and there will be continued uncertainty for NHS employees, with training and terms and conditions likely to suffer.

More professional bodies have been joining the calls to amend significantly or withdraw the Bill completely. The March rally is intended to add to the pressure by demonstrating the broad coalition of opposition to Bill.

TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Some changes have been made to the Bill but not nearly enough.

“Only this week we have seen a private company taking over an NHS hospital for the first time, as Circle moves in to the Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

“This will be the future the NHS has to look forward to if the Bill stays in its current form.

“Peers must listen to the concerns of the people that know the NHS best – the staff who work in it. Health workers fear the increased competition and the extension of markets will have a devastating impact on patient care, especially poorer people who will find themselves pushed to the back of ever-growing waiting lists.

“But it’s not too late for peers to make a difference and we hope our rally in early March will provide the opportunity for NHS workers and patients to send a loud message across Parliament Square to convince the House of Lords that this Bill would be a disaster for the NHS.”

REGIONAL Secretary Alan Manning today demanded that the Government turn away from its austerity programme and invest in policies for growth and jobs.

Mr Manning, leader of the North West TUC which represents one million working people in the region,  was reacting to today’s 0.2 per cent growth figures for the UK – worse than had been feared.

He said:  “We are now on the edge of a double dip recession, with the economy flatlining, public services being dismantled and unemployment increasing. The message for Chancellor George Osborne is clear: ‘It’s hurting, but it’s not working.’

“We are now staring over a cliff into recession – the Government needs to pull back immediately. Our economy is deep in the doldrums and we desperately need policies for growth and jobs to get people back to work, paying taxes and spending money.

“These official figures are in stark contrast to the forecasts made by the Government 18 months ago when they set out on this disastrous road to recession with their austerity programme.

“At the time of the spending review, they said the economy would grow by 3.6 per cent – the reality is that the economy has been worsening ever since. In the last three months, there has also been a 0.9 per cent fall in manufacturing, with industrial production down by 1.2 per cent.

“With the budget due in March, we are now at real risk of a double dip recession – something the TUC has warned about for the last 18 months.

“It is time for the Government to turn away from austerity and take positive steps to stimulate our economy – with policies for jobs and growth, a tax on bankers’ bonuses and a Robin Hood tax so that working people do not pay the prices for a bankers’ recession.”

FOUR thousand jobs are being axed from the NHS on Merseyside, according to the Liverpool Post.

Amongst the people whose jobs will be going are nurses, midwives and health visitors.

850 jobs are set to go at Fazakerley Hospital by 2014, with Alder Hey losing 350.

The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen hospitals will also lose almost 450 jobs.

At least 236 nurses, midwives and health visitors working at hospitals and mental health trusts on Merseyside lost their jobs in the first six months of last year – but that number is now set to soar.

Srtaff are already complaining of shortages, which is affecting the care of patients.

Paul Summers, regional  organiser for Unison, told the Post: “These losses will have a really detrimental effect on the services for the public and the staff left behind.

“They will have to do more with less resources. People are really fearful for their jobs, morale has reached rock bottom.

“Whether its nurses, doctors, medical secretaries, we are losing a range of skills.”

Compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out as trusts bid to make  £20 billion cuts in the NHS.

On top of the Merseywide figures, North West jobs are also being cut, some of which will be in the Liverpool region.

Read More: Merseyside NHS staff cuts to see 4,001 jobs go by 2014

Remember this?

MORE than 80,000 jobs will be axed from public services in the North West over the next five years.

That’s the shock finding of a TUC analysis of official figures produced by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) following the Autumn statement in November by Chancellor George Osborne, Conservative MP for Knutsford.

The massive job losses in our region come on top of the 30,000 jobs which have already been lost from public services here since the Coalition came to power in May 2010, according to surveys by the North West TUC and the general workers union, the GMB.

The latest analysis is based on official OBR figures, which have forecast that 710,000 jobs will be axed in public services across the country up to 2017, as a result of the Chancellor’s policies.

The TUC is providing a regional breakdown of that total for the first time, which shows that of the 710,000 jobs lost nationally, exactly 81,075 jobs will go from the North West – the worst hit region in Britain outside of London.

Greater Manchester will be worst hit, losing 30,000 jobs from public services. Merseyside will lose just over 20,000 jobs, Lancashire almost 20,000 jobs and Cheshire will lose almost 10,000 jobs from the public sector.

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CHILDREN in Liverpool are paying the price for the Coalition’s cuts in public services.

Twenty-four thousand children will be hit by the council’s plans to scrap school uniform grants  (£20 for primary and £40 for secondary children) to cut £738,000 from its spending.

Funding for the the city’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) will be slashed by £200,000, while the teenage pregnancy service will lose almost half its funding, with its £176,000 budget slashed to £76,000.

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A DEMONSTRATION is being held outside the Liverpool Royal on January 27th, against Andrew Lansley’s Health Bill.

Organisers say the Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, will have major effects on the future of healthcare in Liverpool.

An amendment, pushed through just before Christmas, will enable NHS Trusts to allocate up to 49% of bed space and theatre time, to private patients.

This will leave NHS patients waiting longer for a bed, or for surgery, while more private patients than ever before will be able to jump the queue.

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The city council has been forced to cancel the annual event – which drew tens of thousands of New Year revellers to Spinningfields – because they could not find a corporate sponsor to stump up the cash.

The firework display, which cost up to £20,000 to stage, is the latest victim of the Coalition’s public spending cuts.

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ALMOST 200,000 people in the North West will be spending Christmas on the dole this year.

And for more than 33,000 individuals and their families in our region it will be a second Christmas without work,  as cuts in public services add to the festive misery.

The number of long-term dole claimants over the Christmas period in the region has increased by 5,500 from 28,000 in 2010 to 33,645 in the last year – a 20 per cent increase, according to a new NW TUC analysis of official statistics published today (Wednesday).

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Blackburn’s strike witnessed the complete closure of leisure centres, the central library, Blackburn College and several other key local workplaces.

CWU members working for Capita at the Darwen TV licensing centre also joined the day of strike action.

The strike was a resounding success and the Trades Union Council co-ordinated march witnessed more than 2,000 trade unionists marching through the centre of Blackburn before an hour-long rally.

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TODAY’S strike by 300,000 public service workers in the North West was a resounding success according to TUC chiefs.

 Highlights included the 30,000 people who marched through the centre of Manchester and the 12,000 who marched through Liverpool.

 There were unprecedented scenes in both cities – and at other places in the North West – when shoppers stood three and four deep along parts of the routes and applauded the marchers.

 North West TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said: “It was heart warming to see the public show their strong support for pensions justice in the two big cities of the North West.

 “But we are also getting reports of the same response from the public at the other marches and demonstrations in our region. Motorists have been honking their car horns and many of the public were offering hot drinks to early morning pickets.

“It really encouraged many union members who were taking industrial action for the first time in their working lives.

 “The atmosphere at all 14 of the demonstrations in our region was extremely orderly, peaceful, enthusiastic – but very noisy.

 “People made their views known in no uncertain terms.

 “The strike has been a resounding success today, with solid support all over the North West and many of our unions reporting big increases in membership applications.

 “The government must now listen to the very real anger that public service workers feel about being picked on for cuts and pension increases.”

 Through the efforts of the 18 North West TUC-affiliated trade unions taking strike action in the North West, lunchtime demonstrations and rallies took place in Bury; Bolton; Blackburn; Blackpool; Chester; Crewe; Lancaster; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Preston; Warrington; Wigan and Wirral.

 TUC chiefs estimated that 120,000 public service workers had joined the strike in Greater Manchester alone.

 Across the North West there were hundreds of early morning picket lines outside council offices and Town Halls, hospitals and major health centres, courts and job centres, tax and passport offices, schools and colleges.

 More than 90 per cent of the region’s schools were also closed, along with the Mersey tunnels. Emergency cover was maintained at every hospital in the North West.

 Mr Manning added: “Support for the strike understandably strengthened yesterday when George Osborne announced a measly 1 per cent pay increase for public sector workers over the next two years, on top of their existing two-year pay freeze. That came after he also announced the destruction of three quarter of a million jobs in public services.

 “Public service workers believe they are the victims of an ideologically-based attack, and that they are being singled out to pay the price for a recession which was caused by the bankers. On the evidence of today, the public agree.

 “The strike shows the real anger of public servants who are being told by the Government that their pensions must be cut and they must work longer and pay more for less.”

 In the North West, the strike culminated in “One Noise at One” when protesters made as much noise as possible at precisely 1pm, to draw attention to the Government’s unfair pension changes.

 The protests involve a wide range of public service workers, including council workers, teachers and lecturers, health workers, police and fire staff, school dinner ladies, social workers, driving test examiners, passport office staff, court staff and other civil servants.

 Unions involved in the North West include:  AEP; Aspect; ATL; CSP; FDA; GMB; Prospect; Napo; NUT; NASUWT; PCS; POA; SCP; SoR; UCATT; UCU; UNISON and Unite.

MORE than 300,000 public servants today joined the TUC day of action for Pensions Justice in the North West.

Information from the 18 North West TUC-affiliated trade unions taking strike action showed solid support for the stoppage, with lunchtime demonstrations and rallies taking place in 14 separate places: Bury; Bolton; Blackburn; Blackpool; Chester; Crewe; Lancaster; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Preston; Warrington; Wigan and Wirral.

 TUC chiefs estimated that 120,000 public service workers joined the strike in Greater Manchester alone.

Across the North West there were hundreds of picket lines outside council offices and Town Halls, hospitals and major health centres, courts and job centres, tax and passport offices, schools and colleges.

More than 90 per cent of the region’s schools were also closed, along with the Mersey tunnels. Emergency cover was maintained at every hospital in the North West.

North West TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said there had been strong public support shown to workers on picket lines from early morning.

He said: “All the reports we are getting indicate strong support from the public, who have been honking their car horns, waving and offering the pickets hot drinks. One woman member, who was wearing her UNISON tabard, was given a round of applause by staff in a sandwich shop!

“The strike has been very good natured and spirits are high on the picket lines. The public understand that public service workers have been left with no other option because the government has refused to negotiate constructively.

“Support understandably strengthened even more yesterday when George Osborne announced a measly 1 per cent pay increase for public sector workers over the next two years, on top of their existing two-year pay freeze. That came after he also announced the destruction of three quarter of a million jobs in public services.

“Public service workers believe they are the victims of an ideologically-based attack, and that they are being singled out to pay the price for a recession which was caused by the bankers.

“The strike shows the real anger of public servants who are being told by the Government that their pensions must be cut and they must work longer and pay more for less.”

In the North West, the strike will culminate in “One Noise at One” when protesters are being encouraged to make as much noise as possible at precisely 1pm, to draw attention to the Government’s unfair pension changes.

The protests involve a wide range of public service workers, including council workers, teachers and lecturers, health workers, police and fire staff, school dinner ladies, social workers, driving test examiners, passport office staff, court staff and other civil servants.

Unions involved in the North West include:  AEP; Aspect; ATL; CSP; FDA; GMB; Prospect; Napo; NUT; NASUWT; PCS; POA; SCP; SoR; UCATT; UCU; UNISON and Unite.

This is a message from the British Medical Association in support of the November 30 strike for Pensions Justice:

It’s only four years since the NHS Pension Scheme was overhauled.

We accepted higher contributions, we accepted the higher retirement age, and now the scheme is delivering billions to the Treasury.

Yet the government is telling us it’s still not enough.

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WEDNESDAY (30 November) will see up to two million public sector workers including teachers, nurses, probation officers, civil servants, cleaners, paramedics and dinner ladies taking part in the TUC day of action in what could be the biggest strike in a generation.

Some 30 unions have balloted their members for action over government plans to change their pensions – some haven’t taken strike action in more than a decade, others have never balloted their members before.

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UP to 300,000 public service workers are expected to join the November 30^th TUC Day of Action for Pensions Justice in the North West.

Information from the 18 North West TUC-affiliated trade unions who will be taking part in next Wednesday’s action shows that support for the national strike is strengthening.

In the North West, there will be marches, rallies or demonstrations in 14 places: Bury; Bolton; Blackburn; Blackpool; Chester; Crewe; Lancaster; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Preston; Warrington; Wigan and Wirral.

Picket lines will be held outside most public buildings in the region, including council offices and Town Halls, hospitals and major health centres, courts and job centres, tax and passport offices, schools and colleges.

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HOME-grown stars are joining tens of thousands of public sector union members on Merseyside for the “biggest labour movement event in the city for one hundred years”.

Blues singer Connie Lush and Ian Prowse, frontman for the rock band, Amsterdam will be joining a demonstration in Liverpool as part of the TUC’s day of industrial action calling for Pensions Justice on Wednesday 30th November.

After leaving early morning picket lines, workers in local government, the Civil Service, Health and Education will assemble at the Pier Head and at Derby Square for a midday march to St. George’s Plateau.

Up to 15,000 trade unionists are expected to take part.

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TWO more rallies have been announced in the North west for the November 30 TUC Day of Action.

So far, marches and rallies have been announced in EIGHT places in the region, involving thousands of public servants.

Nov30 is expected to be the largest demonstration of trade union mobilisation for a generation.

Blackburn:

11.30 to 11.45  – Marchers will assemble in King William Street, outside old Town Hall before march around Blackburn town centre, ending with a rally outside old Town Hall.

Crewe:

12.30 – Rally will be held at Municipal Square, Earle Street, Crewe CW1 9TL (opposite Municipal Buildings) with speakers.

PROTEST marches will take place in Bolton, Chester, Manchester, Oldham, Wigan and Wirral on November 30th as part of the TUC’s Day of Action.

North West TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said: “Details of all of the demonstrations are still being finalised, but we already know that November 30 will see the biggest co-ordinated trade union mobilisation for a generation.”

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