According
to the PSA “Budget 2010 does little to improve prospects for public
sector workers and delivery of public services… expect further
restructuring tighter restraints and the steady erosion of public
services. Job losses will continue….”
The PSA
has painted a bleak picture for the public services under the Nat’s
led government. The attitude of the Nat’s as the PSA points out is
“Do more with less”.
The
rhetoric of the Finance Minister, Bill English, during his Budget
speech regarding an efficient public sector is being exposed daily as
cuts in public service. This is becoming more apparent to the
general public when they try and access public services.
What this
rhetoric really means is that 2000 public servants have lost their
jobs and there has been increased workloads for those who have held
on to their jobs.
Below is a
breakdown of some of the budget cuts in the public sector.
Social
Services:
A likely
privatisation agenda has been signalled with an extra $91 million
being allocated over the next four years to NGO’s. This will no
doubt shift more social services into the private sector undermining
existing service and conditions of public sector workers.
ACC:
An extra
$2 million has been given to fund “more” robust policy advice.
In plain English not “Bill English” this is about giving private
consultants money to find out ways to open the Work Account to
competition i.e. privatisation.
Health:
Health is
a big loser in the budget with cuts in real terms in its funding.
Health got an extra $512 million. This may sound good but according
to the CTU it fell short by $43 million , which is needed to
maintain services at there current level. No doubt this will be
acutely felt with health services provided by District Health Boards.
Without
doubt we will see the private sector health vultures circle much
closer to the public health service picking off the juiciest pieces
to make profit from. Alongside this will be the further entrenchment
of a two tier health system.
Other
Agencies:
Ministry
of Culture and Arts funding down by 3%, Ministry of Defence funding
is down 14%, Tertiary Education Commission funding is also cut by
13%.
The
Treasury got a 5% increase in its budget. Obviously the Treasury
needs to be kept sweet as it will be at the fore of the governments
future privatisation agenda.
PSA
leadership
The
present PSA leadership have not risen to the challenge. The present
policy of political neutrality is undermining the prospects of
effectively dealing with the issues the public sector is facing; one
of privatisation and the complete undermining of the public service.
To date
the PSA has lead isolated industrial disputes for example in the
Ministry of Justice and have won pay rises for the members there.
Many
public servants are still faced with pay freezes as departmental
budgets have remained the same with even no allowance for inflation.
On top of this, as previously stated, is the intensification of work
loads.
There is a
definite mood building in public sector workers to do something about
the situation. What is required is actual leadership from the top of
the union.
Militancy
needed
The PSA
needs to develop a militant programme to defend the public services
which gets behind it the support of the general public. It requires
a generalised industrial action strategy across all the public
sector to defend members and the ethos and ethics of public service.
The
actions of the public service general strikes in Greece and Spain
shows how to defend members and the public sector Such a
co-ordinated movement needs to be built here to force the
government’s hand.
The PSA
biennial conference is to be held in September. It is highly likely
the prime minister will address conference. Public sector workers
will no doubt be sickened by such a spectacle of a Nat’s prime
minister potentially lecturing PSA members about pay restraint and
efficiency. This nauseating class collaboration approach to unionism
has to end. The up and coming conference will be a good place to
start challenging such policy and putting forward a more militant
platform to defend public sector workers.
PSA
demands
-
End
political neutrality -
Affiliate
to Labour Party -
Organise
militant action across public service to defend members