Tomorrow UNISON members will be joining the rest of our communities in making this once in a generation decision. UNISON has weighed up the arguments – and for rights at work, public services and jobs, we believe that staying in Europe is best for our members.
General Secretary’s blog
UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea’s blog.
I want to take this opportunity to thank UNISON members and activists – from different nations, services and politics – who make this union great. You often face personal struggles – yet give so much to their colleagues, and friends and this union.
UNISON has been at the heart of developing and campaigning for European legislation – legislation such as European Sharps Directive, which has helped protect nurses, cleaners, ambulance and other NHS workers from potentially deadly needlestick infections. If the UK leaves the EU, all this would be at risk.
Our members in Barnet have been at the sharp end, with the council outsourcing anything it can. The spirit shown by our library workers today is a tremendous example to us all – and we will stand by them as they fight for their jobs.
I joined general secretaries from unions representing millions of working people, the Labour shadow cabinet and Jeremy Corbyn to say unequivocally that if people value our economy, our working rights and our health service, they should vote next Thursday to remain in the EU.
I’m glad that Sarah Wollaston has listened to the concerns of those workers and many others – led by UNISON – over the risk Brexit poses to our public services. And I hope that her comments give further pause for thought to those who the Vote Leave campaign are cynically trying to con with false claims about NHS spending.
If the UK votes for Brexit on 23 June in the hope of a better NHS, what the country will really be voting for is a weaker, poorer, more overstretched service. One where patients can’t help but notice the difference.
Everything we achieve today is built on the work of people like Mike Dempsey – and for that we owe him a tremendous debt.
Given the welcome scrutiny of police failings and cover ups in recent years – including Hillsborough, Orgreave and the scandal of undercover police officers infiltrating legitimate campaigning and political groups – it clearly can’t be acceptable for the government to bypass the need for warrants and seize union communications.
Although UNISON is encouraging a Remain vote, it’s clear that there are arguments for leaving the EU. But they aren’t being made by the bilious, hate-filled campaigns aiming to drag us into international isolationism. They deserve our unreserved condemnation for their baseless attacks on immigrants and fear that diminishes their case and this entire debate.
As the economy stutters, more people lose their jobs, tax receipts fall and services are cut, do you trust Michael Gove and Boris Johnson to defend our health service and fund it properly?
Like UNISON, Jeremy Corbyn has long-standing criticisms of the European Union, but also appreciates what membership provides for the British people – especially in terms of workplace rights, equalities and protections.
Please do give whatever support you can. Because in different circumstances it could be any of us – any of our families – stood far from home and unable to go back
At a time when our NHS faces a nursing shortage (due in part to mismanagement and attacks on the profession), the government should be pulling out all of the stops to attract more people into careers in the health service.
The leave campaign’s loudest cheerleaders Boris Johnson and Michael Gove don’t even support a publicly-funded NHS. In the past they’ve backed introducing charges for patients and opening up more of the health service to private firms who will put profit ahead of patient care.