British union chiefs decry vicious cuts

The Durham Miners’ Gala rally was told by head of Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, Mark Serwotka that there should be unity “in our unions, communities, town halls and parliament”, British media reported.

At the so-called ‘Big Meeting’, which was held by nearly 100,000 people in attendance, Ed Miliband denied he took an electoral risk by becoming the first Labour leader since Neil Kinnock in 1989 to address one of the country’s most traditional trade union events.

At the event, which was first held in 1871, Serwotka cited youth unemployment as being the highest on record.

He also talked about the tens of billions of pounds of public spending cuts, including huge job cuts, the public-sector pay freeze, attacks on pensions, and unemployed and disabled people “receiving unparalleled abuse.”
“There has never been a more important time for the labour movement to be united,” Serwotka said.

“We have to be united in opposing the most vicious attack on everything our movement stands for – protecting the most vulnerable, providing decent jobs for all who can work and a decent standard of living for those that cannot, providing decent public services that serve the public good not private profiit, and defending working-class communities through strong trade unions and community organisations.

“So we need unity across the trade unions, in campaigning organisations and in Parliament.

“That unity is built around opposing this Tory-led government’s attacks on the people we represent”, added Serwotka.

MOL/HE

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