Trade Union Reactions

Trade Union Reactions

This has set off a major reaction from the trade unions.  The TUC, through Brendan Barber, is now involved and it is understood that meetings have been taking place over January and February involving the TUC, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office.

On 21 January the Chancellor wrote to Brendan Barber extending until June 2011 the date when the Government will put forward proposals about how exactly the target savings will be delivered.  The Chancellor indicates in his letter that a framework should be discussed “for the scheme-by-scheme negotiations needed to agree the specific details of design and implementation”.  The letter does acknowledge that Lord Hutton’s final report is expected in March and asks that the discussions to take place should also cover the process for taking forward engagement with the trade unions on Lord Hutton’s recommendations.

UCU dispute and ballot

The UCU has declared a trade dispute on proposed changes to the TPS with the Secretary of State for Education.  The UCU ran a ballot over strike action over the TPS changes which ran in English and Welsh post-92 HEIs from 22 February to 14 March.  A parallel ballot ran in FE colleges.  One day of action took place on Thursday 24 March. A further day of action took place on Thursday 30 June. Other trade unions which took strike action on the same day included the NUT, ATL and PCS over changes to the TPS and other public service schemes such as the civil service and local government schemes. A national demonstration took place in central London. Other trade unions including Unison, Unite and GMB have said that they are awaiting the outcome of the government-level talks which end in the autumn with the TUC before balloting members.

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