Public sector staff keep up tough stance

Members of health union UNISON at the Dudley Group of Hospitals stopped

work for seven days in mid-September over plans to switch the jobs of

non-clinical staff from the NHS trust to Summit Healthcare in a private

finance initiative.

The 550 members of UNISON took strike action in August and the dispute

was continuing as Labour Research went to press.

And the massive pay dispute in Scottish local authorities has continued

despite further talks. UNISON declared a further one-day strike on 20

September after the employers refused to improve on their offer of 2.5%.

They are also organising a major demonstration in Edinburgh to coincide

with the finance minister's statement on future local government

settlements in the Scottish Parliament.

UNISON will also ballot small groups of key members to take indefinite

action. Although details have not been revealed the action is likely to

include finance staff, who collect debts for councils, mail room staff,

committee clerks, telephonists and computer staff.

However, planned action by refuse collectors and street cleaners in the

London Borough of Hackney was abandoned when the council backed down

from its proposed privatisation.