Pamela Dooley Vice Chairperson ICTU NI Committee and

Pamela Dooley Vice Chairperson ICTU NI Committee and UNISON Rights in Recession

Context • Equality and Rights under greatest threat at time of recession • Commitments in Good Friday Agreement largely ignored by politicians • Draft budget constitutes a real threat to the socio economic rights of the people

UK Government Cuts - NI � UK Emergency Budget June 2010 £ 8 bn impact in tax rises and welfare cuts � Further UK cuts to Welfare benefits: £ 8 bn becomes £ 16 bn � UK Cuts to NI Block Grant: �£ 4 bn ▪Impact - 75% women

Who is under threat? Women Children Everyone living in poverty The low paid Pensioners Working class people in general

The Right to Work Long term unemployment/ increasing job loss Failed economic strategy Cuts in public services increase jobs loss Attack on Benefits system and pay and conditions Employment initiatives under threat Trade Union Rights Under Threat

The Right to Health and Social Care Over 4 years £ 2. 3 m funding gap Health Inequalities Outcomes Real need ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED Community / prevention

What we can expect Restricted access to community care Closures of beds Hospital beds will get blocked Waiting lists will extend, both for hospital and community services Reduction in grants to the voluntary sector No new patients on high cost drugs Jobs will be lost – c. 4, 000 A moratorium in employment Cash control on necessary agency and locum spend leading to unplanned closure New buildings currently in construction left unopened Co payments and Greater contributions from service users.

The Right to Education Over 4 years £ 300 m funding gap Capital 30% shortfall ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED Attainment Outcomes Existing Inequalities Real need

Education: What we can expect DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Promise of some growth in Free Meals, Early Years BUT School meals budget cut by 6% School Budget Cut (2014 -2015 - 15%) LMS issue Home to School Transport cut Capacity Building (4. 8 m) cut Job loss

Education: What we can expect DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE ARTS AND LEISURE Library Closures (x 10) 15 -20% reduction opening hours (redundancies) Recruitment freeze Book Stock (0. 29!)

Education: What we can expect Department of Employment Student loans Education Maintenance Allowance Universities and Colleges Major cuts in services and job

Right to Housing ‘Flat Cash’ Little or no growth in public housing Waiting list increase Regeneration initiatives under threat

Right to Social Security Obscene cuts to the welfare benefits system Introduction of charging for services Universal Benefit a threat to individual rights

Right to an Adequate Standard of Living Pay Freezes Pay Cuts Attacks on agreed conditions ‘Sweating’ the workforce Attacking the benefits system

On the Offensive UK and NI governments side-stepping legal obligations on equality and human rights Legal challenges in UK winning at operational level if not at Government level Trades unions taking industrial action Unions and communities mobilising, marching , lobbying and taking direct action A sustained programme of strategic action on all front can bring about change