Motion no: 1
Conference notes the challenges faced by workers in both the private and public sectors in Northern Ireland. We have endured nearly a decade of austerity from the UK government and the NI Assembly leading to cuts to our public services, the 1% pay cap and more insecure, precarious and low pay work affecting workers in both the private and public sectors.
In response to this the trade union movement has developed the Better Work Better Lives campaign. The campaign seeks to,
- Challenge the scourge of low pay and insecure work,
- Challenge cuts to our public services and to call for increased targeted public investment,
- Seek to ensure that public sector workers can move beyond the 1% pay cap and bargain for decent pay increases.
The campaign involves a political lobby from activists across affiliates in the 18 Westminster constituencies, a presence on social media, worker testimonials, rallies, engagement with NGO’s and other representative bodies, demonstrations and supporting industrial action for those affiliates who seek to take it over the next 18 months.
We are not seeking to develop social partnership or centralised pay bargaining. We are seeking to achieve a robust forum for social dialogue whereby the trade union movement can engage with others and promote policies as outlined in the Better Work Better Lives policy paper in the interests of workers.
Conference calls on all affiliates of the ICTU to support the campaign by ensuring that their activists are aware of the objectives of the campaign and that each affiliate ensures that their activists have an opportunity to participate in the campaign over the next 18 months.
