There is agreement on the need for a united front between the different unions – public and private sector alike – as, although the public sector expects to be hit hardest by ConDem spending cuts, the private sector will suffer the knock-on effect of any public sector cutbacks. Private sector workers will be just as much in the firing line, as outlined by the Treasury report leaked just after the emergency budget, which showed that 700,000 jobs would be lost in the private sector.

There is a recognition among congress delegates and officials alike that this unity must additionally reach out to build support in communities nationwide for an alternative to the proposed cuts – creating our own broad coalition of trade unions, civil society and community.

The challenge is to get out a coherent and comprehensive message of both an alternative to the proposed cuts and concrete examples of how they will impact on those local services that we all rely on a daily basis. The stark reality is that it is not just service providers and workers in both the private and public sector that will be hit by the cuts but also those who both use and rely on public services – for example, the cancellation of the schools rebuilding programme will hurt the already struggling construction industry as much as it will hurt the children, parents and communities that they serve. We must also be clear that, the challenge of forming any such alternative campaign to fight cuts will take place against a background of high hostility on all fronts from establishment forces.

TUC deputy general secretary, Frances O’Grady hit the nail on the head in her Guardian article today with her call that this time unions will unite beleaguered Britain, standing together against the cuts to our local communities and campaigning for a better alternative. Some may think this a daunting task but yesterday’s Populus poll as reported in The Times, gives strength to TUC aims to build a consensus to challenge the government’s approach to cuts.

The newspaper reports three pieces of bad news for the ConDem government: that their deficit reduction strategy is rejected by three out of four voters; that the public is more downbeat about the economy at any point since the summer of 2009; and that most people reject the idea that the Labour government is most to blame for the deficit, instead placing blame at the door of the banks and the global recession. In addition, The Times report suggests that the ConDem coalition would be more likely to persuade the public that their cuts were necessary if they supported Labour’s approach to the timing and scale of deficit reduction.

As delegates leave Manchester to head home they must now take this sense of unity and public unease against the proposed cuts into their workplaces and communities, working together to build an effective movement for alternative action.

Photo: www.tuc.org.uk