Received from: PCS
Congress condemns successive governments’ cruel and vindictive record on social security, including massive cuts in benefits as part of so called ‘austerity’, and constant demonisation of benefit claimants.
The Tory flagship policy, Universal Credit, beset by failing IT and inadequate staffing, is being used as a vehicle for introducing cuts at the expense of unemployed, sick and low- paid workers, resulting in homelessness and increased poverty. Congress agrees Universal Credit is unfit for purpose and its rollout must be halted.
Congress welcomes the change in the main opposition party’s position to oppose Tory welfare cuts following the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. Previously there had been a cross-party consensus on welfare reform, which had accepted myths of “benefit dependency”, claimants being “work shy” and the “unaffordability” of a decent social security system.
Congress believes that we must raise our demands for necessary fundamental change in the social security system, building on the Welfare Charter.
Congress welcomes the commitments in the last Labour manifesto on social security. Congress believes we must build on this to formulate the demands for a future Labour government to change the social security system fundamentally, based on the principles of social insurance, social security as a right, and a welfare system based on need. Congress calls on the General Council to work with PCS and relevant unions to develop proposals for a radical new social security system, to influence the next Labour manifesto and to influence the situation in the devolved nations.
Public and Commercial Services Union