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60,000 come into the UK and, only 3% of those 60,000 claim benefits. This may
explain an ICM poll that was conducted on 13 January 2014, showing that 54% of
people admitted that they thought that EU migrants would have a negative effect on
the economy, despite being told beforehand that citizens born in the UK draw more
from the welfare state.
(5)
This Conference demands the Government stop pedalling misinformation when
official statistics, academic reports and even an independent fiscal watchdog who is
an advisor to the government, show that immigration would be beneficial to the UK.
This is because most immigrants who arrive into the UK are of working age andwill
consequentially contribute to taxes; thus contributing to giving a well needed boost
to Britain’s economy.
(6)
This Conference also calls on leading politicians of all parties not to whip up racial
tensions by pandering to anti-immigration sentiment in the false hope of winning
support from UKIP. Much of the cause of this fear is the direct result of the neo-
liberal drive in this country to deregulate our labour markets by attacking trade
unions and diminishing the role of collective bargaining. Employers now set the rate
of pay and have been on a relentless drive to reduce wage rates to the bottom – and
import low cost labour to fill the jobs local people cannot afford to take.
(7)
This Conference calls on the GFTU to:
1.
Campaign with and amongst our own affliates, the community and in the
media to make the link between racism, fear of immigration and
the deregulation of our labour markets;
2.
Link with and support the campaigns by Hope Not Hate and Unite Against
Fascism to explain and oppose the racism, xenophobia and far-right policies
of UKIP, including their opposition to trade union organisation, beyond this
year’s General Election;
3.
Reinforces the call for collective bargaining to be accepted once more as the
best means of regulating pay, distributing income and stopping the race to
the bottom which is the real reason why employers are encouraging low
cost labour to migrate to this country.
Resolution 17
Playwork services
(1)
This conference notes with dismay the damage and destruction wreaked upon
play services as a consequence of the austerity agenda that continues to destroy
services. We are dismayed at the number of adventure playgrounds, outreach play
ranger schemes and play centres across the country that are now closed and unable
to support children in poverty at a time when they need the support most. We
believe the current emphasis on targeted work to support only children at a point of
serious crisis is flawed and fails to value children, Playwork and Playworkers.
(2)
It notes with concern the recently introduced childcare regulations, which seriously
affect the professionalisation of the workforce, is leading to widespread redundancies
and eroding the quality of experiences-including the safety – of children in after
school clubs and holiday playschemes.
(3)
We call on the GFTU to:
Endorse and promote the Unite statement for employers to adopt to commit to
employing qualified Playworkers.
Endorse the article by Unite Playwork Convenor Chris Martin ‘Play is a serious
business’ as well as the article on the impact of austerity measures on Playworkers in
the inaugural Journal of Playwork Practice.
(4)
Support the work to encourage Playworkers into Trade union membership.
(5)
Support the proposal for Playworkers to be incorporated on to the JNC for Youth and
Community workers and covered by these National Terms and conditions.
(6)
Support the development of plans to rebuild and reinvest in a professional Play
service for Britain.
Implementation
Strong support was given by the GS to
London campaigners on this issue
following a comprehensively
supported letter in The Guardian.