Privatisation : speakers' factsheets

              PRIVATISATION:
SPEAKERS'
FACTSHEETS   nalgo
Privatisation is not just an ugly policy which threatens to destroy our public services. It is also a complicated issue that takes different forms depending on where it happens and the people and services affected. For that reason, it is impossible to set down an all-purpose anti-privatisation speech; instead, this factsheet lists points that any speech on privatisation should cover, plus some hard facts to support your case.
Any form of privatisation has these serious and long-term consequences:
1  jobs are nearly always lost
2  pay and conditions get worse
3  trade union organisation is weakened
4  standards of service fall
5  the public loses its say in the running of services
6  costs tend to go up.
Depending on your audience, some of these points will be more important than others. Your speech must relate to your audience and give concrete local examples of the likely effects of privatisation.
Privatisation is politically motivated. It is doing enormous damage to the social fabric and creating mounting problems for the future. The Government, and its friends in private industry argue that the private sector is efficient and public services are inefficient and wasteful. They use false arguments and empty slogans to support their case. We must show them up for what they are — profiteers, whose sole object is to make money out of people's needs.
Contractors make their profits by cutting jobs, pay, standards of service and working conditions. Their employees have worse sick pay schemes, less holidays, reduced pensions, longer hours, no career structure and increasing workloads.
We are campaigning for full provision of public services based on need, not profit; for fair wages and high standards and for our jobs.
From FIGHTING PRIVATISATION - A NALGO CAMPAIGN GUIDE
Privatisation and jobs
No privatisation scheme has meant more jobs. Massive job loss is the norm.
When private firms took over cleaning of Cambridgeshire schools, three out of every four cleaners employed by the county were made redundant. Medway Health Authority in Kent allowed a cleaning firm taking a hospital contract to sack 173 out of 276 staff.
Refuse collection is a prime target for privatisation — and job cuts.