By Kimberly Bond & Hayley Murray
Serious negotiations regarding jobs, pay and working conditions should be opened up by the coalition government after a series of protests this week, according to a leading North West union secretary.
Lawyers, civil servants and solicitors joined trade unionists outside the Manchester Civil Justice Centre at lunchtime today to protest about new coalition cuts to legal aid, as well as severe job losses and pay cuts across the public service sector.
The North West Regional secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) Peter Middleman said we are joined in co-ordinated dissatisfaction with the austerity and cuts imposed by the Coalition government.
“After today we want the employers to open up serious negotiations while we continue to act,” he said.
“We are here to defend not only our member’s terms and conditions but the services they provide to the public.
“There haven’t been any discussions for more than 18 months now, they want to stumble and wait until the next election but we will carry on fighting.
“People are scared about losing their jobs but they are also worried about how they are going to get through until the end of the month without running out of money.
“54% of members don’t have enough to last the month, and of them 75% see their wages run out in the third week.”
The protest saw speakers from various roles across the public sector address the crowd of workers outside the Justice Centre as part of a series of national strikes across the country.
One of the speakers was Denise McDowell, Director of Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit.
Speaking to MM after her speech she said: “We’ve already had one set of cuts – before you were able to go and see a legal aid solicitor who might be able to take up your case, in welfare benefits, in employment, a whole range of different things, and that no longer exists.
“This next set of cuts affects the fundamental principles of law such as judicial review, the right to challenge the decisions that have been made by public bodies against you.
“Legal aid lawyers who I work with are committed to providing a good service to people who have got little or no money, that is what is under threat and is constantly restricted to the point of which if they cut it even more people won’t be able to take cases.
“We want the government to stop the attacks on legal aid and it is something that should be preserved and should be saved.”
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has defended his decision to make the cuts.
He called our legal profession ‘one of the best in the world’, but added that at a time of major financial challenges, the legal sector cannot be excluded from the Government’s commitment to getting better value for taxpayers’ money.
“We believe costs paid to lawyers through legal aid should reflect this,” he said.
“Professional, qualified lawyers will be available, just as they are now, and contracts will only be awarded to lawyers who meet quality standards set by the profession.
“Wealthy defendants who can afford to pay for their own legal bills should do so.
“These changes are about getting the best value for the taxpayer, and will not in any way affect someone’s right to a fair trial.
“Members of the public also showed their support and discussed how the cuts have personally affected them.
Maria Brabiner, 47, who lives in Salford, was affected by the ‘Bedroom Tax’ imposed by the coalition government in April this year.
She said: “I have worked all my life – I started when I was 16 and stopped at 40 to care for my mother after she had a stroke.
“I took six months off after her death in 2010, signed on in February 2011 and I am still unemployed.
“I have lived in the same house since 1978 and there was never a complaint when the house was overcrowded with family, but now I have one spare room I am being charged bedroom tax.”
For more information about the legal aid cuts click here (http://www.justice.gov.uk/legal-aid/newslatest-updates/legal-aid-reform)
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