TRADE unionists from Taunton Deane and West Somerset have condemned the job losses and low pay being imposed by both public and private sector employers across the two districts.

Taunton and West Somerset Trades Union Council, which includes unions representing thousands of working people locally, decided on its campaigning priorities for the coming year at its Annual General Meeting on Monday (February 1).

A Unite spokesman said: “Job losses, deteriorating conditions and low pay spell problems for everyone.

"For working people, they mean misery and despair but they also spell cuts to publicly and privately run services on which so many depend, especially the most vulnerable.”

Several speakers said hundreds of people, from farm workers to petrol-pump attendants and council employees to paper mill operatives, were losing their livelihoods.

A UNISON member said: “Ethnic minorities, women and people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by austerity measures in the workplace and they are often discriminated against out in the community too.

“At the same time as all this is happening, every attempt is being made to take our democratic rights away and stop us being heard, especially through the Trade Union Bill currently before parliament.

“They are afraid of protest and want to silence us but they won’t succeed."

Members of the seven unions who attended the meeting (UNISON, Unite, NUT, CWU, TSSA, NUJ and USDAW) agreed that the Trades Council should work both to support its member unions and provide an important link with the people and communities of Somerset.

They agreed to support the work of Taunton People’s Assembly against austerity which is affiliated to the national People’s Assembly and to campaign against local authority cuts, privatisation and service closures and for a viable alternative of investment, job creation and comprehensive public services based on people’s needs.

Everyone was urged to attend a lobby against Somerset County Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan before the meeting of the Council on Wednesday, February 17.

This, if passed, will lead to more cuts and the loss of some 170 further jobs according to unions.

Any organisation, campaign or individual who wishes to lobby should meet up outside Shire Hall, Taunton, at 9.15am.