Chris Baugh, PCS, addresses NSSN conference 2013

National Shop Stewards Network conference: trade unionists and anti-cuts campaigners discuss strategy to defeat government's austerity The 7th annual National Shop Stewards Network conference brought together over 400 key activists from these struggles in a hall at the Camden Centre in central London. Among the many topics for discussion and debate was the task of ending the 'pause' in struggle at the top of the trade union movement and making the demand for a 24-hour general strike a reality Chris Baugh, assistant general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) reviewed the course of industrial struggle since 30th November 2011. Commenting on the decision of the GMB and Unison to settle the pensions dispute he said it was, at best, a terrible tactical decision or at worst a deliberate attempt to knock the stuffing out of the 30th November action. PCS has been forced to soldier on alone in the interim. Chris pointed out that a variety of trade unions are preparing action for the autumn. To big applause he declared that all unions taking action should get in a room together and begin planning a coordinated response to austerity.