Dog Whistles and Attack Adverts
We’ve been looking into the cost of the recent Unison ‘attack’ advert against Stefan Cross Solicitors - see previous post dated 15 May 2009.
The rates quoted to us for a full-page, full colour advert in a national daily newspaper – come to over £20,000 including VAT.
That’s a lot of members’ money to spend – and for what?
Such lavish spending might have made sense years ago – in pursuit of a something positive for the grassroots members.
Such as advising low paid council workers about their rights to equal pay - from 1999 onwards.
Back in 1999 national newspaper adverts at around £20,000 a throw - would have come in very handy - in getting a across an effective public message - to both union and non-union members.
A big, well resourced public campaign would have helped to protect the interests of thousands of low paid council workers – who left or retired during that period – without receiving a penny piece in compensation over equal pay.
But sadly that’s not what happened – and no doubt people will draw their own conclusions about what to make of the union’s priorities.
The rates quoted to us for a full-page, full colour advert in a national daily newspaper – come to over £20,000 including VAT.
That’s a lot of members’ money to spend – and for what?
Such lavish spending might have made sense years ago – in pursuit of a something positive for the grassroots members.
Such as advising low paid council workers about their rights to equal pay - from 1999 onwards.
Back in 1999 national newspaper adverts at around £20,000 a throw - would have come in very handy - in getting a across an effective public message - to both union and non-union members.
A big, well resourced public campaign would have helped to protect the interests of thousands of low paid council workers – who left or retired during that period – without receiving a penny piece in compensation over equal pay.
But sadly that’s not what happened – and no doubt people will draw their own conclusions about what to make of the union’s priorities.
