Contacting the Branch

Uncategorised

If you have any questions or need any support please contact the Branch Office

 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Or you can call 020 8359 2088, if we are unable to answer the telephone please leave a message speaking slowly and clearly please include your name, telephone number, membership number and a brief message about the assistance you require. We will respond as soon as we can.

Alternatively you can contact UNISON Direct Call Centre by telephone 

08000 857 857 Monday – Friday 6am – Midnight, Saturday 9am – 4pm

or make an online enquiry by clicking the following link

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/online-enquiries/

To Join UNISON click the following link 

https://join.unison.org.uk/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Barnet UNISON pushes for immediate London Living Wage uplift — “our members can’t wait six months”

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

London, 31 October 2025 — Barnet UNISON is relentlessly pursuing the urgent implementation of the new London Living Wage (LLW) of £14.80 for all workers delivering Barnet Council services — now, not in six months’ time.

The union has formally written to every Council officer responsible for outsourced contracts — including Cleaning (Norse), Social Care (Your Choice Barnet), Security (Blue Nine), Parking Enforcement (APCOA), and Schools Catering (ISS) — urging them to instruct their contractors to uplift pay with immediate effect in line with the Living Wage Foundation’s new London rate.

Helen Davies, Branch Chair, Barnet UNISON, said:
“Delaying the £14.80 London Living Wage until April means months more of avoidable hardship for low-paid staff who keep services running for Barnet residents. Our members are already making impossible choices — cutting back on heating, skipping meals, falling behind on rent — in one of the most expensive capital cities in the world. The uplift is needed now to protect health, dignity and service quality.”

Barnet UNISON says the case for immediate action is overwhelming. Households are still facing elevated energy bills, rising rents, and ongoing increases in food prices. Implementing £14.80 now would provide urgent relief, help retain experienced staff, reduce agency churn, and protect continuity of frontline services across Barnet.

Barnet UNISON’s call to action

  • Apply £14.80 LLW now across all relevant contracts and subcontractors.
  • Confirm a short, time-bound implementation plan and back-pay arrangements.
  • Work with Barnet UNISON to resolve any operational barriers quickly.

ENDS

Media contact:
Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Notes to editors:

  • The Living Wage Foundation announced the 2025–26 London Living Wage of £14.80 on 22 October 2025 and expects accredited employers to implement as soon as possible (deadline 1 May 2026). (livingwage.org.uk)
  • Energy bills: Ofgem’s price cap for 1 Oct–31 Dec 2025 is £1,755 for a typical dual-fuel household — up on the previous quarter and still well above pre-crisis levels. (Ofgem)
  • Rents: ONS reports UK private rents up about 5–6% year-on-year; London’s rental inflation was 5.3% in the 12 months to September 2025. Average rent remains highest in London. (Office for National Statistics)
  • Food prices: The annual inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was 4.5% in September 2025 (ONS). Prices are still rising year-on-year even as the rate eases. (Office for National Statistics)
  • Cost of living in London: Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living City Ranking places London 8th globally, underscoring persistent affordability pressures in the capital. (Mercer)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON urges The Barnet Group to implement new London Living Wage now

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

London, 31 October 2025 — Barnet UNISON has written to The Barnet Group (TBG) calling for the immediate implementation of the new London Living Wage of £14.80 for all eligible staff, rather than waiting until 1 April.

Barnet UNISON says the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to hit low-paid workers hard and that bringing in the uplift now would provide urgent relief for key frontline staff who support Barnet residents every day.

Helen Davies Barnet UNISON Branch Chair, said:
“Delaying the £14.80 London Living Wage until April means months more of avoidable hardship for the lowest-paid staff in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our members are telling us they’re choosing between heating and eating. Implementing the new rate now is the right, fair and practical step—and it will also help retain experienced staff and sustain services for residents.”

In its letter to TBG’s Chief Executive, Barnet UNISON requests:

  • Applying the £14.80 London Living Wage with the next available payroll; and
  • A clear timetable to uplift relevant contracted workers within TBG’s control in line with Living Wage commitments.

Barnet UNISON has asked to meet urgently with TBG to agree the implementation plan.

ENDS

Media contact:
Barnet UNISON contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Notes to editors:

  • The London Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate based on the real cost of living in the capital.
  • The new rate is £14.80, up from £13.85.
  • Barnet UNISON represents workers across The Barnet Group delivering housing and support services to residents.

 

Victory for BELS Staff! Annual Leave and Paternity Rights Win for UNISON Members

Austerity, Local, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON is proud to announce another win for our members — this time at Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS).

After persistent negotiation led by our BELS UNISON representative, and in collaboration with other trade unions, BELS employees will now receive 31 days of annual leave and two weeks’ paternity leave, bringing them in line with London Borough of Barnet employees.



BELS UNISON Rep said:

“I am pleased to confirm that BELS are implementing 31 days annual leave for all BELS staff. Whilst there are still areas that need to be addressed, like the inequality in the pension offering, I am happy to see that BELS have listened to UNISON members’ requests and have made a step in bringing us closer to parity with our colleagues working in Barnet Council.”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair, said:

“This is what trade union persistence looks like — real improvements in conditions for our members. Every step towards parity between BELS and Council staff matters. We will keep fighting until every member working in a council-owned company gets the full rights, pay and pensions they deserve.”




BELS is a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC), 100% owned by Barnet Council, delivering vital education services on behalf of the borough. Barnet UNISON has long campaigned to bring BELS back in-house, so staff delivering public services enjoy the same pay, pension and conditions as directly employed council workers.


Our next target is access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) — the public service pension scheme available to council employees. Despite being wholly owned by the Council, BELS staff are currently denied access, a decision that UNISON believes is unfair and discriminatory.


An Equal Pay claim has already been registered for BELS staff, forming part of UNISON’s wider claim across Barnet Council and The Barnet Group (TBG).


This latest win shows what can be achieved when members are organised and determined.

Together, we are stronger. Join UNISON today and be part of the fight for fairness, equality and respect at work.


For more information email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End.


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet launches major Equal Pay action spanning council and LATCs — ‘EasyCouncil’ faces first London-wide test case
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, National, News, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release: 


Barnet launches major Equal Pay action spanning council and LATCs — ‘EasyCouncil’ faces first London-wide test case


Barnet UNISON has today submitted three collective grievances triggering a borough-wide Equal Pay claim across the London Borough of Barnet, The Barnet Group (TBG) and Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) — the council’s two wholly owned arm’s-length companies (LATCs).


Branded “EasyCouncil” during its peak outsourcing years, Barnet now faces an Equal Pay challenge that cuts across council services and its LATCs, echoing the ground-breaking 2023 Glasgow decision confirming that local authority trading companies are not a shield against Equal Pay liability where the council is the single source capable of rectifying pay inequality.


Helen Davies, Branch Chair, Barnet UNISON, said:

“Women in Barnet’s schools, care and community services have waited long enough. We’ve now filed Equal Pay grievances with all three employers because the evidence is overwhelming — and because LATC status doesn’t make discrimination disappear. If Southampton, Sheffield and Birmingham can settle multi-million-pound claims, so can Barnet.”


Barnet UNISON’s case covers multiple strands including task-and-finish uplifts, Christmas bonus payments, DLO payments, and pension access issues for LATC staff. The union is seeking a negotiated, borough-wide settlement framework that treats council and LATC workers consistently, rather than siloed processes.


A fast-growing national picture


Barnet’s action lands as councils across Britain confront Equal Pay liabilities:


    

  1. Southampton City Council – Settlement agreed (July 2025) for ~800 staff; task-and-finish disparity.
    2. 

  2. Sheffield City Council – Agreement (Sept 2025): ~3,600 staff / ~260 roles; ~£36m redress.
    3. 

  3. Birmingham City Council – Framework to settle (Dec 2024) following Section 114.
    4. 

  4. Coventry City Council – ~680 claims ongoing (2025); >£30m exposure; ET listed Nov 2026.
    5. 

  5. Brighton & Hove City Council – Claims lodged/flagged (2024–25), thousands indicated.
    6. 

  6. Bradford MDC – Legal action launched (July 2025) for female-dominated roles.
    7. 

  7. Knowsley Council – Union warns of “tens of millions” exposure (Oct 2025).
    8. 

  8. Leeds City Council – Unions inviting case forms (2024–25).
    9. 

  9. Derby City Council – Ongoing disputes; >£1.5m spent defending cases.
    10. 

  10. BCP Council – Corporate papers flag equal-pay litigation risk (2024–25).
    
Scotland:
    11. 

  11. Glasgow City Council – Continuing settlements/updates (2023–25); key LATC precedent.
    12. 

  12. Fife Council – Tribunal success reported (July 2022); further claims lodged.
    13. 

  13. Falkirk, Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire – Equal-pay disputes/strikes (2024).
    14. 



Helen Davies added:

“This could be the first of several London Equal Pay cases. Barnet helped pioneer outsourcing; now it should lead on putting pay equality right — across the council and the companies it owns.”


Call to the employer


Barnet UNISON has invited the Council, TBG and BELS to enter a Memorandum of Understanding for structured negotiations covering data disclosure, scope, timelines and remedies, so staff don’t wait years for justice.


Media contact:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Notes to editors:


    

  • Recent settlements referenced include Southampton (UNISON South East), Sheffield (Sheffield City Council), and Birmingham (City Council/union statements).
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents staff employed by Barnet Council, The Barnet Group, and BELS.
    • 

  • The Glasgow (2023) Equal Pay outcome reinforced that council-owned LATCs can fall within the single-source test for Equal Pay liability.
    • 


			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
PRESS RELEASE: Equal Pay Momentum Builds in Barnet – Care and School Staff Sign Up in Their Hundreds
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, National, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
 




Barnet UNISON has revealed a surge of support for its Equal Pay campaign, with hundreds of care workers and school support staff already signed up and hundreds more contacting the branch to join the claim.


Across Barnet’s schools, care homes, and community services, women workers are taking action to protect their legal rights to equal pay.

UNISON says that the growing number of sign-ups shows the level of frustration among staff who have seen their real pay fall while the cost of living continues to rise.


Helen Davies, Branch Chair of Barnet UNISON, said:

“Our members have seen what’s happened in Southampton and Sheffield — ordinary council workers winning millions in back pay.

Now Barnet’s care workers and school staff are saying loud and clear: we deserve fairness too.”


The Equal Pay campaign has seen record engagement, with UNISON visiting schools and care workplaces across the borough to help staff complete their case forms and understand their rights under the Equality Act.


Helen Davies added:

“This is just the beginning.

Every week more members are signing up because they know that in a cost-of-living crisis, no one can afford to miss out on what they’re owed.”


📅 Equal Pay Surgeries: Every Tuesday in October

📍 UNISON Office, Colindale

📧 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


END. 


 


 


 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
The Barnet Group: Change the Conversation on Pay!
		
		
 
	
		Uncategorised	



	
		

			
		
					

			
So far workers in Barnet Homes on legacy LBB contracts have received the annual uplift in pay in line with NJC.


Those paid the London Living Wage had an increase in their wages from £11.95 – £13.85 (a 5.3% increase).


At the end of Summer this year all other TBG workers saw their pay increase by 3.2%.


This all falls far short of the pay claim UNISON submitted to The Barnet Group in March this year. We wanted to see: 


    

  • Sick pay raised to Council standard
    • 

  • Shift allowances restored to Council standard
    • 

  • Pay rates for working weekends and bank holidays restored to Council standard
    • 



…amongst other demands (see here for full list Barnet Voice – The Barnet Group – Barnet UNISON)


We did not expect everything to be welcomed or agreed in one go but expected there to be a process of negotiation. It is worth noting that restoring sick pay to Council standards for everyone would cost an estimated £40,000 only!


The Barnet Group has told us they will not negotiate this year as they are awaiting the outcome of the review of the YCB contract. They also say they have no money.


However, whilst we recognise times are tight, we believe there are possibilities for achieving some progress on our demands by looking at other areas for savings. For example:


    

  • Senior pay transparency: Our members note large salaries at senior levels (TBG CEO: £218,643; Council CEO: £212,685; The Barnet Group Ltd Executive Officers cost £1, 093, 000/ year – from accounts to year end 2025).
    • 

  • Agency use: £7,879,000.
    • 



We do not believe a blanket “no” is the right response in these times of extreme difficulty for our members.


Look out for our pay survey coming to you shortly. We recommend you vote YES in our survey to indicate you are serious about achieving positive change in your working conditions. 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Branch Meeting Tuesday 14th October
		
		
 
	
		Uncategorised	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Barnet UNISON shares the horror and despair many of our members will be feeling following news of recent racist attacks:


    

  • the deadly antisemitic attack in Manchester;
    • 

  • the arson attacks on the Mosque in Sussex and the Britannia Hotel housing refugees (both of which took place with people present in the buildings);
    • 

  • a Summer of Hate directed against refugees with racists feeling emboldened to attack anyone who does not fit into the tight category of being a hetero white British Christian who is not disabled. Predominantly Muslims and Black people have been targeted;
    • 

  • the largest mobilisation ever seen in the UK of the Far Right which degenerated into a series of attacks on Black people and an attempted attack on St Thomas Hospital;
    • 



None of this is inevitable. If you are appalled by these events and want this all to stop, then please do come to Barnet UNISON’s meeting on Anti Racism and Stopping the Far Right.


Next Tuesday 14th October 6.30pm 


 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81332224493?pwd=qRwETOrnan8CgXWEB6cLr1TibozkrI.1


 


Meeting ID: 813 3222 4493


Passcode: 645821


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
PRESS RELEASE: Barnet UNISON: Cut duplicated LATC overheads now to protect frontline services
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Local, News, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON is calling on Barnet Council’s Labour administration to act on the Interim Auditor’s Annual Report (2024/25) and remove duplicated overheads across council-owned companies (LATCs) — starting an insourcing programme that delivers recurring savings without hitting frontline services or the lowest-paid staff.




To View External Auditors report click on link below.


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Appendix-A-Interim-Auditors-Annual-Report-2024-25-London-Borough-Barnet-1.pdf




The Auditor confirms Barnet’s acute position: reliance on ~£55m Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to balance 2025/26 and a collapse in General Fund reserves from £74m (Apr-21) to roughly £17–20m, with liquidity now a key risk.


“The Council must deliver £24m in savings in 2025/26… even then a £55m budget deficit remains for which the Council has sought EFS… General Fund reserves reduced from £74m… and are now approximately £17–20m.” (Executive Summary / Financial Sustainability).


At the same time, the Auditor finds a significant weakness in governance over council companies and joint ventures and issues Key Recommendation 3 (KR3) — an urgent call to inventory all companies/JVs, review their purpose and suitability, put proper KPIs in place, govern loans, and remove conflicts of interest.


What duplication looks like in Barnet (from the Auditor’s report)


Running LATCs/JVs alongside the Council means two of everything:


    

  • Governance/Boards & Secretariat: separate boards/NEDs and basic company information not held centrally until mid-2025; gaps remain, including loans in excess of £400m not fully captured in central records.
    • 

  • Parallel assurance: Barnet Group runs its own Internal Audit while the Council also runs Internal Audit — two layers for the same council-funded services.
    • 

  • Procurement/contract pipelines: the Auditor identifies a significant weakness and issues KR4; multiple pipelines and inconsistent oversight undermine value for money.
    • 

  • Corporate enablers repeated across entities: HR/workforce, Finance/Treasury, Legal/Governance, Risk & Internal Control, IT/Oracle/process, Performance/Compliance, Complaints, Data Protection & FOI, Communications, Insurance, PMO/Strategy — with the report evidencing parallel effort and gaps that add coordination cost.
    • 



These overheads are avoidable in an in-house model and represent savings that don’t require closing services.


Our members are worried — there is a better way


Barnet UNISON members, including those working in LATCs, are fearful of job losses and cuts to resident services. The Auditor’s report shows a route to structural, recurring savings that should be prioritised ahead of frontline cuts:


    

  • Implement KR3: publish the complete list of companies/JVs; test each for continued suitability; set measurable KPIs; govern loans; document and remove conflicts.
    • 

  • Deliver KR4: create a single, effective Procurement Board; introduce live reporting of performance, variations, waivers, risks and KPIs to CMT and those charged with governance.
    • 

  • Consolidate duplicated corporate services back into the Council and insource targeted services to end board fees, duplicate audits and parallel management structures.
    • 



UNISON Barnet spokesperson:

“Councillors have inherited the damage of a decade of austerity. We recognise the scale of the challenge — but the first savings must come from removing duplicated LATC overheads, not cutting services like mental health support or Income Maximisation. Acting on the Auditor’s KR3 and KR4 gives us recurring savings, clearer accountability, and a credible route out of EFS without punishing residents or the lowest-paid.”


What savings look like (practical examples)


    

  • Board/NED and secretariat costs reduced as LATCs are rationalised and brought in-house.
    • 

  • Parallel audit/assurance: stop paying for two audit/control frameworks over the same services; align Barnet Group assurance with corporate Internal Audit.
    • 

  • Procurement churn: with KR4’s central oversight, end re-tender churn and unmanaged waivers, and realise larger, strategic savings (the Council estimates ~£14m from re-tendering in 2024/25 — showing the headroom when procurement is tightened).
    • 



Every pound saved from duplication is a pound that can protect frontline services and stabilise teams, rather than funding parallel bureaucracies.


Call to action


Barnet UNISON asks Labour councillors to:


    

  1. Adopt KR3 within 12 weeks — publish the company/JV inventory; set criteria to identify insourcing candidates; document and resolve conflicts.
    2. 

  2. Implement KR4 now — establish the Procurement Board with real-time KPI/waiver reporting to CMT and GARMS.
    3. 

  3. Create a single corporate support model — bring duplicated HR, Finance/Treasury, Legal/Governance, Risk, Internal Audit, IT/Oracle, Comms, DP/FOI, Insurance and PMO/Performance back into one accountable centre.
    4. 

  4. Ring-fence savings from de-duplication to avoid frontline cuts and support services residents rely on.
    5. 



UNISON Barnet spokesperson:

“We’re ready to work with councillors and officers — urgently — to map duplication, size the savings and sequence insourcing so services are stabilised, not disrupted. This is the fair, credible way to balance the books.”




Notes to editors


    

  • Document referenced: London Borough of Barnet — Interim Auditor’s Annual Report, Year ending 31 March 2025 (04 Sept 2025). Key extracts cited above: EFS/reserves (Financial Sustainability) ; governance of companies & KR3 (Governance) ; procurement weakness & KR4 (Improving Economy, Efficiency & Effectiveness) ; duplicated corporate functions & incomplete company information/loans >£400m (Governance) ; estimated ~£14m procurement savings from 2024/25 re-tendering (EEE) .
    • 

  • UNISON position: Our January 2025 submission called for a shared services/duplication review before any cuts to the lowest-paid — the Auditor’s KR3 reinforces this approach. (Link available on Barnet UNISON site.)
    • 



End.


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Holiday Pay Update – UNISON Awaits Council Response
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON has formally requested a meeting with Barnet Council to begin negotiations over back pay for staff who were underpaid holiday pay on overtime.


We first raised this issue in July 2025, when we informed members that the law has been clear since 2014 (Bear Scotland v Fulton) — holiday pay must include regular overtime. Despite this, Barnet Council only started making correct payments from April 2025.


UNISON’s position remains that staff have been underpaid for years, and we are seeking a collective compensation payment for all affected workers.


Payroll and HR services were run by Capita when the legal duty first arose, and we believe Barnet Council should seek to recoup any costs from Capita, not deny staff what they are owed.


Management has told us they are “considering legal issues” and will arrange a meeting, but UNISON has been waiting since July for this response. Our members deserve answers, not delays.


If you regularly work overtime, this issue affects you.

👉 Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk for updates and to make sure you are part of the campaign.


✊ Holiday Pay Delayed is Holiday Pay Denied.

Barnet UNISON will continue to fight until staff are paid what they are owed.


End.

			

		

		
		


	

			  

					1
2
3
…
250