BREAKING NEWS: Barnet UNISON Library strike postponed

21st November 2016 admin Uncategorised

Support Barnet UNISON Library workers

Dear Barnet UNISON Library workers

First of all I want to pay tribute to Hugh Jordan and those local reps and activists who have organised and taken part in strike action in defence of staff and the Barnet Library Service. For the past two years they have been under unacceptable pressure due to the proposed outsourcing and destruction of the Library Service. I truly believe the draconian cuts to the Library Service would have been far worse and imposed far quicker if they and our members had not been on strike and taken other actions.

Under attack

For those on the outside it is hard to describe the stress and pressure Library workers have been under especially over the last two years. The service is on its knees in terms of staffing resources. It is a phenomenal achievement with the year on year cuts to staffing that they have been able to continue to provide a high quality Library service. This year Barnet residents gave the current Library service a 97% customer satisfaction rating. I repeat “Barnet residents gave the current Library service a 97% customer satisfaction rating”.

For the last six months the threat of being sacked has been hanging over the heads of staff. At this moment in time stressed out staff are having to compete for jobs.

Those unsuccessful will hear the news of their dismissal before the Christmas break.

Agency/casual workers

The use of agency workers has contributed to one of the reasons the strike action has been postponed. For a long time we have been requesting vacant posts are filled and yet when our strike action began, this is when the Council recruited agency workers to fill those vacant posts. I also believe that agency workers taken on when the Capita IT failure created massive problems for the service were kept on. If this is true then it is a sad indictment that the employer is prepared to employ agency staff to cover vacancies when there is strike action but not when there isn’t.

Redundancies

As staff are being forced into a fight for the few jobs in the new structure this has had a significant impact on staff morale which has had an effect on those taking strike action. Adding to that we know there are some members who are desperate to leave and are asking to take voluntary redundancy.

Save Barnet Libraries campaign

I want to salute the Save Barnet Libraries campaign for their incredible effort over the last three years to slow down, and stop the destruction of the Barnet Library Service. I do not think our members could have had a better ally. The amount of time and resources they have ploughed into the campaign has been a wonder to behold. The Campaign continues with the relentless Save Barnet Libraries Campaigner Keith Martin submitting a question to Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee on Thursday 17 November 2016, challenging the legality of the proposed destruction of the Library Service.

Barnet UNISON next actions

On 6 December 2016, Barnet UNISON will be speaking at the General Functions Committee to try and convince the Leader of Barnet Council, Richard Cornelius, to step back from the brink and see common sense and not rubberstamp the destruction of the Library Service.

We are writing to the Voluntary Organisations who are bidding to take over four of our Libraries not to go ahead and take our members’ jobs. You can see a copy of the letter on the Barnet UNISON website. We will report back on any responses we receive.

Strike action suspended

We had given Barnet Council notice that we would have a week of strike action across Barnet Libraries beginning Monday 28th November. After discussion with reps it has been decided to postpone the week-long strike. However, the option of taking strike action is still on the table.

I hope you will be able to join Barnet UNISON at the General Functions Committee on Tuesday 6^th December 2016.

Yours Sincerely

John Burgess

Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary

Helen Davies

Barnet UNISON Branch Chair

Links:

Barnet Library Strikers True Stories: “Isaac’s story”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2016/11/09/barnet-library-strikers-true-stories-isaacs-story/

Barnet Library Strikers True Stories: “Rose’s story”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2016/11/09/barnet-library-strikers-true-stories-roses-story/

Barnet Library Strikers True Stories: “Molly’s story”