“The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with faith to fight for it.”
(Nye Bevan)Barnet UNISON loves our NHS and sends solidarity to all NHS workers.
Our branch will be marching and we are encouraging our community to join us.
The NHS is in a serious crisis and NEEDS our support.
Our branch in its own small way is hosting an event on
Saturday 25 February called “Sing your Heart out 4 the NHS”
It will start off with some NHS workers explaining about the attacks the NHS are facing and why we must join the national NHS demonstration on 4 March
“We had sad news early this week with the announcement of the death of one of our reps: Anaclet Kofi. He was known as being quiet and unassuming yet this is to be contrasted with the fact that with the help of the branch he organised traffic wardens (old term – new term: civil enforcement officers) to take strike action opposing outsourcing, and he spoke on a number of times at UNISON conference addressing up to 2,000 people. All of this with English as a third language! Frances O’Grady (TUC General Secretary) said the pressure on wages is not from migrant workers but unorganised workers and Anaclet certainly understood this and he organised. He will be missed.”
Helen Davies Barnet UNISON Branch Chair
“Last week I learnt that we lost a good Barnet UNISON comrade Anaclet Kofi. I have spent a few hours combing through our vast photograph database to find some pictures of Anaclet. He was a very active rep in our branch and was part of the heroic team of reps who had to deal with the mass outsourcing here in Barnet dating back to 2008.
He also worked in Parking and personally expereinced a number of very serious incidents whilst carrying out his job yet he always seemed able to maintain a calmness and a smile.
Anaclet will be sorely missed, not just by his family, but by his former work colleagues, and those of us who had the good fortune to work with him in Barnet UNISON.
Anaclet attended a number of UNISON conferences, he was never daunted by the prospect of addressing 2,000 delegates in order that he could speak about what was happening here in Barnet.
Analcet did not need any union training to understand solidarity he had it naturally. He understood why we marched not just here in Barnet but on other demonstrations and rallies. He was an active part of Barnet UNISON mobilising and organising and representing members in what is a very difficult workplace.
Along with the many photographs I found a short video clip of Anaclet speaking about why he was taking part in the National Pension Strike which you can listen to here.
It is nice to hear his voice. This is the friendly and helpful Anaclet we will all remember.
It is his funeral on Saturday 28 January at 10 am at Islington and Camden Cemetery (East Finchley) 278, High Road, East Finchley. London N2 9AG
After the burial, a light refreshment will be offered from 14:00 till 19:30 at The Kings Cross Baptist Church, Vernon Square, Kings Cross, London WC1X 9EP
“It will be impossible to complete the work in my allotted time as a consequence of having to drive all the way to and from Harrow depot. What this could mean is an increased likelihood of Waste & Recycling left uncollected. Whoever thought selling our depot without finding another suitable depot within the borough, clearly knows nothing about Waste & Recycling services. It will be a disaster for residents and a nightmare for the staff and at what cost to the council tax payer?”
(Street Scene worker)
On Tuesday 26 July 2016, Mill Hill depot staff visited Harrow Council depot as part of the plan to split the location of Barnet Council Street Scene services.
What are Street Scene services?
Waste & Recycling
Transport – Accessible transport for children and adults
Parks and Open Spaces
Street Cleansing
Highways
Over the past several months our local reps and the UNISON branch office have been bombarded by members complaining about the re-location proposals for Street Scene services. » Read more
Initial Response to Libraries Review Staff Consultation
28th July 2016
Introduction
This is Barnet UNISON’s first response to the Council’s current Consultation with staff regarding the proposed restructure of the Library Service. The Council has yet to provide UNISON or Library workers with accurate costings for the proposed posts. The Job Descriptions for the proposed posts in the new structure were also delayed in being supplied to UNISON. Additional responses focusing on these issues and the job selection process will follow at a later date as we consult further with our members.
UNISON remains fundamentally opposed to the Library Restructure which is driven by an ideological push to privatise regardless of the financial cost, or the price that library workers will pay in lost jobs or the lowering of the quality, accessibility and safety of the Service. » Read more
“Our members in Barnet have been at the sharp end, with the council outsourcing anything it can. The spirit shown by our library workers today is a tremendous example to us all.”
Dave Prentis UNISON General Secretary
Dave Prentis takes support and solidarity to north London picket line in strike over plans to outsource library service
General secretary Dave Prentis took the union’s support and solidarity to striking library workers on the picket line in north London this morning.
“You have got our full support and if you need any help just let us know”
Mr Prentis speaking to the #BarnetStrikers
The UNISON members were on the third day of their strike over Barnet council’s plans to outsource the borough’s library service.
“Council services up and down the country are under attack as the Tory government in Westminster piles still more cuts on five years of austerity,”
said Mr Prentis.
“Our members in Barnet have been at the sharp end, with the council outsourcing anything it can. The spirit shown by our library workers today is a tremendous example to us all.”
“The spirit shown by our library workers today is a tremendous example to us all – and we will stand by them as they fight for their jobs.”
Dave Prentis,
UNISON General Secretary
The assault on our public services in recent years has fallen hardest on local government – with libraries particularly under fire.
And there are few areas that have suffered greater attacks from their local authority than Barnet.
“You have got our full support and if you need any help just let us know” Mr Prentis speaking to the #BarnetStrikers
So I was proud to be on the picket line alongside library workers today, taking the fight to the so-called Tory “easycouncil” and showing local people how severe and damaging the cuts to their local services really are.
I spoke with activists Fiona Turnbull and Hugh Jordan (Barnet UNISON’s libraries convenor) about the sheer scale of job losses and service cuts being inflicted on an already bare bones service. At Chipping Barnet (where we met this morning) the library will lose 33 staff hours (down from 56.5 hours at present). Other libraries will lose more than half of their size and be reduced to volunteer only provision.
Services lost or weakened. Jobs cuts. And those in the community who need them most left to suffer.
“Our members in Barnet have been at the sharp end, with the council outsourcing anything it can. The spirit shown by our library workers today is a tremendous example to us all – and we will stand by them as they fight for their jobs.”
‘Defend the 10libraries campaign in Lambeth sends solidarity to all the library workers taking strike action this week to stop the destruction of the library service in Barnet.
With cuts, closures and privatisation of our library services up and down the country we know how important it is to stand up and fightback. Your action will not only help in the battle to stop Barnet’s plans but will also give heart to everyone who wants to see an end to the ongoing devastation of vital library services.
We wish you all the best! Your fight is our fight!’
To our brothers and sisters in Barnet UNISON – your fight against the privatisation and decimation of Public Services by the ideologically driven Tories in our Borough is an inspiration to the Trade Union movement.
Libraries are a beacon of any civilised society, providing a safe environment where generations of our community have benefited from this vital social service, helping to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Libraries are spaces where people of all ages and all backgrounds can practice lifelong learning, something that the Tories in our Borough well understand and find distasteful.
We stand with you in your fight against this attack on our community.
