Category: UNISON Campaign
news around UNISON campaigns
#BarnetStrikers know what it’s about
Catering staff know what’s cooking. They don’t like privatisation and they will be on strike 8th July
Children’s centre staff know it’s child’s play – of course they don’t like privatisation and they will be on strike 8th July
Refuse workers know rubbish when they see it. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Social Workers know about safeguarding services. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
OT’s have assessed the situation. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Assessment and Enablement Officers have reviewed the situation. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Hospital social workers have arranged support but not for privatisation. They will be taking strike action 8th July
Mental Health workers know what makes them crazy. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Coach drivers and passenger escorts know something about the direction of travel. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Library workers have read all about it. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8th July
Barnet UNISON Press Release: UNISON confirms 24 hour strike on 8 July
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON confirms 24 hour strike on 8 July
Barnet UNISON members who still work for Barnet Council (excluding community schools) will begin a 24 hour strike action on Wednesday 8 July
The dispute involves coach escorts, drivers, social workers, occupational therapists, schools catering staff, education welfare officers, library workers, children centre workers, street cleaning & refuse workers, all of whom have made it clear they want to remain employees of the Barnet Council.
Picket Lines will be:
· North London Business Park—Start 7 am onwards.
· Mill Hill Depot—Starts 6 am onwards.
· East Finchley Library—Start 9 am onwards.
Lobby of Parliament
Barnet UNISON will be joining other trade unions and disability rights campaigners on a lobby of Parliament in defence of Public Services and Trade Union rights on 8 July, assemble at 1 pm in Parliament Square, (opposite Westminster Abbey).
UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said: “Our members want to work for the Council, they want to be directly accountable to the residents of Barnet. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will have to place the shareholders’ legal demands before local residents’ needs. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which uses zero hours contracts. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will not pay the London Living Wage as a basic minimum. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which won’t allow their colleagues to belong to their Pension Scheme, and our members don’t want to work for an employer which will take jobs out of the borough. That’s why 87% of our members working for the Council voted ‘Yes’ to taking strike action. So far the Council has failed to come close to agreeing to any one of these demands. One of our members has written and produced a music campaign video called “The easyCouncil Loco-motion” which pretty much sums up the mood of our members take a look here https://youtu.be/Wi0bdgofsmM”
End.
Notes to Editors.
Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
1. Six years ago Barnet Council introduced a policy known as Future Shape which morphed into ‘easyCouncil’*.This imposed a series of tariffs on residents wishing to access a range of services. A basic service would be offered to residents at a fixed price, but ‘fast track’ services might be available if you paid extra.
This approach was quickly abandoned by the consultant driven One Barnet Programme, which led to the following Council Services being outsourced/privatised in the space of three years:
1. Social Care for Adults with disabilities to Your Choice Barnet
2. Housing Options to Barnet Homes
3. Parking Services to NSL
4. Revenues & Benefits, IT, HR & Payroll, Pensions, Health & Safety, Finance, Estates, Property Services, Procurement, Projects all now part of Capita CSG
5. Environmental Health, Planning, Building Control, Hendon Cemetery & Crematorium, Highways, Trading Standards & Licensing all now Capita RE
6. Legal Services
7. Registrars & Nationality Services
8. CCTV
9. Music Trust
10. Public Health
11. Mortuary Services.
Over the past three years our members have seen hundreds of colleagues transferred to other employers. This has often meant redundancy as the new employer has moved jobs out of the borough and Greater London to places as far afield as Belfast, Carlisle, Coventry, Southampton and Darlington.
Barnet has branded this final phase as the ‘Commissioning Council’.
On 3 March 2015 Barnet Council agreed its next Five Commissioning Plans all of which are looking at ‘Alternative Delivery Models’, jargon for working for a different employer.
The Council Services now at risk of outsourcing are:
1. Early Years – 13 Children’s Centres
2. Library Services
3. Adults & Communities services
4. Street Scene Services e.g. Waste & Recycling, Street Cleansing, Parks and Transport
5. Education & Skills and School Meals services.
2. Disappearing Council – short animation https://youtu.be/YQ5t63fSu-s
3. “The easyCouncil Loco-motion” https://youtu.be/Wi0bdgofsmM
Barnet UNISON Press Release: “3 wheels on my wagon and I’m still rolling along
Barnet UNISON Press Release: 1 July 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: “3 wheels on my wagon and I’m still rolling along”
UNISON calls on councillors to stop Education privatisation project :
First there were three contractors, then there were two and now there is only one and as the song goes the commissioning juggernaut “keeps rolling along”
The fate of almost 400 Council workers hangs in the balance as two out of the three private contractors ‘bail out’ of the bidding process.
It is clear that the market has spoken and the message is loud and clear. The market is not interested in what has been offered up for sale which is why UNISON has written to Barnet Council asking to postpone the procurement process and exclude the Catering Service from the Joint Venture Company option and retain the service in-house.
Barnet Council actively promotes itself with the support of Capita as a “Commissioning Council.” Throughout this period of change the Council claims to be open to all options as to who delivers the service. However the reality paints a different picture as the outsoucing of over a thousand staff can confirm.
UNISON Branch Secretary, John Burgess, said: “The fact that Capita has pulled out of contract talks should be ringing alarm bells for councillors. The decision of officers to go ahead simply reinforces the feelings of the workforce that the Council is wedded to outsourcing even when the market is clearly saying that there is very little interest. Only outsourcing fundamentalists would argue that Best Value can be achieved under these circumstances. The common sense postion would be to postpone the process and look to develop an improved in-house service. Our members will be taking strike action on 8 July as they want to remain Council employees.”
Notes to Editors.
Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
On 31 January 2015 Barnet Council put out an invitation to tender for Education & Skills and School Meals services which you can view here
http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:36188-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML
The contract was advertised & valued from £89 million up to £986 million.
The tender received only three bids from:
1. Capita Business Services Ltd
2. EC Harris LLP
3. Mott MacDonald Ltd, trading as Cambridge Education
However, just before the contract talks began EC Harris LLP mysteriously dropped out and this is what the Council had to say:
“As you are aware, we commenced dialogue with our bidders last week. One of our bidders (EC Harris) withdrew from the process shortly before dialogue commenced. Whilst this is obviously disappointing, it is not unusual in this sort of procurement and I’m pleased to report that discussions with the remaining two bidders have been very positive and interesting so far.”
On Wednesday 24 June staff working for Education & Skills received an email from the Council explaining that:
“Capita Business Services Ltd submitted a letter withdrawing from the procurement process, as they had concluded that this particular opportunity did not provide the right fit with their Entrust business model.”
They went on to add:
“It is recognised that this may raise questions about the lack of competitive tension in the process and the subsequent ability of the Council to test best value from the final tender. However, it is not unusual for competitive dialogue procurements to end up with a single bidder and there are various robust means through which we can test best value.”
On 8 June UNISON submitted a report asking the Council to postpone the project after news that the third bidder had droped out before the contract talks began. http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Education%20&%20Skills%20subcontracting_0.pdf
On Monday 29 June UNISON submitted statement to Barnet Councllors asking them to call off the project http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1596
Key Links:
Barnet Council – Commissioning Council At Any Price
http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/barnet-council-commission-council-at.html
Competitive tension, or: providing the right fit – another outsourcing farce in Broken Barnet
http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/competitive-tension-or-providing-right.html
The Open Plus Library – The Job Minus Library
The Council are considering options for the future of the Library Service. £2.8 million is to be cut from the Library budget with up to 68% of this coming from staffing. There is no option for the Service to remain in-house.
As part of this review process the long awaited (threatened?) Open+ Pilot started at Edgware Library this week. This allow members of the public to enter the Library before and after staffed opening hours. If the Council deem the pilot a success it will be extended to all of Barnet Library Service.
Extending access appears to be a good development, but it will result in fewer Library staff and less staffed opening hours. The Council has stated:
“The use of technology can now allow the Council to open and close a library without the need for any staff to be on site – the ‘open’ library” (Libraries Strategy: 1.15)
&
“To achieve the level of savings required from the service will require a reduction in staffed opening hours.” (Libraries Strategy: 1.16)
The Council are considering having staff present for only 50% of current Library opening hours.
But the drive to remove experienced, qualified and dedicated Library worker from our Libraries does not stop there. The Council are contemplating a:
“Move to an entirely unstaffed opening model. The third approach would still require staffing to maintain effective running of the library (for example in re-stocking) but these would not be offering information and advice to visitors. Some of this work could be done by volunteers.”
(Libraries Strategy: Appendix A Library Options Paper October 2014 6.8)
The Open+ Library Project will lead to posts being cut, and a decline in the quality of Barnet Libraries. UNISON have opposed this since the Council’s intentions were announced last autumn. The next step in this struggle and the fight to save all Council Services is the industrial action on July 8th.
8 ways you can help #BarnetStrikers
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Barnet Council workers are planning to take strike action on
Wednesday 8 July.
Our newspaper Barnet VOICE explains why here
Lots of people have asked how they can support the campaign.
Here are 8 ways you can help.
1. Please sign our petition https://t.co/rMyBAeVDOQ
2. Pop down to our picket lines, details here
3. Promote our campaign song “The easyCouncil Loco-motion” https://youtu.be/Wi0bdgofsmM
4. Promote this animation about how Austerity is impacting our community. https://youtu.be/YQ5t63fSu-s
5. Follow us on Twitter here https://twitter.com/barnet_unison
6. Follow us on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnet-Unison-branch/476910392463004 and like our page and share our posts.
7. Please send messages of solidarity & support to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
8. Please send donations to Barnet UNISON office at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
UNISON calls on councillors to stop Education privatisation project
Competition – three, two, one
Three original bidders reduced to two when EC Harris LLP withdrew just before the procurement dialogue process began. In late June Capita Business Services Ltd withdraw because “…this particular opportunity did not provide the right fit with their Entrust (Staffordshire) business model.” This leaves Cambridge Education (Mott MacDonald) with no competition, because Barnet Council made a decision not to develop an in-house option.
Subcontracting of catering confirmed
Our earlier report in June predicted the ‘Threat of large-scale subcontracting’ which proved correct when Capita and Mott MacDonald revealed catering subcontractors.
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Education%20&%20Skills%20subcontracting_0.pdf
Mott MacDonald, not Barnet Council, selected ISS to be its catering subcontractor.
New key issues
1. The lack of competition seriously undermines the credibility of the procurement process and places Barnet Council in a weak negotiating position. Obtaining Best Value in these circumstances is highly unlikely.
2. It is evident the Catering Service is included in the contract for the “…viability of the venture” (Council response to our earlier report). In other words, the justification is financial, not operational synergy. Catering makes a relatively large net contribution to the Council budget and potential additional income is nearly twice that of the services included in the contract. This reinforces our recommendation that Catering should be retained in-house.
3. Subcontracting catering means savings will be split three-ways with Barnet Council sandwiched between two global contractors of Mott MacDonald and ISS.
4. The Council chose not to disclose to councillors, staff and the trade unions that ISS were are already involved in the Dialogue.
5. UNISON is concerned that low paid catering workers will bear the brunt of the demand for efficiency savings and profits leading to changes to terms and conditions and a two-tier workforce.
6. The quality of school meals could be threatened.
7. The current situation raises entirely new risks, which must be identified, allocated and estimated as a matter of urgency and reported to the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee.
8. Has Cambridge Education (Mott MacDonald) any experience in managing a global catering contractor like ISS? Will the Council have to monitor the subcontractor either directly or through Cambridge Education or Mott MacDonald? The Council is already having to create more posts within commissioning in order to effectively monitor the growing number of contractors. This is adding to the cost of outsourcing and reinforces UNISON’s previous view that the ‘thin client’ does not work.
9. We strongly recommend the Council postpone the procurement process and exclude the Catering Service from the JVC option and retain in-house.
UNISON calls on councillors to stop privatisation project
Competition – three, two, one
Three original bidders reduced to two when EC Harris LLP withdrew just before the procurement dialogue process began. In late June Capita Business Services Ltd withdraw because “…this particular opportunity did not provide the right fit with their Entrust (Staffordshire) business model.” This leaves Cambridge Education (Mott MacDonald) with no competition, because Barnet Council made a decision not to develop an in-house option.
Subcontracting of catering confirmed
Our earlier report in June predicted the ‘Threat of large-scale subcontracting’ which proved correct when Capita and Mott MacDonald revealed catering subcontractors.
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Education%20&%20Skills%20subcontracting_0.pdf
Mott MacDonald, not Barnet Council, selected ISS to be its catering subcontractor.
New key issues
1. The lack of competition seriously undermines the credibility of the procurement process and places Barnet Council in a weak negotiating position. Obtaining Best Value in these circumstances is highly unlikely.
2. It is evident the Catering Service is included in the contract for the “…viability of the venture” (Council response to our earlier report). In other words, the justification is financial, not operational synergy. Catering makes a relatively large net contribution to the Council budget and potential additional income is nearly twice that of the services included in the contract. This reinforces our recommendation that Catering should be retained in-house.
3. Subcontracting catering means savings will be split three-ways with Barnet Council sandwiched between two global contractors of Mott MacDonald and ISS.
4. The Council chose not to disclose to councillors, staff and the trade unions that ISS were are already involved in the Dialogue.
5. UNISON is concerned that low paid catering workers will bear the brunt of the demand for efficiency savings and profits leading to changes to terms and conditions and a two-tier workforce.
6. The quality of school meals could be threatened.
7. The current situation raises entirely new risks, which must be identified, allocated and estimated as a matter of urgency and reported to the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee.
8. Has Cambridge Education (Mott MacDonald) any experience in managing a global catering contractor like ISS? Will the Council have to monitor the subcontractor either directly or through Cambridge Education or Mott MacDonald? The Council is already having to create more posts within commissioning in order to effectively monitor the growing number of contractors. This is adding to the cost of outsourcing and reinforces UNISON’s previous view that the ‘thin client’ does not work.
9. We strongly recommend the Council postpone the procurement process and exclude the Catering Service from the JVC option and retain in-house.
What we are doing on 8 July strike
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Education & School Meals Services – Part Two
Dear Colleagues
I am writing to all of our members in relation to the latest news that Capita has pulled out of the contract talks.
I think it important to set out what has happened in the last six months.
On 31 January 2015 Barnet Council put out an invitation to tender for Education & Skills and School Meals services which you can view here
http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:36188-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML
The contract was advertised & valued from £89 million up to £986 million.
The tender received only three bids from:
1. Capita Business Services Ltd
2. EC Harris LLP
3. Mott MacDonald Ltd, trading as Cambridge Education
However, just before the contract talks began EC Harris LLP mysteriously dropped out and this is what the Council had to say:
“As you are aware, we commenced dialogue with our bidders last week. One of our bidders (EC Harris) withdrew from the process shortly before dialogue commenced. Whilst this is obviously disappointing, it is not unusual in this sort of procurement and I’m pleased to report that discussions with the remaining two bidders have been very positive and interesting so far.”
UNISON was concerned about the lack of bidders and sent a report to councillors outlining our concerns and calling for a postponement of the process.
You can read what we had to say here and read the response from the Council here
On Wednesday 24 June staff working for Education & Skills received an email from the Council explaining that:
“Capita Business Services Ltd submitted a letter withdrawing from the procurement process, as they had concluded that this particular opportunity did not provide the right fit with their Entrust business model.”
They went on to add:
“It is recognised that this may raise questions about the lack of competitive tension in the process and the subsequent ability of the Council to test best value from the final tender. However, it is not unusual for competitive dialogue procurements to end up with a single bidder and there are various robust means through which we can test best value.”