Defend our UNISON rep – Letter to Editor

Dear Editor,

We, the undersigned, wish to convey our disgust at the act of hate crime vandalism carried out on the car of Barnet UNISON branch secretary John Burgess on 8th July. We note this attack took place two weeks after his name appeared in support of a planned anti-fascist protest in Golders Green and 10 days after John and the Barnet UNISON banner featured prominently in the trade union block on the Pride March.  Given this background we do not think either the manner of the attack or the homophobic language used were coincidental. We also believe that the way in which  some sections of the media and some politicians  have chosen to vilify trade unions,  has played  a role  by  seeming to legitimise such an individual attack as has been suffered by John Burgess. John is an elected official who enjoys the support of his branch membership. If this attack was an attempt to silence the work of John or the branch he represents, then it has failed. We will not stand aside and allow a fellow trade unionist, who has set an outstanding example over several years, to be intimidated in this way. We call on all supporters to join the Barnet UNISON branch on the community demonstration 12th September in Barnet to save Barnet Libraries at 11.15 a.m. Church End Library N3 1TR.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary UNISON

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, PCS

Christine Blower, General Secretary of NUT

Ian Hodson, National President BFAWU

John McDonnell MP

Jeremy Corbyn MP

Chris Stephens MP

Aditya Chakrabortty, Senior Economics Commentator,The Guardian

John Hendy QC

Bush Hill Park Labour Party

Nicola Field, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (pc)

Gethin Roberts, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners

Weyman Bennett, Joint Secretary Unite Against Fascism

Barnet Alliance for Public Services

Tirza Waisel, Barnet Alliance for Public Services

Barbara and Bob Jacobson, Barnet Alliance for Public Services

Chris Kaufman, Chairman, Enfield Alliance Against the Cuts

Social Work Action Network

Ellen Clifford, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)

Paula Peters, DPAC 

Debbie Jolly DPAC

Roger Lewis DPAC

Linda Burnip, DPAC steering group

Helen Davies, NEC and Branch Chair Barnet UNISON

Jon Rogers, NEC and Branch Secretary Lambeth UNISON

Sonya Howard, NEC and Branch Secretary Kensington and Chelsea UNISON

Max Watson, NEC and Branch Secretary London Metropolitan University UNISON

John McLoughlin, Local Government Service Group Executive and Branch Secretary Tower Hamlets

Sue Plain, Local Government Service Group Executive and Branch Secretary, Southwark UNISON

Sean Fox, Haringey LG joint branch secretary & NJC
Andrew Berry, UNISON National Labour Link Committee

Roger Tichborne, Barnet Eye blog

Theresa Musgrove, Broken Barnet blog

Derek Dishman, Mr Mustard blog

John Dix, Mr Reasonable blog

Cllr Amy Trevethan, Barnet Council

Cllr Paul Edwards, Barnet Council

A M Poppy, Barnet Green Party

Adele Ward, Barnet Green Party

Ray Knight, Branch Secretary, Bush Hill Park Labour Party

Patrick Hunter, Barnet Trades Council Secretary

Paul Coles, GMB Convenor, Barnet

Keith Nason, Barnet NUT Division Secretary

Greg Edwards, Fire Brigades Union Barnet Borough Rep

Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, NUT

Julie Davies Divisional Secretary Haringey NUT

Candy Udwin PCS National Gallery

Alan Wylie, Unison Member & Library Campaigner

Onay Kasab, Unite Regional Officer

George Binette, Camden UNISON Branch Secretary

Phoebe Watkins and Barry Walden, joint Chair Camden UNISON

Glenn Kelly, Bromley UNISON Branch Secretary

Gavin Mott/Esther Rey, Joint Branch Secretaries Hounslow LG Branch UNISON

Laurie Pocock, Croydon UNISON Branch Secretary

Matt Ratcliffe, Hillingdon UNISON Branch Secretary

Alasdair Hill, Barnet Liberal Democrats

Caroline Powls Barnet UNISON member

Martin Francis, Brent Green Party, Wembley Matters blog

Pat Poole, UCU Branch Administrator, University of York UCU

Noel Lynch, Chair Green Party Trade Union group, 

Peter Murry Secretary Green Party Trade Union group, 

Rick Jewell, Branch Officer, NHC Postal Branch CWU

Tom Walker, CWU Branch Secretary, Northern Home Counties Postal Branch

Dexter Whitfield, Director, European Services Strategy Unit

Martin Sleath, Jt Branch Secretary, Notts Unison

Serena Powis, UNISON Chairperson, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Branch

Christopher Roche, Vice President, Bath UCU

Rabbi Jeffrey, Newman Member of Unite

Ben Jackson, UNISON Branch Secretary, Manchester Community and Mental Health UNISON Branch

Keith Martin, Chaville Press

Amanda Brown, UNISON Branch Secretary, Dorset County Branch

Glen Williams, Branch Secretary, Sefton UNISON

Bath Trade Unions’ Council

Andrew Dismore AM, London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden

Philip Lewis, Camden UNISON Vice Chair & Branch Health & Safety officer & Conv.ASC in HASC & UNISON National & Regional Health & Safety Comm.

Gary Padgett, Assistant Branch Secretary, UNISON Lincolnshire County Branch

Charles Pottins, assistant secretary Brent Trades Union Council, member West London retired branch,Unite.

Bahir Laattoe, Barnet NUT President

 

Cllr. A. Moore Leader of Barnet Labour Party 

To add your name email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

Barnet Press: “Union condemns hate crime as rep’s car is vandalised” click here

Hendon Times: ‘We won’t let the bullies intimidate us’ – union rep in hate attack click here

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.  

 

Strike. Picket. Lobby details here & how you can help here

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.

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.”

In our meeting on Wednesday 24 June UNISON made it clear to officers that going ahead with the privatisation talks with just one contractor was clearly wrong. Furthermore we added that 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.

UNISON advised officers we will be submitting an emergency report to Councillors requesting that the process is postponed.

Why the secrecy about the subcontractor?

In our meeting yesterday we were informed global giant ISS will be taking over our Catering Services and that they have been involved in the contract talks all along. UNISON expressed our disappointment this had not been shared with staff in the recent staff briefing or been shared with councillors on the Children’s, Education, Libraries, Safeguarding Committee.

The confirmation of the news about the subcontractor reinforces our concern that low paid members will be targeted to deliver savings which will now have to be split three ways i.e. Barnet Council, Mott Macdonald & ISS.

I will continue to update our members on any new developments.

Please note our next day of strike action is likely to be Wednesday 8 July.

Call off the privatisation of Education & School Meals services – Part One

On 31 January 2015 Barnet Council put out 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 below:

“Further to your email of 8th June 2015 and Councillor Thompstone’s response of the same date, Councillor Thompstone has asked me to provide a more detailed response to the points raised in the paper you circulated.

Firstly, in respect of the Outline Business Case and financial modelling, these were considered at the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee meeting in January.  At that meeting, it was made clear to Members of the Committee that the modelling was based on a series of assumptions that were set out in the Outline Business Case.  It was also made clear that the only way of testing these assumptions further and reaching an informed view would be to undertake a procurement exercise and that is the process that we are in at the moment.  I therefore see no basis on which we would benefit from revisiting either the Outline Business Case or the financial modelling at this stage in the process.  The outcomes of the procurement exercise will be set out in a Full Business Case, which will be presented to the Committee in November in order for the Committee to make an informed decision on the way forward.

Moving on to your concerns regarding sub-contracting, I can assure you that any contractual arrangements that come out of this procurement exercise would not permit sub-contracting of any part of the service without the prior agreement of the Council.  Furthermore, the competitive dialogue process requires bidders to set out their proposals for delivering services throughout the life of the contract, including the use of sub-contractors, and these proposals will be tested in full as part of that process.  The contract itself will also include robust arrangements for the management of any sub-contractor arrangements.

As Councillor Thompstone indicated in his email, it is our view that keeping all of these services together will provide the most coherent and integrated offer to schools and that excluding the catering service could reduce the viability of the venture.  This will also be tested as part of the competitive dialogue process.

The Equalities Impact Assessment is a “live” document that is updated throughout the process.  We are currently in the process of updating our detailed HR data and this will feed into an update of the Assessment, as will the outcomes of Outline Solutions.  The Assessment will continue to be updated throughout the process, with a final version being included in the Full Business Case.

It would be our intention to include arrangements for profit-sharing, open book accounting and an annual report in the contract in any event and these would apply equally to any sub-contractor.  Within Mr Whitfield’s paper, these suggestions are linked to concerns regarding there only being two bidders.  We are not seeking to appoint the cheapest bidder here, nor are bidders just competing against each other. Bids will be assessed against the evaluation criteria that we have set (of which 30% relates to financial benefit) and the successful bidder will need to meet all of the objectives that have been set for the project relating to service quality, engagement with schools and the delivery of the MTFS savings.”

It is interesting to note there is no mention of a subcontractor taking part in the talks.

To find out what happened next read Education Privatisation Saga Part Two.

UNISON asks Barnet Council to postpone privatisation talks

On Wednesday 3 June 2015 Barnet UNISON attended two meetings at which Education & Skills and Schools Meals staff were informed that the Council were in talks with Capita & Mott MacDonald (Cambridge Education) about taking over their services.

It would be fair to say that the general feeling of the meeting was that the current proposal for privatisation was not supported and there was a strong view from staff that the prospects of the current proposal generating growth were bordering on fantasy.

Today, 8 June at a UNISON meeting staff mandated the branch to write to all Councillors on the Children’s, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee outlining our concerns and seeking a postponement of the process.

UNISON recommendations:

Barnet UNISON strongly recommends that the Council should:

1. Postpone the Competitive Dialogue until the revised Outline Business Plan is completed and agreed by the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee.

2. Revise the financial modelling for trading income in the JVC option as a matter of urgency.

3. Revise the Education and Skills Outline Business Plan to take account of the financial, organisational, risk and operational implications of subcontracting the bulk of the workforce to another private contractor.

4. Seek confirmation from the bidders about their long-term plans for all the Education and Skills services and to reject proposals that involve subcontracting of services, except for obtaining specialist advice and skills.

5. Exclude the Catering Service from the JVC option and retain in-house.

6. Revise the Equalities Impact Assessment for Education and Skills to include a full employment profile of those employed in the services.

7. Re-examine the responsibilities, accountability and the decision making process, contract clauses and the method of monitoring and scrutinising the performance of a major subcontractor.

8. Require open book accounting for the JVC, a profit-sharing agreement and an annual report from the JVC as part of transparency for schools and the public.

You can read our full report here

Why we are striking from a Library worker

Why we are striking from a Library worker

Library Workers are taking strike action to defend their jobs and the Library Service.  Barnet Council plan to privatise our Libraries, or to hand them over to a “mutual”, or in some cases have them run by “Community groups”.   Some Libraries may be closed, and most will be reduced to 540 square feet in size.  Libraries will be unstaffed for two thirds of their opening hours, with under- 16 year olds being denied access without an adult during these times.  Even when Libraries are staffed, numbers will be reduced by as much as one third of their present levels.

Libraries will become little more than book collection points. The choice of items to borrow or view will be reduced as Libraries are shrunk. Study areas, meeting places, events and activities such as story times for toddlers will be cut due to lack of space and staff. Advice and help from experienced and qualified Library staff will be limited as they are replaced by volunteers and self-service machines.  Unstaffed Libraries may deter many people from visiting as there will be no one to deal with emergencies or anti-social behaviour

Library Workers and other Council staff are only taking strike action after the employers have failed to seriously negotiate with us on the future of Council services.  We ask for your support as we defend our and your Libraries.

Hugh Jordan

 

UNISON Convenor for Library Services

“Pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again!”

On Saturday 9 May almost 500 people joined the four libraries march across Barnet.

Children’s Author Alan Gibbons started the march off from South Friern Library with a rousing speech.

As the march weaved in and out of the streets marching to the beat of a big bass drum it was amazing to hear the fantastic reaction from the public.

At East Finchley Library we were entertained by an improvised children’s choir who sang their version of the “wheels on the bus go round and round” as a tribute to the mobile library service.

Then we were off to Church End Library where we were met by London Metropolitan Brass band and a Red Double Decker bus donated by the NUT and driven by their branch secretary.

After a brief break to visit the library we then marched off with the Brass band all the way to North Finchley Library.

Everyone was delighted to have taken part in such a positive event and gave a commitment to be ready for the next stage of the campaign.

100 reasons to check out Barnet.

In Barnet over the past 6 years there has been some major changes to Council services. Here are 100 links to a variety of video clips, short films, songs and animations.

1. Barnet: The Disappearing Council – full version

https://youtu.be/YQ5t63fSu-s

2. Welcome to the Disappearing Council

https://youtu.be/XMSjyr5OL64

3. Save Barnet Libraries campaign gets a Bollywood makeover

https://youtu.be/Xt1RzsOerMo

4. Barneto : The Emperors New Clothes

https://youtu.be/hFK07Vu-Ti4

5. Disappearing Council the movie

https://youtu.be/P8sT5JVNWwE

To view complete list click here

1 10 11 12 13 14 15