Connaught appoint KPMG as Administrators

There has been a lot of speculation and concern for our members working for Connaughts.

Today staff received news that Connaught have appointed partners from KPMG as administrators of Connaught plc.

Today I wrote to the Chief Executive of Barnet Homes requesting “on behalf of our members in Connaught that Barnet Homes takes urgent action to bring back the service in-house thus ending speculation and uncertainty both for staff and council tenants.”

 

Barnet Council – Social housing group Connaught ‘nears administration’

“Connaught, the property services group that specialises in social housing, is on the brink of going into administration, the BBC has learned.”

Full story click here

Some of you will have seen the above BBC news headline this morning. Connaught was a top 250 FTSE Company not long ago. I am not sure what happens if Connaught goes under. Council Housing still need a repair service and what about the staff. I have written to the Chief Executive asking what the plan is

Barnet Homes staff.

You will be aware that your former colleagues working in council housing repairs are facing an uncertain future. Barnet Homes have served notice a six month on Connaught. Our branch is organising a petition to bring these staff back into to Barnet Homes just as we would do for any of our members.

We are asking all our members, non members to support these workers in their ‘hour of need.’

Our UNISON Convenor Anne Denison and our local reps will be circulating the petition I hope you are all able to sign it.

HOME CARE Contracts in Barnet : The reality of out-sourcing.

In 2002 the Council’s Home Care service was outsourced to Housing 21 with the existing staff complement TUPE’d over to this new employer.

As the years went by there have been restructures and the Council introduced CM2000; which meant that carers telephoned the office at the start and end of their allotted time with the service user. More recently there has been a reduction in the allotted visit times from the usual hour to separate slots of only 15, 30 or 45 minutes per visit. Hsg 21 provided some 3000+ hours of home care to elderly and vulnerable Barnet residents

The Council had many different providers for the various Home Care contracts and then last year there was the ‘Re-ablement project’ of 6 weeks of intensive regular support to aid early hospital discharges which Hsg 21 pilotted. Subsequently the contracts were re-tendered with a specialised ‘Re-ablement’ contract of between 1000-1600 hours per week to start from 1st November 2010 and separate contractors to provide the usual home care ongoing support.

Housing 21 won the ‘Re-ablement’ contract which was in part a tribute to the professionalism and integrity of the many ex-Barnet staff who worked so hard with the initial project. However there is now a serious deficit of a possible 2 thirds [3000+ down to 1000+] in the hours that Barnet Council has commissioned from Hsg 21 with obvious implications for nearly 200 members of staff. They face the uncertain future of possibly being again TUPE’d to one of the 11 new contractors, or being interviewed/selected for a re-ablement’ post with Hsg 21 or being made redundant. This effects the actual carers and also the office staff who support all the programming

Staff consultations start on Monday 6th Sept and Barnet UNISON will do everything possible to support members through this difficult and anxious time.

 

  

What happens when workers stand together and fight back – Lambeth

“Lambeth UNISON wins their first victory against the cuts but “the fight is not over”

Lambeth UNISON won an important early victory in their anti-cuts campaign. CYPS Convenor Andy Tullis informed members of the victory soon after the announcement and explained the lessons all union members can learn from the One O’clock club campaign:

“Under the huge pressure that we have exerted through all our campaigning work in the last month Lambeth Council (stunned by the public outcry) have withdrawn their proposals for One O’clock Clubs and agreed to assimilate all staff in Adventure Playgrounds. This is a marvellous step forward for our campaign and shows what we can achieve if we stick together and unite with the community to fight the cuts.  Full credit must go to the One O’clock Club and Adventure Playground staff who have played a magnificent role in getting themselves organised and gaining public support.  This shows that if we organise win can win.”

The One O’Clock clubs have almost total union density and quickly organised themselves to fight cuts alongside parents who use their service.

UNISON stewards in the clubs were delighted by the news and commented:

“We feel we’ve won the first battle! It was the first victory because of the nature of what they were trying to do — these cuts were not budget-led. In fact the new set up would have cost more. The council had been planning this attack for some time, and after the election they jumped on the Lib-Con government’s bandwagon. The council’s arguments were totally implausible. They claimed they were replacing unqualified people with better qualified staff… In that case, why not use the existing procedures? Management just ended up looking stupid. It was clear they wanted to attack the union and attack the service we run.”

But nobody in the Lambeth branch is ready to sit back and enjoy their victory, the fight goes on and they have vowed to fight for every job and every service.

£6 Million of public money!

Sad person that I am, I was trawling through the Cabinet Resources Committee papers. Agenda Item 10 Monitoring 2010/11 Report.

The relevant section:

4.3 The arbitrator in the Catalyst dispute has found partially in favour in Catalyst. The cost to the Council to March 2010 has not been finally determined, but will be up to £6m. The cost will be funded from the risk reserve (currently £17.7m), leaving a reduced balance to manage other risks, including Icelandic bank deposits.

I am very angry. This is public money that will not benefit Barnet residents. Unfortunately I have a long memory and fought hard with UNISON members to oppose this back in 1999.

We produced reports with Professor Dexter Whitfield, opposing the rush to privatise this service, but councillors were being scared into making a rushed and poorly thought out decision.

Unfortunately despite our best efforts and genuine commitment to work with our employer, battle lines were drawn, and none of our recommendations were acknowledged.

The above Deficit Claim by Catalyst Housing (the Partner with Fremantle Trust) ends a long and very bitter four years which has seen the former council workers TUPED to Fremantle Trust have their terms and conditions ripped apart.

The sad fact is public money has been handed over and for what gain?

In the space of a couple of weeks we have seen former council services contracted out in the newspaper headlines Barnet Homes with Edward Meakins, the news of the potential imminent collapse of Connaught the contractor providing council house repairs services and today Catalyst Housing Association .

This is why the Trade Unions are campaigning against the Future Shape programme in its current state.

Very soon I will receive a draft report with proposals to undermine our redundancy scheme and no doubt be informed sometime this year about some pretty savage cuts to public services and redundancy for our members.

How we could do with that £6 million now, and don’t get me started about Icelandic Banks!

I am so angry.

 

 

What is going on in Essex County Council?

Barnet UNISON may remember Essexx UNISON speaking at our  Annual General Meeting. At the time Essex were promoting the privatisation of the whole fo the Council (sounds familiar!).

Later we heard that this had been ditched but a contract was signed with IBM. Today I received a cutting from the local press the articles headline

“Is county councils ambitious IT project on hold”

“Mystery surrounds the future of the scheme designed to save taxpayers money. In a bid to save up to £300 million, Essex Councty Council recently joined forces with software giant IBM.

However it has emerged the council’s leader for the project has been placed on indefinite leave.

 

You can read the full article here and here.

 

Barnet Alliance for Public Services meeting 23 September

Barnet Trades Council are organising a mass community meeting on

Thursday 23rd September

7-9pm, Emerald Suite, North London Business Park (NLBP),

Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1GN

Speakers invited include :

Alasdair Smith, Anti Academies Alliance,

John Lister Health Emergency

Shirley Franklin, Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition

Ken Loach, Film Director

Barnet Council – Use of Consultants

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:

 “Greater openness in spending is the best way to root out waste, spot duplication and increase value for money. That is why I have been asking councils to ‘show me the money’ so local taxpayers can see where their hard earned cash is going.”

 

Barnet has already published their details for April to June 2010.

http://www.barnet.gov.uk/expenditure_by_supplier_apr-jun_2010.xls

 

I am glad this data has been published because I have been asking, unsuccessfully, for the data on consultancy spend for several years. Whilst no organisation as large as the council can ever be fully staffed it is important there are effective controls on staffing costs.

 

There are a number of questions I will be asking:  

  • If we need all the consultants listed has a full business case has been produced?
  • How is the council capturing the skills and expertise of the consultant to transfer to Council staff.
  •  
  • What is the purpose and how will the work of the consultant will be performance managed?
  • Are we complying with HRMC guidelines for the employment of consultants?

 

Severance/Redundancy Pay talks…….

Monday 16 August was the first meeting to discuss proposals. I can reveal that…………we did not discuss any proposals. That is right you read correctly, none have been drafted. The employer was hoping the Trade Unions would have some suggestions as to what was or was not up for discussion.

I have to say I was surprised by this approach. I say this because of the complete disregard to the Trade Union and staff contributions on Future Shape programme. I estimate we have submitted over 30 detailed reports on Future Shape and have yet to receive any meaningful response.

I pointed out that similar consultations are taking places across councils in London. However, there is a big difference in Barnet. No other Council is adopting the ‘mass privatisation’ or ‘commissioning model’ whilst at the same time attempting to squeeze out as much as they can from hard working council staff.

When changes such as these are proposed usually a draft proposal is submitted to the Trade Unions. After reading the proposal the Trade Unions would offer amendments. Once a final version has been reached the Trade Unions will consult with members.

 

In this case the proposal is estimated to impact on over 6,000 staff including staff working in community schools.

 

Members will no doubt remember that the Council has given a deadline, 25 October. This is the date of the General Functions Committee where Policies need to be agreed by councillors.

 

We said that this date was not feasible as 30 days have already been wasted since we were first informed of the intention to change the two policies. We made the point that a significant number of staff (community schools) were not due back for another three weeks. Even if we had a proposal they could not be consulted until they return.

 

We asked for the deadline to be extended. This was refused.

We explained that members were not happy with the prospect of further attacks on their terms and conditions whilst at the same time facing the prospect of being privatised and having a two year pay freeze! Staff are already under pressure to deliver services with less staff, we have had reports that staff are receiving further pressure with regards, ill health, tea breaks and flexible working.

 

I think it is safe to say Barnet staff aren’t happy.

I asked that a proposal be submitted to the Trade Unions in order we can discuss and provide comments and consult with our members.

 

It was agreed and  two meetings have been timetabled for the 1 and 23 September.

 

In the interim, once we receive the proposal, we will begin consultation with our members.

 

How will UNISON consult?

It is important that your union negotiators fully understand the views of the majority of members. In order to maximise the involvement of our members we will write to all our members at their home address. If you have moved home recently please can you contact the UNISON branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk with your new details.

 

A ballot paper will be included with the letter which we will be asking you to complete and return in the prepaid envelope enclosed.

 

Make sure you complete and send back your ballot paper and check with other UNISON members in your team that they have done the same.

 

Legal Advice

As soon as I first raised this issue I was inundated by questions as to whether UNISON was seeking legal advice. I can confirm legal advice has been requested. However, I would ask members not to raise hopes that this issue will be addressed through legal challenges. Trade Union history is not about gaining benefits to terms and conditions by winning a legal argument. The gains we all take for granted were earned through the hardship and sacrifices of workers. It may be a surprise for some members to learn there is a legal minimum employer’s calculation for redundancy pay. The Council currently pays more than the legal minimum. 

1 197 198 199 200 201 230