Contacting the Branch

Uncategorised

If you have any questions or need any support please contact the Branch Office

 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Or you can call 020 8359 2088, if we are unable to answer the telephone please leave a message speaking slowly and clearly please include your name, telephone number, membership number and a brief message about the assistance you require. We will respond as soon as we can.

Alternatively you can contact UNISON Direct Call Centre by telephone 

08000 857 857 Monday – Friday 6am – Midnight, Saturday 9am – 4pm

or make an online enquiry by clicking the following link

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/online-enquiries/

To Join UNISON click the following link 

https://join.unison.org.uk/

Barnet Council and The Barnet Group cut tea and coffee to staff

Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Barnet Council announced last week that they would be ending tea and coffee for their staff in the workplace. The Barnet Group a local authority trading company 100% owned by Barnet Council has made the same statement to their staff.

 

“Things must be bad to if the employer believes that this cut will help address the financial crisis facing Barnet Council. How much is this really going to save? This message is not going down well with staff across both employers. Our members are more interested in whether the Council has a grip on millions they keep handing over to Agencies and Consultants (£20 million last year) or the millions given to Capita (£24 million) last year. The Council need to rethink this decision.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.

Barnet UNISON Statement on Barnet Council Finances

Uncategorised

On Monday 9 September 2024 the trade unions were invited to a meeting to discuss the emerging funding crisis at Barnet Council.

In the meeting we were told

  • The report sets out a forecast overspend of c£20m
  • This is after the application of £18m of reserves meaning with have a gross forecast overspend of £38m.

The overspend is due to

  1. Continuing demand pressures in Adults and Children’s Social Care
  2. Demand for Temporary Accommodation and associated loss on Housing Benefit Subsidy
  3. Cost of borrowing to deliver the capital programme
  4. Unachievable “cross council” and some other savings.

The Council plans to do the following:

  • Directorate-level recovery action plans – informed by Star Chambers held during August/early September
  • Re-introduction of spending controls via a daily panel
  • Capital programme review
  • Planned external review of our spending levels across all services

You can read the Chief Finance Officers report to Cabinet Committee on Tuesday 17 September here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s85156/CFO%20Financial%20Management%20Report%20Quarter%201%202024-25%20for%20Sept%20Cabinet%20for%20publication.pdf

 

Barnet Council is looking to see what the Labour Government will give to Barnet Council at the end of October when the funding settlement for all Councils is announced.

 

UNISON recently published a report  “Funding shortfall of £4bn leaves councils on a precipice” Read here https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2024/09/funding-shortfall-of-4bn-leaves-councils-on-a-precipice/

Barnet UNISON understands that some of our members are concerned about this news and are understandably worried about their jobs.

Barnet UNISON has already been informed that as yet there are no plans for mass redundancies as we have seen elsewhere.

Barnet UNISON has over the past 15 years been critical over the Council’s spending on agency/consultants and Capita and other private contractors who deliver services on behalf of the Council.

Following our meeting with the Council on the financial crisis Barnet UNISON has been looking into recent Council spending.



1. Capita spend.




In 2023 one of the big, outsourced Capita contracts ended (Re)  with staff returning to Barnet Council on 1 April 2023.


In September 2023 Capita Estates service came back in-house.


The few remaining services delivered by Capita for Barnet Council are as follows:


    

  • IT services
    • 

  • Customer Services
    • 

  • Revs and Bens
    • 

  • 



Barnet UNISON understands that all the above services will cease to be provided by Capita by March 2026.


Barnet UNISON was shocked to discover that Barnet Council paid Capita in one financial year £24 million. That works out as £2million in payments to Capita every month.


As you can see from the table provided by Barnet resident and local Blogger Mr Reasonable, Capita has received £670 million from Barnet Council since payments first began in 2013.


What is disturbing about the £24 million is that Capita is only being paid to deliver three services.


Barnet UNISON notes that Barnet Council over the life of the contract continues to pay more than the contractually agreed yearly payments.


Barnet UNISON has asked for these payments and future payments to Capita to be subjected to the same level of scrutiny as other in-house services. We are asking that Capita payments should be included in the external review of spending.




 Agency/Consultancy spend




The table above shows the levels of agency/consultancy spending since 2010/11.


Barnet UNISON has asked for greater transparency (in the past the Council used to provide data showing agency/consultancy spend by each directorate) on this spend. In the past there has been a troubling reliance on consultants to tell services what they should be doing rather than use in-house knowledge and skills to help deliver better services for residents.


For the first time in 14 years the £20 million barrier has been broken. This figure equates to the Council spending £1.6 million a month on agency/consultants.


UNISON is calling for an urgent review of agency/consultancy usage and for the details to be broken down across each service area.




3. One Chief Executive not three: plus a senior management review


Barnet Council has three chief executives whereas other London Councils only have one.


    

  • Chief Executive of Barnet Council
    • 

  • Chief Executive of The Barnet Group (TBG) which is a local authority trading company (LATC), 100% owned by Barnet Council, provides Housing and Social care.
    • 

  • Chief Executive of BELs which is a local authority trading company,100% owned by Barnet Council, provides Education services to Barnet Schools
    • 



If the financial crisis is real and UNISON believe that it is real, then Barnet Council needs to organise a major review of its senior management structure.


UNISON proposes that for starters Barnet Council deletes two chief executive roles as part of the major review of all senior management roles starting from Head of Service, Assistant Directors, Directors, Executive Directors before any decisions are taken about cutting vacancies/redundancies, raising charges and or cutting services to residents.




4. Back Office services review.


Currently Barnet Council funds its own back-office services (exception of IT/Customer Services). It also provides funding for two LATCs who provide their own back office services.


Under the current funding crisis UNISON proposes an urgent review of all back office services (including those provided by Capita) with the aim for Barnet Council to be the sole provider of back office services for Barnet Council, TBG and BELS.


 




5. Offer to lobby Keir Starmer with Barnet Council


Barnet UNISON is an affiliated trade union to the Labour party. UNISON members were recently balloted about whether UNISON should continue to pay for a political fund. See result here


“In response to the results, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: ‘The ballot result is an overwhelming vote in favour of keeping our members’ campaign voice and I want to thank everyone who took part.


 


‘The reason so many members voted to keep the fund is because they see the difference it makes.


‘Be it securing Labour commitments to the New Deal for Working People through our Labour Link or supporting UNISON’s work with Hope not Hate and Show Racism the Red Card through our Campaign Fund, both sections of the fund have never been more important. I am proud that our members value this part of our work so highly.’ ”


https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2024/08/unison-votes-to-renew-political-fund/


In the spirit of the words of UNISON general secretary Barnet UNISON is willing to visit Downing Street and lobby for more funding for Barnet Council with the Leader of Barnet Council.




End. 

			

		

		
		


	
		
			
	

		
		
UNISON National Pay ballot : Frequently Asked Questions 2024
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Membership, National, News, Recruitment, Schools, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


1. What was the UNISON pay claim?


UNISON, alongside the other Local Government trade unions Unite and GMB, submitted a claim for an increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is the highest at every pay point. In addition, the claim also included a 2 hour reduction in the working week with no pay detriment, an additional day annual leave, and reviews of discriminatory pay gaps


 


2. What did the employers offer?


The employers offered an increase of £1,481 or 2.5%, whichever is the highest and rejected everything else.


 


3. Why is UNISON balloting us?


Yet again, the pay offer from our employers is another pay cut in real terms. We’ve had years of pay cuts and we have to say enough is enough. School and council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being balloted.


 


4. When will I get my ballot paper?


The ballot opened on 4 September. Ballot papers will start arriving over the next few days – they are being sent out in batches because there’s about 360,000 UNISON members in schools and councils!


 


5. Is UNISON recommending how to vote?


Yes, and YES! UNISON has rejected the employers offer, and is recommending to all members to vote YES for strike action


 


6. Shouldn’t UNISON be negotiating first?


UNISON reps spent weeks negotiating with the employers, but they wouldn’t increase their offer. So now we need to make it clear how serious we are about getting a decent pay rise.


 


7. Will my vote really make a difference?


Definitely – every single vote will make a difference. That’s because we have some really restrictive anti-union laws – so we can’t vote online, and over 50% of members must vote.


 


8. How will I know when I get my ballot paper?




It will arrive in an A5 bright purple envelope, it will have the UNISON logo on the front and will also say in large letters Stand Together For Better Pay, Council and School Pay 2024 on the front. It should be hard to miss!


 


9. How do I vote?


In the bright purple envelope, you will have a ballot paper – you put a X in one of the boxes (preferably YES) and then use the pre-paid, pre-addressed envelope to post the paper back to CES who are running the ballot for UNISON.


 


10. When do I need to return my ballot paper?


Your ballot paper must be returned before 16 October 10am. CES need to have received it by then, so really just complete and post it back as soon as you receive it.


 


11. What if I don’t get a ballot paper?


If you haven’t had a ballot paper by 17 September, then call the Hotline immediately on 0800 0857 857 and they will check your address and send out a replacement paper


 


12. I’ve heard people say it’s a disaggregated ballot? What’s that?


A disaggregated ballot means that we are all being balloted by employer. So for instance in Barnet, we have over 20 separate ballots – some smaller ones in schools that pay NJC pay, plus one for council workers and school workers still employed by Barnet. This is the same in every branch in the country. We need to get over 50% in as many of those ballots as possible.


 


13. If a workmate joins now will they get a ballot paper?


Someone not already in UNISON has until 3 October to join if they want to have a vote. They can join here: Join UNISON and get essential cover


 


14. Can people not in UNISON go on strike?


Yes, but we would always encourage someone to be in a union if they are going to strike. Plus, they wouldn’t be eligible for any strike pay unless they join the union taking strike action!


 


15. Can agency/contract workers join and strike?


Yes, agency workers can join UNISON and can go on strike


 


16. Will I get strike pay?


UNISON pays £50 a day strike pay. This amount can be changed depending on how many members are taking strike action. As soon as the ballot result is known, there will be discussions and decisions made about where strikes will be and about strike pay. If we get over 50% turnout and a YES vote for action, we will keep you updated about strike dates and pay. Details on how to claim it will be available when needed.


 


17. If we strike, we’ll lose money even with strike pay. Is it worth striking?


When we take strike action, we win more money overall than we lose. We know it’s difficult to lose money, but without taking action we know we’ll be worse off this year already. However, if we stand together, get the vote out and fight back, we can win more.


 


18. When we win, will the pay be backdated?


Yes, back to 1 April 2024


 


19. Do you know when we’ll get the money?


That will depend on when the employers give in and agree to our pay claim!


 


20. If someone isn’t in UNISON will they also get the pay rise?


Yes, but we have more chance of getting a better pay rise if we are stronger, so ask anyone not in UNISON to join and get involved to help us win for everyone!


 


21. Where can I find out more?


You can come to the visit the Barnet UNISON media channels where we are publishing updated information about the strike ballot on a regular basis.


Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnet_unison


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarnetUNISON


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnetunison/


Website:  https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/


 


End. 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Press Release: Mass exodus of mental health social workers risks total collapse of services.
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Recruitment, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON mental health social workers dispute with Barnet Council since 1 September 2023 has been over the failure to agree a recruitment and retention payment due to high turnover of staff across three mental health social worker teams.


On Monday 15 July 2024 UNISON wrote to Barnet Council suspending strike action and agreeing to go into talks to try and resolve the dispute.


Unfortunately talks broke down as it became clear in the meeting that Barnet Council was not prepared to reconsider their position.


The following facts provide a glimpse of the scale of the crisis facing Barnet Council.


    

  • 50% of the permanent workforce will have left one of the three mental health social work team workforce since 1 January 2024.
    • 

  • 31 mental health social workers will have left one of the three mental health social work teams in the last two years.
    • 

  • 12 mental health social workers have left the mental health social work team North in the last two years.
    • 

  • 19 mental health social workers have left the mental health social work team South in the last two years.
    • 

  • Did you know that 40% of AMHPs have left the AMHP team in the last two months.
    • 

  • 100% of AMHPs across the North and South mental health teams resigned and left the Council by the end of August 2024.
    • 

  • In July 2023 Barnet Council informed UNISON that they had a budget of £266k to resolve this dispute.
    • 

  • In a meeting with Acas in March 2024 with UNISON they doubled their budget to £532k.
    • 

  • It would cost £150k to settle this dispute
    • 



You can read more facts about this dispute here on our website http://All you need to know about Barnet UNISON mental health social worker strike https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/09/04/all-you-need-to-know-about-barnet-unison-mental-health-social-worker-strike/


 


At our last meeting with Barnet Council our reps informed senior management that they were leaving because it had become clear that Barnet Council does not value their staff or service users. Our members strongly believe that it is not safe to practice as a mental health social worker in the three frontline mental health teams.


“It has become apparently clear that Barnet Council has chosen confrontation rather than negotiation to resolve this high-profile dispute. It is not about the money because we know there is a pot three times bigger than what would be needed to bring this dispute to a close. The sheer scale of the numbers of social workers leaving these three teams should have set alarm bells ringing with senior management. The fact that they appear unconcerned about the risks of the chronic levels of turnover has left mental health social workers feeling deeply unsafe. We still have some members who are currently still working but feeling very scared about what could happen in terms of risks. Failure to end this dispute will leave Barnet Council exposed as an uncaring and unsafe workplace for mental health social workers. 


I have recently reached out to the Chief Executive and Leader of Barnet Council to come back with a revised offer which may be able to retain some of the current staff and encourage experienced mental health social workers to come and work for Barnet.


Until there is a credible offer the Barnet UNISON mental health social worker dispute remains live and we will continue to report on the dispute. It is our duty to advocate for a safe working environment for our members and no one will silence our voice for our members.” (John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON). 


 


Notes to Editors.


Contact details: Barnet UNISON branch on 0208 359 2088 to leave a message on our voicemail or email: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Background: 


1. ‘It’s Soul Destroying’: Why Barnet Social Workers Are on Strike.


https://tribunemag.co.uk/2024/06/its-soul-destroying-why-barnet-social-workers-are-on-strike


2. Euphoria felled by reality and scant ambition – I have seen what could be Labour’s future | Aditya Chakrabortty | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/02/euphoria-reality-labour-future-thatcher-tory


3. Mental health social workers consider striking over staffing levels. 20 June 2023


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/06/20/mental-health-social-workers-consider-striking-over-staffing-levels/


4. Strike ballot opens for mental health social workers. 8 August 2023.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/08/08/strike-ballot-opens-for-mental-health-social-workers/


5. Mental health social workers vote to strike over ‘chronic staffing issues’ 6 September 2023.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/09/06/mental-health-social-workers-vote-to-strike-over-chronic-staffing-issues/


6. Social workers to take 26 days’ further strike action in pay and staffing dispute.26 October 2023.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/10/26/social-workers-to-take-26-days-further-strike-action-in-pay-and-staffing-dispute/


7. Inside a social work strike: the staff fighting for a ‘safe service’ 31 October 2023.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/10/31/inside-a-social-work-strike-the-staff-fighting-for-a-safe-service/


8.Social workers re-balloted on striking after 27 days of action leaves pay dispute unresolved. 18 February 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/02/18/social-workers-re-balloted-on-striking-after-27-days-of-action-leaves-pay-dispute-unresolved/


9. Social workers to take nine more weeks of strike action as talks fail to resolve dispute.


8 March 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/03/08/social-workers-to-take-nine-more-weeks-of-strike-action-as-talks-fail-to-resolve-dispute/


10. Firm pulls out of providing service for council that union claims would have broken social work strike. 17 April 2024


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/04/17/firm-pulls-out-of-providing-service-for-council-that-union-claims-would-have-broken-social-work-strike/


11. Social workers reject council offer to settle dispute after more than 40 days of strike action. 16 May 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/05/16/social-workers-reject-council-offer-to-settle-dispute-after-more-than-40-days-of-strike-action/


12. Social workers escalate dispute with nine-week walkout. 17 May 2024


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/05/17/social-workers-escalate-dispute-with-nine-week-walkout/


13. Council to buy in service to cover social workers during 9-week strike. 21 May 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/05/21/council-to-buy-in-service-to-cover-social-workers-during-9-week-strike/


14. Union threatens court action over council plan to cover social work strike.


24 May 2024


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/05/24/union-threatens-court-action-over-council-plan-to-cover-social-work-strike/


15. Council outsources mental health service to cover social work strike 10 June 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/06/10/council-outsources-mental-health-service-to-cover-social-work-strike/


16. Mental health social workers pose greatest recruitment and retention challenge for adults’ services. 25 June 2024.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/06/25/mental-health-social-workers-pose-greatest-recruitment-and-retention-challenge-for-adults-services/


17. Mental health social workers return to work after nine-week strike 16 July 2024


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/07/16/mental-health-social-workers-return-to-work-after-nine-week-strike/


18. ****This is where it all began in Barnet Council in 2016****


Council sheds qualified social worker posts to save money. 22 November 2016.


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/11/22/council-sheds-qualified-social-worker-posts-save-money/


19.


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
All you need to know about  Barnet UNISON mental health social worker strike
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Recruitment, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Background.


There are three mental health social work teams in this dispute.


    

  • Mental Health Social Work North Team = 13 staff.
    • 

  • Mental Health Social Work South Team = 14 staff.
    • 

  • Approved Mental Health Professional Team (AMHP) = 5 staff
    • 



Barnet UNISON mental health social workers dispute with Barnet Council since 1 September 2023 has been over the failure to agree a recruitment and retention payment due to high turnover of staff across three mental health social worker teams.


On Monday 15 July 2024 UNISON wrote to Barnet Council suspending strike action and agreeing to go into talks to try and resolve the dispute.


Unfortunately talks broke down as it became clear in the meeting that Barnet Council was not prepared to reconsider their position.


This report seeks to provide information about the dispute which is now one of the longest running disputes in UNISON’s history.


*As this dispute is still ongoing this article will be continuously updated. 


 


Leaver’s data.


1. Did you know 50% of the permanent workforce will have left the three mental health social work teams workforce since 1 January 2024.


 


2. Did you know that 31 mental health social workers will have left one of the mental health social work teams in the last two years.


 


3. Did you know that 12 mental health social workers have left the mental health social work team North in the last two years.


 


4. Did you know that 17 mental health social workers have left the mental health social work team South in the last two years.


 


5. Did you know that the mental health social work team South has no AMHPs.


 


6. Did you know that mental health social work team North has no AMHPs as from 1 September 2024.


 


7. Did you know that only one out of a mental health social work team management team of four is an AMHP.


 


8. Did you know that two out of four managers mental health social work teams have no previous experience of working in mental health services.


 


9.Did you know that by the end of August 2024 of the four Lead Practitioner (LP) posts across North and South mental health social work teams there will be two vacancies, leaving only one LP with experience working as a mental health social worker and one LP with no previous experience working as a mental health social worker.


 


10. Did you know that 40% of AMHPs have left the AMHP team in the last two months.


 


11. Did you know that there are only 3 AMHPs across the three mental health social work team teams.


 


12. Did you know that there are only 3 social workers left out of 14 who were in the mental health social work team North on 11 August 2022. Nine of the social workers have left. This represents 80% of the team. Please note that this team only employed social workers. Barnet Council introduced unqualified staff into the team in 2023 when social workers started to leave.


 


13. Did you know that there are only 3 social workers left out of 14 who were in the mental health social work team South on 11 August 2022. Nine of the social workers have left. This represents 80% of the team. Please note that this team only employed social workers. Barnet Council introduced unqualified staff into the team in 2023 when social workers started to leave.


 


Service user issues


1. Did you know that every time a social worker (either permanent or locum) leaves this means further disruption for mental health service users.


 


2. Did you know that there is still a 17-month waitlist for service users with mental health problems.


 


Barnet Council


1. Did you know that Barnet Council were asked to provide staff leaving data in July 2023 and only brought some data at a meeting with UNISON in March 2024. The data provided was not evidence of recruitment and retention issues.


 


2. Did you know that in July 2023 Barnet Council informed UNISON that they had a budget of £266k to resolve this dispute.


 


3. Did you know in a meeting with Acas in March 2024 with UNISON they doubled that figure to £532k.


 


4. Did you know that Barnet Council said they could easily settle our dispute because it was cheaper.


 


5. Did you know that it would cost £150k to settle this dispute?


 


6. Did you know that it took Barnet Council seven months before they would agree to a meeting with UNISON and Acas.


 


7. Did you know that in July 2024 UNISON wrote to Barnet Council suspending strike action. In that meeting with the knowledge that another 25% of permanent social workers had handed in their notice, Barnet Council brought no revised offer to the negotiating table.


 


8. Did you know that Barnet Council used a recruitment agency to strike break. They deny it was strike breaking arguing they outsourced the service. There has been no consultation about outsourcing services with UNISON.


 


9. Did you know that Barnet Council carried out a restructure of mental health social work teams. A report entitled “Adults Social Care Mental Health Service Restructure Consultation Report and Final Proposals, July 2022” was shared with staff.


Two years on and this is the list of their 17 outstanding actions:


    

  • There will be further consultation and engagement with staff to review team criteria; improve processes and pathways; and ensure there are effective ways to work alongside health colleagues for the benefit of the residents we support.
    • 

  • Move of MH Front Door to SCD – suggested this is postponed until referrals criteria are confirmed and training for SCD staff is provided on this basis
    • 

  • To develop and implement a retention strategy for mental health social work staff
    • 

  • To review existing staffing ratios in mental health service to ensure sufficiency and that teams can operate safely and will not be at risk of burn out.
    • 

  • Further need for data cleansing (those noted on Mosaic as having a mental health as a primary need are accurately recorded as such) and addressing backlog of updating contacts in Mosaic
    • 

  • Co-production with people we support to find out what they think and what changes are necessary.
    • 



Ideas to explore further in transformation process:


    

  • A multi-agency crisis team
    • 

  • Staff specifically dedicated to conducting Care and Support Plan reviews
    • 

  • Specialist worker for carrying out CHC checklist or using existing resources in CHC.
    • 



Risk highlighted:


    

  • End of Think -Ahead Students placements impacting negatively on capacity (students are currently holding large number of cases)
    • 

  • Backlog of reviews.
    • 



 


    

  • Gaps in service availability need to be addressed by the commissioning plan.
    • 

  • Additional business support resource was added to the original proposal.
    • 

  • The transfer of the MH front door to SCD has been postponed until September, to ensure criteria are clear and staff have been trained on this basis.
    • 

  • Further work will be undertaken as part of the workforce strategy and business planning process to look at the capacity of teams across adult social care given the pressures of demand that the service faces.
    • 

  • Duty arrangements will need to be finalised and discussed with managers and staff to reflect the move of initial contact to SCD.
    • 

  • Mental Health Teams wished to maintain access to Rio.
    • 



 


Publicity about the dispute.


1. Did you know that Community Care published 15 articles about this dispute which you can read here on our web site.


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/07/29/barnet-council-mental-health-social-worker-recruitment-crisis-community-care/


 


2. Did you know that UNISON wrote to CQC outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FINAL-LETTER-TO-CQC.pdf


 


3. Did you know that UNISON wrote to Association of Directors of Social Services (ADASS) outlining our serious concerns about  the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FINAL-LETTER-TO-ADASS.pdf


 


4. Did you know that UNISON wrote to Social Work England outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FINAL-LETTER-TO-SWE.docx


 


5. Did you know that UNISON wrote to Executive Director of Adult Social Care Dawn Wakeling outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2023/11/16/open-letter-to-executive-director-of-adult-social-care-mental-health-social-work-dispute/


 


6. Did you know that UNISON wrote to Director of Adult Social Care James Mass outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2023/11/16/open-letter-to-director-of-adult-social-care-mental-health-social-work-dispute/


 


7. Did you know that UNISON wrote to Leader of Labour controlled Barnet Council Barry Rawlings outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2023/11/15/open-letter-to-cllr-barry-rawlings-leader-of-barnet-council/


 


8. Did you know that UNISON produced a community newspaper (Barnet VOICE) for Barnet residents outlining our serious concerns about the crisis unfolding across mental health social work teams


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Barnet-Voice-4-v08.pdf


 


9. Did you know that 20,000 community newspapers were delivered to Barnet residents.


 


10. Did you know that Guardian Journalist Aditya Chakrabortty wrote an article about this dispute entitled “Euphoria felled by reality and scant ambition – I have seen what could be Labour’s future | Aditya | The Guardian


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/02/euphoria-reality-labour-future-thatcher-tory


 


11. Did you know the Tribune newspaper covered the dispute in this article. ‘It’s Soul Destroying’: Why Barnet Social Workers Are on Strike. https://tribunemag.co.uk/2024/06/its-soul-destroying-why-barnet-social-workers-are-on-strike


 


12. Did you know that an Early day motion was submitted about the Barnet UNISON mental health social worker dispute which you can view here https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/61831/barnet-mental-health-union-dispute


 


13. Did you know that hundreds of trade union members have signed a public statement calling upon the Leader of Barnet Council, Cllr Barry Rawlings to stop the use of agency workers to strike break. View statement here


https://bit.ly/barnetstrike


 


 


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