Yesterday Capita Group issued the updated Final Measures letter detailed the latest proposed changes for Council services.
Full consultation will commence sometime after transfer of Council Services on Sunday 1 September.
You can view the Measures letter here
“Why are the government attacking the workers and their union?
In the last month there has been a concerted negative campaign to target workers and their trade unions. By that I refer to the stories in the press questioning the role of the trade unions and the link to the Labour Party. The Coalition Government attacks are directed on funding of the Labour Party and now it seems future funding of political parties may now be funded by the tax payer?
What is of interest are the private donations by multinationals who are clearly wanting something in return.
It was interesting to read that over £100 billion of public sector contracts have already been handed to the big private sector contractors such as G4S, IBM. Serco, Balfour Beatty, BT, and Capita
It is not until you read the list of MPs with financial interests and links to the NHS see here that you can see whay the NHS is already under threat of mass privatisation
Where are attacks?
1. Employment Tribunals
Earlier this week news broke that workers would have to pay if they wanted to take their employer to an employment tribunal.
Workers can expect to pay between £160 to £250 simply to make a claim and a further hearing fee starting at £230 to £950.
This is clearly designed to stop access to justice for workers who have been unfairly dismissed or discriminated against.
However if a worker belongs to a Trade Union this fee will be covered case if UNISON takes up the case for the member
The Good News is that UNISON has won the right to have a JR hearing over tribunal fees read here
2. Attack on Trade Unions and their members
I refer of course to the “Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill 2013-14”
The above Bill is a direct attack on Trade Unions and our members working across the public and private sectors. It ignores the growing public concern that rich and powerful individuals and corporations hold over policy making and politicians
3. Privatised workers lose rights to National Pay Awards.
When workers have previously been transferred to the private sector, the link to future the national Pay Awards has been quashed in the European courts see here
4. Attacking collection of Trade Union subscriptions
This dispute concerns the collection of trade union subscriptions by the employer on behalf of the trade union. This is a practice all good employers carry out for a fee paid by the trade union. Reading this report it seems that this petty attack has all the trademarks of anti trade union ideology.
Earlier this week Capita Symonds and Barnet Council handed out the Measures letters to the trade unions and staff. You can view the LBB letter here and the Capita Measures here. This consultation process is unusual in that the Council have adopted a joint employment contract for staff to deliver non delegable statutory duties and powers. You can view the additional clauses in the contract here and find a list of the indicative posts identified to carry out these statutory duties and powers here.
UNISON is seeking feedback from our members who currently occupy these posts and any members who feel their posts should have been included. Please contact the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk with any questions or concerns.
UNISON carried out a survey of its members working across DRS two weeks ago here is the response to two of the questions
1. In your professional opinion in order to carry out your non delegable statutory duties or powers which option do you believe will provide the best services to residents and local business of the borough?
Secondment or Joint Employment
93% of staff chose Secondment
2. If you had a choice of options to carry out your role which option would you choose?
Secondment or Joint Employment
90% of staff chose Secondment
UNISON has requested for the purposes of consultation a response to this question.
“What are the precise powers that are to be undertaken by employees who are to be employed jointly by LBB and Capita. By this UNISON means what are the statutory roles, duties and decision-making powers that these job holders identified in this list will have to perform?”
Introduction:
Barnet Council began consultation with coach escorts who provide a service for children with special educational needs (SEN) on Friday 2 August 2013.
The impact on the majority of coach escorts could see their earning drop from £8,891.67 to £5,845.84 a year.
The following are a number of accounts from coach escorts describing the work they do.
“Some people say my job is cushy sitting on a bus transporting disabled children to school. This is not the case. I work for Barnet Transport and as an employee I have to be fully qualified to escort these children, attend courses and have certificates to prove I have passed these courses. Some of the disabilities our children have range from “ADHD, Autism, Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, wheelchair users, the list goes on.”
“We are the eyes and ears for the council as we work on the front line dealing with parents and the needs of the children who have a range of different disabilities. Some are extremely challenging and others are calm. Most of us are attacked on a daily basis, many of us have been punched in the face and stomach, kicked in kneecaps and legs, hair ripped out and our clothes torn to shreds.”
“Although we are trained to deal with this and calm the child down it is not always possible and we have to seek medical attention. We always complete a council monitoring form when an injury occurs but often no action is taken and the child remains travelling on the same bus. If a child is high risk we sometimes need to use a harness which keeps them in their seat but some children can get out of them. Agency Escorts are also used and should be fully trained the same as council escorts but there have been instances where they don’t know how to put a harness on a child, or clamp a wheelchair securely onto the bus.”
“The council cuts our pay and hours but there are an increasing number of the children travelling on the bus. The council needs us to continue our excellent services. Escorts are only part time, if our money is cut further as they propose, then qualified escorts will have to seek other employment which would leave the children with agency escorts who are not as qualified.”
Notes to Editors
1. Most coach escorts work a maximum 20 hours a week, although many would like to work more.
2. There are approximately 160 coach escorts providing this service. According to figures provided by the council 83 are directly employed by the Council the rest are agency workers.
3. Most coach escorts earn up to £8,891.67 a year.
Austerity launches another vicious attack on low paid female workers in Barnet Council
On Friday 2 August Barnet Council issued a Press Release (here) about the Judicial Review of the One Barnet Programme. Here is an extract
Councillor Richard Cornelius, Leader of the Council, said: “I’m delighted with the judges’ decision.
“We can all now get on with making the huge savings in our back office costs which we need to do if we are to continue protecting our frontline services.
On the same day the above statement was released I sat in a consultation with coach escorts who provide a Frontline service for children with special education needs (SEN).
As I listened to the presentation, I became increasing agitated and angry (as did the staff) at what is the most outrageous attack on low paid undervalued female workers.
In the meeting it was accepted by the Council that most of the staff only earn £8,891.67 a year and work only 20 hours a week, although many of them would like to work more.
It was heart breaking to hear escort after escort describing how seriously this would impact on them and their families if they are forced to take the proposed 33% cut in pay.
That’s right after speaking to escorts after the meeting and using the figures provided by the Council most of them will see their earnings drop from £8,891.67 to £5,845.84 a year.
Many disclosed that they were already on pension credits or other benefits and were worried that these proposals may result in them losing benefits; others were worried about not having enough to pay the rent and losing their homes.
This is an unacceptable cut to a largely low paid female workforce most of whom have loyal long service with the London Borough of Barnet. The scale of the hardship this will cause on this workforce if this proposal is implemented is the worst I have seen in all my time as a trade union official.
After the meeting coach escorts explained the day to day experiences of their job, it was frightening and shocking; anyone listening to their account would have to agree the Council is not paying them enough for what they do.
It is fair to say staff were both upset and incensed about this attack on their livelihoods and have asked for a meeting with the Director of People and made an offer for the Director to accompany some of the escorts on duty.
Further meetings are being arranged with our members who are fired up and feel they have no alternative but to campaign against this unacceptable assault on their terms and conditions.
UNISON has requested a copy of the Equality Impact Assessment for the staff and the Service and sought clarification as to whether parents and schools have been consulted.
UNISON is also demanding that this proposal is abandoned in light of the comments from the Leader that the One Barnet outsourcing will be delivering savings in order to protect frontline services. You are not going to get a more frontline service than this service. We wait to hear if the alleged One Barnet savings really will be used for the Coach Escort frontline service.
In the meantime please send messages of support to Barnet Council Coach Escort Campaign to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
