Your Choice Barnet (YCB) Propose a10% Wage Cut For All!
Your Choice Barnet (YCB) Propose a10% Wage Cut For All!
In a meeting today this is what the unions were told was the leading suggestion for YCB to remain financially viable.
We were told that the restructuring and docking of enhancements for YCB staff had already provided YCB with approx £1million savings last year. Some staff have already seen their pay reduce by around 20% already.
However, in spite of being told last year that a cut to the costs of YCB of £1million was needed and has been achieved, we are now informed YCB have proposed another cut in order to save another £400K.
YCB say this can be done by everyone (except senior managers) taking a 10% wage cut.
YCB propose to take care workers out of National Pay Bargaining and so any future Local Government pay increases will not be passed on to YCB staff. Even Capita and NSL (two private contractors) have not announced they will be coming out of National Pay Bargaining. However we were informed Capita was one of the consultancy companies used to carry out the benchmarking exercise with YCB.
YCB though is wholly owned by London Borough of Barnet.
This is yet another example of how One Barnet or a Commissioning Council outsources “difficult” decisions” to private contractors.
The obvious 10% cut is bad enough but there are other factors which make this greater than 10%.
Barnet UNISON have sent an email to YCB requesting further details as there is a lot they have not explained. Our fears are the cut could be as high as 19%.
Even without a cut UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said this about the ‘cost of living crisis’ last week:
“For the majority prices are rising faster than wages and that is bad news for the low paid, who spend a greater proportion of their cash on the basics. Our members, who are keeping public services going through difficult times, have seen the value of their pay drop by between 14% and 18%. Where’s the incentive for them?”
Barnet UNISON has checked the Your Choice Barnet (YCB) web site http://www.yourchoicebarnet.org/about-us/our-board/board-meetings/ and noticed that YCB are no longer advertising Board meetings or printing agenda or minutes.
The Board meeting which made this decision to cut the pay did so in secret.
Barnet UNISON asked if they would be consulting parents/carers/services users.
YCB said no, but added they would inform them.
YCB have published the consultation on their website here http://www.thebarnetgroup.org/news/2014/01/your-choice-barnet-salary-restructure-consultation/
Barnet UNISON have organised an evening meeting with Your Choice & Fremantle care workers on Tuesday 4 Feb in Greek Cypriot centre, North Finchley from 6pm.