UNISON Members in The Barnet Group Vote Yes
Barnet Homes staff voted 100% and Your Choice Barnet staff voted 97% to move towards an industrial ballot to achieve their aim of having Council terms and conditions restored.
The turnouts mean that they would have confidently beaten the thresholds required by the anti-trade union laws. No longer are these workers prepared to carry out 1st class Council services on 2nd class pay.
The only reason for the existence of Local Authority Trading Companies is for Councils to sidestep Council terms and conditions. They often cite the cost of the pension scheme to the employer. Yet it is senior managers who cost the most in the pension scheme and so we wonder “if it is such a good idea and so good for the Council then instead of forcing the lowest paid into even more inferior terms and conditions, why don’t senior managers lead by example and create one for themselves?”
Barnet UNISON has requested a Special JNCC to impress on The Barnet Group the need to negotiate movement on the demands from the workforce.
This news comes at a time when the Tribunal has ruled that the Equal Pay Claim against The Barnet Group and BELS can proceed to be heard.
We will feedback when we have more developments.