Today UNISON submitted registered a dispute at the local area JNCC with regards the Library restructure proposal. The dispute has been escalated to the People Management meeting on Monday 21 January 2013.

UNISON submitted an Alternative proposal that delivered savings but protected frontline services.

The consultation has achieved some success with the announcement that the council had reversed its decision to remove the Weekend Allowance payment however there are a number of serious concerns:

UNISON are continuing to oppose the cut of Librarian posts from 24.5 to 6.

UNISON has raised serious objections to the proposals to move Librarians out of Libraries and into North London Business Park. UNISON believes it undermines the quality of Library Service.

UNISON views this decision as the first stage of a future plan to deleting the remaining Librarian roles.

UNISON has a re-grading dispute on the following posts:                

1. Library Customer Care Services Managers. This post has been graded at scale points 32-35, UNISON have evaluated this post as scale points 34-37.

2. Library Customer Service Officers have been evaluated at scale points 21-24. UNISON has graded this post at scale points 24-27.

UNISON is seeking an urgent meeting to try and resolve this issue.

The selection process to see which library staff find a job in the new structure is underway. UNISON has objected to the early deadlines for submission of statements and the premature start of these assessments.

PLEASE NOTE: UNISON members working in Libraries are currently being balloted. If you have not yet responded please send in your ballot paper. The ballot closes on Friday 25 January.

Dear Colleagues

I attended all the meetings with staff and Capita over the last two days. It was clear from the presentation and the questions that there is a great deal of concern about the future for all staff.

Please find enclosed flyer here for what is the beginning of a series of UNISON NSCSO & DRS meetings.

I am attending weekly meetings with Capita and our local UNISON reps. It is critical that all our members across NSCSO & DRS attend these briefings.

Here are a few of key issues being raised by members

·         Redundancy Pay

·         What happens after the 12 months protection to terms & conditions.

·         Notice period

·         Future employment

·         Home working

·         Relocation packages

·         Future restructures/redundancies

Every Friday our branch will include an update on our discussions with Capita in the ENEWS please make time to read it.

I look forward to seeing you at the first meeting on Tuesday 15 January at 12 noon in the Oak Room, Building 4.

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

2013

Just came out of a shower and the world seems different. I have been told that Capita is taking over Council services and I have a meeting with Capita on Monday.

It appears that on Aprils Fools Day (1 April 2013) the Council hand over the keys to Capita. The staff list drops from approx 510 to 458 on 1 April with a further 210 jobs to go in the first 12 months!

Next week (7 January) we are meeting Capita will check out if this is really true?

Are they really moving jobs out of our community and scattering them to the four winds?