Category: Austerity
Social Care to wait until 2028. No thanks this is not good enough
Our care workers can’t wait for another review.
Politicians keep promising to deliver a fair system where care workers will be recognised for the professional role they provide in the delivery of critical care services.
The recent annoucement by Health Secretary Wes Streeting https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c791gyx2n50o is simply not good enough.
He is kicking the ‘social care’ can down the road.
Our members need this change NOW.
End.
John Sullivan, Father, husband, Barnet resident and grassroots local hero ‘Rest in Peace’
Source: The above video is John Sullivan speaking at the UK Covid Inquiry in 2024.
Dear Barnet UNISON members
I want to inform you of the passing of John Sullivan.
John was a Barnet resident and a true friend of Barnet UNISON and the services our members provided for residents of the London Borough of Barnet.
I have known John, Ida (John’s wife) and Susan (John’s daughter) for almost 30 years. I first met him when Barnet UNISON was fighting the closure of Etchingham Park Day Centre. John was an ardent advocate for his community. He would fight tooth and nail for you if he believed it was the right thing to do.
Over the years John has supported Barnet UNISON members across a number of campaigns such as the Fremantle care worker dispute, the One Barnet outsourcing campaign, Your Choice Barnet campaign and sadly, most recently, the fight for justice for those who lost loved ones during the COVID pandemic.
He has stood on Barnet UNISON picket lines, taken part in demonstrations, spoken out in countless public meetings, often calling out politicians who were failing those who most need public services.
It was an honour and privilege to have known John and his family.
My last comment is to direct Barnet UNISON members to the link to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry where John gave evidence about what happened to his daughter who died early on in the pandemic.
The fact that he found the mental and physical strength to take part and give evidence is a testament to the unique person John was.
I am also providing a link to the whole inquiry.
You can watch John give evidence 4 hours and 20 minutes into the inquiry
https://www.youtube.com/live/UyJfu8wOxco?si=-ZjW8QmnXm1DDN8s
Below are some links to John’s contribution to fighting for public services:
How Barnet Eye guest blogger John Sullivan moved LBC’s James O’Brien to tears
https://barneteye.blogspot.com/2021/05/how-barnet-eye-guest-blogger-john.html
My Susan was allowed to die of Covid because she had Down’s syndrome, father says
Barnet UNISON Pays Tribute to The Little Chief, Susan Sullivan
JUDICIAL REVIEW CHALLENGE TO PRIVATISATION OF BARNET COUNCIL SERVICES LAUNCHED
Your Choice Barnet – John Sullivan’s statement read by Barbara Jacobson 27.11.2013
https://youtu.be/0IsKGHwp0kU?feature=shared
YOUR CHOICE BARNET CARE WORKERS CAMPAIGN
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015.01.15.%20YCB%20FLYER%20PUBLIC.pdf
CapitaVille song – sung by John Sullivan
https://youtu.be/-MZYbxk2Ssg?feature=shared
Legal Challenge to One Barnet
https://youtu.be/etOSBzuN1LM?feature=shared
Rest in Peace John.
Solidarity
John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.
Barnet UNISON NSL members time to end the cycle of low pay!
The Impact of Low Pay on Workers
Low pay is a significant issue affecting our outsourced members. When wages do not meet basic living standards, our low paid members face numerous challenges that can have long-lasting effects on their well-being and quality of life. The call by Barnet UNISON for a campaign to increase the minimum wage to £15 per hour is not just a matter of financial fairness but a necessity to ensure dignity and stability for our members who deliver public services on behalf of Barnet Council.
Financial Strain
Many of our outsourced members are earning less than £15 per hour struggle to cover essential expenses like housing, food, healthcare, and transportation. This financial strain often leads to debt accumulation as individuals are forced to rely on credit to make ends meet. Over time, this cycle of debt can become crippling, limiting opportunities for economic growth and social mobility.
Health and Well-being
Living under constant financial pressure can have detrimental effects on mental and physical health. Stress from trying to manage limited resources can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Additionally, our outsourced members on low pay may not be able to afford healthcare, leading to untreated medical conditions and poorer overall health.
Limited Opportunities
Low wages often mean that outsourced members are unable to invest in education or skills development, which limits their career advancement opportunities. This lack of investment in personal growth can result in workers being trapped in low-paying jobs, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and limiting their potential to achieve a better quality of life.
Why our Barnet UNISON Pay Campaign is Essential
1. Economic Fairness
A campaign to raise the minimum wage to £15 per hour is a step toward economic fairness. It ensures that outsourced members receive compensation that reflects the true cost of living and acknowledges their contributions to the economy. Fair pay helps bridge the gap between different socioeconomic groups, fostering a more equitable society.
2. Boosting the Economy
Increasing wages can lead to a stronger economy. When our outsourced members have more disposable income, they tend to spend more on goods and services, stimulating demand and encouraging business growth. Additionally, higher wages can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction, which benefits both employees and employers.
3. Improving Quality of Life
By raising the minimum wage, we can significantly improve the quality of life for many of our outsourced members and their families. A higher income allows individuals to afford better housing, healthcare, education, and other necessities, contributing to overall well-being and a more stable society.
4. Conclusion
The push for a minimum wage of £15 per hour is more than a financial issue; it’s a campaign for dignity, fairness, and opportunity. By addressing the challenges faced by our outsourced low-paid members, we can create a more just and prosperous society where everyone has the chance to thrive.
If you want to be part of this campaign, first join UNISON by clicking on the link below
https://join.unison.org.uk/
Once you are a member come along to the Barnet UNISON NSL meeting on Thursday 16 January 2025 at 6.30 pm.
End.
Barnet UNISON Xmas meeting 18 December 5.45 am
outsourcing must end
“Three Chief Executives and one plumber”: The unfinished story
Week One of Barnet Council redundancy consultation has ended with six restructures across the Council with more to follow next week.
Barnet UNISON has published several articles where we believe there are savings to be made before any services are stopped or staff dismissed.
Please see the articles published to date below.
UPDATED: Barnet Council the Tale of “Three Chief Executives and one plumber”
No stone left unturned” Number 1: Update on Barnet Council Agency Spend.
“No stone left unturned” Number 2: CEO The Barnet Group & Plumber with oncosts.
“No stone left unturned” Number 3: Does it make sense to have a Barnet Council CEO & CEO The Barnet Group.
“No stone left unturned” Number 4: What about the senior management review?
“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 5: Part One
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-one-who-is-the-barnet-group/
“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 6: Part Two
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/9925/
“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 7: Part Three
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-three-who-is-the-barnet-group/
“No stone left Unturned No 8: “Fixing the foundations or looking after corporate big businesses?”
No stone left unturned No 9: Bah Humbug “Withdrawal of Tea and Coffee.
“No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room.
“No stone left unturned” Number 11: We got to talk Capita
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-11-we-got-to-talk-capita/
“No stone left unturned” Number 12: Service Pressures
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-12-service-pressures/
“No stone left unturned” Number 13: Economies of scale.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/10/no-stone-left-unturned-number-13-economies-of-scale/
End.
Red Card: Street Scene workers underpaid again!
Thanks to the due diligence of our incredible UNISON Street Scene Convenor, over 200 manual workers are to receive payment next Friday because of another payroll error.
Quite frankly it is not good enough.
Our manual workers should not have to put up with this poor performance. This is not the first time our members have been underpaid.
Each time this happens it has a negative impact on morale of a workforce that is already stressed out due to the ongoing cost of living crisis and undermines trust and confidence in the payroll service.
Barnet UNISON is asking for the following:
- A memo issued to the workforce apologising for the underpayment.
- A commitment from HR and or Payroll that someone is available on pay day to answer questions/queries e.g. the memo could include that someone is available next Friday 20 December 2024.
End.
“No stone left unturned” Number 13: Economies of scale.
Day two of redundancy consultation across the Council workforce and still no responses from the employer to the UNISON proposals where the Council could and should be taking control of its spend.
This article is about economies of scale and how they could make savings which could prevent redundancies and service cuts.
Read on.
30 years ago, there was on Council with one Chief Executive and a smaller senior management team.
It was a larger Council because all the services that are currently outsourced such as Housing (Barnet Homes) Social Care (Your Choice Barnet) Parking Enforcement (NSL), School Catering (ISS), Cleaning (Norse) Education Services for Schools (BELS) Customer Services, Revs and Bens, Payroll, IT (Capita) used to be part of the Councils workforce.
12 years ago, Barnet Council under the Tories Administration created a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) which is 100% owned by Barnet Council.
They named it The Barnet Group (TBG).
The purpose of the company was to exploit workers by using their labour to provide essential services but deny those workers of the terms and conditions of a Council worker including the right to join the council Pension Scheme.
There are two companies within TBG. Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet.
In 2020, Barnet Council created another LATC for education services for schools called Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS) following the contract failure of a contractor who pulled out during Covid.
Both these LATCs are owned by Barnet Council.
The UNISON economies of scale proposal were for Barnet Council to conduct a review of back office services across all three organisations.
UNISON knows from some simple research published in our article “No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room. https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-10-barnet-homes-the-elephant-in-the-room/ that savings were inevitable with the ending of the outsourced Housing Services. UNISON has continued to campaign for an end to the appalling employment practices of both organisations by bringing services in-house which is in line with UNISONs National Policy ‘Bringing Services Home’.
If the Council is determined to maintain the two organisations it at the very least should end the waste in terms of running three back offices and run only one.
Whilst the deliberate underfunding of Councils rests solely with Tory Governments there are still opportunities for Barnet Council to take responsibility for things they do control, and this is one of them.
Barnet UNISON is now representing members across the workforce who are at risk of redundancy. In redundancy consultations the employer must demonstrate they are making all efforts to control spend to avoid redundancy.
To date we have not heard anything back.
End.
“No stone left unturned” Number 12: Service Pressures
UNISON comment:
We have produced a graphic to show how service pressures appear to be driving the financial crisis.
What is surprising is the pace the figures are changing.
For Barnet UNISON members who are now aware about the Budget setting process, the Council must present and pass a lawful budget each year.
Once of the financial considerations when setting a lawful budget is to consider the risks such as service pressures on the budget. For example, Adult Social Care (Communities, Adults and Health) is always under pressure due to demand. UNISON understands financial information is provided to senior managers and they must make a decision as to what level of service pressures their budget is likely to have for following years.
In the case of Adult Social Care if you look at the first table at the top of the graphic which was agreed at the Council Budget Meeting on 1 March 2022, Adult Social Care was forecasting services pressures of £3.2 million in 2023/24 and £2.2 million in £2.22024/25 and another £2.2million for 25/26.
If you look at the second table showing a year later, which was agreed at the Council Budget Meeting on 28 February 2024, there are changes. Adults Social Care has changed their forecast from £2.2million to £22.3million. That is a massive increase. However, in the same table Adults Social Care forecast that service pressures for 2025/26 will only be £87,000.
Now look at table three. This table is going to Cabinet Committee on 5 December 2024. Adults Social Care has revised its service pressure from £87,000 to £23.7million for 2025/26.
Below is a list of questions which UNISON has requested a response.
1.Is the right financial information being made available to inform decision makers?
1.1 When the financial information is being produced is the most up to date service demand properly understood and considered?
2. Do the decision makers understand the information being made available?
2.1 Do service managers promptly identify and prioritise action plan to mitigate service pressures?
3.How can the service pressures being agreed at Council Committee meetings be so wrong?
4.How can service pressures be relied on going forward to support a legal budget?
End.