Category: Barnet Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 2026 BARNET UNISON’S EQUAL PAY FIGHT: WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Cost of Living Crisis, Equal Pay, Housing, Local, National, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 2026

BARNET UNISON’S EQUAL PAY FIGHT: WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY

Hundreds of Barnet women workers are owed years of back pay. UNISON is fighting for every one of them and the bill for Barnet Council is growing every single day.

On 29 May 2026, Barnet UNISON took its equal pay claim to the Employment Tribunal. UNISON’s solicitors made the case for hundreds of women workers — school staff, care workers, early years workers, administrators and support staff — who have for years been paid less than their male counterparts in the council’s waste and recycling service.

Here is what we know. Male workers in the waste and recycling service are paid for a full working day but are allowed to go home when their rounds are done, sometimes by mid-morning. Women doing work of equal value have no such benefit. They work every contracted hour every day. That is not fair. That is unequal and illegal. And UNISON is determined to put it right.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TRIBUNAL

Our barrister succeeded in getting UNISON’s case heard, despite attempts by Barnet Council  to block our submissions. Worryingly, the GMB union supported the Council’s position on this matter.  UNISON was fighting for women workers in that courtroom, making the case to get our members’ voices heard.

The judge has set a preliminary hearing for 9 September 2026 to consider UNISON’s application to have the procedural block on our claim removed.

That hearing is the next critical moment. We will be ready.

Separately, the tribunal confirmed that UNISON’s claims against The Barnet Group and Barnet Education and Learning Skills — the council’s own companies, employing many of our members — are not subject to any block and are being progressed. Those claims move forward now.

OUR CLAIM IS STRONG AND GROWING

Barnet UNISON’s case is not built on speculation. It is built on evidence — evidence that has been gathered carefully, systematically, and with the support of experienced legal specialists in equal pay law.

Here is what we know about the situation at Barnet:

  • Waste and recycling workers are regularly finishing their rounds hours before their contracted day ends and going home, paid in full.

 

  • Women working in schools, care, early years, social services and admin must complete every contracted hour. There is no equivalent benefit for them.
  • The council knows this practice exists. Rather than negotiating an end to this practice as other Councils have done, they are refusing to sit and meet with UNISON.
  • Other councils — including Southampton, Birmingham and Glasgow — have already settled equal pay claims on the same basis, paying out millions of pounds to women workers.
  • The longer Barnet Council refuses to come to the table, the bigger the bill becomes. Every single month of delay adds to the compensation owed.


“This claim is about basic fairness. Women working for Barnet Council and its companies have been short-changed for years while the council looked the other way. We have the evidence, we have the legal backing, and we have the determination to see this through. Barnet Council cannot run from this. The question is not whether they will have to pay — it is how much.”


Helen Davies, Branch Chair, Barnet UNISON and UNISON London Regional SGE Representative




A WORD ABOUT THE GMB


At the 29 May hearing, the GMB union joined with Barnet Council in resisting UNISON’s submissions.


UNISON is not interested in inter-union politics. We are interested in equality and fairness for our members. We have reached out to GMB to approach the legal process collectively.  We want to work with them.  But we will not let another union block our members’ access to justice.


UNISON will continue to fight for every member who has signed up to this claim, and we will fight for the right of every eligible worker to join it.


EVERY MONTH OF DELAY COSTS BARNET COUNCIL MORE


Barnet Council’s legal strategy appears to be delay procedural hearings; blocking applications; running down the clock. What they do not seem to understand, or perhaps do not care about, is that delay does not reduce their liability; it increases it.


Equal pay back pay accrues from the date a claim is lodged. UNISON’s claims were lodged in November and December 2025. That clock is running. Every month the council refuses to negotiate, every month they hide behind procedural manoeuvres, the total compensation bill grows. By the time this case reaches settlement or judgment, Barnet Council will be paying for every single month they delayed.


That cost is ultimately borne by Barnet taxpayers. UNISON is not responsible for that. The council is.


THIS IS YOUR CLAIM. YOUR TIME IS NOW.


UNISON has lodged claims on behalf of our members. But the strength of this campaign depends on numbers and numbers depend on you.


Every eligible UNISON member who completes a case form adds to the pressure on Barnet Council to stop stalling and sit down at the negotiating table. A large, organised, well-evidenced claim is harder to ignore and harder to fight than a small one. Barnet Council is already watching these numbers. Help us make them impossible to ignore.


Here is what you must understand about timing: your back pay runs from the date you join the claim, not from the date UNISON first raised the issue. Every month you wait is a month of potential compensation you may never recover. Do not assume someone else has done it for you. Do not assume you will be included automatically.


COMPLETE YOUR CASE FORM TODAY


Contact Barnet UNISON at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk to get your case form. Fill it in. Return it. Do it now.


If you are a UNISON member working for the London Borough of Barnet, The Barnet Group or Barnet Education and Learning Skills, and you believe you may have been affected by unequal pay, you may be eligible to join this claim. Speak to your UNISON rep or contact the branch directly.


UNISON STANDS FULLY BEHIND YOU


UNISON knows what the cost-of-living crisis means for our members. We see it every day. Workers who give everything to their jobs — caring for children, supporting families, keeping this borough running — are struggling to pay their bills, heat their homes and put food on the table. Many of Barnet UNISON’s members are among the lowest paid workers in the borough. They cannot afford to wait years for justice that should have been delivered years ago.


That is why this claim matters beyond its legal significance. The back pay owed to these workers is not a windfall. It is money they earned and were denied. It is money that would make a real difference to real lives, right now, when it is needed most.




“Barnet UNISON’s equal pay claim is exactly the kind of fight that UNISON exists to lead. These are women who have worked hard, served their community, and been systematically short-changed. UNISON’s London region stands fully behind Barnet branch and every member in this claim. We will not rest until justice is delivered.”


Sara Gorton Regional Secretary UNISON Greater London Region




“Equal pay is not a negotiating position. It is a legal right. The women of Barnet have waited long enough. UNISON is unequivocally, unconditionally and completely behind Barnet UNISON’s members and their branch in this fight. Barnet Council must stop hiding behind legal delays and do the right thing: come to the table, negotiate a fair settlement, and end this inequality now.”


Andrea Egan, UNISON General Secretary




ENDS


For further information contact Barnet UNISON Branch: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


 


NOTES TO EDITORS


    

  1. Barnet UNISON is the UNISON branch for workers employed by the London Borough of Barnet, The Barnet Group and Barnet Education and Learning Skills.
    2. 

  2. Equal pay claims are brought under the Equality Act 2010. Back pay in Employment Tribunal equal pay claims in England and Wales runs for up to six years from the date the claim is lodged.
    3. 

  3. UNISON’s equal pay claims were lodged with the Employment Tribunal in November and December 2025.
    4. 

  4. A preliminary hearing is listed for 9 September 2026 to consider UNISON’s application to lift the procedural stay on claims against the London Borough of Barnet.
    5. 

  5. Claims against The Barnet Group and Barnet Education and Learning Skills are not subject to the stay and are being actively progressed.
    6. 

  6. Comparable equal pay settlements involving task and finish in waste and recycling services have been reached at Southampton City Council (July 2025), Birmingham City Council (2024–25) and Glasgow City Council (2022).
    7. 


			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
BARNET HOMES & YCB BALLOTS OPEN: TBG WORKERS VOTE ON NEXT STEPS IN PAY AND PENSION FIGHT
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Cost of Living Crisis, Insourcing, Local, London Living Wage, News, Pensions, Repairs, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Housing and care workers employed by Barnet Council-owned TBG say “we can’t keep absorbing the cost of living crisis”


Barnet UNISON has opened two separate consultative ballots for members employed by The Barnet Group (TBG) — the council-owned company that delivers key services on behalf of the London Borough of Barnet.


The ballots cover:


    

  • Barnet Homes (Housing Services) workers, and
    • 

  • Your Choice Barnet (Adult Social Care) care and support workers.
    • 



The ballots follow TBG’s rejection of UNISON’s claims on pay, terms and conditions, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). UNISON says the vote is needed to show management — and the council as owner and commissioner — that workers expect a serious response to the cost of living crisis.


A Barnet Homes housing worker said :


“People think housing is just admin. It isn’t. You’re dealing with residents in crisis, rising workload and constant pressure. Then you go home and you’re doing the same sums everyone else is doing — rent, bills, travel, food — and it doesn’t add up. The stress doesn’t switch off. It affects your head, your sleep, your family.”


A Your Choice Barnet care worker said :


“We support vulnerable adults every day. It’s physical work and it takes a toll mentally as well. But the hardest part is knowing you’re working flat out and still worrying about money — choosing between basics, falling behind, borrowing, trying to hold it together for your kids. This isn’t sustainable.”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative for London, said:


“These workers keep essential housing and care services running in one of the most expensive cities in the world. They are not asking for the moon — they are asking for fairness: decent pay, decent terms and access to LGPS. TBG is owned by Barnet Council, and Barnet Council cannot wash its hands of what happens to the workforce delivering its services. The ballots are open because members’ voices must be heard — and because the current situation is pushing too many working families towards hardship.”


Call to action:

Barnet UNISON is urging all eligible members in Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet to take part and return their ballot papers.


For media enquiries: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
TBG rejects UNISON cost-of-living claims for housing and care workers
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Insourcing, Local, News, Pensions, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Employer admits financial pressure — but refuses pay, terms and LGPS improvements for Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet staff.


Barnet UNISON has received The Barnet Group’s formal response to our pay, terms and pension claims for workers in Barnet Homes (housing services) and Your Choice Barnet (adult social care). The headline is clear: TBG has rejected the claims.


These are frontline workers keeping essential services running in one of the most expensive cities in the world — supporting vulnerable adults, dealing with housing pressures, and carrying rising workloads. UNISON submitted the claims because members are being squeezed hard by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and years of pay falling behind real living costs.


Key points from TBG’s response


    

  • TBG says Your Choice Barnet is forecasting a £824k loss this year and will have negative retained earnings rising to £2.048m.
    • 

  • TBG says Barnet Homes’ management fee will be cut by £2.763m (6%) from April 2026, and argues this limits what it can agree.
    • 

  • TBG has costed the key parts of the union claim and still concludes it is “not able to agree”.
    • 

  • Their own figures show a £15/hour minimum for Barnet Homes would cost £14,150 and affect 27 staff — yet they still refuse the claim overall.
    • 



Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE rep, said:


“Our members are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are the housing workers and care staff holding services together every day. TBG’s response is basically ‘we can’t’ — while staff are being asked to cope with rising prices and worsening pressure at work. That’s not good enough. If these services matter, the workforce has to be treated with basic fairness: decent pay, decent terms, and a proper pension.”


What happens next


Barnet UNISON will now consult members on the employer’s response and the next steps in our campaign.


Read TBG full response here: https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026.03.24-TBG-response-to-Barnet-UNISON-Cost-of-Living-Crisis-claims.pdf


 


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Update on Pay Negotiations with TBG
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Cost of Living Crisis, Housing, Local, News, Pensions, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON recently met with senior representatives from The Barnet Group (TBG) to discuss our 2024/25 pay and terms & conditions claim covering members in YCB and Barnet Homes.


At the meeting, TBG outlined what they describe as significant financial pressures across both organisations. They highlighted:


    

  • Very small projected operating surpluses for the coming year
    • 

  • Accumulated losses within YCB
    • 

  • Ongoing pressures linked to council funding and the Housing Revenue Account
    • 

  • Market challenges within residential care, including difficulties cross-subsidising council placements
    • 



They also referenced a recent external benchmarking review of extra care services, which they say shows TBG offering comparatively generous terms and conditions relative to parts of the wider care market.


UNISON’s Position


We made clear that our claim reflects the reality members are living through:


    

  • The cost of living crisis continues to hit housing and care workers hard.
    • 

  • Pay compression over many years has left many members feeling worse off in real terms.
    • 

  • In care services in particular, financial strain is severe, with some members telling us they are struggling to meet basic costs.
    • 



We emphasised that Barnet Homes and YCB do not function without their workforce. Any discussion about sustainability must include fair and sustainable pay for staff.


We also made clear that TBG is not bound by national NJC negotiations. That is why we have formally submitted our full claim locally and expect meaningful negotiation on all elements.


What Happens Next


TBG has committed to providing full costings for the outstanding elements of our claim, including pension implications. We expect that information before 24 March.


Once negotiations are exhausted, members will be consulted on the employer’s response. That would be a consultative ballot — not a strike ballot — allowing members to decide whether the offer is acceptable or whether further action is required.


This is a challenging negotiation. We recognise the financial arguments being made by the employer — but we also recognise the very real financial pressures our members are facing.


We will continue to press your case firmly and constructively.


Further updates will follow once we receive TBG’s full response.


End.


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Cost of Living Crisis: What Barnet UNISON Is Doing — and Why Your Vote Matters
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Cost of Living Crisis, Equal Pay, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, Local, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Every week Barnet UNISON speaks to members who are doing essential public service work — and struggling to make ends meet. That should never be normal. Yet in one of the most expensive cities in the world, too many Barnet workers are facing rising rents, higher food bills, increased energy costs, and transport fares that keep going up while pay falls behind.


We are seeing the reality on the ground: members skipping meals, taking second jobs, worrying about heating bills, and telling us they feel worse off now than at any time in their working lives.


Barnet UNISON has not stood back and watched this happen. We have built a coordinated Cost-of-Living response based on organising, bargaining and legal challenge. We are currently running ten separate cost-of-living campaigns across the employers where our members work.


Our 10 Cost of Living Campaigns


1. Equal Pay campaign across three employers


2. Pay claim for housing workers


3. Terms and conditions claim for housing workers


4. LGPS pension claim for housing workers


5. Pay claim for care workers


6. Terms and conditions claim for care workers


7. LGPS pension claim for care workers


8. Holiday payments claim for Barnet Council workers


9. Holiday payments claim for housing and care workers


10. Pay claim for outsourced cleaners


This is one of the most extensive cost-of-living responses our branch has ever mounted. It reflects what members have told us repeatedly: the problem is not one single issue — it is pay, pensions, insecure terms, unpaid entitlements, and historic inequality all combining to squeeze household incomes.


Low Pay in a High-Cost City: The Reality


Low pay is not accidental. It grows when employers hold down wages, delay reviews, outsource services, and maintain unequal pay structures.


Meanwhile, the cost of living in London continues to rise. Housing costs remain among the highest in the country. Inflation over recent years has pushed up the price of everyday essentials. When wages lag behind prices year after year, workers get poorer even while working just as hard — or harder — than before.


That is not sustainable for individuals, for families, or for the services we provide.


What the Union Is Doing — and What Happens Next


Our job as your union is to turn frustration into leverage. That means submitting claims, negotiating firmly, campaigning publicly, using legal routes where appropriate, and — when members support it — preparing for industrial action.


Across all ten campaigns, we are pressing employers to negotiate seriously and settle fairly. Some campaigns focus on immediate pay uplift. Others address structural unfairness that has cost members money over many years. All are about restoring value to your work.


The Most Important Message: Members Decide


There is one point we want to be absolutely clear about:


Members decide.


Ballots matter. Consultations matter. Voting matters. Whether a claim settles, escalates, or moves to the next stage depends on member participation and member votes.


The future of each of these campaigns will not be decided in a boardroom alone — it will be determined by how members vote.


When we organise and vote together, we are strongest.


End.









			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2026  Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Disability, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

27 January 2026


Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”


Barnet UNISON has submitted a formal Pay and Terms & Conditions claim to The Barnet Group (TBG) on behalf of workers delivering adult social care through Your Choice Barnet, including staff on YCB contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.


The union says the claim is aimed at ending a long-running “two-tier workforce”, where care and support workers delivering publicly commissioned services are not on council terms and conditions and do not have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).




What Your Choice Barnet workers are demanding (from 1 April 2026)


The claim, submitted for the 2026/27 period, includes:


PAY


An increase of £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across pay points/rates


A £15 per hour minimum rate for all staff


Applied consistently to overtime, sleep-ins/unsocial hours payments, enhancements, allowances and other pay-related payments, with no detrimental changes to existing arrangements


TERMS & CONDITIONS


A two-hour reduction in the standard working week with no loss of pay, implemented in a way that protects service users and staffing levels Harmonisation to a standard 36 hour contract


One additional day of annual leave


ENDING THE TWO-TIER WORKFORCE


A commitment to move Your Choice Barnet staff onto equivalent core terms and conditions to Barnet Council/NJC standards


A single, transparent pay structure with clear progression, equality-proofed arrangements, covering all staff including those on TBG Flex contracts


PENSIONS


Access to the LGPS, including a route-map meeting with stakeholders (TBG, Barnet Pension Fund/LBB as administering authority, and UNISON), and no detriment to staff


Barnet UNISON has requested a formal negotiation meeting and has given management four weeks to respond.




“Care workers are being exploited in one of the most expensive cities in the world”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative, said:


“Your Choice Barnet staff provide vital care and support to vulnerable adults, yet many are treated as second-class compared to council employees delivering public services. Keeping care workers outside council terms and conditions and excluding them from the Local Government Pension Scheme is unfair — and it amounts to exploitation of a predominantly low-paid workforce.


“This is London, one of the most expensive cities in the world. People who deliver life-changing care should not be forced to do so on worse terms and without a proper public service pension.


“It’s time to end this injustice. Barnet UNISON’s claim is straightforward: fair pay, fair conditions, and access to LGPS for the care workers who keep services going every day. We are calling on The Barnet Group to negotiate seriously and reach a fair settlement.”


Notes to editors


    

  • Your Choice Barnet delivers adult social care services on behalf of the London Borough of Barnet and is part of The Barnet Group.
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents care and support staff across Barnet, including staff employed by The Barnet Group and its subsidiaries.
    • 

  • The claim applies to Your Choice Barnet staff, including those on TBG contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.
    • 



Contact


For more information, interviews, or to support the campaign:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End. 


2026.01.07 leaflet (YCB)

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2026  Barnet Homes housing workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”
		
		
 
	
		Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Uncategorised, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

27 January 2026


Barnet Homes housing workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”


Barnet UNISON has submitted a formal Pay and Terms & Conditions claim to The Barnet Group (TBG) on behalf of workers delivering Barnet Homes Housing Services in the London Borough of Barnet.


The claim seeks to end what the union describes as a long-running “two-tier workforce”, where staff providing essential council housing services through the local authority trading company are not on Barnet Council terms and conditions and do not have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).


Barnet UNISON says it believes these are the only housing workers in London delivering council housing services who remain outside council terms and conditions — and that the situation is now untenable in a city facing extreme housing and cost-of-living pressures.




What Barnet Homes housing workers are demanding (from 1 April 2026)


The claim, submitted for the 2026/27 period, includes:


PAY


A pay increase of £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across pay points/rates


A £15 per hour minimum rate for all staff


Uplifts applied consistently to overtime, enhancements, allowances and other pay-related payments


TERMS & CONDITIONS


A two-hour reduction in the standard working week with no loss of pay


One additional day of annual leave


ENDING THE TWO-TIER WORKFORCE


A commitment to move Barnet Homes staff onto equivalent core terms and conditions to Barnet Council/NJC standards


A single, transparent pay structure with clear progression covering all staff, including those on TBG Flex contracts


PENSIONS


Access to the LGPS, including agreement of a route-map and timetable with relevant stakeholders and no detriment to staff


Barnet UNISON has requested a formal negotiation meeting and has given management four weeks to respond.




“These workers are being exploited in one of the most expensive cities in the world”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative, said:


“Barnet Homes staff deliver vital housing services for residents, yet they are treated as second-class compared to council colleagues. Excluding them from council terms and conditions and the Local Government Pension Scheme is unfair and it has gone on for far too long.


“This is London — one of the most expensive cities in the world — and these workers are being asked to keep services running without the pay, protections and pension that should come with public service work. That is not right.


“It’s time to end this injustice. Our claim is clear: fair pay, fair terms, and access to LGPS for all Barnet Homes housing workers. We are asking The Barnet Group to do the right thing and settle this claim properly.”


Notes to editors


    

  • Barnet UNISON represents workers providing housing services through Barnet Homes, part of The Barnet Group.
    • 

  • The claim covers Barnet Homes staff, including those on TBG contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.
    • 

  • The union is calling on housing workers to get involved and support the campaign.
    • 



Contact


For more information, interviews, or to support the campaign:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End. 


2026.01.07 leaflet (Barnet Homes) 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet Homes (Housing Services): UNISON pay & terms claim being submitted next week
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON is preparing to submit a collective Pay & Terms and Conditions claim for Barnet Homes (Housing Services) staff for 2026/27.


Important: as of today, Wednesday 21 January, the claim has not been submitted.

We are giving members advance notice so you’re clear on the timetable and what happens next.


What’s happening and when


    

  • Next step: Barnet UNISON will submit the claim to management next Tuesday, 26 January, ahead of the scheduled JNCC meeting.
    • 

  • After the JNCC: We will share the full details of the claim with members and publish an update on the outcomes of the meeting and next steps.
    • 



Why UNISON is doing this


Members have been clear that we need a serious, collective push on pay, terms and conditions and fair treatment for the Barnet Homes (Housing Services) workforce. UNISON is acting on that instruction by bringing forward a formal claim for 2026/27.


What you can expect from UNISON


    

  • A clear members’ briefing after the JNCC meeting on 26 January
    • 

  • A summary of management’s response and what it means in practice
    • 

  • Next-step plans, including how members can support the claim and strengthen our negotiating position
    • 



What you can do now


    

  • Make sure your contact details are up to date so you receive the members’ briefing.
    • 

  • Encourage colleagues in Barnet Homes (Housing Services) to join UNISON and get involved — the stronger our membership, the stronger our leverage.
    • 



We’ll publish the claim details and a members’ update immediately after the JNCC meeting on Tuesday 26 January.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Your Choice Barnet (Adult Social Care): UNISON pay & terms claim being submitted next week
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Barnet Group, Local, News, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON is preparing to submit a collective Pay & Terms and Conditions claim for the Your Choice Barnet (Adult Social Care) workforce for 2026/27.


Important: as of today, Wednesday 21 January, the claim has not been submitted.

We are giving members advance notice now so everyone understands the timetable and what happens next.


What’s happening and when


    

  • Next step: Barnet UNISON will submit the claim to management next Tuesday, 26 January, in line with the scheduled JNCC meeting.
    • 

  • After the JNCC: We will share the full details of the claim with members and publish an update on management’s response and next steps.
    • 



Why UNISON is doing this


    

  • Members across Your Choice Barnet have been clear that we need a serious, collective push on pay, terms and conditions and fair treatment for staff delivering adult social care on behalf of Barnet Council. UNISON is acting on that instruction by bringing forward a formal claim for 2026/27.
    • 

  • This is also about protecting the service: fair pay and decent conditions are essential for recruitment and retention, continuity of care and the quality of support for service users.
    • 



What you can expect from UNISON


    

  • A clear members’ briefing after the JNCC meeting on 26 January
    • 

  • A summary of management’s response and what it means for staff
    • 

  • Next-step plans, including how members can support the claim and strengthen our negotiating position
    • 



What you can do now


    

  • Make sure your contact details are up to date so you receive the members’ briefing.
    • 

  • Talk to your colleagues and encourage them to join UNISON — the stronger our membership, the stronger our leverage.
    • 



We’ll publish the claim details and a members’ update immediately after the JNCC meeting on Tuesday 26 January.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Equal Pay Update 2026: Complete Your Case Form & Register for Our AGM (Tue 24 February, from 4pm)
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Equal Pay, Local, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Happy New Year to all Barnet UNISON members.


We’re starting 2026 with real momentum on our Equal Pay campaign. More than 550 UNISON members have now completed the Equal Pay case form — an outstanding achievement and a strong sign of the collective determination of our membership.


But there is more to do.


To protect every member’s position and ensure nobody misses out, we need to make sure all eligible members complete the Equal Pay case form, even if you’re not sure whether the claim applies to you.




Why completing the case form matters


Many members have told us they didn’t think the Equal Pay issue applied to them. However, from conversations with hundreds of staff across the council and related workplaces, it’s clear that people’s roles, patterns of work, job histories, and pay arrangements can differ — and that can affect whether an Equal Pay claim applies.


Completing the case form ensures UNISON has the information needed to assess your situation properly and progress the case.


Is there a deadline?


There is no formal deadline at the moment.

However, that could change quickly, depending on how the process develops. The safest approach is: complete your case form as soon as possible.




Barnet UNISON AGM: Guest speaker on Equal Pay


To help members understand what Equal Pay claims can look like in practice — and what happens when they are resolved — we’re pleased to announce a guest speaker at our AGM:


Barnet UNISON AGM

Tuesday 24 February

From 4pm onwards

(Details of venue/online access will be confirmed in the registration information.)


Guest Speaker: David Hughes (Birmingham UNISON)


We will be joined by David Hughes, Birmingham UNISON and SGE representative for the West Midlands on UNISON’s Local Government Service Group.


David is one of many workers who benefited from the Equal Pay award in Birmingham, where thousands of council staff received payments. He will speak from direct experience about:


    

  • How Equal Pay claims are resolved
    • 

  • How payments are calculated and made
    • 

  • What members can expect during the process
    • 

  • A Q&A session so you can ask your questions directly
    • 



This is a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand from someone who has been through an Equal Pay process and received an Equal Pay payment.




What you need to do now (two actions)


✅ 1) Register for the AGM (required to attend)

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barnet-unison-annual-general-meeting-2026-hybrid-tickets-1974770786582?aff=oddtdtcreator


 


✅ 2) To request your Equal Pay case form

Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Need help?


If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, or you need support completing the case form, please contact Barnet UNISON and we will help.


Contact the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Let’s keep the momentum going. Completing the case form and attending the AGM are two simple actions that strengthen our collective case and help ensure members don’t miss out.


In solidarity,


Barnet UNISON


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