We Are Barnet rally Weds 19 May 2021
Category: Barnet Group
We Are Barnet Public rally Wed 21 April 2021
Wednesday 21 April 6.30 to 7.30 Barnet UNISON Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85100508740?pwd=dlFRN0I3bUxSdzlLK3l4VS9uWmhMZz09
Meeting ID: 851 0050 8740
Passcode: 420361
Helen Davies Barnet UNISON Branch Chair Please sign “We Are Barnet” petition
We want Barnet Council Terms & Conditions.
Our demand to be treated like every other Barnet Council worker
View our flyer by clicking on our UNISON link
WeAreBarnet_A5_4pp_No2_web
“We Are Barnet” Campaign explained
“We Are Barnet” Flyer
“We Are Barnet” petition
Press release: “We Are Barnet” – Pay like Barnet!
“If we’re good enough for Barnet residents, we’re good enough for Barnet terms and conditions” – A Barnet Group Worker
“I have rarely discovered such a deeply embedded scale of inequalities and exploitation in a local authority arms length company. This a damning indictment on the London Borough of Barnet who have colluded with this model for nearly a decade.” Dexter Whitfield, Director, European Services Strategy Unit
“It might be the London Living Wage but it’s not the London Living standard, is it?” – A Barnet Group Worker on hearing they are to be moved from being paid the National minimum wage to the London Living Wage (£8.72/ hr to £10.85/ hr)
The Barnet Group workers are all on different terms and conditions often for the exact same job. This creates divisions and inequalities. Very few of the workers are on terms and conditions which resemble the Council terms and conditions and although the Council terms and conditions are hardly generous they are better in all areas than the terms and conditions most of the workers in The Barnet Group have. It means the Council can choose to pay inferior terms and conditions if it wants to.
Barnet Group staff worked through the COVID pandemic putting themselves and the lives of their families at risk. A number of them became ill with COVID as a result. They are care workers, support workers and housing workers.
The Barnet Group is a subsidiary wholly owned by Barnet Council. It now employs over 1,000 workers and is almost as big as the Council itself. All of the jobs and services done by The Barnet Group were all once carried out by the Council directly.
‘The embedded inequalities of Terms and Conditions and Pay across The Barnet Group cannot be tolerated any further.
Barnet Group staff have been providing frontline services to the Public all the way through the Pandemic with little or no reward or recognition for the vital work and services we provide to Barnet residents on behalf of the Council – all we are asking is to be treated with the same respect as our colleagues who work directly for the Council – it really isn’t too much to ask!’ Patrick Hunter, Barnet UNISON convenor for Barnet Homes
“The Barnet Group is ridiculously complicated for work colleagues to understand. Frankly they do not understand how they can be doing the same job but be paid differently and I think we only need to understand one thing – it’s wrong. The high death rate in the UK from COVID is largely due to the socio-economic inequalities in the UK. We have had nearly one continuous year of lockdown. We all suffer when people are not paid enough to live on and thrive. This is why our campaign is about reversing that race to the bottom in pay, terms and conditions.” Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair
End.
Note to Editors: Contact details: Helen Davies Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: Helen.Davies@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
To View Dexter Whitfields report summitted to Chief Executive of The Barnet Group please click on the UNISON link below
Barnet UNISON TBG Pay Claim
“We Are Barnet” Campaign explained https://youtu.be/m7wB0hY45Rk
We Are Barnet” explainer flyer https://bit.ly/3r9TDed
“We Are Barnet – Pay like Barnet” petition http://chng.it/wCm6ZzWTXs
Annual General Meeting 4th March 2021, 4pm
March 4th at 4pm Time off has been requested from all employers
I don’t think we ever imagined circumstances where as trade unionists we would be facing such wide scale interventions involving potentially life or death decisions. The pressure on the whole branch, which is not an abstract thing – it’s our members and reps – has been intense and continues to be so.
Nonetheless it is you and your engagement which has enabled reps to keep on doing what they are doing and to meet with some success. There is so much more to do though…
We need you to attend our Annual General Meeting in order to make key decisions for the correct running of our branch. If we fail to meet as per rules we will fail to exist and we will not be able to continue to support you.
We have confirmed our zoom account will let in up to 500 people so there will not be a problem for those of you who wish to attend. However, this time you MUST register in advance. This is because the AGM is a member only event and for voting purposes we need to confirm those attending are our members.
You need to make sure when you attend we can identify you, therefore if you know your image in the meeting will appear with “Galaxy” or “i-phone user” rather than your name you need to change this to your real name before you enter the meeting otherwise you are likely to be denied access.
Here is a guide on how to use Zoom
If you still require assistance on how to use Zoom please contact the Branch Office by email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Barnet UNISON is the 2nd fastest growing branch in the Greater London region according to last year’s figures. We welcome our new members. We have also seen a much greater number of colleagues agreeing to become reps which is incredibly important. This growth has been critical in our attempts to keep us all as safe as possible. In order to keep going we need you to attend our AGM
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcocOGvrjMsGtAYwZn7i5kEeqIy-PS8euKU