Category: Care & Support

Barnet UNISON Warns: “Care Workforce at Risk Without Urgent Action”

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Local, News, Recruitment, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

 

Barnet UNISON has raised urgent concerns about the sustainability of the care workforce at The Barnet Group (TBG), following the release of new data showing a heavily ageing workforce and low numbers of younger recruits.

“The age profile, published today on the Barnet UNISON website, reveals that over 60% of staff are aged 51 and above, with the largest group being 51-60. Under 22% are under the age of 40 with only 6% under the age of 30.”

Helen Davies, Branch Chair of Barnet UNISON, said:

“This data is a wake-up call. The care sector is already under pressure — and without urgent investment in recruitment, training and fair pay, we risk a workforce crisis. Many of our dedicated care staff are approaching retirement age. Who will replace them?”

The union warns that without a strategy to recruit and retain younger staff; the service could face a critical shortage of experienced carers within the next decade. It is calling on Barnet Council and The Barnet Group to:

  • Introduce a care workforce renewal plan
  • Expand apprenticeships and training pathways
  • Improve pay and conditions for frontline care workers
  • Protect services from further cuts and privatisation

Barnet UNISON will be using the data in ongoing discussions with management, councillors and the wider community to demand a properly funded and future-proofed care service.

For further information contact:
Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Twitter/X: @barnet_unison | www.barnetunison.me.uk

 

UNISON response to Barnet Council’s Restructure Proposals 2024/25

Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Disability, H&S, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Barnet UNISON has, since September 2024, proposed financial savings which we believe should be tried before any of these other posts are deleted. To date we have had no response and instead our members’ jobs and services are now at risk.

Please see our budget saving recommendations below:

To view our report please click on the link below

UNISON response to Barnet Councils Restructure Proposals 2024

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/UNISON-response-to-Barnet-Councils-Restructure-Proposals-2024.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

Social Care to wait until 2028. No thanks this is not good enough

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

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.

“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 7: Part Three

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, COVID 19, H&S, Housing, Local, London Living Wage, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Ever since we published our article called Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, we have been inundated with questions about The Barnet Group (TBG).

Barnet UNISON published three animations which were put together with the help of our Barnet UNISON reps in TBG

Here is Animation Number Three which we noticed someone was watching it on a bus.



After watching this animation we strongly recommend you reading our article Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, here https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/


End.


 


 






 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 6: Part Two
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, COVID 19, Health and Safety, Local, London Living Wage, News, Pensions, Recruitment, Repairs, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Ever since we published our article called Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, we have been inundated with questions about The Barnet Group (TBG).


Barnet UNISON published three animations which were put together with the help of our Barnet UNISON reps in TBG


Here is Animation Number Two which appears to have been screened in London Docklands.




After watching this animation we strongly recommend you reading our article Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, here https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/


End.



			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 5: Part One
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Health and Safety, Housing, Local, News, Pensions, Recruitment, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Ever since we published our article called Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, we have been inundated with questions about The Barnet Group (TBG).


Barnet UNISON published three animations which were put together with the help of our Barnet UNISON reps in TBG


Here is Animation Number One which appears to have been viewed in the Council Main Office in Colindale.




After watching this animation we strongly recommend you reading our article Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, here https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/


End.



			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet UNISON consultative ballot for care workers
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, COVID 19, Local, London Living Wage, News, Recruitment, Repairs, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
 




13 February 2024


Dear colleague,


We want you to participate in this consultative ballot to make it clear to senior managers just how strongly you feel about your pay.


We will be letting senior managers know the results of the ballot, so this is your chance to make a difference. If enough people vote yes, then it will not be your last chance and we may progress to balloting our members officially about your willingness to take strike action.


During the COVID pandemic you put your lives and the lives of your families/ loved ones on the line to keep members of the public safe. It took a long time for you to then receive an uplift in your pay, terms and conditions….and it was not enough.


In any case the small gains you made in pay were smashed away by the cost-of-living crisis.


What can The Barnet Group afford? Perhaps we should ask the question differently – You have been identified as essential workers; can any employer afford the cost of you not doing your job?


What you must do now? 


If your workplace setting has a UNISON rep, you should ask them for your ballot paper. Your rep should be checking with you that the address on the envelope matches your current home address. If we did go on to carry out an official ballot, the letter would go to your home address. We need to know we have your correct details. Complete the ballot paper and hand it back to your UNISON rep.


If your workplace has no UNISON rep, the ballot paper will be posted to you directly. Please complete the ballot paper and put it back in the pre-paid envelope and post it back to us.


Your ballot paper needs to reach us by 5pm 23rd February 2024


 


Yours Sincerely


 


John Burgess                                  Patrick Hunter                           Helen Davies


Barnet UNISON                               Barnet UNISON                         Barnet UNISON


Branch Secretary              TBG Assistant Branch Secretary                Branch Chair


 


 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Bringing Services Home – Barnet UNISON campaign
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Community, COVID 19, Health and Safety, Local, London Living Wage, News, Pensions, Recruitment, Repairs, Report, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
 




Barnet UNISON is proud to announce that we are promoting UNISON Bringing Services Home campaign.


As a branch we have had more than our share of outsourcing. The easy Council experiment was a spectacular failure. It cost more money (yes, we told them it would!) and it did not lead to better services.


In May 2022, Barnet Labour Party won the election with a massive majority and one of their priorities was “Review of contracted out services, in the context of the new administration’s aspiration to bring privatised services back in-house.”


Last year Barnet Labour Party brought back one of the big contracts with Capita and other services on the other Capita contract have been coming back in-house.


The Council is going through a period of healing from the badly advised outsourcing ideology which dominated our Council for over a decade.


Today Barnet UNISON has written to all senior council officers responsible for outsourced contracts seeking a meeting to discuss how and when they are going to review the outsourced service.


Barnet UNISON also want to deal with the Ethnicity Pay Gap which the outsourcing easy Council ideology promoted by always securing the outsourcing option for services which are largely provided by Black workers e.g.


    

  1. NSL: Parking Services
    2. 

  2. ISS: Catering Services
    3. 

  3. Your Choice Barnet: Social Care services
    4. 

  4. Norse: Cleaning services
    5. 

  5. Blue 9: Security Services.
    6. 



All the above services were outsourced under the Tories.


Barnet UNISON positively supports the statement of UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:


“Black workers make a vital contribution to the health and care sector but are all too often at the bottom of the pay scale as care workers, porters, healthcare assistants and catering staff. They frequently face shocking discrimination, threatening their health, job security and life chances.”


This why Barnet UNISON is determined to work with the Labour Administration to bring back these services into the Council thus enabling real life meaningful changes for a workforce that is often invisible and often low paid and without occupational sick pay.


End.


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
London Living Wage Week: Barnet UNISON message to employers is “Pay Up Now!”
		
		
 
	
		Barnet Group, Care & Support, Local, London Living Wage, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
London Living Wage Week: Barnet UNISON message to employers is:


 “Pay Up Now!”


 




This week is London Living Wage for more details of the campaign please go to  https://www.livingwage.org.uk/living-wage-week


 


 


As soon as Barnet UNISON heard the new rate had changed from £11.95 to £13.15 an hour we contacted the Leader of Barnet Council, Chief Executive of Barnet Council and Chief Executive of The Barnet Group to ask what they are doing to ensure that all contractors adopt the new pay rate.


Last week we heard that the Chief Executive of The Barnet Group has sent a message to staff stating:

“We have made a commitment to pay the London living wage if we can afford to, to comply with the Living Wage Foundation accreditation it needs to be implemented by 1st May 2024.”


We already know from a survey of our members that pay is the one biggest issues. We are in the worst Cost Of Living Crisis in 76 years, things are not getting better, they are getting worse.


Barnet UNISON will shortly be conducting a mass consultation pay ballot with our members which will ask two questions.


1. Do you think you should wait until 1 May 2024, or should you be given the new pay rate now?


2. If you want the pay now and management refuse to pay, are you prepared to take strike action? Yes or No?


The choice of what we do next will be from our members. We are a branch that does support its members as we saw last year with the Barnet Ten strikes and now, we have social workers on strike about pay.


Whatever happens, you the members will decide what we do next.


We will be organising meetings in workplaces and a big online meeting to discuss this issue.


If you want to book a meeting on pay or would like more information about the mass consultation pay ballot email us at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	

			  

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