Category: London Living Wage

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

A London Cleaner’s Reality on Barnet Councils outsourced cleaning contract : Working Hard, Still Struggling

Anti - Racism, Health and Safety, Local, London Living Wage, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

I’m a cleaner on a Council contract. I’m proud of the work I do — it matters. But I want people to understand what it’s really like trying to live and raise a family in London on the London Living Wage.

When people talk about the cost-of-living crisis, it can sound like something on the news. For me, it’s everyday life.

Food is so expensive now. Sometimes it’s hard to buy even basic food. And it’s even harder when you have children — they’re hungry all the time, and you can’t just tell them to wait. You do everything you can to make it work, but it never feels like enough.

Then there are clothes. Children grow so fast and they still need what everyone else needs: shoes that fit, warm coats, school things. On top of that I have to find money for gas and electricity. Those bills don’t stop. They don’t care what you earn.

Sometimes I have to borrow money from family. That’s not easy. It’s embarrassing and it’s painful, because you want to stand on your own feet. But when everything costs more and your wages stay the same, you end up with no choice.

What makes it even harder is the way we’re treated at work compared to other people around us.

It’s unfair that my employer holds onto my pay for another 12 days before they pay me. I’m working alongside council workers who get their pay at the end of the month. They don’t have to wait for the wages they’ve earned. Why are we treated differently?

We’re doing our jobs. We’re turning up. We’re keeping places clean, safe and working properly. But we are the lowest paid staff — and everything is made that much harder for us.

We only get the London Living Wage. We don’t get sick pay. That means if I’m ill, or if something happens, it’s not just a health worry — it becomes a money worry too. You start thinking, “If I can’t work, how will I pay bills? How will I buy food?” That’s not how anyone should have to live.

And another thing that doesn’t feel right is the delay in getting the London Living Wage increase. The new rate is announced in October, but a lot of employers don’t bring it in until 1 April. That’s about six months of waiting.

But prices don’t wait six months. Rent doesn’t wait. Food doesn’t wait. Gas and electricity don’t wait. If the London Living Wage is the rate people need to live on, then it should be paid from the moment it’s announced — not half a year later.

London is an expensive city. I work hard. I’m not asking for special treatment. I just want fairness — and to be treated like my council worker colleagues. I want to be paid on time. I want proper sick pay. And I want the London Living Wage paid when it’s announced, because that’s when families like mine actually need it.

That’s why I support Barnet UNISON’s campaign to make sure Council contracts include a clause so the new London Living Wage rate is applied from the announcement date — not months later. Because people like me shouldn’t have to struggle this much just to get by.

 

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***Barnet UNISON AGM Tuesday 25 February 2025 4-5.30 pm ***

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, Local, London Living Wage, Membership, News, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

It is your democratic right to attend and participate in your UNISON AGM.

It is important that members register to attend.

You have two choices:

You can join in person at the Colindale office, or you can join online.

Please click on the link below to register to join the meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrd-GorTsrGtQzqR9L3h9L-z1mKymCRU_i

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“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/


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“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/


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Pay Up now – cleaners not being paid London Living Wage
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Disability, Health and Safety, London Living Wage, News, Solidarity	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON had tried unsuccessfully to convince Labour controlled Barnet Council to bring back the cleaning service in-house earlier this year. If they have had brought Cleaning back in-house which is a service which is predominantly carried out by black female Barnet UNISON members they would have made a powerful statement to a workforce that is often overlooked when it comes to consideration for insourcing.


Last week Barnet UNISON spoke to some of our cleaners to check that they are receiving the correct London Living Wage increase of £13.15.


Barnet UNISON discovered that they were NOT being paid the correct rate and we have written to Norse Cleaning and Barnet Council to ask that they are paid the correct rate, and they receive their backdated payments.


We have been given an assurance that the error will be rectified. We will wait to see our members payslips later this month.


Earlier this year our cleaners were informed there were changes to their annual leave they came to Barnet UNISON to explain. The letter was not well written and difficult to understand but we finally sorted it out and made sure that none of our members were going to lose their annual leave because of the changes.


Barnet UNISON takes its responsibilities seriously and will never shirk having difficult conversations with employers it’s what we should do. 


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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.


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