HEALTH WARNING: Barnet UNISON members “Your Rights At Work” guide.

This short “Your ‘Rights At Work’ guide is intended to alert all of our members working for Barnet Council to their ‘Rights at Work’

We have noticed a significant increase in case work across the Council and in some cases we are hearing reports of workers being told ‘you don’t need to involve the union’.

Please, please do not go into meetings without your trade union rep. It is much harder trying to protect “Your ‘Rights At Work’ if you have gone into earlier meetings without your union rep.

To view our “Your Rights At Work” guide click on link below.

2019.01.31 Rights at work FINAL

 

Remember this:

“If in doubt ring Barnet UNISON on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk”.

 

*****Cleaners now on London Living Wage*****

Friday 1 February 2019 was a big day for all cleaners working on the outsourced Barnet Council Corporate Cleaning contract.

All cleaners working on the Barnet Corporate Cleaning contract moved from £7.83 an hour to £10.55 an hour.

After 15 years of lobbying to get them on the London Living Wage it has finally happened.

No worker in Barnet Council earns less than LLW and that has been included in the most recent outsourced contracts. 

#Capita consultation only 2 weeks to go !

Dear Barnet resident.

I am writing to you as the Lead Barnet UNISON rep on behalf my members who work on the two #Capita contracts here in Barnet.

Barnet UNISON has campaigned for over a decade to oppose mass outsourcing to Capita. Sadly the outsourcing meant hundreds of redundancies as jobs were moved out of London. The issues with Capita were not just redundancies, service issues started to emerge across a large number of former Council services.

Barnet UNISON has been campaigning in the community for the past year to bring back services in-house following the collapse of Carillion and Capita’s dramatic share price fall last February 2018.

Following the serious fraud recently committed by a Capita employee the Council has reviewed both contracts and is in the process of bring back Finance and Strategic HR as from 1 April 2019.

However other Council services currently provided by Capita are now being reviewed to see if they should come back in-house.

Here are services currently provided by Capita

Phase 1 – Finance and Strategic HR (the focus of this TUPE consultation)

Phase 2 – Highways and Regeneration (review between Jan to Sept 2019)

Phase 3 – Barnet-based customised services – Estates, Social Care Direct, Safety, Health and Wellbeing , Strategic Planning, Procurement, Insight, Cemetery and Crematorium (review between Jan to Sept 2019)

Phase 4 – Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, Information Services, Planning (Development Management) and Regulatory Services, transactional HR services (including pensions administration). Will form part of the Year 7 Contract Review of both contracts from September 2019 onwards.

Barnet UNISON is campaigning for all services provided by Capita to come back in-house.

I am encouraging all Barnet residents to take part in Barnet Councils Capita online consultation which you can access here https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/strategic-contract-review

The deadline to complete the consultation is Friday 15 February 2019.

It is really important that Barnet Council hears from residents about Capita.

There are 12 questions including some multiple choice and written responses.

In order to encourage and assist Barnet residents to complete the Capita online consultation I strongly recommend residents read this helpful guidance produced by Barnet Alliance for Public Services click on link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sMdE3V9gA1peQ-5Gw1vS7HeqRcFI4aU/view

I have attached a info graphic produced by Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable showing how many millions Barnet Council have already paid Capita.

Please complete the survey and let others know.

Best wishes
John Burgess
Branch Secretary.
Barnet UNISON

 

Barnet Council Capita consultation : Complete ASAP

To All Barnet UNISON members living in Barnet

I am writing to you as a member of Barnet UNISON and according to our postcode information a Barnet resident.

Barnet UNISON campaigned for over a decade to oppose mass outsourcing to Capita. Sadly the outsourcing meant hundreds of redundancies as jobs were moved out of London. The issues with Capita were not just redundancies, service issues started to emerge across a large number of former Council services.

Barnet UNISON has been campaigning in the community for the past year to bring back services in-house following the collapse of Carillion and Capita’s dramatic share price fall last February 2018.

Following the serious fraud recently committed by a Capita employee the Council has reviewed both contracts and is in the process of bring back Finance and Strategic HR as from 1 April 2019.

Other former Council services currently provided by Capita are now being reviewed to see if they should come back in-house.

Barnet UNISON is campaigning for services to come back in-house.

As a Barnet resident and UNISON member I am encouraging you to take part in Barnet Councils Capita online consultation which you can access.

The deadline to complete the consultation is Friday 15 February 2019. It is really important that Barnet Council hears from residents about Capita.

There are 12 questions including some multiple choice and written responses.

In order to encourage and assist Barnet residents to complete the Capita online consultation I strongly recommend residents read this helpful guidance produced by Barnet Alliance for Public Services here

****Important links******

 

  1. Barnet Council Capita consultation here.

 

  1. Helpful guidance here

 

Bet wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

 

*****Important Update for Barnet UNISON Bin workers*****

Important Update for Barnet UNISON Bin workers

Dear Waste and Recycling Barnet UNISON members

First of all I want to say that you are all doing an incredible job.

I know that you have had no influence on the bin collection changes and that you have tried to tell the Council about the things that are not working over the last 11 weeks. .

I know many of you simply want to be able to go to work, complete your task,  finish, and go home.

Unfortunately the bin collection changes has brought significant problems for residents and staff.

What has Barnet UNISON been doing?

Barnet UNISON has had conversations with senior manager and Leader of Barnet Council.

Unfortunately the discussions we are having about the bin changes are limited because the information we require from management has not been provided.

We used to meet with management once a week at the Oakleigh depot, this was changed by management to fortnightly and now it is over a month (12 December 2018) since we last met.

What is wrong with the rounds?

The simple answer is we don’t know.

Only earlier this week we asked for information about all the rounds in ordee we can carefully go through each round in order to try to understand what is going on,

Unfortunately senior management are unable to provide this information at this time. This is what they said at our last meeting on 12 December 2018.

What do the workers say?

Over the last 11 weeks we have received the following feedback from our members.

Not in any particular order:

  1. Because of the split depots and the traveling time to and from rounds and to and from tipping stations (Hendon and Edmonton) area based working does not appear to work.
  2. The Round sheets were wrong from day one and are still wrong, which is frustrating for the drivers.
  3. Work has been taken off some rounds, but it is still showing on round sheets, no one appears to know why this is happening?
  4. The maps were wrong from day one and are still wrong.
  5. Assisted collections are still wrong.
  6. Route and round risk assessments have not been done
  7. The mileage being walked by the loaders is too great.
  8. The rounds are too big.
  9. Putting agency staff on the same round who don’t know the borough, don’t know where they’re going and who have had no banksman training is very dangerous.
  10. The trade rounds are too big and having only one loader is very dangerous, with R.A.T.S left uncollected for weeks because a big vehicle just can’t get in the alleyways.
  11. Restricted access rounds have been biggest problem, again because big vehicles just can’t get into small locations.
  12. Flat rounds have been a big problem, again because of access problems and the sheer volume of tonnage involved.
  13. Green waste rounds have been impossible to complete even a single day because of the size of the rounds.
  14. No lessons have been learnt from previous years about Xmas collections and the sheer volume of waste and Xmas trees to be collected.
  15. Bulking area problems, not helped by off-hiring1 artic cab, deleting 1 job and using the other 2 staff to drive refuse rounds, leaving 1 worker to run site.
  16. Too much recycling for the area to cope with, so it is up to the roof and left on site overnight. Add to this tons of green waste tipped in unsuitable holding bays also left on site overnight.
  17. Not all staff trained on new vehicles.
  18. Vehicles left full overnight and not fuelled up, causing knock on effects for the morning crews, also rat damage and fitters unable to do repairs, servicing and MOT’s.
  19. When work is left uncompleted, no proper procedures in place to identify what’s been left and on what round or road, with sometimes several crews sent out to clear up only to find work has already been cleared.
  20. No way of monitoring tonnages.
  21. Supervisors and managers unable to do their jobs because they have been out loading or driving.
  22. No procedures in place to pick up loaders to drop them off to other rounds to help them or take them back to the depot.
  23. Bin deliveries regularly cancelled
  24. Clinical waste regularly cancelled
  25. Hazard round too big to complete and regularly cancelled
  26. Fear some staff working over their driving and working hours to clear up work.
  27. Staff being abused by members of the public because of their frustration
  28. Members of the public reporting they can’t get through on the help lines and when they do no one gets back to them.
  29. Staff off sick with stress, depression and injuries.
  30. Household waste left uncollected for weeks.
  31. Trade waste left uncollected for weeks
  32. Flats left uncollected for weeks
  33. Green waste left uncollected for weeks/months
  34. Drivers coming from Harrow to pick up loader or vehicles in Oakleigh depot
  35. No shunts have been available
  36. Occasions where there may be up to 6 vehicles working on the same road
  37. Saturday and Sunday working almost since the new service started.
  38. High level of agency staff at both depots
  39. Lack of keys or FOB’s or codes on round sheets
  40. Some support crews cancelled
  41. Emptying refuse, recycling and green waste into same vehicle

Barnet UNISON Bin workers please check

If there is anything we have missed or there is something you want us to bring up in our meetings with management, please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

Start spreading the NEWS “we’re balloting soon” actually start 22 January!

Attention all Barnet UNISON School members:

UNISON on-line ballot will open on Tuesday 22nd January and close on Tuesday 5th Marcha 6 week ballot period.

The three questions on the on-line ballot are as follows:

  1. Do you believe that government funding cuts are having a negative effect on jobs, workloads, stress, pay and terms and conditions in your schools?
  2. Do you believe that UNISON should continue to campaign on school funding for jobs, pay and terms and conditions?
  3. Would you be prepared to take industrial action to secure more money for jobs, pay and terms and conditions in schools?

It is really important that as many Barnet UNISON School staff take part in the ballot. Unless there is a radical change in funding for schools then more and more cuts will be delivered. These cuts are hurting our members and the children.

It is really important that School Staff send a message to UNISON that if necessary they will take strike action to stop the School Budget cuts.

 

3 things for Barnet UNISON school staff members can do:

  1. Please make sure you have passed on your correct email address to the Barnet UNISON branch by emailing contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
  2. Speak to your fellow workers and check they are in a trade union. If they are not in a union they won’t be able to vote and that will mean one less message going to the Government. If they are not in a union ask them to join Barnet UNISON. They can sign up on line by googling “Join UNISON” https://join.unison.org.uk/
  3. Contact Barnet UNISON in order to request flyers/information about the ballot to circulate amongst your colleagues by phone on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Information:

UNISON Campaign web page https://bit.ly/2VDAv9I

Barnet UNISON January Branch Meeting Flyer

Branch Meeting dates for January 2019 

All meetings start 12.30 to 1.30

 

Wednesday        9th January     Barnet House   CR4

Thursday    10th January NLBP 4 Central

Tuesday    15th January Barnet House CR2

Tuesday 29th January Barnet House CR3

Wednesday 30th January NLBP 4 Central

Thursday 7th February Barnet House 1.1

AGENDA

  1. Update on Capita coming back in-house

 

  1. Barnet Council Finances.

 

  1. Restructures

 

  1. Move to Colindale.

 

  1. AGM 13 February

 

  1. Any other business

To view flyer click on link below

2019.01.09. Jan19 meetings leaflet

UPDATE SCHOOLS: UNISON National on-line indicative ballot starts 22 January 2019

Start spreading the NEWS!

The online consultation opens on 22 January 2019 – check the UNISON website for all ballot updates. It’s just three simple questions and your answers will help us in our campaign and negotiations with employers and the government.

UNISON web site https://www.unison.org.uk/

To view UNISON School Flyer click on link below

UNISON School flyer Jan 19

3 things for Barnet UNISON school staff members can do:

1. Please make sure you have passed on your correct email address to the Barnet UNISON branch by emailing contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

2. Speak to your fellow workers and check they are in a trade union. If they are not in a union they won’t be able to vote and that will mean one less message going to the Government. If they are not in a union ask them to join Barnet UNISON. They can sign up on line by googling “Join UNISON” https://join.unison.org.uk/

3. Contact Barnet UNISON in order to request flyers/information about the ballot to circulate amongst your colleagues by phone on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

Responses to our #Bingate questions

Unison Round Reorganisation Question – Received 5 October

 

  1. How many vehicles do we currently have available for the new round restructure?

 

All vehicles currently used for refuse and recycling collections will remain available for the new rounds. As highlighted in our meetings in October. This is 50 RCVs currently available within the fleet including hire vehicles.

 

  1. How many refuse rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?

 

Initially 15 standard refuse rounds were set which included, Driver +2 loaders, 45 staff on each collection day, as highlighted in our meetings in October. Addition resources to balance rounds was expected. At present additional refuse collection rounds are operating on Monday and Tuesday to provide support to crews where problem roads/locations have been identified or round size is emerging as an issue limiting the ability to complete within working time.

 

  1. How many recycling rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?

 

Initially 15 standard recycling rounds were set which included, Driver +2 loaders, 45 staff on each collection day, as highlighted in our meetings in October. Addition resources to balance rounds was expected. At present additional refuse collection rounds are operating on Monday and Tuesday to provide support to crews where problem roads/locations have been identified or round size is emerging as an issue limiting the ability to complete within working time.

 

  1. How many Trade rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?

 

3 trade rounds, Driver +1 loader, 6 staff as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. How many green waste rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?

 

4 garden waste rounds, Driver +2 loaders, 12 staff as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. Currently the Hazard vehicle round operates three days a week. Will it still be operating and what are the crew numbers?

 

The hazard vehicle (Impact Protection Vehicle (IPV)) will continue to operate 2 days per week. Driver IPV, Driver+1/2 RCV, as highlighted in our meetings in October.

 

 

  1. Impact Vehicle (IPV) currently operates three days a week what is the plan for this service?

 

As above.

 

  1. Will there still be a Bin delivery and if so what are the staffing numbers?

 

The bin delivery vehicle will be retained. Driver only. as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. How many shunt vehicles will be available on a daily basis?

 

This will vary on daily basis as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. What rounds will be getting shunts?

 

This will vary on daily basis as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. What is the estimated down time for shunts?

 

Clarification on this question is needed

 

  1. How many spare vehicles do we have?

 

This will vary on daily basis as highlighted in our meetings in October

 

  1. What are number of locations per round?

 

Clarification on this question is needed.

 

  1. How many bins and size per location?

 

Unknown and variable each week/seasonality. Bin lift information being recorded. Barnet Homes bin audit nearing completion.

 

The audit of all Barnet Homes managed properties has been completed. Bin number by type and waste stream at each location are known.

 

  1. Please provide the mileage walked by loaders per round?

 

We do not hold this information

 

  1. How will flat refuse be collected?

 

As highlighted in our meetings in October refuse from flats contained within communal bins/1100l Euro bins is scheduled be collected on the normal rounds. A round that focusses of the collection of refuse from flats is in the process of being created and will be operational to support collections on Monday and Tuesday each week from Monday 17 November.

  1. How will flat recycling be collected?

 

As above.

 

  1. What are the days for each postal district?

 

See district/round maps previous circulated

 

  1. How are the locations with more than one collection day be collected?

 

The Council policy is for one collection of refuse to be provided per week. Further collections will be chargeable. Both Barnet Home and privately managed developments have been contacted to inform them of the enforcement of this policy and the options for ensuring waste is contained and collected. The majority of managing agents have made contact with the team and contracts will be established for paid additional collections.

 

  1. Will there be maps provided for each new round?

 

Maps were provided to crews and feedback has been positive. These have been amended in response to crew feedback and continue to be reproduced to reflect changes made to improve rounds.

 

  1. When will public be informed?

 

The communication plan for this service changes was delivered in full. As was set out in our meetings in October An additional postcard was delivered to all street level properties in the week prior to the changes going live and a wrap cover was distributed on the Barnet Times.

 

  1. When will staff be consulted and be informed about their round?

 

As was set out in our meetings in October staff have were informed about the round changes and engaged through being talked through the rounds and giving feedback. All staff had the opportunity to view the new rounds over a number of weeks and provide feedback.

 

Dialogue between frontline staff and supervisors/operational managers takes place daily. Feedback is used to make continual improvements to rounds. In addition, comments from round sheets are recorded and where action is necessary this is taken. Dedicated feedback meetings with frontline staff/representatives will be scheduled in December/January.

 

  1. What are the contingency plans in the event of failure to collect?

 

Qualified drivers from across the service have been identified to ensure cover for sickness and annual leave. Additional vehicles have been hired to ensure there is cover due to recent breakdowns. Additional support rounds have been organised for Monday and Tuesday, which have been shown to be the heaviest days of the week. Evening shifts have been arranged and will be employed on days when needed.

 

  1. What is the plan for the ever growing number of new developments to be incorporated into the new round?

 

The growth in the borough’s population and housing stock was a driver for the round reorganisation. Information on current and projected growth has been provided to the team and incorporated into the new rounds, as was highlighted in our meetings in October.

 

  1. Will agency staff still be used?

 

Agency staff will be used if needed however the new rounds should provide capacity within the existing staffing levels to cover work where agency cover would have typically needed to be brought in.

 

  1. What are the estimated travelling times for each round to and from depots to the prescribed five postal districts?

 

@ 06:30 Mon (EN5 2BD) Tue (N12 9EY) Wed (NW11 7JS) Thu (NW7 4PU) Fri (NW4 4BG)
Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance
Harrow HA3 8NT 18 to 28 8.1 20 to 30 8.3 20 to 35 8.3 12 to 20 4.9 14 to 22 5.6
Oakleigh Depot N11 1HJ 7 to 10 2.9 5 to 8 1.7 12 to 20 5.4 12 to 16 5.2 12 to 24 5.8

 

 

  1. What are the estimated tipping times from each area to Hendon or Edmonton?

 

@ 10:00 Mon (EN5 2BD) Tue (N12 9EY) Wed (NW11 7JS) Thu (NW7 4PU) Fri (NW4 4BG)
Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance Time Distance
Oakleigh Depot – Dry Recycling and Green Waste N11 1HJ 8 to 16 2.9 6 to 12 1.7 14 to 24 5.4 12 to 20 5.2 16 to 28 5.8
Edmonton – Dry recycling, green waste and residual waste N18 3AG 24 to 40 9.0 20 to 35 6.6 24 to 45 9.4 28 to 50 11.9 26 to 45 9.9
Hendon Rail Transfer Station – Dry recycling and Residual waste NW7 20 to 35 9.2 16 to 26 5.5 8 to 12 2.3 12 to 24 5.6 8 to 14 3.0

 

  1. Will black sacks be used, if so who will deliver them?

 

Black sacks are not issued by LBB. Some properties where there are access issues and/or lack of frontage are provided with sacks for both refuse and recycling. These are now delivered on request as opposed to regular ‘blanket’ drops.

 

  1. Where access for large vehicles is prohibited how far are staff expected to pull bins from bin areas to vehicle?

 

Dynamic risk assessments need to be carried out by crew as required. Where there are concerns around collecting bins these need to be communicated to supervisors for a visit/assessment to be carried out and a solution found as was highlighted in our meetings in October.

 

  1. Have risk assessment’s been done for each new round?

 

As agreed at JNCC, route information sheets will be completed by each crew within first month of new service. Known issues on rounds will be prepopulated pre go live.

 

  1. Have Round Descriptions been completed for each new round?

 

As above.

 

  1. Will the Round Descriptions include the presence potential hazards and restrictions such as;
  • Parked Vehicles
  • Narrow Lanes
  • Steep Slopes
  • Pedestrian usage
  • Schools/Care Homes and other buildings that may present increase risk, hazards or restrictions
  • Poor Lighting or Visibility

 

As above.

 

  1. Will the Round Descriptions include the nearest locations of:
  • Public/Staff Accessible Toilets
  • Hospitals
  • Nearest refuelling point (in case of emergency)

 

As above.

 

 

  1. Have the rounds been walked and tested?

 

No. As was highlighted in our meetings in October, there is not logistical ability to do this, and is not industry standard.

 

  1. What is current overall capacity in tonnage for each existing refuse round per day?

90,710.64t residual household residual waste collected 2017/18

(all vehicles, all sources)

261 working days per year

90,710.64/261 = 347.55t per day across all vehicles

Households

18 RCV x 10t average payload = 180t/360t capacity based on 1/2 tips daily

 

  1. What is the overall capacity expected in tonnage for each new refuse round per day?

15 RCV x 10t payload = 150t/300t capacity based on 1/2 tips daily

 

  1. What is current overall capacity in tonnage for each existing flat refuse round per day?

 

Included in above figures.

 

  1. What is the current overall capacity in tonnage for the existing food waste round per day?

4630.76t food waste collected 2017/18

4630.76/261 = 17.74t per day

 

  1. What is the current overall capacity in tonnage for RATS/FLASH collection rounds per day?

N/A.

  1. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing recycling round per day?

31,480.22t Household dry recycling collected 2017/18

31,480.22/261 = 120.61t per day

16 RCV x 10t payload x 1 tip per day = 160t/320t capacity based on 1/2 tips daily

 

  1. What is the overall capacity expected tonnage for each new recycling round per day?

31,480.22t Household dry recycling collected 2017/18

31,480.22/261 = 120.61t per day

15 RCV x 10t payload x 1 tip per day = 150t/300t capacity based on 1/2 tips daily

 

  1. What is the current overall tonnage for the food waste collected by the recycling rounds per day?

4630.76t food waste collected 2017/18

4630.76/261 = 17.74t per day

 

  1. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing refuse restricted access round per day?

Contained in above figures.

  1. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing recycling restricted access round per day?

Contained in above figures for recycling.

 

  1. Currently we have restricted access rounds. How will the new round collection service address restricted access to locations?

A number of locations have proven challenging to access with the ‘standard’ RCVs in the fleet. As such these locations have been assessed and where necessary removed from rounds on to a separated restricted access ‘round’.

 

  1. What is the current overall tonnage of the Saturday green waste rounds?

14,743.58t garden waste collected 2017/18

Majority collected on Saturday rounds. Seasonal variation of tonnages across the year.

  1. Will the crews be alternated between refuse and recycling each week?

In the initial 5 weeks of the service it has been necessary to move drivers and loader between different rounds to both assist with familiarisation, better balance the local knowledge and challenge the productivity of rounds so they can be adjusted where needed.

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