Category: Schools
UNISON in relation to Coronavirus, all workplaces including schools.
Dear Member
I thought I would share the latest update from UNISON in relation to Coronavirus, all workplaces including schools.
“What is UNISON nationally is doing now?
We are seeking to work with national government, local government and education employers to draw up additional guidance. We have raised a range of issues with them including:
- Which workers we believe should be defined as essential staff and have access to education facilities;
- Closures and full pay – the need for reassurance around full pay for all staff including contractors (catering, cleaning etc), agency staff and sessional workers;
- Health and safety – need for risk assessments, protective equipment, schools fully stocked with all necessary cleaning products and testing;
- Postponement of redundancies/restructures/TUPE transfers/ disciplinary hearings etc during this period;
- Joint working with unions and employers locally and nationally to help schools and pupils and staff through crisis with employers and unions recognising the need for flexibility. Asking for volunteers first when employers are seeking to re-deploy staff;”
More details here.
https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/key-issues/covid-19-closures/
I have submitted the above to Barnet Council and requested that I need a response which I can share to all of our members.
Please note:
If you have any questions please email
contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Barnet UNISON office moves to home working
Until further notice Barnet UNISON will be operating a home working system from our branch workers in line with government advice which means the branch office is closed for access.
Our answering machine and emails will be monitored during this period and we will continue to provide telephone and email advice to our members, individual face to face representation is to be postponed at this time however we will still be representing you but trying to find an alternative way to do so in line with the government advice on COVID19.
If you have a new issue or query you would like assistance with, in the first instance, please either telephone the branch on 020 8359 2088 and leave a message on the Voicemail, giving your name and phone number very clearly and slowly or email the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk and leave your name, contact telephone number, workplace and a brief outline of your issue or query.
We will arrange for a representative to contact you as soon as possible.
Please see below a list of our Officers and reps together with their contact details and working hours for those who have ongoing cases with the below:
Monday to Friday. John Burgess Branch Secretary John.Burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Helen Davies Branch Chair Helen.Davies@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday & Thursday. Hugh Jordan Health and Safety/Convenor Libraries Hugh.Jordan@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday to Wednesday Beverly Berrick (Schools) Tues- Weds Beverley.Berrick@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Chris Jobson Street Scene Convenor Chris.Jobson@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Patrick Hunter Convenor Barnet Homes Patrick.Hunter@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Lorraine Berry Office Manager Lorraine.Berry@barnetunison.org.uk
You can also ring Unison Direct on 0800 0857 857.
End.
Barnet UNISON submission to Barnet Council about #Coronavirus

Barnet UNISON begins work to seek backdating Pay and Pension for members working in Barnet Council schools.
Earlier this year Barnet UNISON submitted 52 collective grievances on behalf of our members working in 52 Barnet Schools.
What is this about?
It is about the calculation used to ensure that part-time workers are not being discriminated in relation to their pay.
UNISON believes that this contract term is unfair and inherently discriminatory. We believe that this contract term results term time only workers receiving less than their pro-rata leave entitlement compared to their full time equivalent (FTE) colleagues.
UNISON believes that this contract treats part time workers less favourably than full time staff and is therefore discriminatory. We also believe that the approach is potentially discriminatory on sex grounds as the workers affected are overwhelmingly female.
UNISON is seeking a recalculation of the pay and leave of these staff and a payment of back pay of any historical underpayment from their date of appointment.
We would also seek a recalculation of any pension entitlement under the LGPS resulting from any underpayment or understatement of pensionable service.
What are we doing now?
We are now busy arranging meetings in these schools to explain the reason for the claim for backdated pay and a payment for underpayment of their Pension. Only one of the Schools is a Barnet Schools the rest are Academies/Foundation Schools.
We are beginning to lodge our legal claim against the Schools in order to protect our members claims.
What about Barnet Council Schools?
As news spreads about our campaign, our members working in Barnet Council Schools are asking about their claims.
Our members were never informed by Barnet Council that they were being paid incorrectly and that they had a claim for back pay and a payment towards the underpayment of their Pension. Our members are angry to hear they have not been paid correctly and are demanding that Barnet Council pay up.
Today, Barnet UNISON has written to Barnet Council seeking a meeting to discuss our claim on behalf of our members. We are calling on Barnet Council to do the right thing and reach a collective agreement which will address the backdating and the underpayment of the Pension.
This is a massive issue for our members and we are continuing to keep all of our members briefed as to their rights at work.
If you are on a Term Time Pay contract and worried if you are being correctly paid please contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
More to follow…….
End.
Term Time Pay Drop-in meetings
Barnet UNISON is hosting drop-in sessions for our members working in schools which have Term Time Pay issues.
Drop-in sessions will take place on
- Monday 17th February 11- 3pm
- Tuesday 18th 11 -3pm
- Thursday 20th February from 11- 3
Drop-in sessions are held at the Barnet UNISON office, Barnet House, 1255 High Road, Whetstone, London N20 0EJ
Members please note you will need the following information.
Your monthly take home pay figures, payroll number which is on your pay slip, your membership number.
End.
17 Level 3 TAs face the sack in one Barnet School
I was not looking forward to this consultation meeting. The look of devastation on the faces of mainly low paid female workers was for all to see.
Each worker spoke with passion about the work they do and what they felt was betrayal for all the hard work they have put into the school for years.
I was able to sit and listen to them tell me about what they do. It was clear they cared deeply about the children they support. They expressed disbelief that the restructure proposals will even work.
I left the meeting not deflated but recharged with energy to try to do as much as I can for them.
This is my second redundancy meeting in a week and it’s hitting low paid workers again.
If this week is an indicator of life for workers under Boris Johnson then we should all be worried
More later….
It’s Your Wages. This is what we are doing.
On Wednesday 15th January 2020 UNISON lodged collective grievances against 52 Barnet Schools to ensure we protect claims on behalf of all of over 500 UNISON members working in those schools.
Three things that need to be done for YOU.
- The way your employer calculates YOUR Pay needs to be changed in order that you are paid correctly.
- You have been underpaid for years. These are your wages that you have worked for and it is your right that your employer should pay you correctly.
- If you are in the Pension Scheme your Pension is wrong and you need to be compensated.
IMPORTANT ADVICE:
Barnet UNISON has an organiser called Nadia who will be contacting you to set up a meeting to explain what happens next.
If you want to speak to Nadia please contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Term Time Pay Update Meeting
On Tuesday 25 February 2020 5.15 pm, Barnet House, 1255 High Road, Whetstone N20 0EJ after the Barnet UNISON Annual General Meeting there will be an update for all of our members on the claim.
Please come along.
BREAKING NEWS: School Support Staff. What we are recommending
Barnet UNISON has now written to 67 schools where we have reason to believe our members are not being paid correctly.
If your school talks to you about this matter please refer them back to Barnet UNISON.
Our proposal to settle this matter is as follows:
Barnet UNISON would like to reach a local resolution on this matter which would involve the following:
- The School adopting the correct formula for paying TTO staff.
Barnet UNISON is recommending to all schools in Barnet that they should adopt the annual leave policy and term time formula used by Barnet Council since 1 April 2018.
- Backdating compensation for historic underpayments.
- Compensation for any loss of pension resulting from the miscalculation of annual leave and pay.
If you have any questions or concerns about your pay please ring our Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
End.
Background:
URGENT UPDATE: Your Pay could be wrong. This is what you must do.
URGENT UPDATE: Your Pay could be wrong. This is what you must do.
“Already over worked and underpaid, would you work for free?
URGENT UPDATE: Your Pay could be wrong. This is what you must do.
Please ring the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 in order that the Branch can explain the TWO things you need to do:
- Complete and return the UNISON information sheet about your work.
- Send a copy of your payslips to the branch.
You can download the Barnet UNISON information sheet by clicking the link below to our web site
You can email your questions to Barnet UNISON at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
You can view the latest Barnet UNISON schools newsletter explaining what we are doing about Pay by click this link to our web site below