Paul Holmes UNISON President will be guest speaker at barnet_unison AGM Tuesday 8 February 2022 at 4pm
To register for our AGM simply click on the link and follow the instructions.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barnet-unison-annual-general-meeting-2022-tickets-214627375257
Guest Speaker: Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable
Tuesday 30 November 7- 8 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83430400093?pwd=SVcwRTF4Y0Z5bG11NG9PWFZNeVNRZz09
Meeting ID: 834 3040 0093
Passcode: 177260
Barnet Council awarded Capita two ten-year contracts in 2013
Barnet Council are reviewing both of their Capita contracts which were due to expire in 2023 ten years after they were awarded details of the progress of the review https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s68820/FPC%20Contracts%20Review%20Report.pdf
The Capita contracts have been subject to widespread concern from the local community and trade unions.
Two local films were made and screened at the local Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley with introductions from Ken Loach.
A Tale of Two Barnets: https://youtu.be/b3Z6Llu1tks
A Billion Pound Gamble https://youtu.be/rpoTSAV5efQ
Council under fire over contractor’s £2m fraud
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45641513
Is this the end of Capita in Barnet – Grant Thornton’s report is a devastating critique of Capita’s dismal performance.
https://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2018/09/is-this-end-of-capita-in-barnet-grant.html
Barnet UNISON call-out for people to give evidence at the #KickOutCapita Inquiry in House of Commons.
Capita to pay more than £4m compensation to Barnet Council over contracts performance
Just what we pay Capita – How they billed £555 million to one council
http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2021/09/just-what-we-pay-capita-how-they-billed.html
Man working for Capita in Darlington carried out £70,000 fraud
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18222301.man-working-capita-darlington-carried-70-000-fraud/
As COP26 meets in Glasgow, our November Uyghur solidarity protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London will demand climate justice & freedom for the Uyghur people. Join us there.
Protest 5 Nov: Climate Justice & Uyghur Freedom!
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Read details here London Flyer Final (1) (1)
What does it say about our society when 93 care workers are sacked and barely a mention is made in the media or by politicians?
This week consultation closed on the decision to sack 93 care workers.
Barnet UNISON has submitted our report into the shocking sacking of 93 care workers in what has been a shameful consultation.
To understand our anger and sadness at what has happened I encourage readers to read our report which is online here or Barnet UNISON Response to Apthorp Consultation 22.10.21 FINAL
“Throughout the negotiation it emerged that the decision to vacate Apthorp had been taken by Barnet Council with no consultation with any other stakeholder other than Your Choice Barnet (YCB). The rationale for this has been stated over and over but the information underpinning this decision has been withheld. This has limited the trade union engagement to one of simply negotiating the redundancies rather than avoiding them. Consequently we have unanswered questions and we dispute the view that this discussion is not relevant to the trade unions.
The decisions around Apthorp directly affect the staff who are trade union members. Furthermore there is the potential for a significant knock-on effect in terms of the budget. As a result Barnet UNISON has been denied the opportunity to consider alternatives which may have ended up being less costly both on a financial and a humane level than the only option presented.” (An extract from the report)
What is deeply troubling is that this happened in the week of the CQC report “The State of Care”
https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/state-care
Some of the headlines in the report are below.
“We have Covid infection levels increasing daily, an overworked and under resourced NHS staff, a deliberate lack of action/leadership by this government and lack of leadership from the political opposition in Parliament and a negligent national media, it looks like we are sleep walking into a health and social care crisis of biblical proportions. We will continue to do what we always do for Barnet UNISON members which is providing public support and standing side by side with them whatever is happening to them.”
(John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.)
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Background to the Save Apthorp campaign
1.Update: 93 Covid heroes face the sack
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/08/23/80-covid-heroes-face-the-sack/
2. Barnet UNISON request the right to speak on behalf of 93 Covid Heroes
3. What happened to the 11 Barnet Council Care Homes and day centres in 1999?
4. What is going on, just who owns Apthorp care home?
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/09/03/what-is-going-on-just-who-owns-apthorp-care-home/
5. Update on Apthorp consultation: Save Apthorp
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/09/03/update-on-apthorp-consultation-save-apthorp/
6. Join our We Are Barnet Save Apthorp lobby in person and online
7. A Tale of Two Priorities
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/09/09/a-tale-of-two-priorities/
8. Is Apthorp care setting closing or not?
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/09/09/is-apthorp-care-setting-closing-or-not/
9.Going, going gone, sold to…….what is going on at Apthorp?
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/09/27/going-going-gone-sold-to-what-is-going-on-at-apthorp/
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Tuesday 2 November 6- 7 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81712515827?pwd=dituZHZRSWE5VW9ETDdkb0QwWTVFdz09
Meeting ID: 817 1251 5827
Passcode: 641084
This is an important meeting for all our members working for Barnet Council and The Barnet Group.
We will be discussing the following:
- Update on the negotiations on Pay & Terms & Conditions and Pension with The Barnet Group.
- What do Barnet UNISON Council workers want to put onto the negotiating table with Barnet Council?
- An update on the National Strike ballot on Pay
If you have any questions please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring 0208 359 2088
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Read message from UNISON below
Dear John,
Over the last few weeks you should have been contacted by UNISON to ask if you wanted to accept or reject the local government employers’ offer of a 1.75% pay rise, for council and school workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Yesterday we received the results and 79% of those who voted, voted to reject the offer.
Today, the committee you elect to make key decisions on members’ behalf, decided that we should move to ballot members to ask if you are willing to take industrial action. You can read more about the decision on our campaign site:
The strength of feeling amongst the members that voted is resounding – 79%! This is not surprising considering what an inadequate, unfair offer it is. Over the last 18 months you have gone above and beyond to keep vital services going, often risking your own safety to do so. Yet, you were offered a real terms pay cut (considering inflation has been above 3% for some time now), and the value of local government pay has fallen by 25% since 2010.
I do not want us to underestimate the task we have on our hands – we need absolutely every member to vote in the upcoming ballot.
We hope you will receive your ballot papers in November or early December.
But I wanted to get in touch to let you know what is happening. I will be in touch soon to let you know what you need to do.
In the meantime, make sure you tell your colleagues. And if they’re not a member of UNISON, that means they won’t be able to vote, so make sure you tell them to join and have their say!
Non-members can join here
Thank you for your dedication over the last 18 months.
Your union is proud of you and we’re fighting to get you what we know you deserve.
Best wishes,
Jon Richards
Assistant general secretary for bargaining and negotiation
UNISON
