Solidarity – Barnet UNISON

Barnet UNISON Statement on Staff Parking Charges

25th September 2025 admin Austerity, Local, News, Recruitment, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON Statement on Staff Parking Charges

Barnet UNISON is very disappointed with the council’s decision to reintroduce parking charges for staff from 1 October.

We know that many of our members rely on their car to carry out their jobs – especially those visiting schools, residents and multiple sites in the borough. Introducing additional charges at a time when staff are already struggling with the cost of living crisis will only add to the financial pressure on our workforce.

While the council has acknowledged that the majority of staff who responded to the consultation opposed these proposals, they have nonetheless decided to press ahead. This raises serious questions about how much weight was given to staff feedback during the process.

We are particularly concerned about:

The impact of these charges on lower-paid staff.
The fairness of expecting staff to cover the costs of council lease arrangements while no subsidy is provided for other forms of travel.
The practical consequences for staff whose roles require frequent travel during the working day.
The effect these additional costs will have on morale, recruitment and retention.

Barnet UNISON will continue to make these concerns known directly to the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council. To strengthen our case, we need to hear from you.

👉 Please email us your views on this decision to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk . Let us know what it will mean for you personally – whether in terms of your ability to carry out your role, your finances, or your wellbeing. We will ensure that members’ experiences are shared with senior management and elected councillors.

Your feedback is crucial. The more voices we have, the stronger we can be in challenging the impact of these charges on staff.

In solidarity,
Barnet UNISON

Barnet UNISON urges Council to pause welfare cut — Labour councillors and Barnet’s four Labour MPs asked to intervene

19th September 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has today written to all Labour councillors and the four Labour MPs for Barnet constituencies, calling on them to stop a proposed cut to the Council’s Welfare Team during the height of the cost-of-living crisis.

The Council has opened a 30-day consultation (9 September–8 October 2025) to delete one full-time (36 hours) Income Maximisation Officer (Grade G) — a low-paid, high-impact frontline role that helps residents access benefits and emergency support, manage debt, and keep up with Council Tax.

Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said:

“This is a small saving with a huge human cost. Cutting frontline welfare capacity in the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades means longer waits, fewer successful benefit claims and more arrears. We’re asking councillors and MPs to back a pause and protect residents.”

What UNISON is asking for

Pause the restructure and any redundancy selection until after autumn national announcements on crisis-support funding/administration, so Barnet can align staffing to the confirmed model.
Fix the Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) — complete and accurate data on staff and service users, with concrete mitigations, before any decision.
Transparency and fairness in any selection process: publish the scoring matrix; ensure fair treatment for part-time staff; allow union observation.
A workload & service-risk assessment (phones, casework, outreach) showing how residents’ needs will be met if capacity is cut.
Redeployment first: priority placement and retraining into suitable roles; freeze external recruitment to relevant posts until at-risk staff are placed.
Alternatives to redundancy: temporary bridging (including available admin funding), voluntary hours reductions, and reductions in agency/consultancy spend to preserve this low-cost post.

Why this matters

Income Maximisation Officers:

support residents to secure welfare entitlements, Discretionary Housing Payments, Council Tax Support/Discretionary Relief, Resident Support Fund, and related help;
provide debt and budgeting advice, complete complex forms, and carry out home visits for vulnerable residents;
help residents manage and pay Council Tax, preventing arrears and homelessness and reducing knock-on costs across services.

Management has acknowledged that additional posts were made permanent despite insecure funding in 2023. Proceeding now would reduce outreach to “ad-hoc” only and risks deleting experienced capacity just as national crisis-support arrangements are being redesigned.

John Burgess added:

“Our ask is simple: pause, fix the EqIA, and work with us on non-redundancy options. Protecting one Grade G post protects thousands of Barnet residents from falling through the cracks.”

Notes to Editors

Consultation window: 9 September–8 October 2025.
Proposal: delete 1.0 FTE (36 hours) Income Maximisation Officer (Grade G) in the Welfare Team.
Decision route: Chief Officer delegated powers following consultation.
Service impact: reduced capacity for benefits access, emergency support, Council Tax help, and outreach to the most deprived neighbourhoods.
UNISON has formally raised concerns that the EqIA is incomplete/inaccurate and lacks practical mitigations.

UNISON calls on Barnet Council to scrap plans to close vital mental health service

9th September 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Austerity, Disability, Health and Safety, Local, National, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has today published a report challenging Barnet Council’s proposal to close The Network, a long-standing community mental health prevention and recovery service.

Read our report in the link below

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Barnet-UNISON-Report-The-Future-of-The-Network.pdf

The Council’s own consultation shows 73% of respondents opposed closure — including 100% of carers — yet officers are still recommending that Cabinet votes to shut the service.

Barnet UNISON’s report sets out detailed evidence showing that:

The Network prevents crisis: Service users say it has kept them out of hospital, sustained their employment, and reduced isolation. One user told the consultation: “Without The Network, I would have ended up in hospital. It kept me going when nothing else was available.”
It is cost-effective: The service costs just £0.5m annually. Preventing as few as ten 14-day hospital admissions saves £280,000, over a third of the budget.
Alternatives cannot cope: The officer report lists other providers but gives no evidence of spare capacity or commitments to take additional referrals.
Equality impacts are serious: The Equalities Impact Assessment identifies disproportionate harm to working-age disabled women, which has been downplayed.
Labour values are at stake: National Labour policy stresses prevention, early help and keeping people in work. Closing The Network contradicts those commitments and risks reputational damage for Barnet Labour.
Legal risk: Closure exposes the Council to potential challenge under the Care Act 2014 (s.2 duty to prevent and delay need) and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The report also includes:

Appendix E – Practitioner Evidence: authored by the staff who deliver the service. It shows The Network supports 350–500 referrals annually, has one of the shortest waits in Adult Social Care, and plays a recognised role in suicide prevention.
An Addendum responding directly to the final Cabinet papers, rebutting claims of declining demand, alternative capacity, and robust transition planning.

UNISON Statement

John Burgess, Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON, said:

“Closing The Network is a false economy. It costs very little but saves the NHS and the Council huge sums by keeping people well, in work, and out of crisis. The consultation shows residents, carers, and professionals overwhelmingly oppose closure. Labour nationally is committed to expanding mental health support. Why would a Labour council do the opposite?”

Christina McAnea, UNISON General Secretary, has said:

“Slashing vital services that keep people well and independent is a false economy. Care should be a human right and a public service.”

Jon Richards, UNISON Assistant General Secretary, has warned:

“Cutting already overstretched services abandons some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

UNISON’s call to Barnet Council Cabinet

Barnet UNISON is urging Cabinet members to:

Reject closure at the Cabinet meeting.
Commission a genuine options appraisal — including integration into the Prevention & Wellbeing Team, joint-funding with NHS North Central London ICB, and service redesign.
Require evidence of provider capacity before any change is considered.
Re-run the EqIA with real evidence and lived-experience testimony.

Notes for editors

Barnet UNISON’s full report “The Future of The Network” (including Appendix E – Practitioner Evidence and Addendum to the final Cabinet report) is attached and available on request.
Appendices also include: Appendix A – Consultation, Appendix B – EqIA, Appendix D – Other Services.
The Network currently supports 165 active service users, processes 350–500 referrals annually, and provides suicide prevention, recovery groups, and employment support.

Ends.

UNISON Equal Pay Claims Now Extended to The Barnet Group and BELS

8th August 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, News, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Barnet UNISON has confirmed that our ongoing Equal Pay campaign, initially focused on London Borough of Barnet (LBB) staff, has now been extended to include our members working for The Barnet Group (TBG) and Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS) — both of which are Local Authority Trading Companies wholly owned by LBB.

The potential scale of the claim is significant:

London Borough of Barnet (including Community Schools): 2,700 staff
The Barnet Group: 900 staff
BELS: 250 staff

Not all of these employees will be claimants, but a substantial number could be affected.

UNISON has been at the forefront of local government equal pay claims for over a decade, securing millions in compensation for members across the UK. Our investigation in Barnet has identified practices — including the use of “task and finish” and bonus payments in Waste & Recycling — that are likely to give rise to Equal Pay claims with reasonable prospects of success.

In light of these findings, we are:

Urging all LBB members on Grades A to K to complete an Equal Pay case form.
Inviting all of our members from TBG and BELS to submit their Equal pay case forms.

To pursue a claim, members must complete the case form with details of their job role, grade, and dates of employment. If you have left or changed your role in the past six months, this must be made clear as Tribunal deadlines are strict.

Download the Equal Pay case form here:
Equal Pay Case Form – Barnet UNISON

Return completed forms to: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Barnet UNISON will lodge a collective grievance on behalf of claimants and begin the early conciliation process as the first step towards an Employment Tribunal claim. We will continue to engage constructively with LBB, TBG, and BELS to seek an industrial resolution wherever possible.

Ends

For further information contact:
Barnet UNISON at : contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Message from Barnet UNISON Members: Staff Parking Charges – We Want to Hear from You

7th August 2025 admin Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Dear Barnet UNISON Members,

Barnet UNISON is asking for your feedback on Barnet Council’s latest proposal to reintroduce parking charges for staff at Colindale from 1 October 2025. We believe this proposal is not only unfair and unjustified in the current economic climate, but also ignores the pressure staff are already under from rising living costs, stagnant wages, and ongoing cuts to services.

We urge all members to read our latest article:
👉 Money for Agency Companies and Capita – But Not for Our Members or Services

This article outlines how the Council continues to divert millions of pounds to private agencies and contractors like Capita, while claiming it cannot afford to support its own staff. Now they want staff—many on modest wages—to pay up to £900 a year just to park at work.

Let’s be clear: this is a pay cut by stealth, and it will hit low-paid workers and disabled staff the hardest.

We want your feedback

Please send us:

Your thoughts on the proposal
Anonymous quotes we can use in our response
Any alternative proposals you want the Council to consider (e.g. banded rates by income, daily capped rates, or free parking on days when public transport is not viable)
Specific impacts on disabled colleagues, carers, and those who rely on driving due to limited transport options

Barnet UNISON’s response

We are strongly opposed to this parking charge proposal and will be tabling a formal response to the Council. Our key concerns include:

Inequality: This policy disproportionately affects lower-paid and disabled workers, particularly those without realistic alternatives to driving.
Cost-of-living crisis: Members are already struggling with food, fuel and housing costs. Charging for parking is adding insult to injury.
Service impact: Staff morale and retention will suffer, especially in frontline services where staff are expected to come in frequently.
False economy: The Council claims this will not raise income, yet continues to waste millions on outsourcing and agency staff, instead of investing in its own workforce.

We believe parking for essential workers should be free or affordable, especially where public transport is not a safe or accessible option.

Please email us or speak to your local rep with your feedback. All responses will be anonymised unless you state otherwise. We will be tabling member comments as part of our submission to the Council.

Let’s make sure our voices are heard. This affects us all.

In solidarity,
Barnet UNISON.

Money for Agency Companies and Capita – But Not for Our Members or Services

31st July 2025 admin Local, Membership, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON members are being told there’s no money – cuts to jobs, services and even our paid time off to represent you are being pushed through.

Yet at the same time, Barnet Council’s spending on agency staff, consultants and Capita has reached record levels.

The reality:

£24.02 million spent on agency workers in the last year – an all‑time high.
£27.03 million paid to Capita in the same year – even though their role is now limited to Customer Services, IT, Revenues and Benefits (and Payroll has now been taken back in‑house from April 2025).
Meanwhile, frontline services and trade union facility time are under attack.

We have been here before. During last year’s redundancy consultations, the Council told staff the cuts were unavoidable because of the financial crisis. They promised to look at savings and new income streams.
Barnet UNISON set out clear concerns in our briefing, Three Chief Executives and a Plumber (read here), including the spiralling costs of agency staff and Capita contracts. Sadly, those warnings were ignored.

More questionable spending decisions

The Council depot is being partly handed back to Network Rail – forcing the Council to rent expensive alternative premises despite claiming there’s “no money”.
Staff at Colindale are now facing consultation on charging for car parking. One member summed up the feeling:
“They took away the water, then the tea and coffee, and now they want to take away the free parking. What’s next?”

What happens next?
We are now waiting for the next chapter in the Council’s cost‑cutting plan: a report from consultants Peopletoo is due to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday 16 September. This will set out their proposals for “savings” and “income generation”.

Barnet UNISON will keep members updated as soon as we know more – and we will continue to challenge a system that finds millions for agency staff and Capita but claims it can’t fund the people and services our community depends on.

Barnet UNISON Launches Potential Equal Pay Claim on Behalf of its female members.

29th July 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Libraries, Local, News, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Barnet UNISON is urging its female members in the London Borough of Barnet (LBB) to come forward as the union prepares to launch a collective legal challenge over potential equal pay breaches by the Council.

The move follows extensive investigations into pay practices within LBB, particularly in relation to the use of “task and finish” arrangements in the Waste & Recycling service. UNISON believes there is now sufficient evidence to support equal pay claims with reasonable prospects of success.

John Burgess, Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON, said:

“The possibility that staff – the majority of whom are women – may have been underpaid for years is deeply concerning, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Equal Pay is not just a legal right, it’s a fundamental matter of fairness. UNISON is committed to ensuring our members receive the pay they are legally and morally entitled to.”

The union is now asking affected members to complete an Equal Pay case form detailing their job roles, grades, and employment history. This information will allow UNISON to assess each claim and proceed with legal and procedural steps, including lodging a collective grievance and initiating early conciliation.

Barnet UNISON is also reminding staff of the strict six-month legal time limit for making an Equal Pay claim. Anyone who has recently left the Council or changed roles is urged to act quickly.

UNISON has led the fight for Equal Pay in local government for over a decade, winning millions in compensation for underpaid workers. The union will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with Barnet Council while preparing to take legal action where necessary.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Barnet UNISON at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED : Potential Equal Pay Claim

29th July 2025 admin Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Local, Membership, News, Schools, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

As you may be aware, there has been a lot of recent activity regarding potential equal pay claims in the London Borough of Barnet (LBB).

As the UK’s largest union, UNISON has led on equal pay within local government for over a decade and has recovered £millions in compensation for our members. We take the issue extremely seriously.

We appreciate that the prospect of being underpaid due to your gender in a cost-of-living crisis is especially emotive, however, Equal Pay legislation is complex, and UNISON has been carrying out investigations into a number of discriminatory pay practices that have been identified.

We wanted to understand the facts and consider the legal position so we can advise members appropriately. As a result of our investigations, we understand that in the Waste & Recycling service, the Council operates a practice of task and finish and has made bonus payments.

We are now satisfied that there is evidence that is likely to give rise to equal pay claims against LBB with reasonable prospects of success. This is of course dependent on your individual circumstances, and we will require members to complete case forms so that we can confirm whether your individual circumstances are captured within the potential claims we’ve identified. You must provide details of your job role, grade and dates of your employment.

If you have multiple job roles, we need this information for all of them. In order to pursue a claim, you can download an equal pay case form along with guidance on how to complete it.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025.07.28-Barnet-UNISON-Caseform-London-Borough-of-Barnet-updated-with-NI-number.docx

Please return your completed case form to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

at your earliest convenience.

In tandem with the legal process, we must also exhaust internal procedures by lodging collective grievance. Once we have received your case form, we will add your name to the collective grievance that we will send to the Council. In addition, we will shortly arrange to start early conciliation on your behalf. This is the pre-requisite to starting a Tribunal claim.

Please be aware of time limits. To pursue a claim for equal pay, the claim must be lodged in the Tribunal within 6 months less one day of the end of your employment or a change in your employment. If you have left the Council in the past 6 months, or if you have changed your role in the last 6 months, please make this clear on the case form.

Please be assured that we will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with your employer and seek to resolve matters industrially, wherever possible.

We will also keep you updated as to the progress of any negotiations/claims whenever there are any significant developments.

End.

Updated : Are You Getting the Right Holiday Pay? – plus 10 FAQs

24th July 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Your Choice Barnet

A Briefing for All Barnet UNISON Members

1. If You Work Overtime, Read This!

Barnet UNISON is raising an important issue affecting many of our members.

If you regularly work overtime and take annual leave, your holiday pay should reflect your normal average earnings — not just your basic pay.

2. What the Law Says

From April 2025, UK law confirmed what courts have already made clear:

If you regularly work overtime or receive regular allowances, your holiday pay must include these payments.

This applies to at least 4 weeks of your annual leave each year.

3. What This Means for You:

When you’re on annual leave, your payslip should include:

Basic pay
Top-up for regular overtime/allowances

No top-up? You may have been underpaid.

4. Legal Backing

This is now backed by:

British Gas v Lock (2016)
Flowers v East of England Ambulance Trust (2019)
Employment Rights Regulations 2023 (in force from April 2025)

These confirmed that holiday pay must reflect what you normally earn — including regular overtime.

5. What to Look Out For

Did your pay drop while on leave?
Was there no holiday pay enhancement showing on your payslip?
Do you regularly work overtime, but see no difference in holiday pay?

If so — you may be owed back pay for up to 2 years.

6. What have Barnet UNISON done?

We have already written to Barnet Council asking the following;

Confirm the rationale for commencing these payments from 1 April 2025;
Confirm whether the Council recognises that this change arises from the 2023 Regulations and related case law;
Requested a meeting to discuss how best to resolve this issue and ensure that members are properly remunerated in line with the law.

7. Get in Touch – We Can Help

Contact us if:

You think your holiday pay is wrong
You want help checking your payslips
You’ve worked overtime and want to know your rights

Email Barnet UNISON at: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

We are gathering information and may take collective action where members have been underpaid.

Know Your Rights. Get What You’re Owed.

You’ve earned it. Make sure you’re paid fairly — even when you’re on holiday.

Holiday Pay & Overtime – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. I work overtime — should that be included in my holiday pay?

Yes — if you regularly work overtime, your holiday pay should reflect your normal average earnings, not just your basic contracted hours.

2. What counts as “regular” overtime?

“Regular” means any overtime that happens consistently or predictably, even if it’s voluntary. If it forms a normal part of your working pattern, it should be included.

3. What if my overtime is voluntary — does that still count?

Yes — courts have confirmed that regular voluntary overtime must be included in holiday pay if it’s worked often enough to become part of your normal pay (see Flowers v East of England Ambulance Trust).

4. How many weeks of my leave should include this enhanced pay?

At least 4 weeks per year of your annual leave must reflect your normal pay, including overtime. This is a legal minimum. Contractual leave above this may be paid at basic rate.

5. How is the holiday pay calculated?

It should be based on your average weekly earnings over the previous 52 paid weeks, including any overtime, bonuses, or allowances you normally receive.

6. How can I tell if I’ve been underpaid?

Look at your payslips during periods when you were on leave:

Was your pay lower than usual?
Was there no separate line for “holiday pay enhancement”?
If yes, you may have been underpaid.

7. Can I claim back pay if I was underpaid?

Yes — you may be entitled to up to 2 years’ back pay, but you must act quickly. Legal claims must be made within 3 months of the last underpayment.

8. I didn’t know about this before — am I out of time?

It depends. If you recently became aware of the issue or took leave recently, you may still be in time to raise a claim. Contact us for advice.

9. What should I do if I think I’ve been underpaid?

Email Barnet UNISON at: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
We can help you check your payslips, raise it with your employer, and explore options for claiming what you’re owed.

10. 1 Does this apply to agency or casual workers?

It depends on your working pattern. If you have a pattern of regular overtime or consistent work weeks, you may still be entitled to holiday pay based on average earnings. Contact us for specific advice.

UNISON is here to make sure you’re paid fairly — even when you’re on holiday.

Barnet UNISON – Fighting for Fair Pay.

Breaking News: “Outsourcing Has Failed Our Children and Our Workers – Bring School Catering Back In-House Now”

18th July 2025 admin Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Schools, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON is calling on Barnet Council to end the failed outsourcing of school catering and bring the service back in-house.

At the upcoming Cabinet Committee meeting on 21 July 2025, Barnet Council will be asked to approve the continuation of an outsourced school meals contract. Barnet UNISON is demanding the Council reverse this recommendation and recognise the devastating impact outsourcing has had on schoolchildren, workers, and Barnet’s local economy.

John Burgess, Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary, said:
“For over a decade Barnet UNISON has warned of the dangers of outsourcing. Those warnings were ignored – and the result has been catastrophic. Low-paid Black women workers dismissed, children denied hot meals, and a kosher kitchen built with public money now left empty. Enough is enough.”

The Case Against Outsourcing:

❌ Children Left Without Hot Meals: Barnet pupils were denied nutritious school meals due to the collapse of the kosher meal service.
❌ Black Female Workers Dismissed: 41 Black catering staff lost their jobs when the kosher kitchen service collapsed. Only the trade union fought to secure their redundancy pay.
❌ Wasted Public Assets: Barnet now has a kosher kitchen standing idle – a visible symbol of outsourcing gone wrong.
❌ Poor Pay and No Pensions: Catering workers are excluded from the Local Government Pension Scheme and face poverty wages, resulting in reliance on housing benefits and in-work support – costs borne by the taxpayer.
❌ A False Economy: Barnet claims savings, but the reality is a transfer of cost from the Council to the welfare state, undermining long-term financial sustainability.

A Better Alternative: In-House Services

Barnet Council ran a successful in-house school catering service for decades. In 2014–15, it generated a £190,000 surplus. Schools had confidence in the service and trusted its quality and reliability.

There has been no serious financial modelling on bringing the service back in-house. Despite citing inflation and “market pressures,” the current Cabinet report presents no updated analysis of how in-house provision could now be rebuilt to meet modern needs.

Council Equality Commitments Undermined

Barnet Council’s corporate values include a commitment to equality and inclusion, yet outsourcing has overwhelmingly harmed Black, female, low-paid workers – a group protected under the Equality Act 2010.

“This decision contradicts the Council’s equality duties,”.

“How can you talk about inclusion while outsourcing continues to hurt the very communities you claim to support?”

Labour Party Policy Backs Our Call

Ending Outsourcing: Labour’s 2021 Conference endorsed the “biggest wave of insourcing in a generation,” including school services such as catering.
Tackling In-Work Poverty: Labour’s platform includes stronger rights at work, a real living wage, secure pensions, and an end to exploitative contracts.
Racial Justice at Work: Outsourcing has been shown to disproportionately harm Black workers. Labour-aligned campaigns highlight insourcing as a racial justice imperative.
Community Wealth Building: Labour supports local procurement and public ownership to retain wealth and secure good jobs in our communities.

Continuing to outsource the school meals contract undermines Labour values in one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK.

UNISON Demands: