Category: Trades Dispute

PRESS RELEASE: Barnet UNISON: We Will Not Be Silenced by Facility Time Cuts

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign

On 1 August 2025, Barnet Council went ahead with a 33% cut to Barnet UNISON’s facility time.

This is an attack on our ability to support, defend, and organise our members. It is a political choice that takes us back to Tory-era cuts, at precisely the moment when staff are under the most pressure.

What the cut means for members

Facility time is what allows us to:

  • Represent members being bullied, harassed or disrespected at work
  • Defend those facing disciplinary investigations and dismissal
  • Support members who are not being paid properly
  • Take on cases of discrimination and racism
  • Challenge unsafe workloads, stress and health & safety risks

With a 33% cut, our ability to respond will be slowed down. Members may wait longer for casework support. Some of the key meetings and consultations we should be present in will be harder to attend.

But let’s be crystal clear: this cut will not gag Barnet UNISON. We will continue to speak out and fight back against the appalling issues our members face every single day.

The wider context

This cut comes when:

The Council has just come through a financial crisis so severe it applied for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS).

Consultants such as PeopleToo are embedded in the Council, planning further restructures and potential redundancies.

UNISON has confirmed a major Equal Pay case, which we are pursuing to protect the rights and pay of our lowest-paid workers.

Our branch is leading campaigns to defend frontline services, stop unsafe workloads, resist outsourcing, and protect the rights of disabled staff.

In other words, the demand on UNISON is growing—yet the Council has chosen to reduce the time we have to represent staff.

Our response

We are not naïve. We know the impact of this cut will be felt in longer waits, heavier workloads for our reps, and an increase in pressure. But this branch has been here before. We survived outsourcing, mass redundancies, austerity, and Tory attacks—and we are still here, still fighting.

  • This cut will not break us.
  • This cut will not silence us.
  • This cut will not stop Barnet UNISON organising.

A call for solidarity

We are calling on:

  • Our members: Stand with your branch. Show your support. Step up as reps or contacts in your teams. Together, we are stronger.
  • The wider trade union movement: Send messages of solidarity and amplify our campaign. Cuts to facility time anywhere are an attack on union rights everywhere.
  • Labour councillors, MPs, and activists: Show that Labour values mean standing with unions, not undermining them.

📩 Send solidarity to: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

We’ve been here before – and we always have your backs

Barnet UNISON has faced attacks before, and every time we have come through stronger—because we never forget why we are here.

  • We are here to protect our members.
  • We are here to organise in every workplace.
  • We are here to speak truth to power.

No cut, no Council, no employer will ever take that away from us.

We will always have the backs of our members.

In solidarity,

Barnet UNISON

 

 

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED : Potential Equal Pay Claim

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.

Message of solidarity to Tower Hamlets strikers on St Lukes school picket line

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, News, Schools, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign

On behalf of our branch Barnet UNISON sends our unwavering solidarity and support to you and your NEU colleagues as you take strike action on the 1st and 3rd of April.

We stand with you in your fight against the proposed cuts to Teaching Assistant roles, a move that will undoubtedly have a devastating impact on the quality of education and the workload of all staff.

Your determination to defend education and demand reasonable workloads is an inspiration to us all. We recognise the vital role Teaching Assistants play in supporting students and teachers, and we condemn any attempt to diminish their contribution.

We understand the pressures you face and commend your courage in taking this stand. We will be sharing your message of resistance throughout our branch and encouraging our members to send messages of support.

We wish you a strong and successful strike. We are with you in this fight for fair working conditions and the future of education.

End.

“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/


End.


 


 






 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet UNISON NSL meeting Thurs 28 November 6.30 pm.
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Dear NSL members


Barnet Council has decided to go out to the market to ask for contractors to bid to deliver the parking enforcement service.


This will involve contractors submitting their bids to deliver the parking enforcement service for London Borough of Barnet.



Barnet UNISON has organised the first of a number of UNISON NSL members meetings in order we can discuss what action can be taken by members


The UNISON NSL meeting is on Thursday 28 November 6.30-7 pm 


This is the link for the meeting.


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87371964533?pwd=3bgMyAzDbHrvqAWofce8Mv83c7Zysx.1


Many of our members will be aware of the Camden UNISON NSL members who have won two successful pay claims. They have won these pay claims by acting together. They agreed a proposal which was submitted to NSL and rejected. UNISON members voted for strike action, and they took strike action on both occasions their strike action was successful.


We are going to invite someone from Camden UNISON to speak at our meeting.


Barnet UNISON has along track record of backing our members who have wanted to take strike action. That same support is being offered to our NSL members if we are not able to secure better pay for our members.


Your local reps are working with me to develop a plan to campaign for parking enforcement to come back inhouse, but it also needs members to become involved.


Please look out for future communications from Barnet UNISON. We will produce a leaflet for the meeting on Thursday 28 November meeting. Please help publicise and recruit members as this is the only way to make change in the workplace.


Solidarity


John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet Council interim Chief Executive responds to UNISON members on grading dispute.
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Brief history to this grading dispute.


On 25 April 2024 at the formal meeting with the former Chief Executive in the JNCG about the agreement to move grades A to E starting from 1 April 2024. It was agreed that Barnet Council would update UNISON on this matter in a few days.


It is worth noting in January 2024 when the trade unions were informed that Chief Executive and Director of Resources had agreed to the changes and payment from 1 April 2024, we were told that implementation would not take place until September due to concerns about Oracle, but we were assured that the payments would be backdated to 1 April 2024.


In March 2024, Barnet Council HR informed Head Teachers of the proposals to move their staff on Grades A-E. Feedback from Head Teachers was that they were supportive of this decision.


On 19 July 2024 the trade unions were formally notified that there would be a delay and the Council “would be in a position to implement changes to grades A-E towards the end of this calendar year.”


On 16 September 2024 at a formal meeting with the interim Chief Executive UNISON was informed that Barnet Council would not be able to fund this proposal and that it would not be backdated.


Barnet Council stated they want the implementation date to be from 1st April 2025 they went on to say they were waiting to hear of local government finance settlement before categorically 100% confirming this.  If the budget on 30th Oct was bad news for local government financing, then this date cannot be guaranteed adding that once the budget for 25/26 is set, a firm implementation date will be confirmed with trade unions.


Following this meeting UNISON organised workplace meetings of our members which led to members submitting signed collective letters requesting that the decision not to implement from 1 April 2024 be reconsidered.


    

  • On 23 September 2024 UNISON emailed to signed letters from hundreds of our members asking the interim chief executive to reconsider.
    • 

  • On 17 October UNISON emailed the interim chief executive if they were going to respond to staff.
    • 

  • On 18 October the interim chief executive emailed UNISON to say they were speaking with Executive Director of Environment and proposed that the communication would be sent at the end of the month.
    • 

  • On 18 October UNISON confirmed that would work as we had a mass meeting of members on 6 November 2024. 
    • 

  • On Wednesday 6 November 2024 UNISON attended a mass meeting of members where they confirmed that they had not received any communication from you.
    • 



At that meeting our members were clearly upset over the handling of this matter and requested that UNISON record a trade dispute over failure to honour an agreement to implement the uplift from the 1 April 2024.


On 6 November UNISON emailed the interim chief executive formally registering a dispute adding that UNISON was still open to meetings to find a resolution, but confirming that we are now beginning UNISON’s internal processes for applying for an industrial action ballot


Late on Friday 8 November 2024 UNISON received the following memo which we are sharing as a hard copy and via email to our members to read and report back to our next mass meeting on Wednesday 4 December 2024, 1st Floor in new building at the following times.


    

  • 5.45-6.15 am
    • 

  • 6.30- 7 am
    • 





PLEASE READ MEMO FROM INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY CLICKING ON LINK BELOW.


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/241108-GradesA2E-LetterResponse-CS.pdf




End.


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
32 – Another mental health social worker resignation at Barnet Council
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, News, Recruitment, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Firstly, Community Care magazine published another excellent article on the ongoing mental health social worker dispute.


You can read the article here.


‘We walked out for 81 days and the service is as unsafe as it was before’


https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/10/21/we-walked-out-for-81-days-and-the-service-is-as-unsafe-as-it-was-before/


See some of the quotes below


‘We walked out for 81 days and the service is as unsafe as it was before’ (former Barnet Council mental health social worker). 


“We walked out for 81 days and it made no difference. They aren’t listening to us. It’s as dangerous a service as it was when the dispute started.”


“Coming back after strike, the management don’t acknowledge it, we raise problems and they just don’t go anywhere,” says another social worker.


“My concern is, how can I practise safely as a social worker? I really can’t do a proper job. It’s just so frustrating.”


 “I’m not leaving because of the strike, I’m leaving because, through the strike, it’s become very apparent that nothing is going to get any better, as they don’t seem to value our opinion or our feedback.”




The reporting on the feedback is accurate. It is important the reasons for the exodus of social workers is recorded publicly. For some reason senior officers of the London Borough of Barnet have been ‘doubling down’ in their responses to social workers leaving. Both in meetings with senior managers and in exit interviews our members have been very clear why they have left, yet senior management is promoting a “nothing to see here, please move along” position to all press enquiries.


Feedback from our members is that morale is at rock bottom and it is highly likely more staff will be leaving as soon as they have secured their own escape plan.


The tragedy is that we are talking about mental health services. Last year the Guardian newspaper quoted hospital bosses: “Mental healthcare in England is a national emergency” https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/09/mental-healthcare-in-england-is-a-national-emergency-say-hospital-bosses


Over a decade of underfunding alongside increasing numbers of people needing mental health services has devasted the workplace and services.


Earlier this month a major strike took place, “Nurses are among a group of mental health workers in Manchester who are striking today over “unsafe” staffing levels.”


“Unison North West regional organiser Paddy Cleary said: “These early intervention mental health workers take their duties seriously, but heavy workloads, insufficient funding and unsafe staffing levels have left them with no choice but to strike.”


https://www.nursingtimes.net/mental-health/manchester-mental-health-staff-strike-over-unsafe-staffing-16-10-2024/




Back here in Barnet the indifference being shown by senior officers to the huge turnover of both permanent and agency social workers is nothing short of scandalous. Each time someone leaves it means another relationship has ended for the service user. The other worrying fact is that senior management does not appear concerned that they are unable to recruit experienced mental health social workers. They are reliant on bringing in social workers with no experience of working in mental health or taking on former student social workers with little or no experience of working with service users with complex mental health needs.


“Barnet UNISON has been clear since the beginning of this dispute on 1 September 2023, that we will not tolerate our members working in an unsafe workplace. It is bad for staff and bad for service users. We understand why social workers have left and are planning to leave. Barnet Council mental health social work teams were once a trail blazing service for crisis work. Today it is a service that is out of control and the worst part is that as our members have said ‘they don’t seem to value our opinion or our feedback’.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary Barnet UNISON.


End.


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Big solidarity from Jim Morris Knight, UNISON representative of the environment agencies on water, environment and transport.
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Introduction. 


Barnet UNISON is a proud active fighting UNISON branch with a long history of backing our members when they want to fight back.


We have been consistently one of the highest recruiting UNISON branches in London and recently achieved a lawful strike ballot on in the UNISON National Pay ballot.


When are members are in dispute it is important that strikers receive support from others within the wider UNISON family and across the trade union movement.


Below is a message of support for our Barnet UNISON mental health social worker strikers.




 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Jordan Rivera UNISON NEC rep for NHS workers sends solidarity message to our mental health social workers strikers
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Introduction. 


Barnet UNISON is a proud active fighting UNISON branch with a long history of backing our members when they want to fight back.


We have been consistently one of the highest recruiting UNISON branches in London and recently achieved a lawful strike ballot on in the UNISON National Pay ballot.


When are members are in dispute it is important that strikers receive support from others within the wider UNISON family and across the trade union movement.


Below is a message of support for our Barnet UNISON strikers.



			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
John McDonnell MP backing our mental health social worker strikers
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Local, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Introduction.


Barnet UNISON is a proud active fighting UNISON branch with a long history of backing our members when they want to fight back.


We have been consistently one of the highest recruiting UNISON branches in London and recently achieved a lawful strike ballot on in the UNISON National Pay ballot.


When are members are in dispute it is important that strikers receive support from others within the wider UNISON family and across the trade union movement.


Below is a message of support for our Barnet UNISON strikers.



			

		

		
		


	

			  

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