Time to hold local politicians in Barnet to account?

Barnet Alliance have organised four “Question Time Events” across the London Borough of Barnet.

Barnet UNISON is encouraging all of our members to go along to all of these meetings and ask questions of local politicians who will be standing for election in May this year.

Do you have a question about why your job was privatised?

Do you have a question about why your job has been made redundant?

Do you have a question as to why your in house service was not considered as an option to outsourcing?

Do you have a question as to why the Council is attacking your right to belong to a trade union?

Do you have a question you want to ask all of the politicians taking part?

If so then make sure you go along to all of the Question Time events

The first of the four meetings is on

EDGWARE, Wednesday, 22 January 2014, 7-9pm, doors open 6.30, The Larches, 1 Rectory Lane, HA8 7LF

EAST BARNET, Monday, 17 February 2014, 7-9pm, doors open 6.45, St James’ Church, 71 East Barnet Road, EN4 8RN

WEST HENDON, Tuesday, 18 March 2014, 7-9pm, doors open 6.30, Barnet Multicultural Centre,  Road, NW4 3TA

NORTH FINCHLEY,Thursday, 10 April 2014, 7-9pm, doors open 6.30,Greek Cypriot Centre,2 Britannia Road, N12 9RU

For details of all these meetings click here

Capita 350 local jobs going going …..

Would you take a 50% cut in pay, lose your pension and move three hundred miles?

That is what is facing former Barnet Council workers in Barnet if they want to follow the jobs Capita plans to transfer to Belfast, Carlisle, Blackburn, and Southampton among some of the various Capita locations.

As part of our statutory consultation with Capita, UNISON has been faced with the task of trying to find ways of mitigating the redundancies. As part of this process Capita as the employer has a responsibility to try and reach an agreement with the trade unions. At the start of consultation UNISON asked Capita to reconsider their business model but this was rejected and UNISON was asked to come up with an alternative.

But when you consider that Capita proposal is to make a 45% operational saving, export hundreds of jobs across the UK and employ staff on low wages and a poor pension it became clear that there was no chance for locally delivered service was going to be able to compete. Who could live in London on those terms & conditions? So far only a few staff have expressed an interest in moving with the job to some of the propose Capita locations. Secondly, because of commercially sensitive information it was impossible for Capita to be able to share the requisite information to enable a competitive alternative to be proposed. Lastly, Capita along with BT had a team of experts working on their proposed bid over a 18 month period which must have cost at least £1million something our UNISON branch does not have at its disposal.

“BUT where does this all end?”

George Osborne has announced even bigger cuts to public services, what does this mean for local jobs even in the north. Birmingham Council are facing enormous cuts and there is pressure on the long standing Capita Contract (service Birmingham). There is talk of terminating the contract and pressure for the Council to follow Barnet Councils lead and publish the contract for public scrutiny. What I suspect will happen is the contract will be re-negotiated and perhaps services exported out of Birmingham to another country in Europe of perhaps Asia.

“How many jobs can be exported out of the UK?”

I think the reliance on outsourcing services has become so dominant that public bodies are going to be held to ransom as the pressure to deliver savings creates the scenario whereby the private sector offer “off shoring” as the way to deliver more savings.

Back to Barnet.

 

It does look like that there are going to be significant redundancies

Why is Barnet Homes not helping keep jobs in Barnet?

When the contract was awarded to Capita back in November 2012 and the details of the Capita proposals were made public, UNISON recognised all efforts must be made to reduce the number of redundancies as the jobs were exported to Belfast, Carlisle, Blackburn, and Southampton among some of the various Capita locations.

When Capita opened formal consultation on Monday 7 October 2013 outlining their proposals UNISON wrote to the Council. UNISON asked for all vacant jobs across Barnet Council, Barnet Homes and Your Choice be made available to any former Council Capita staff at risk of redundancy in order to try and reduce the numbers of redundancies. This would also keep the redundancy costs down and future benefit costs as a result of being made redundant.

Capita thought it was a sensible proposal but it was clearly not within their power to grant this request.

I am both angry and disappointed to report that whilst the Council have made posts available, Barnet Homes are currently refusing to make any vacant posts available to staff at risk of redundancy.

“What have UNISON done?”

When the position of Barnet Homes was revealed UNISON attempted to resolve this quickly both with Barnet Homes and later with Barnet Council.

UNISON again noting the large numbers of staff due to start receiving redundancy letters straight after Christmas, requested that this matter be expedited and commonsense applied.

I have report that we are still waiting for a decision.

It is both shocking and disappointing that Barnet Council does not have any power over organisations in which they own 100%. How can it be right that public body owned by the council would not want to work with the council to avoid making staff and their families redundant?

UNISON will be writing again to the Leader of Barnet Council.

Why is Barnet Council not helping keep jobs in Barnet?

UNISON has had further discussions with Capita about a proposal which could mean keeping jobs in Barnet; which would mean less staff being made redundant.

BUT and there is a big but.

For this project to get off the ground Barnet Council need to agree to Capita being able to hold on to the redundancy payments already provided by the Council.

“Why do we need Barnet Council to agree to this?”

The simple answer is that it is all in the Capita contract. As part of the Capita bid for the contract; the Council agreed to give Capita the redundancy money for any staff made redundant as a result of Capita winning the contract. I imagine that Barnet Council would have known the number of job losses in order to agree how much they would have to give Capita. We have been told it is approximately £5million which is quite a sum of money and a lot of staff losing their jobs.

However as a result of the delay in the transfer to Capita a large number of staff have already left which means there is going to be a substantial pot of money left over.

“What happens to the money?”

In the Capita contract it states Capita have to give Barnet Council a rebate on any unspent money after 5 years.

“So what is stopping the proposal to keep jobs in Barnet?”

For Capita to agree to the job creation proposal they need Barnet Council to allow Capita to hold onto some of the ‘redundancy money’ in case the new service is unsuccessful and the staff are made redundant. Unless Barnet Council agree it is highly unlikely Capita will proceed with this proposal.

“What have UNISON done?”

We wrote to senior officers of the council on several occasions pointing out the implications for staff and their families and requesting a speedy response preferably before Christmas (staff are due to be issued redundancy letters in the first week of January 2014 hence our urgency). Unfortunately the response was slow but a promise of a response on 20 December was made.

Unfortunately this deadline has been and gone. It does feel like the senior officers have not recognised the urgency and importance of this simple decision.

UNISON will press again for a response.

UNISON wrote the Leader of the Council on two occasions pointing out the promises made by fellow councillors that the utmost would be done to help loyal staff in these difficult times.

Unfortunately UNISON did not receive an acknowledgment or a reply to these requests.

UNISON will send another reminder to the Leader of Barnet Council asking for a response.

Barnet UNISON Guilty as charged

Barnet UNISON Annual General Meeting is on 12 March 2014, as part of our democratic process of electing officials the branch has written to all of our members about the personal and political attack on our branch.

Extract of the letter here

We are guilty of robustly representing our members which has upset our Council.

We are guilty of representing our members who have been outsourced through the mass privatisation One Barnet policy.

We are guilty of representing our members in restructures, redundancies, re-gradings.

We are guilty of representing our members at disciplinary meetings, sickness absence meetings and grievances hearings.

We are guilty of being there for members when no one else was prepared to listen.

We are guilty of supporting members trying to cope with or change unhealthy, stressful workplaces.

We are guilty of not keeping silent when our member’s terms & conditions are being attacked.

We are guilty of exposing the ongoing reliance and waste of taxpayers’ money on expensive consultants.

 

You can read the letter in full here http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/6%20Letter%20-%20facility%20time.pdf

A Political attack on our democratic right to belong to a trade union

Have you heard about the Lobbying Bill?

It’s the Bill that charities and unions have been campaigning against because it will gag civil society from campaigning at election time.

But did you know that part of the Bill could allow the government to see details of union membership?

It’s the Bill that charities and unions have been campaigning against because it will gag civil society from campaigning at election time.

But did you know that part of the Bill could allow the government to see details of union membership?

Part Three of the Bill is a specific attack on trade unions by the Government. It not only ties up union membership systems in red tape, but risks the confidentiality of union membership lists.

IT’S NOT NEEDED. The law already makes unions keep accurate membership lists and use independent scrutineers to run elections and ballots. If unions get something wrong then members can complain to the government appointed Certification Officer.​

MORE PEOPLE COULD HAVE ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP LISTS. The new law will also let employers raise complaints. Membership lists will be made open to the Certification Officer, a Membership Assurer (chosen from a government nominated list) and any investigators appointed after a complaint.

This will worry many people. Whilst most people are happy to be open about union membership, many will be deeply concerned about the risk that bad employers could find out what they should be able to keep secret.

We’ve all heard the horror stories about union members being blacklisted. The last thing the government should be doing is giving the state and employers even more access to union membership lists.

This is an attempt to bully & intimidate members and potential new members of trade unions.

Our branch is also facing a personal and political attack on our ability to organise and represent our members.

I’ve just joined an anonymous petition to Andrew Lansley asking him to stop this dangerous proposal.

I am asking all of our members to join it and encourage them to ask their friends and family to sign it as well.

Click on this link here

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/anonymous

Thanks

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

 

Barnet UNISON

Our branch is now under serious threat by the actions of our council who are targeting key UNISON reps in our branch in order to try and silence what is going on. It is our view the proposed removal of facility time is in effect a form of de-recognition of the trade unions. It is an attack on our democratic right to organise and represent our members.

Our branch is at the centre of a battle of political ideology & dogma where Public = Bad and Private = Good.

££££Millions of public money has been spent on consultants and lawyers to implement the now infamous One Barnet mass outsourcing programme.

We will continue to do our utmost to robustly support and defend our members in the workplace.

Our branch we will not be bullied into submission.

 

2013 was a significant year for our members and our branch and below are some highlights of the issues faced by our members.

January

Capita update to Council staff working in NSCSO & DRS services http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1137

Feedback from Tripartite meeting on Monday 28 January

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1164

February

Barnet UNISON Press Release: STOP the Privatisation of our Regulatory Services

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1179

March

Beware the “Ides of March” One Barnet Social Care Experiment is not working

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1181

Why Barnet UNISON is supporting BarnetSpring March

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1170

URGENT UPDATE Your Choice Care Workers

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1183

UNISON ‘Your Choice’ up date report

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1182

One Barnet “My worst fears” – by John Burgess UNSON Branch Secretary

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1185

Your Choice Care Workers Campaign update 17 March 2013

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1188

Barnet Spring or was it Winter march?

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1192

Barnet Spring video http://youtu.be/TnJXFLULrU8

397 jobs “The true cost of One Barnet outsourcing”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1196

April

“Your Choice was never Our Choice!” – A New Campaign is Launched”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1199

“Victory, Victory how does 400 redundancies equal victory?”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1210

May

UNISON write to Leader of Barnet Council about Judicial Review

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20Leader%201%20May%202013.pdf

UNISON write to Chief Executive about Judicial Review

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20Chief%20Executive%201%20May%202013.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ‘Capitaville’- Capita to takeover more Barnet Council services.

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1224

10 steps to learn more about One Barnet

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1222

Update list of Barnet Council services down for outsourcing

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1084

“We didn’t have a Crystal Ball but we did have Dexter!” – Your Choice Care Workers

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1226

Your Choice Care Workers Campaign – The Facts

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1227

June

Barnet residents and Barnet Labour Party submit 133 questions on the DRS Capita takeover proposal

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20residents%20Capita%20takeover%20questions.pdf

“All that glitters is not gold” – One Barnet Capita Symonds contract under scrutiny.

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1229

Stan Davison a Barnet Legend ‘Rest In Peace’

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1230

UNISON responds to Capita proposal to move jobs out of the community

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/2013%2006%2025%20UNISON%20response%20to%20Capita%20final%20measures%20letter.pdf

Top Ten stories in London Borough of Capita (formerly known as Barnet).

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1238

July

The fate of Barnet Council 600 jobs in the balance

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1243

Top Ten Commissioning failures

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1244

The Privatisation juggernaut – Five Public services targeted by privatisation lobbyists

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1250

Campaign Against the Destruction of Disability Support Services (CADDSS) produce response to Your Choice proposals http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/CADDSS%20analysis%20.pdf

August

“A day in the life of a coach escort in the London Borough of Barnet”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1253

Consultation with Capita Symonds begins

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1254

“Why are the government attacking the workers and their union?

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1255

September

Barnet residents organise funeral procession for Barnet Public Services

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1258

Austerity launches another vicious attack on low paid female workers in Barnet Council

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1252

“I Found Myself Just Crying” – Your Choice Barnet

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1263

London Living Wage for Barnet Council staff.

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1264

Barnet Council publish Capita contract

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1268

October

“From hard working families to ‘scroungers’ – Capita redundancies

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1272

UNISON respond to Council may be forced to outsource additional services, warns leader”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1274

CAPITA – KEEP OUR JOBS IN BARNET – Community Petition

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1282

UNISON call on Capita to reverse mass redundancies in Barnet

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1273

November

Public meeting “BONFIRE AGAINST AUSTERITY AND PRIVATISATION”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1283

£20.5 million lost to frontline services and jobs!

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1295

UNISON response to Your Choice Task & Finish report

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON%20response%20to%20Task%20and%20Finish%20Report.pdf

“Outsourcing services for adults with disabilities is not working in Barnet”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1303

December

Speech of the Year: “Living with a disability in the London Borough of Barnet”

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1311

Latest attack on UNISON by a Conservative councillor

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1310

Barnet Council proposal to remove all facility time for trade unions

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1307

 

To view update click here

Conservative Councillor Gordon speaking at Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Committee 27.11.2013

Video clip is here http://youtu.be/ko-QvCBAMCY

Below is a transcript from the above video clip.

I minute into this video he starts…….

“theres a huge trade union input into what is going on into the objections. Whereas we live in a free society and people are entitled to express their views there’s no doubt that some of the views have been expressed in a very sincere and genuine & personal way and I would also endorse that mood by members of the committee. I am very sceptical about the trade union input because we know…we know unions have their own agenda which is a political agenda and are known …unions are known to have a left wing agenda…I suspect that whereas there are some very genuine criticism to be made a lot of those criticisms are a little bit politically motivated. I will view them in that rather suspicious way.

Updated Key Facts

UNISON have been informed the LBB annual Council staff pay bill 2013/14 (excluding schools) is approximately £55,000,000

The current Trade Union Facility Time (UNISON & GMB) cost for 2013/14 is £112,000

The proposed cut of £80,000 in Trade Union Facility Time for 2014/15 leaves £32,000

The Trade Union Facility Time as % of pay bill in 2013/14 equates to 0.20%

The Trade Union Facility Time as % of pay bill in 2014/15 equates to 0.06%

The reduction of 80K for 2014/15 from 112K represents massive 71.4% cut from the current (2013/14) budget.

Trade Union Facility time has already been cut by 66% from the level agreed under the former Barnet Council Conservative Leader Mike Freer.

On 1 April 2014 all facility time will be removed from Barnet UNISON.