Bournemouth and One Barnet

22nd October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Our branch has mentioned the mass outsourcing in Bournemouth before when we first hear the name of the Consultancy company (Agilysys) who were awarded the contract to help deliver the outsourcing projects.

An interesting development has emerged

“A SENIOR Bournemouth council officer was suspended and allegedly escorted from the town hall after speaking out against the council’s controversial outsourcing deal with Mouchel.

Chief accountant Stephen Parker emailed all councillors before a crucial meeting on Wednesday to warn them of his concerns about the risks of expanding its links with the company

Many of his colleagues were so outraged by the move that they followed him out of the building, giving him a round of applause as he left.”

He goes on to say

“..the council had failed to consider options that would have provided “a more balanced financial and risk-assessed contract” and said he was writing to councillors “with a degree of disappointment”.

I have to say this council officer is an extraordinary individual. To speak out like he has done has to be one of the bravest things anyone can do within a council. Large organisations such as Councils do have ‘whistle blowing policies’ but often find that they are very rarely used because of the fear of backlash.

UNISON has submitted countless reports also remarking on the absence of both financial and risk issues within One Barnet business cases

You can read the full article here

Finally the above issue comes at a time when the Private Sector partner, Mouchel delivering services on behalf of the council are in the middle of what appears to be a significant crisis

UNISON organising Pension Community meeting

22nd October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Defend Our Pensions Meeting for All

Wednesday 16th November

7pm-9pm

Greek Cypriot Centre

Britannia Road, N12

With the anticipated numbers of people taking part in action on 30th November (2-3million), this has the potential to be the biggest day of industrial action ever seen in this country. The Government needs to get the message about how many people are opposed to their solution for the banking crisis – collecting the money off the poorest people who did nothing to create the problem. If the day is going to be the success we want it to be then you need to play an active role.

The proposals will leave UNISON members paying more, working for longer and getting less in retirement. In 2006 the union fought a successful campaign to defend public sector pension. Now our schemes are under attack yet again—this time the threats are much greater. ALL workers in Local Government, Higher Education, Health and some other areas need to act NOW to protect their pensions.

Parking Heroes “It ain’t over till it’s over”

22nd October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Parking Heroes “It ain’t over till it’s over”

Of all the UNISON members who took strike action it is the Parking Enforcement members who symbolise a fighting spirit which the UNISON Pension campaign will need if we are to stop the attacks to our Pensions.

This is a workforce that faces verbal and sometimes physical abuse on a daily basis. They have been told to forget strike action there is no turning back, yet on Tuesday 75% of the Enforcement workers came out on strike.

Tuesday 18 October should be renamed FREE Parking day in Barnet

Here they are

Email sent to striking members

22nd October 2011 admin Uncategorised

“Dear Colleagues

A big thank you to everyone who took part in the strike action on Tuesday 18 October.

A special big thank you to our excellent in-house photographers and our own in-house Film Director who has already produced two short videos with more to come.

I am enclosing a thank you letter from Larches Community the organisation we supported after picket line duty which you can view here

As I have said many times before, taking strike action is never an easy decision to make. Our branch has made a commitment to provide as much support and advice to all of our members.

Lastly I want to apologise for the not providing an update earlier I hope the wait was worth it.

Photographs

Please find UNISON pictures on our Barnet UNISON Flickr account ALL can be viewed here or here http://www.flickr.com/photos/28819825@N02/sets/72157627931108726/

Radio

On Tuesday we managed to be interviewed live on Radio Four Programme You & Yours (1.4 million listeners) you can listen to the brief interview (2mins) here or here http://www.flickr.com/photos/28819825@N02/6260819671/in/photostream

Video

Finally you can view our street theatre, which provided a Star Wars satirical view of the One Barnet programme. Well done to the actors taking part.

You can view their performances here

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

Parking Picket

20th October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Barnet UNISON Strike & Community action

20th October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Free parking in Barnet

18th October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Today UNISON members in Parking took strike action.

They want to remain council employees. Many of them have had experience working for private sector parking contractors and had bad experiences.

Barnet UNISON MEMBERS TO TAKE STRIKE ACTION & ASK COUNCIL TO DONATE MONEY TO CHARITY

17th October 2011 admin Uncategorised

Barnet UNISON Press Release: 17 October 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UNISON MEMBERS TO TAKE STRIKE ACTION & ASK COUNCIL TO DONATE MONEY TO CHARITY

300 UNISON members will be taking one day strike action On Tuesday 18 October as part of a Trades Dispute which concerns the identity of the employer.

Unlike other strike action there is a twist.

On the picket line outside the headquarters of Barnet Council (north London business park) UNISON members will stage a short piece of street theatre to demonstrate the dangers of One Barnet Programme to residents, services and staff.

There will be two performances at 9am and 9.30 am.

At 10.30 am a number of strikers will be taking a coach trip across the borough in order to provide help and assistance to a local charity which is desperate need of help. The strikers will spend the rest of the day carrying a number of tasks for the charity.

UNISON members are calling on the Leader of Barnet Council not to pocket the money he has saved from the strikers and instead donate that money to the Mayor’s Charity

Barnet Young Carers And Siblings ‘BYCAS’
The Outward Bound Trust
The Alzheimer’s Society

Later on the same day other UNISON members are supporting ‘Operation RESDIENTS MUST KNOW!’ by handing out newspapers and leaflets to Barnet residents outside tube stations across Barnet.

The day’s activity will end with a Candlelight Vigil outside Hendon Town Hall from 6.30 pm before the Planning Committee begins.

Barnet Easy Council is promoting the ‘One Barnet Programme’ (OBP) which is being rolled out across all council services. They previously identified up £3 Million to implement what was called Future Shape policy. The latest brand One Barnet programme has £9.2 million budget to pay the bills of expensive consultants to carry out this mass outsourcing programme. The workforce implications of OBP could be that 70% of the council workforce could be transferred to the Private sector in little more than 15 months time.

John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary said

“The Council is gambling that the private sector can deliver £100 million savings over the next 10 years. We have seen no evidence to substantiate these claims. In other parts of the country we have seen the consequences of such blind allegiance to public sector bad private sector good. Our members are not daft; they can see that redundancy and cuts to jobs and services are behind the transfer from the council to a private sector contractor’

Strike action is always a last resort, for the last three years we have been asking for a genuine dialogue with the council to explore ways to save money, improve services.

Barnet UNISON is asking for the One Barnet Programme to be put on hold whilst meaningful talks with staff, trade unions and residents take place to look at alternatives to the One Barnet Programme.

End.

Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background

Information:

Barnet Easy Council gained notoriety in 2009 when they launched the budget airline model for public services. In 2010 the model was criticised in a report by the external auditors as having failed to draw up a proper business plan. The business case produced by Barnet easyCouncil supports the policy direction promoted by Prime Minister which seeks to break state provision (in this case privatise council services) and offer the Voluntary & Private Sector to run public services.

Useful Links

1. What is One Barnet? – Residents newspaper ‘Our Barnet’

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-011.pdf

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-041.pdf

2. Audit report slams Barnet Council over MetPro scandal

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9070396.Audit_report_slams_council_over_MetPro_scandal/

3. Analysis of Development and Regulatory Services Business Case, London Borough of Barnet

http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/analysis-of-development-and-regulatory-service/

4. Financial review of Business Case Report for Barnet Borough Council Unison

Branch

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Report%20to%20UNISON%20on%20DRS%20Business%20Case_0.pdf

5. Metronet http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8544491.stm