UNISON calls for urgent action over chronic shortages of frontline Mental Health social workers.
North London Business Park, New Southgate. 08/07/15 Anne-Marie Sanderson.
Earlier this month Barnet UNISON met with senior managers in Adult Social Care to try to secure an agreement as to how to deal with the chronic and dangerous shortage of frontline Mental Health social workers across the two Mental Health social work teams.
Barnet UNISON presented evidence of unsafe staffing levels across the two teams where, in both teams, over 50% of the workforce are newly qualified and almost 40% are agency workers, most of whom have barely 2 years’ experience of working in Barnet. The situation has been brewing over the last 9 months and has reached a point where staff are demanding the Council must act to both try to retain the existing staff and recruit and retain new and experienced staff.
Barnet UNISON has been asking for the implementation of the Council’s Recruitment and Retention Policy (RRP) as a short term solution to try to hold on to existing staff whilst developing a more comprehensive plan to make Barnet Mental Health social work service one in which staff want to stay. The RRP has been used in Family Services social work for the last 6 six years and has recently increased the rate up to 25% in recognition of the serious RR issues in some parts of Family Services.
Unfortunately, the response from senior management has been disappointing and, whilst an agreement to meet again soon was made, it appears they are underestimating the scale of the problem and the impact it is having on the morale of the workforce.
On 16 March 2023, Barnet UNISON made a formal request for a JNCC meeting at which we will table our trades dispute over RRP. Barnet UNISON has stated we are open to negotiation, but time is running out. The impact on morale and the health and wellbeing of our members working in Mental Health Services is paramount.
“I really don’t know what they are looking at when they look at the staffing levels for the two frontline Mental Health Social work teams. Our local reps explained concisely the levels of stress and anxiety being felt by the workforce and the inevitable consequences if the Council don’t act now. At the time of our meeting two senior social workers had already handed in their notice, yet it did not feel that management understood the seriousness of this news for the remaining staff. If the Council don’t work with us, I can see another exodus of staff. In the meeting I informed the management that we carried out an indicative ballot whereby 100% voted for strike action if the Council did not agree to RRP. Its nearly two weeks since we last met and I have had no approaches from the Council to meet.” (John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON)
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HGV Driver dispute draws closer to formal strike action
In September 2021, in response to the HGV driver shortage, Barnet Council agreed to pay a Recruitment and Retention Payment (RRP) as per the Council Policy for HGV drivers. Each year RRP should be reviewed.
In negotiations with the Council, Barnet UNISON requested an increase in the retention payment on the grounds that there is still an HGV driver recruitment issue but that the Cost-of-Living Crisis is ongoing e.g.
- In the last year, gas prices rose by 132%, electricity by 66%, mortgage interest payments by 26%, petrol by 22%.
- 25% has been lost from the value of their pay since 2010.
- As household costs continue to rise, the value of staff pay keeps falling – with 6% lost from the value of local government pay in 2022 alone.
The negotiations at a local level broke down and the matter was escalated to a meeting with the Chief Executive.
In advance of the meeting, Barnet UNISON undertook an informal consultation of our members. 97% of members voted that they would take strike action if the offer was not increased.
In a meeting with the Chief Executive on 27 February 2023, Barnet UNISON submitted our claim and informed the meeting of the outcome of our consultation.
Unfortunately, the negotiations failed to resolve this dispute and Barnet UNISON formally registered a Trades Dispute.
“It’s a shame. The employer has been made aware for some time of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the workforce in the depot. The use of RRP has been used in Family Services for nearly six years and has recently been increased to 25% on top of another payment entitled flexible benefits which provides another 17% on top for those workers. Our members are aware of these payments and feel that the Council treats manual workers unfairly compared to office workers and I think they have a point. I have asked the Council to reconsider their position. In the meantime, I will be shortly referring to our UNISON National Industrial Relations Committee for permission to carry out a formal strike ballot if there is not counter offer from the Council.” (John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.)
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Win the ballot: Fight for Pay meeting
Dear Colleague
This is an invitation for you to join thousands of other London council UNISON members at this meeting on Pay!
A groundbreaking event is taking place on Tuesday 21 March 6.30-7.30 pm when UNISON members from other London councils will be signing up for the first ever London Wide UNISON council & school workers meeting.
Barnet UNISON Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86358706964?pwd=aFQyZmFsVXVqL2tNTk02dTlQd2pFZz09
Meeting ID: 863 5870 6964
Passcode: 869860
The Cost-of-Living Crisis is unrelenting, and more and more workers are under pressure to keep up with increases in costs such as Food, Heating, Rent, Mortgages, Child Care, etc.
Council and Schools workers’ pay has fallen so low over the last 13 years that everyone is now working at least ONE day a week for free.
At the same time energy companies are announcing massive levels of profits whilst many of our members are afraid to turn on the heating.
UNISON Council and School workers now have the opportunity to add their voice to the hundreds of thousands of other trade union members who have already taken strike action over the issue of low pay such as: Transport workers, Royal Mail workers, BT workers, Teachers, Junior Doctors, Train drivers, Cleaners, Teachers, College workers, Border Control workers, Civil Servants, Barristers.
All these trade union members managed to deliver a BIG YES vote in their strike ballot.
In London we need to send a message about the hardship of living on low pay in London. To do that we need to organise across London councils in order for our members’ voices to be heard loud and clear in Parliament.
When is the Strike Ballot to start?
The strike ballot papers will start being sent out to members home addresses from 23 May to 4 July.
What can members do?
It is important that all UNISON members’ email Barnet UNISON branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk with their correct postal address and contact details including their telephone/ mobile number and email address.
It is critical to the success of the strike ballot that Barnet UNISON has the correct details and has your permission to contact you about the strike ballot.
Phone banking.
We know from other trade unions the importance of speaking to members about voting and sending back the ballot papers. We are looking for help to be on the Barnet UNISON phone bank. If you would like to volunteer, please email us at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
In the meantime, you can read the latest offer from the employer on our Barnet UNISON web site.
For Council workers click here https://bit.ly/3Jt4fkO
For School workers click here https://bit.ly/3l0HDyC
Solidarity
Barnet UNISON.
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Barnet UNISON submits Menopause Policy to Barnet Council
“Industrial action looms as employers offer is yet another pay cut for School staff and Council workers.” Term Time Pay version.
Last year the employer made a lump sum payment in London which equated to £2,229, which still worked out as another pay cut for all members. This is important to note as we are still in the worst Cost of Living Crisis in 75 years and there are no signs of any improvement on the horizon.
This year the Trade Unions submitted a claim for RPI plus 2% which works out at 12.7% across all grades.
The Employer has responded with the same amount as last year which is £2,229 to those workers up to spinal column 42 and 3.8% to those above (which impacts Grades K and L).
This is another Pay Cut for our members. Last year when we consulted Barnet UNISON members over the same offer 89% voted to reject and demand an industrial strike ballot. We had the highest turnout of UNISON votes across UNISON members in other London Councils.
We are now waiting to hear what UNISON National negotiators have to say about the offer.
In the meantime, we want as many of our members to view the employers offer and understand the difference between the Employer’s offer and UNISON’s demand.
The table below provides details of the employers offer including a comparison with the UNISON claim for 12.7%.
To help UNISON members understand the offer and how it compares with UNISON’s demand please find below an explanation of the table above.
Column A = Lists Barnet Council Grades. If you don’t know your grade contact your line manager.
Column B & C = These columns provide the detail of the bottom and top of the current grade.
Column D & E = These columns provide the detail as to how the current grade changes when the employers’ offer is applied.
Column F & G = These columns show in percentages what the employers’ offer means to each grade.
Column H & I = These columns represent the increase to the grade if the UNISON proposal was implemented. As you can see it is higher than the
employers’ offer.
Column J & K = These columns provide the actual financial loss for each grade when the employers’ offer is compared with the Trade Unions’ claim for 12.7%.
Column L & M = These columns provide the actual percentage pay cut for each grade when the employers’ offer is compared with the Trade Unions’ claim for 12.7%.
* This table uses LBB Council’s Term Time pay formula. Not all schools use this formula so you may have to check what formula your school uses to calculate your pay
Any questions please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
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“Industrial action looms as employers offer is yet another pay cut for School staff and Council workers.”
Last year the employer made a lump sum payment in London which equated to £2,229, which still worked out as another pay cut for all members. This is important to note as we are still in the worst Cost of Living Crisis in 75 years and there are no signs of any improvement on the horizon.
This year the Trade Unions submitted a claim for RPI plus 2% which works out at 12.7% across all grades.
The Employer has responded with the same amount as last year which is £2,229 to those workers up to spinal column 42 and 3.8% to those above (which impacts Grades K and L).
This is another Pay Cut for our members. Last year when we consulted Barnet UNISON members over the same offer 89% voted to reject and demand an industrial strike ballot. We had the highest turnout of UNISON votes across UNISON members in other London Councils.
We are now waiting to hear what UNISON National negotiators have to say about the offer.
In the meantime, we want as many of our members to view the employers offer and understand the difference between the Employer’s offer and UNISON’s demand.
The table below provides details of the employers offer including a comparison with the UNISON claim for 12.7%
To help UNISON members understand the offer and how it compares with UNISON’s demand please find below an explanation of the table above.
Column A = Lists Barnet Council Grades. If you don’t know your grade contact your line manager.
Column B & C = These columns provide the detail of the bottom and top of the current grade.
Column D & E = These columns provide the detail as to how the current grade changes when the employers’ offer is applied.
Column F & G = These columns show in percentages what the employers’ offer means to each grade.
Column H & I = These columns represent the increase to the grade if the UNISON proposal was implemented. As you can see it is higher than the
employers’ offer.
Column J & K = These columns provide the actual financial loss for each grade when the employers’ offer is compared with the Trade Unions’ claim for 12.7%.
Column L & M = These columns provide the actual percentage pay cut for each grade when the employers’ offer is compared with the Trade Unions’ claim for 12.7%.
Any questions please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
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Barnet Tories 2023/24 Council Budget Plan to cut hundreds of jobs……
Barnet Tories 2023/24 Council Budget Plan to cut hundreds of jobs and the right to representation by a trade union.
Read details here on the Council website https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s76600/Conservative%20Alternative%20Budget%20Final%20Publish.pdf
In the biggest Cost of Living Crisis in over 75 years Barnet Tories have proposed an alternative budget that according to the Councils Chief Finance officer has this to say:
“Notionally this would be taking approximately 100 posts out of the services not mentioned above. This would have a significant impact on the delivery of those services and the S151 would advise caution in the delivery of this saving and the impact it could have on services.”
This anti worker rhetoric sums up where we are politically. The only response the Tories have is to frighten workers with redundancies and at the same time take away the right of workers to organise and be represented by trade unions.
If they want to look at waste, Barnet UNISON warned the Tories of the dangers of their mass outsourcing ideology back in 2008. We warned it would lead to poorer services, mass redundancies and of course we warned that Barnet would become a cash cow to the contractors.
Take a look at Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable and read in horror the latest figures of Council spend on the two Capita contracts read below
http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2023/02/capita-continuing-to-disappoint-in.html
To date Barnet Council has given Capita an eye watering £634 million of which £273 million more than the contracted value.
Back in 2012 Barnet UNISON was assured that Capita would be held to account, but the reality is that they have been treated differently to in-house services who have had to try to deliver services through austerity whereas Capita keep holding their hands out asking for more.
What was worrying at the last Audit Committee on 16 January 2023 is that the Council were not seeking compensation for poor performance and even more worrying that the Council is not monitoring Capita in the last few months of contract take a listen below:
The Tories spent £13 million to consultants to help develop and manage the mass outsourcing of services.
What about the decision to set the Council depot based in the centre of the borough ideally located to deliver frontline services to the residents of Barnet. A decision that saw services split between Barnet and Harrow. This model did not work, and the costs associated with moving services back to one location have cost millions with more still to be spent.
Barnet UNISON is proud of the hard work and commitment of all our members working across all parts of the Council including schools. They were quite rightly lauded as key workers, most of whom went into work when others worked from the safety of their homes.
We will continue to organise and mobilise our members wherever they are.
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Injuries at work – your rights explained
Injuries at work – your rights explained
Gerard Stilliard, head of personal injury claims at Thompsons Solicitors, outlines how you can access legal support if you have been injured at work.
The best employers recognise that proper health and safety is vital and take steps to ensure they keep their employees as safe as possible in the workplace.
At Thompsons, we see first-hand the devastating impact on workers and their families when health and safety is compromised – usually when management is under pressure to cut costs. That is why, as a proud partner of UNISON, we work with your union to actively promote the benefits of union membership and support you and your families with legal claims.
Your employer’s ‘duty of care’
Your employer owes you a duty of care, to protect your health, safety and welfare while at work. This include providing a safe work environment. They should:
- Follow health and safety legislation
- Conduct adequate risk assessments
- Provide you with health and safety training
- Supply sufficient PPE
- Ensure equipment is in safe working order and regularly maintained
- Reduce risk as much as reasonably possible.
If your employer has failed in their duty of care, and you have been injured at work as a result, you may be able to bring a compensation claim.
Making a compensation claim
The law requires employers to avoid risks entirely if this is possible and, if not, to minimise the risk of injury at work to the lowest level ‘reasonably practicable’.
Where employers fail in their obligation to protect you, UNISON and Thompsons will support your injury claim all the way to trial if necessary, but most cases settle well before they reach the doors of the court.
Giving you the best chance of success
To ensure your compensation claim for an accident at work is as strong as possible, you should try to:
- Report the accident and your injuries to your employer
- Record the accident in your workplace accident book
- Take photographs of the place where the accident happened
- Photograph any visible injuries
- Find out the names and contact details for any witnesses
- Keep a record of any visits to the doctors and treatments received, including receipts for any injury-related expenses.
The UNISON Legal Service gives you access to independent specialist legal advice from lawyers who are experts in their field. Using the union legal service is not only free, ensuring you receive 100% of any compensation awarded, it also increases the chances of your claim succeeding, because your lawyers can work with your local and national union representatives. You won’t get that level of compensation or support from any other law firm.
Here’s how our specialist teams can help
You can contact our experts for free advice and representation on:
- Work and non-work related personal injuryclaims, including serious injury claims
- Road traffic accident claims
- Industrial diseases, including asbestos-related diseases
- Employment law advice (accessed via your rep)
- Settlement agreements
- Work-related criminal law advice
- Free basic wills
- Special terms for medical negligence
- Special terms for conveyancing, probate and powers of attorney.
Members’ families are also covered for:
- Personal injury away from work, on holiday or on the roads
- Special terms for medical negligence and wills.
Accessing support from Thompsons Solicitors
Thompsons Solicitors has been standing with unions and fighting for workers’ rights for more than 100 years.
Since we started in 1921, we have always refused to act for employers or insurers, only ever acting for the injured and mistreated. Every year, we secure millions of pounds in compensation for union members injured or mistreated by their employer.
For more information, visit Thompsons Solicitors’ website or call us directly on 0800 0 224 224.
Will ULEZ impact on your ability to come to work?
What is ULEZ and when does its start?
Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is expanding across all London boroughs from 29 August 2023 to help clear London’s air.
The ULEZ will continue to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day (25 December).
How can I check if my vehicle will have to pay the daily charge?
You can check your vehicle by clicking on the government website below
What is the daily charge?
Cars, motorcycles, vans and other specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes) will need to meet the ULEZ emissions standards or pay a daily charge of £12.50 when driving within the zone, including the expanded area from 29 August.
What is Barnet UNISON doing about it?
Barnet UNISON has submitted ULEZ to the negotiation table with Barnet Council. The first meeting will be on Monday 27 February 2023.
Look out for updates from us.
If you have any questions/concerns about ULEZ please email us at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or leave a message on our voicemail on 0208 359 2088
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