Tag: unison
The Tories Are Out Of Barnet!
To quote CeCe Peniston: “Finally!” (For those of us young enough to remember popular music of the 90s) https://youtu.be/xk8mm1Qmt-Y
On behalf of our members our Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary, John Burgess, has written to the newly elected Council Leader, Barry Rawlings, congratulating him on the success of the Labour Party and requesting to meet with him.
This is John making a statement to all Barnet UNISON members
For 20 years our members have had to deal with brutality of outsourcing and attacks on our time off to represent members. Our members in the Barnet Group, Capita, NSL, BELS and ISS will be expecting to see positive change for them. UNISON’s General Secretary, Christine McAnea has also been written to requesting her support for assistance in our discussions with Barnet Labour.
We’ll be providing regular updates to our members and our wider UNISON family and trade union community on our progress.
End.
“All you need to know and more about the Capita contracts with Barnet Council.”
Guest Speaker: Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable
Tuesday 30 November 7- 8 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83430400093?pwd=SVcwRTF4Y0Z5bG11NG9PWFZNeVNRZz09
Meeting ID: 834 3040 0093
Passcode: 177260
Background information:
Barnet Council awarded Capita two ten-year contracts in 2013
Barnet Council are reviewing both of their Capita contracts which were due to expire in 2023 ten years after they were awarded details of the progress of the review https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s68820/FPC%20Contracts%20Review%20Report.pdf
The Capita contracts have been subject to widespread concern from the local community and trade unions.
Two local films were made and screened at the local Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley with introductions from Ken Loach.
A Tale of Two Barnets: https://youtu.be/b3Z6Llu1tks
A Billion Pound Gamble https://youtu.be/rpoTSAV5efQ
Council under fire over contractor’s £2m fraud
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45641513
Is this the end of Capita in Barnet – Grant Thornton’s report is a devastating critique of Capita’s dismal performance.
https://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2018/09/is-this-end-of-capita-in-barnet-grant.html
Barnet UNISON call-out for people to give evidence at the #KickOutCapita Inquiry in House of Commons.
Capita to pay more than £4m compensation to Barnet Council over contracts performance
Just what we pay Capita – How they billed £555 million to one council
http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2021/09/just-what-we-pay-capita-how-they-billed.html
Man working for Capita in Darlington carried out £70,000 fraud
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18222301.man-working-capita-darlington-carried-70-000-fraud/
‘Taxing the Sick’: Barnet Council Sick Pay deductions consultation begins
Barnet UNISON has been formally notified by Barnet Council of it’s intention to consult on whether to impose what we are calling a ‘tax on the sick’. It is important for all Barnet UNISON members that we~ reject the proposal. However, the Council is insistent that it wants to commence consultation before coming to a decision later in the year.
37% of sickness is short term sickness
63% of sickness is long term sickness.
This means that those with serious health conditions such as stress, cancer, strokes etc are being targeted by our Council as their time off work is contributing to the high sickness levels.
It is Barnet UNISON’s view that this is both discriminatory and unacceptable.
Furthermore we have serious concerns about the process for staff with long term health conditions to be able to access ill health retirement options. Before Capita took over this service we had hardly any complaints about the occupational health service provided by a local GP based in Barnet. Now it is a private company and is causing widespread problems across all in-house services. It is important that for those trying to come to terms with long term health issues that they should be treated with dignity and respect. They do not need ongoing delays to a process which is not complicated. In our view a new local occupational health provider should be given a contract to see how they impact on the length of delays for those off sick still waiting for a decision.
As part of this consultation we have asked for a breakdown of the types of medical conditions for both short and long term sickness reporting.
We have also requested for a breakdown of return to work meetings as we are hearing across some services they are either not happening or sporadically. It is important that when someone is off sick that they have their one to one meeting.
We are also asking for a breakdown of sickness meetings in order to understand how frequent they are taking place across the services.
It’s important that staff understand that the Council has a duty of care towards their staff. If someone is off sick it is critical that the Council has used meetings with staff to understand why someone is off sick.
What happens next?
We will continue to update our members on the consultation and towards the end we will conduct an indicative strike ballot as we believe that this proposal to ‘tax the sick’ must be dropped. We need to hear directly from our members as to what they think of this proposal. Keep a lookout for our weekly eNEWS and any email/text messages from our branch office.
Barnet UNISON has produced a number of flyers which members can download or share with work colleagues here
2018.07.16. SICK PAY leaflet v1
2018.07.16. SICK PAY leaflet v2
2018.07.16. SICK PAY leaflet v3
2018.07.16. SICK PAY leaflet v4
If you have any questions please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Don’t outsource ‘top 2 rated council services’ say Barnet UNISON
“No 2 Outsourcing”
“Resident Satisfaction – Refuse and recycling remain the top 2 rated council services based on the latest Residents’ Perception Survey data from spring 2016. Recycling is at 73% saying the service is “good/excellent” – this is 6.8% above the London average. Refuse is at 77% saying “good/excellent”, 8.2% above the London average.”
Those are not the words of Barnet UNISON but data on Barnet Council web site.
The ‘top 2 rated council services’ they say.
On Wednesday 15 March 2017, at 6.30 pm Barnet Council Environment Committee will decide whether to either back their own loyal hard working staff or outsource them to another employer.
Barnet UNISON has been clear from the start that Street Scene services should and must stay in-house.
If the residents rate these services, and the senior officers who produce the data confirming this is true, then how could it be possible to outsource these services?
We won’t know until the report to be considered by Barnet Councillors will be published here five working days before the meeting.
http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=695&MId=8593&Ver=4
I will be attending this meeting which is open to the public.