(07.07.10) Budget: Government war on public services

Council workers, Voluntary Sector workers, College workers are in the front line. The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Coalition Government Budget - delivered a couple of weeks ago - was every bit as bad as had been forecast.

UNISON immediately accused the Government of declaring war on public services and public service workers with the most draconian budget in decades. Local Government workers and other public sector workers are going to be the innocent victims of job-cuts and pay freezes.

Freezing public sector pay for two years, when inflation is running at 5.1% and VAT is going up, will mean a real cut in living standards for millions of ordinary workers and their families – already struggling to pay rising bills, fuel, travelling and housing expenses.

For us in Local Government this comes on top of this year’s pay freeze. It means that in two years time we will have suffered a pay cut of 15% in real terms. The 25% cut in Government departmental public spending will decimate public services, and will without doubt hit “front-line services”. The budget will do nothing to restore confidence or kick-start the recovery.

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said “They haven’t even bothered to consider any other option but slash and burn. What of the bankers who caused the recession and the super-rich who evade tax? They must be breathing a sigh of relief that they got away so lightly. The bank tax levy is a poor substitute for a serious ‘Robin Hood’ tax on financial transactions. It is a missed opportunity to raise £30bn which would have made a significant dent in the country’s deficit”.

Throwing tens of thousands of public sector workers on the dole will cost billions in lost tax revenue as well as piling billions on to the benefits’ bill. The local economy – shops, businesses – will go to the wall as spending dries up.

The millionaires in the Con-Dem cabinet have ensured that the vital services that the poor, the sick and the vulnerable rely on are in the firing line. There is no compassion in this coalition.

• Freezing Council Tax is a useless gesture, saving people pennies but cutting tens of millions from Council budgets, threatening jobs, losing services and undermining the local economy.

• Raising VAT affects the poor most as they spend a higher proportion of their meagre incomes on goods and services. It is a regressive tax.

• Adding the estimated 500,000 public sector jobs to the dole between now and 2015 will cost around £10 billion in lost tax and increased benefit payments.

This Con-Dem Government has no democratic legitimacy for this draconian budget. The Country did not vote for it. It is an outrage. The Trade Unions have a duty and a responsibility to fight back to protect our members and the millions of ordinary people who depend on our services.

On the pay freeze, national, indeed international, joint union action across the whole of the public sector is needed. In Yorkshire and Humberside, Unison has called an emergency meeting of its Regional Council in July. Leeds Branch delegates will attend and will push for the organisation of a national co-ordinated fight-back in the autumn months.

On jobs, here in Leeds we have a glimmer of hope in that we have got rid of the dreadful Con-Dem coalition Council, just as we were getting the Con-Dem Government. We are seeking urgent talks with the new leader of the Labour Council to seek to work with the Council to avoid compulsory redundancies. But here in Leeds, as everywhere, we must be prepared to resist any cuts, big or small. We must recruit, build the union, organise stewards and prepare for a long hard “war”.

For those who argue that the pay freeze and job cuts are inevitable and “we have no alternative”, have a look at what they could have done.

UNISON’s Save Our Services alternative budget:

• £4.7bn could be raised every year by introducing a 50% tax rate on incomes over £100,000.
• £10bn could be raised every year by reforming tax havens and residence rules to reduce tax avoidance by corporate and ‘non-domiciled’ residents
• £14.9bn could be raised every year by using minimum tax rates to stop reliefs being used disproportionately to subsidise incomes over £100,000
• £30bn could be raised every year by introducing a Major Financial Transactions Tax on UK financial institutions – the Robin Hood Tax
• At least £1.5bn could be raised this year by bringing back the windfall tax on bankers’ bonuses
• £4bn could be saved this year by cancelling Trident; the project could cost as much as £100bn
• £1bn could be saved every year by halving the local government agency bill, as has been achieved by high performing Councils
• £5bn could be raised every year with an Empty Property Tax on vacant dwellings. This only exaggerates housing shortages and harms neighbourhoods
• £2.8bn could be saved every year by ending the central government use of private consultants who bring little discernable benefit
• £3bn could be saved in user fees and interest charges every year if PFI schemes were replaced with conventional public procurement

Total £76.9bn

(07.05.10) Bank Holiday Tuesdays (WHITE PAPER)

Following legal advice from our solicitors, our Regional Official Tony Pearson has issued the advice contained in the letter below.

Download the letter here. (Word document)

Please circulate a copy of this document and information to your members especially those who have worked or will work on a Bank Holiday Tuesday this year. This issue is still the subject of discussions with the Council and an outcome from a test case at Tribunal. It is important members continue to notify the Council that they are dissatisfied with the unilateral variation to their contracts and the advice allows members to this. The claim for overtime should be submitted even if members feel it will be rejected. It is the act of making the claim that needs to take place and this is why it is important to keep a copy of the claim submitted. The claim form will need to be submitted on each Bank Holiday Tuesday a member works this year until the dispute is resolved with the Council. Should you require further copies of this form, please contact the branch office.

(07.05.10) PAY CLAIM 2010 (BLUE PAPER)

This document is a national stewards briefing document on this years pay claim. The employers side have offered no pay increase in this years negotiations. In effect this means that the current publicity about public sector pay being frozen after the election is already a fact for workers in Local Government. Please circulate and discuss this document with your members. Click here for more info.

(07.05.10) Leeds UNISON advice to members regarding DECATS

Members may have heard about DECATS (Delivering Efficient Corporate and Transactional Services), which is a project to look at a fundamental change to Council Processes with a view to making “efficiencies”. There has been a lot of discussion amongst Unison Stewards and at Branch level because there are particular concerns about the DECATS programme. This primarily focuses around the appointment of the private sector accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to be involved in the project. PwC have famously said that if they can’t make significant “savings” (read cuts), they will waive their fee. They are obviously not going to go without their fee and therefore they have already decided on the outcome without even looking at a single process. It seems as though, from a PwC perspective, the cuts are coming whether justified by efficiency or not. The DECATS information itself makes this clear when it says:

'Salami-slicing' cuts won’t now deliver
UNISON has cooperated with literally hundreds of reviews and reorganisations of council services over many decades but this time it is different. The appointment of a private sector consultant to oversee the process is a sinister development.

Many members have already been asked for information to feed into the review and UNISON has been asked frequently for advice about this. The branch has decided that it is not in members interest to cooperate with the DECATS project whilst ever it is being driven by private sector consultants whose fees are based on delivering cuts. Therefore, if members are asked to participate in the project or provide information they should immediately seek advice from their steward. Information should not be provided until a meeting has been held with those seeking the information and appropriate union representation.

(20.04.10) Sick note to Fit Note

When you visit your GP you will get the new Fit Note, which may say that you could be at work if some arrangements are made. The branch will be issuing guidance specific to Leeds City Council, Education Leeds and ALMOs. The TUC has issued some general guidance which will help members and stewards with the new Fit Notes. You can download this here.

(20.04.10) Join our Facebook group

The facebook site for members and supporters of the Leeds Local Government Branch of UNISON. The branch has members who work for Leeds City Council and its related ALMOs and Education Leeds, local colleges and voluntary sector employers in Leeds. Click here.

(25.03.10) EXTRA Aggregated General Meeting on Tuesday 30th March 2010

I am pleased to advise you that in order to take account of the holiday period there is another opportunity for you to attend a Leeds UNISON Annual General Meeting if you have not done so already.

There is an EXTRA aggregated Annual General Meeting on:

Tuesday 30th March 2010
at 12.30pm at the UNISON Branch Office,
Geoff Hodgson House, 160a Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9EN

At that meeting you can participate in the election of branch officers and discuss the branch Annual Report which highlights the recent Streetscene strikers victory. The meeting should last around an hour and light refreshments will also be available.

Hope to see you there! If possible can you advise me in advance whether you intend to attend this meeting.

With best wishes, Brian Mulvey - Branch Secretary

(15.01.10) Right to Work Conference: 30 January 2010, Manchester

Download the A3 Poster
Download the leaflet

Registration fee £5 waged, £1 unwaged. Book online at www.righttowork.org.uk or send this form with a cheque payable to Manchester TUC to 22 Milborne St, Hackney, London E9 6RD

(15.01.10) Whenever there’s resistance, then there’s a need for solidarity. Many working people rallied round the postal workers’ national fight. And many have also backed the Leeds bins workers, the BA workers, the Superdrug workers and other groups who have taken action. This conference is designed to bring together those networks of resistance and to develop them further. This is a brilliant chance to learn from one another and spread the lessons of the fightback.

It’s not just for trade unionists, and it won’t just be about workplace struggle. We are having speakers and workshops on issues like the war in Afghanistan, anti-racist battles, decent housing, and so on. We want students, unemployed workers, anti-war activists, pensioners, campaigners for green jobs, housing activists and anti-racist activists to come.unjust were the council's actions."

It won’t be a talking shop. We want to organise initiatives from the conference. For example, some people have suggested a day of action against the savage assault on welfare or a coordinated push to unionise in specific areas, or action to defend and organise migrant workers. We want people to bring their own ideas to the conference and to go away with stronger organisation, and in a position to build resistance.

Who are we?
Right to Work was launched at a conference last June. It was central to the demonstration outside the Labour Party conference in September, which was also backed by the UCU, PCS, CWU, RMT, NUJ and NUT unions, the Stop the War Coalition and Unite Against Fascism. Right to Work held a day of action over unemployment in August, and organised solidarity with the Royal Mail strikes including a picket of the scab centre in Dartford.

STREETSCENE Strike - Leeds refuse workers' victory!

(25.11.09) UNISON members working in the Leeds city council refuse department have won their 11 week dispute over the council's plans to slash pay. The workers, who stayed solid during 11 weeks on strike, have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new deal securing their wages. They will return to work on Wednesday (25 November).

The joint action by UNISON and the GMB was forced by Leeds council's threat to slash members' wages and privatise the service. Under the guise of implementing equal pay legislation the Tory/Lib Dem council planned to cut average salaries by up to a third, from £18,000 to £13,000.

UNISON Regional Organiser, Tony Pearson, said: "This is a victory for UNISON and GMB members who stood shoulder to shoulder for 11 long weeks. It has sent a message to other councils that the unions will not tolerate attempts to cut pay of hard-working staff. UNISON thanks the people of Leeds for their unwavering support during this difficult time. They understood just how unjust were the council's actions."

Appeal to all Leeds UNISON Members

(20.11.09) The strikers have been supported over this unexpectedly prolonged period with strike pay and hardship payments by both unions.  However after eleven weeks without a wage, very real financial hardship is becoming extreme and additional support is essential. Many members have already sent financial contributions or donated to collections and I thank you for that.  But I now consider it necessary to appeal to all Leeds Unison members to support your colleagues in dispute and make a financial contribution. 

We have not instituted a Branch levy.  We would need a ballot to do so, but we are now asking for all members to contribute to a voluntary collection.  If we had a levy it may well have been set at £5 per month minimum.  As the strike is now in its third month I consider it reasonable to ask every member to contribute £15. Many members, especially ‘higher’ paid members will want to contribute more and I would ask that every member contribute as much as they feel able to do. 

Please rush your contributions in either via your steward or direct to the Branch Office.  Cash collections are fine, as are cheque collections.  Cheques should be payable to ‘Leeds Unison’ and if sent in, addressed to the Unison Hardship Fund or have that written on the back of the cheque.  Donations to the hardship fund can be sent to the Leeds Local Government Branch Geoff Hodgson House, 160a Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN.

Please support this important strike.  Please show your support for the courageous and determined action of your colleagues in Streetscene. 

Many thanks. Brian Mulvey
Branch Secretary

STREETSCENE Strike: Eleven weeks in - and the Strike is still solid

(20.11.09) Unison and GMB members in Refuse, Street Cleansing and Waste Management Services have now been on strike for eleven weeks to protect their pay and prevent pay cuts of up to £6,000 per annum. 

In trying to impose pay cuts of such magnitude - under the implementation of phase one of the Pay and Grading review affecting all Leeds City Council staff - the Council are breaking the terms of the Agreement Unison reached with the Council.  Under the Agreement that UNISON members voted to accept, the Council undertook to ensure that no workers suffered from an actual pay cut.  This provision has been ignored with the Streetscene workers. 

The attack on their pay, if successful, puts all Leeds Council workers at risk since it may be expected that the Council will not only ignore this commitment as it applies to other workers, but will also see any defeat of this group of workers as a “green light” to attack current terms and conditions. We know that the council has a “shopping list” of cuts that they wish to make and defeat of one of the best organised groups of workers will likely give the Council the confidence to attack other groups.

As the Streetscene workers’ strike enters its eleventh week it is clear that this is the most significant industrial action seen in Leeds since the miners’ strike over twenty years ago.

The strike remains very solid and determined.  The Council has gone to huge expensive effort to unlawfully strike-break - bringing in private contractors and employing agency and temporary workers.  But they have failed to maintain even the essential parts of its service, and most importantly, they have failed to break the resolve of our members.

The Strike is Solid. After weeks of the Council refusing to negotiate, posturing and offering totally unachievable productivity targets, I am now pleased to report that meaningful negotiations are now taking place.  We fully expect that an acceptable deal can be achieved.  However nothing is ‘in the bag’ and the strike continues.

Brian Mulvey, Branch Secretary

STREETSCENE Strike: Please donate to the hardship fund

(26.10.09) General secretary Dave Prentis has written to all UNISON branches urging them to donate to the hardship fund for refuse workers in Leeds whose strike against pay cuts is entering its eighth week.

The strike is over the Tory/Liberal Democrat council's plans to slash their wages by a third – on average from £18,000 a year to £13,000.

"This strike is causing real hardship to our members and their families," writes Mr Prentis.

"It is vital that we send a resounding message to employers everywhere that we will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect our members from such savage attacks on their livelihoods.

"I have said that we will not allow our members to be starved back to work. What is happening in Leeds could be a blueprint for other local authorities, which is why it is crucial that we succeed."

Donations to the hardship fund can be sent to the Leeds Local Government Branch Geoff Hodgson House, 160a Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN.

STREETSCENE Strike: Enters its sixth week

(13.10.09) As the Streetscene workers strike enters its sixth week it is clear that this is the most significant industrial action seen in Leeds for over twenty years. The Unison and GMB strike, to defend pay rates, remains very solid and determined.  The Council has gone to huge expensive efforts to unlawfully strike-break, but have failed to maintain even the essential parts of its service.  Public support has been impressive from the outset and remains firmly behind the strikers.  Our members have done magnificently well to maintain this strike, and a mass meeting last week voted to continue the strike “for as long as it takes”.

The strikers are winning.  The Council spent four weeks saying they would not negotiate with the unions unless the strike was first called off.   Then they relented and talks are now taking place, but will not conclude until we have secured what we set out to achieve – no pay cut for any of the seventeen different jobs involved in the dispute.  “we came out together – we go back together” was the acclaimed sentiment at the mass meeting.

The significance of this dispute, and the importance of winning, should be clear to all other Unison members in Leeds involved in the pay and grading review if the Council are to be held to account in respect of the agreement we reached following out ballot.  The strikers have been well supported with strike pay and hardship payments by both unions.  However after five weeks without pay very real financial hardship is becoming a problem and additional support is essential.  The Branch Hardship Fund is looking considerably depleted.  We are now looking to step up fundraising activities to support the strike. 

Many members have already sent financial contributions or donated to collections.  We are now asking all members to make a contribution to the strike hardship fund.  It is not a levy – but voluntary contributions.  If it was a levy then £5 per month might be appropriate, so as we are into the second month of the dispute, a £10 per member contribution may be felt appropriate but it is understood some members may not be able to afford this and so may make a smaller donation, while higher paid members may wish to contribute more. 

Please rush your contributions in – either via your steward or direct to the branch office.  Cheques should be payable to “Leeds Unison” and if sent in, addressed to Strike Hardship Fund or that written on the back of the cheque. 

Another way to support your colleagues in dispute will be to attend – and encourage others to attend – a Benefit Event on Sunday 18th October (see the leaflet here)

Brian Mulvey, Branch Secretary

Bank Holiday Tuesdays

(04/04/09) Following the advice already issued by the Branch and by the Joint Trade Union Committee (JTUC) for members to submit grievances on this issue, for those members who have yet to do so, or are unclear about what to do, a suggested wording is downloadable on a form from this site. It clearly does not apply to those who would normally be expected to work on a Bank Holiday Tuesday up to now.  These people are not affected and their Green Book enhancements are protected, for now at least.

The first Grievance is for those staff who are being obliged to work on any Bank Holiday Tuesday or who have to take a day’s annual leave in order not to work it. (Download the form here) It should be submitted as soon as possible.  Some stewards or members have chosen to put in a Group Grievance – i.e. several/many members signing the same form – and that is fine with just the deletion of the word “individually” in the last sentence.

The second Grievance is clearly for later when it becomes clear that the Council or other Employer is not going to pay the Green Book enhancements. (Download the form here)

These wordings are suggestions only – it doesn’t matter if some grievances you might have already submitted have alternative wording.

JTUC advice – The Council has imposed a change to your contract which means that you will still receive the same number of holidays per year, but these will be incorporated into your normal leave entitlement rather than be described as extra statutory days holiday.  This has not been agreed by the Union side and we have requested that the status quo remains.  Anyone finding themselves forced to work when they would not normally work Bank Holiday Tuesdays should lodge a grievance immediately regarding the issue of being forced to work.  They should then expect to get paid the Bank Holiday enhancement of double time and a day in lieu and if this is not paid then another grievance should be lodged.

LCC provoke Council-wide dispute

(12/02/09) The purpose of this newsletter is to provide urgent information to all UNISON Stewards and UNISON members across LCC about the imposition of major changes to contractual terms and conditions. Set against the backdrop of increasing industrial unrest the Council have deliberately provoked a dispute by sending letters to all staff about the removal of Bank Holiday Tuesdays, significant changes to the Managing Workforce Policy, and have implemented charges for Car Parking.

For the avoidance of doubt, the trade unions have not agreed to any of these changes. The imposition of removal of the Bank Holiday Tuesdays is a fundamental breach of the NJC ‘Green Book’. The other issues should have been by agreement.

LCC have ignored our collective negotiation rights and have imposed the changes because they have failed to reach an agreement with us. This signals that the Council thinks it can impose any condition on individual staff bypassing the trade unions. This bodes very badly for our relations with this Council. Read the whole story here...

If you work in a school or a caring role

(February 2009) The new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) took over responsibility for the list of workers who work with vulnerable people on 15 January 2009.  This affects all staff who deal with children and adults in providing services for them, even if it is only dealing with the information relating to those vulnerable people.

New staff and staff who change their job will need to register with the new authority. UNISON along with other unions is pushing for employers to pay the fee of £64. For more information go to -

http://www.unison.org.uk/education/schools/pages_view.asp?did=7634

The whole ISA scheme is expected to be introduced from 12 October 2009.

Street Scene dispute

(February 2009) An indicative ballot has just taken place on whether to continue with the Work to Rule in Street Scene and whether to escalate the dispute.

This is in response to the department not moving on reengineering jobs.  Some staff are losing thousands of pounds because of job evaluation – not repaying back pay and lieu days owed as a result of Job Evaluation. This affects all staff including Refuse.

In Refuse the management are also wanting staff working just 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, which results in a further loss of thousands of pounds in weekend enhancements plus adding the Saturday work to the Monday to Friday’s work and stopping Task and Finish.