City of Stoke on Trent Unison

(23/07/0 UNISON’s local government National Joint Committee (NJC) has today voted unanimously to back further talks with Local Government Employers, aimed at settling the current dispute over pay.

Discussions between UNISON, Unite and the Local Government Employers led to an understanding that talks can go ahead, with a timetable to be agreed at a later date.

In the light of this decision the NJC agreed not to name a date for further strike action. Progress will be monitored over the coming weeks and the decision reviewed in September.

Last week, 500,000 council workers took part in a 48-hour strike over a 2.45% below-inflation pay offer.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Local government workers responded magnificently to the call for action last week. They contribute a huge amount to the local communities they serve and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

“Taking action was a tough decision for our members who are dedicated to serving the communities they live and work in, but their strong resolve has paid dividends.”

UNISON head of local government Heather Wakefield added: “It is vital that we get this dispute sorted as soon as possible. Our members cannot afford to be the poor relations of the public sector. If the employers are serious about making local government an employer of choice they must realise they have some catching up to do.

“Over the summer we will continue our campaign to win the hearts and minds of government, the employers, and the public to the justice of our case.”

The controversial plans to outsource over a 1000  jobs have been called in Councillors. A full review of the business case will now take place in public. Full story here.

Staff have yet to be told officially what is planned, and how this move will ‘give them better job prospects’.

With the imminent resignation of the Chief Executive, will the plans now be shelved until the new person takes charge? That could take 12 months at least.

The Branch Executive meets today, and an action plan will be developed to challenge the plans to outsource our jobs.

Give us your thoughts by clicking on the comments button.

A Unison member from Liverpool City Council is asking for your support in a petition to 10 Downing Street, which ask that allegations of bullying can be investigated by the Local Government Ombudsman, rather than just internally.

Please visit the petition and give her your support. Unison also publish a useful guide on ways to tackle bullying.

The minutes of the Executive Board are now available online. It is clear that some councillors have reservations about the lack of consultation and the impact on moving staff out of Stoke.

This issue will be discussed at the Unison Branch Executive this week.

Members braved the weather to continue with their campaign for a fair pay offer.

Staff from Thistley Hough

Staff from Thistley Hough High School show they are fully behind the campaign for Fair Pay

Meanwhile, the ‘corridors of power’ were quiet as the Council Meeting was cancelled

Smiles all round as we are joined on the picket line by old friends

Old friends together on the picket line

Town Hall

Over 4000 members across all City Council departments, today took part in the national protest over the below inflation pay offer. Staff on the picket-line were joined by colleagues from Unite and Councillors Joynson.

Nationally, over 600,000 members took part in the campaign to get the employers to improve their offer.

The branch thanks all those drivers who refused to cross picket lines.

Photographs courtesy of The Sentinel

Picket line at Civic Centre

See you all tomorrow - bright and early!

Civic Centre main entrance

Although it seems the plans to outsource 1300 jobs went through on the nod at the Executive meeting, a number of Councillors outside of the coalition have started to ask some searching questions. According to a report in the Sentinel, staff meetings will be held in the next few weeks, but staff are still in the dark over their future.

Clrr Peter Kent Baguley’s blog questions the democratic process being used.

Cllr Davis writing in the Sentinel and another letter

Unison will be challenging the decision to outsource jobs - Colin Walton, branch secretary, said: “We are opposed to the plans in principle because we oppose the privatisation of public services.”

27/06/2008 -  UNISON’s industrial action committee has today confirmed that local government strike action will go ahead on 16 and 17 July in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“Throughout the union and across the country our members working in local government have given sustained strike action the green light,” said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis.

The action affects 600,000 of the union’s local government members, including social workers, librarians, school meals workers, refuse collectors, surveyors and teaching assistants.

They will walk out to protest this year’s below-inflation pay offer of 2.45%.

“This decision has not been taken lightly, but years of pay cuts and recent hikes in fuel, food and housing costs has left them with little choice,” Mr Prentis continued.

“The employers must realise that we mean business. They must also understand they can resolve this dispute by coming up with a decent offer. Our members are loyal public service workers and our case for fair pay is strong.”

The government’s Office of National Statistics’ own figures show that Retail Price Index inflation reached 4.3% in May. In the same month, the CPI measure of inflation, which the government uses to set its inflation target, hit 3.3%

Local government workers in Scotland are being balloted in July on taking strike action after rejecting a three-year offer worth 2.5% in each year.

Unison will be attending these sessions to answer your questions.

Please ensure you attend.

The employer has promised release for everyone to be able to attend. If you are having difficulty obtaining this, please contact the Branch Secretary, Colin Walton on 01782 232263. Otherwise, your questions and queries will be answered at the relevant briefing session.

The meeting of the Executive board on 2 July will discuss the proposals to farm out 1300 posts to the private sector.  The report states that it will cost £1,500,000 just to set up the contracts, and then  £37 million  a year to pay for the outsourced services!

Read the full report here or why not go to the meeting at 5.00pm on Wednesday - it is open to the public.

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