However, a small number of rogue Housing Associations and "Charities" are under cutting decent employers in a bidding war to win "new business". This is truly a "race to the gutter". You simply cannot provide a quality service to clients by decimating your staff's pay and conditions. No responsible employer should take part in such bids. Our branch is launching a campaign against "Rachman employers". Believe it or not there are employers who are treating staff even worse.
NEWS
FROM UNISON
UNISON
MEMBERS PROTEST AGAINST ATTACKS ON TERMS & CONDITIONS
On the 13th March
angry UNISON members employed by Broadway Housing Association lobbied Board
members, following their decision to slash wages and dramatically cut terms and
conditions.
The proposed
changes - which have reached the end of a consultation with UNISON despite
objections from the union and staff - would;
·
Reduce
the pay of new front line staff by at least £4,500 per annum – in effect a 20%
reduction in salary
(with salaries which currently stand at between £23,000-25,000 being pushed
down to between £18,500 – 20,000).
·
Reduce
the pay of 14 existing staff which Broadway believes are paid above the medium
wage for their roles.
Terms and
conditions for new staff will be dramatically cut and will include:
·
No
pension provision
(current staff receive 5% employer contributions matched by 3% employee
contribution).
·
Reducing
Annual leave entitlement to statutory requirements (a loss of 6 days per year).
·
Abolishing
dependency leave and halving compassionate leave to 5 days
·
Reducing
sick leave entitlement
(to statutory during probationary period and a 4 weeks full pay and four weeks
half pay per annum in the first three years of employment).
·
Reducing
maternity pay to statutory.
In addition
to these cuts Broadway intend not to pay a cost of living increase for
2012/2013.
Joel Bodmer
Chair of the UNISON Housing Association branch, which represents members
employed at Broadway as well as many other housing associations said
“ It is
absolutely shameful that Broadway have apparently made a strategic decision to
position themselves away from a focus on quality; which the organisation have
in past been associated with, and move themselves towards the “no frills
airline” model of care and support.
The
organisation are clearly re-jigging themselves to be at the forefront of the
race to the bottom which we are witnessing in the sector. It is really sad that
very skilled people who work in some incredibly challenging environments are
being so un-fairly rewarded for the jobs they do.
People choose
to work in the sector because they believe in helping the most vulnerable
members of society; this good will is clearly being abused by organisations who
believe they can squeeze terms and conditions as much as possible, and still
receive high quality work from dedicated staff. We will continue to fight the
short-sightedness off all attempts attack the terms and conditions of people
who perform such crucial roles in our society.”
Broadway
claim the cuts are necessary for the organisation to remain viable and continue
to be in a position to win new services claiming it could not allow its
reserves to fall below £850,000.
For more
information please contact:
Colin Inniss, UNISON Regional Organiser 07703 194 127 / c.inniss@unison.co.uk
John Gray, Branch Secretary, UNISON Housing Associations Branch - 07432 150 530 / J.Gray2@unison.co.uk
2 comments:
Are these Housing Associations in need of a Reds/Rouges under the bed emquiry or are they merely rogues? Smiley face thing
whoops :)
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