"Housing Associations have lost their soul" Call for new campaign group to make them more democratic and accountable.

At the Labour Housing Group fringe at this year’s Labour Party Conference former UNISON Regional Secretary Frank Hont (and now Liverpool Council Cabinet member for Housing) described Housing Associations as having “lost their soul”. This was in front of Labour Housing shadow minister John Healey MP. 

This motion calling for a campaign for greater democracy and accountability in Housing Associations was recently put before the UNISON Community National Service Group Executive.

This community SGE notes:

That UK Housing Associations used to be genuinely progressive and democratic social housing organisations accountable to their tenants while providing high quality, affordable homes and responsible services.

Many used to have effective and well run Tenant & Resident Associations (TRA) and have executive boards that reflected the local community as well as being open, transparent, inclusive and most important of all - accountable.

Trade Unions, TRAs and local authorities were seen as vital stakeholders and partners.

Recently Housing Associations have started to dismantle TRAs and replace them with “focus groups” and so called “residents representatives” - interviewed and appointed by senior management.

Elected Councillors have been removed from Executive Boards.

Some Housing Associations refuse to recognise the human rights of their workers by de-recognising trade unions while victimising and blacklisting union activists.

Housing Associations which treat their residents badly also tend to treat their workers badly as well.

This community SGE resolves:-

To campaign and lobby against all Housing Associations that do not have democratically elected and financially supported independent Tenants and Residents Associations or recognise trade unions.

To ask the NEC to see if it is feasible to help set up a body that would work with other trade unions, councillors, Assembly members, MSPs, MPs and resident groups to campaign to make Housing Associations become democratic and accountable.

To support the call that at least 50% of all Housing Association Board Members should be genuine Resident elected representatives (which may include local Councillors and community organisations and at least one trade union representative).

Campaign for residents of Housing Associations that consistently fail to be progressive and democratic and do not perform adequate housing management functions to be given the right to be allowed the opportunity to vote on a transfer of their homes to another Landlord including Local Authorities.

A Living Rent

This motion was passed at my branch AGM which took place in City Hall last week. It will be one of our motions submitted to our UNISON National Conference in June (the other on "Union Busting").

If people think a "Living Wage" makes sense, then what about a "Living Rent"?

The motion was ably moved by Branch Executive member, Peter Daley. The idea for the motion came from a local branch steward who privately rents.

"UNISON National Delegate Conference notes

1.       Soaring UK rent rises will leave almost six million private renters living in poverty by 2040, according to recent research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).

2.       Rents are growing  more than wages, year in and year out and are becoming more and more unaffordable.  This has caused overcrowding, exploitation and ill health.

3.       It has reached the point that working people cannot afford to live in many high rent areas anymore with homelessness also on the increase.

4.       We are becoming economic slaves to a new master class of landlords who will evict tenants who object to rent increases or if they complain about the state of their property.

5.       Huge amounts of taxpayers’ money is wasted on housing benefit and little is invested in building new homes.

6.       That in other countries such as Germany, Sweden, France and even America there is legal controls on rents.

7.       A “living rent” is as much a basic human right as access to the National Health Service: It is a basic human right

8.       That a truly affordable and sustainable “Living rents” cap for social and market rents in different parts of the Country can be calculated as is already done with the Living wage.

This National Delegate Conference calls upon the NEC to ensure

1.       That UNISON should campaign for a future government to begin a mass house building programme of social homes at social rents (around 50% of the market rent).  This will also bring about reductions in rent in the private sector

2.       That there should be compulsory regulation in the private rented sector to give tenants greater protection and security of tenure

3.    That rent controls are reintroduced and rents are capped at a “Living Rent” set by an independent commission.

UNION BUSTING BY UK PUBLIC SERVICES PROVIDERS

The motion below on Union Busting has been sent to by UNISON Housing Association branch to next year's Greater London Regional Council AGM in February 2015. If it is passed it will also be considered as a regional motion for the National Delegate Conference (NDC) in June.

A similar motion will be debated at the National UNISON Community AGM in March 2015.

Labour Party branches will also be asked to consider a motion for the Party Conference and to make a submission to the next National Policy forum.

Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidates and Shadow Cabinet members will be sent this motion and background details asking for support.

I hope in particular that the Board of Catalyst Housing Associations are made fully aware of the legal, human rights, reputational and other risks of allowing Union Busting to take place. 

UNION BUSTING BY UK PUBLIC SERVICES PROVIDERS

This Regional Council notes:-

That a number of Housing associations, Charities and private employers who provide public services are openly hostile to trade unions, carry out American style anti union practices and refuse to recognise trade unions.

The right of free assembly and collective bargaining is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law. Any failure by any employer to honour these rights with regard to trade unions means they do not respect human rights.

We note that “not for profit” or “third sector” employers are normally registered charities and should share a social ethos with regard to good governance and respecting human rights.

Public Service Providers who do not treat their staff with respect or dignity will not treat their clients or residents with respect either.

Replacing free and democratic trade unions with internal “staff associations” is historically a central plank of the philosophy called “Corporatism” which has direct links with far right political groups in the UK and abroad.

All public service employers are dependent on public procurement and funding, direct or indirect.  While at the same time many pay their senior managers huge amounts of money.

Many supporters of national charities would be horrified to find out that these charities refuse to recognise or engage with independent trade unions.

There is a huge reputational and financial risk to employers who engage in such anti-trade union busting.

This Regional council calls on Regional Council Officers to:-

Actively support and help campaign against union busting by Public Service providers.

Draw up a campaign plan on how to organise in Public Service Providers that we do not currently have trade union recognition.

Call upon National Labour Link to examine whether local Councils and a future Labour Government should debar any Public Service Provider that does not recognise trade unions from access to public funding or procurement.

Call upon the Government to hold an independent public enquiry into the governance and democratic deficit of employers who provide public services.

(This motion to be considered for NDC and if successful the wording to be changed according)