Rochdale Future Direction Striking Workers March and Rally

Good luck to the march and rally tomorrow (12:00 Thursday 29 August) by striking Future Direction workers and supporters. Speakers at rally include Maureen Le Marinel UNISON President and Heather Wakefield national secretary for local government.

UNISON Press release "More than 100 workers have begun five days of strike action in order to send their employer Future Directions a clear message that the fight against the substantial cuts to their pay and terms and conditions has not gone away.

The strike began at 8am on Sunday 25 August 2013 and follows 14 days of strike action already taken in recent months.

Future Directions CIC which is a company owned by Calderstones NHS Trust, bid for the contract to provide supportive living services from Rochdale Council, knowing that to make the contract viable they would need to make financial cuts as soon as they were awarded the contract. Future Directions is looking to expand its business and bid for more contracts at the expense of the workers who continue to deliver care to vulnerable adults, taking advantage of the fact that these workers care about the work they do and the people they work with.

A march and rally has been organised for Thursday, 29 August 2013 at 12 noon on 'the Butts' in Rochdale town centre in support of the strikers and their campaign to continue the fight against imposed cuts on their pay, terms and conditions. Many workers are losing more than £500 per month and having to use savings to subsidise their wages to make ends meet.

UNISON is asking branches to help support the strike action by giving donations to the hardship fund and help these workers to continue with their fight for a fair deal for Future Directions staff in Rochdale. For any messages of support or donations please contact the Rochdale UNISON Local Government Branch, 46 Richard Street, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL11 1DU, email address: Unison@Rochdale.Gov.UK telephone number: 01706 925952, branch secretary: Helen Harrison.
UNISON is continuing to call on Future Directions CIC to enter into meaningful negotiations with a view to resolving this ongoing dispute".

Hat tip picture UNISONActive

"An Economy for One Nation: How Progressive can a Future Labour Government be"?

Picture of East Ham MP Stephen Timms and UNISON Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield (Chair Christopher Owens on right) at the Newham Compass & Fabians debate on how radical the next Labour Government should be.  This was held last month at West Ham FC supporter’s club.

Stephen spoke first on the central policy of the next Labour Government must be to cut unemployment. The Tory cuts had failed and resulted in no growth. Many people now beginning to realise that the cuts are not working.

The deficit had not been caused by overspending but by the collapse in the economy due to the financial crisis. He enjoyed seeing even Tories criticising government policies. If Labour are elected then there are limits to what we can do. Employment is key to fighting poverty. Labour will offer a guaranteed job for 6 months.

Heather introduced herself as a Chelsea FC season ticket holder who was pleased to be at West Ham! She was going to be more idealistic and talk about values. Privatisation of public services had led to reduced wages and badly run, inefficient services and greater income inequality.

We need gender equality as well as satisfying and socially useful work. Real workplace democracy. We need a partnership at work, a new deal with unions.

There needs to be a new attitude to taxes, ask what the economy is for and who benefits from it? A Green investment bank to make Government offices and homes energy efficient. Deal with tax havens. Raise a Robin Hood (or rather Maid Marian) Tobin Tax. Reform Council tax. Make sure that there is a minimum income for all.

We have the most expensive child care in Europe apart from Switzerland. Women suffer the most in terms of jobs and pay from Austerity. There has to be a Keynesian economic programme, we could invest in new homes. Ask should we have low pay or a living wage. Why do we subsidise Tesco with tax credits?

Worse privatisation was in social care. Dominated by big companies making massive profits out of poor quality care and also schools meals.

In the Q&A I asked the question that in line with Heather’s remarks about rethinking our attitude to taxes, we ought to be pointing out that getting the unemployed into work will cost money and that we have to accept that all of us will have to pay more tax in return for quality public services. 

Heather was very positive in her reply while Stephen was a little more circumspect.

An Economy for One Nation: How Progressive can the next Labour Government be?

This post is late but tomorrow Thursday 14 March East Ham MP and shadow minister for Employment, Stephen Timms and UNISON Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield will be debating how progressive (or radical) the next Labour Government can be?

This event is bring arranged by Newham Compass and Fabians. It is being held at the West Ham supporters club starting at 7.30pm.

Click on flyer to bring up further details.

"An Economy for One Nation": Stephen Timms MP & Heather Wakefield (UNISON)

This should be good. East Ham MP Stephen Timms (Shadow Minister for Employment) and UNISON, Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield debate "An Economy for One Nation" and how progressive can the next Labour Government be?

London UNISON Regional Council: 31 October 2012

The meeting was not quorate but we heard our speakers. The first guest speaker was Nick Raynsford MP, Greenwich and Woolwich who spoke about proposed cuts and mergers to South London Healthcare.

The Tories are playing politics with local NHS services regardless of clinical merit. 

Head of UNISON local government Heather Wakefield spoke next on pay. We are opposing the 1% public sector pay limit, regional pay and attacks on facility time. We need to restore pay. Aim to have a Living Wage for everyone who works in public services. Outside London this is £7.20 per hour. Currently the lowest pay band in Local Government is £6.30 per hour. Which is barely over the minimum wage. Need to encourage our members to take up any benefits that they are entitled to claim.

There will in real terms have been a 15% pay cut in local authority pay by April 2013 due to the rising prices and the pay freeze. Heather went through the campaigning issues on pay, terms & conditions.

220,000 workers in Local Government and 50,000 in the National Health Service have so far lost their jobs. Members in work are obviously worried about their jobs. 

Then Roisin Wood from "Kick it Out" which use to be an anti racist but is now a "pro-equality" in all aspects of football campaigning group. There is only 7 of them and they are campaigners are not the regulator, the football players union nor the employer. The recent controversy involving the wearing of tee-shirts by some players has been "challenging" but not of their making. They hope this has now been sorted out!

Our Parliamentary report was from Jeremy Corbyn MP. Who spoke about changes to housing benefit forcing the social cleansing of poor people out of Islington and inner London. He had a 6 hour surgery last Friday mostly made up of private tenants who are being forced out of their homes. His belief that there will have to be caps and controls of private sector housing rents.  He reported on the the "media assassination" of London Metropolitan University over foreign students which has damaged the entire UK reputation for further education. 

LGPS 2014 - Ballot helpline now open

"Dear colleague

 You should have received your ballot paper for the UNISON ballot on the new proposals for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

If not, the ballot helpline is now open: if you have not received your ballot paper, or need a replacement, call the helpline straight away on 0845 355 0845.

Remember, you can vote by post or online, and the ballot closes on 24 August at 10am.

Your service group executive - the committee of lay members representing you - recommends that you vote Yes to these proposals, under which most members will be better off.

There is a lot of information about how the proposals might affect you on the Local Government Pension Scheme page of UNISON's website at unison.org.uk/pensions/lgps.asp.

The ballot closes on 24 August. The ballot helpline is 0845 355 0845 and it will be open until 10am on 21 August.

Yours sincerely"

"Four out of five service groups say vote 'yes' in the LGPS ballot"

Excellent news! The elected lay Service Group Executives of UNISON have voted overwhelmingly to endorse the new look Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS 2014).

"Members covered by Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales are being urged to vote yes to a new LGPS 2014 scheme when they are balloted this month.

In all around 660,000 members in five UNISON service groups will be covered by the ballot, including:

• 580,000 members in local government;
• 40,000 in police and justice;
• 19,000 in higher education;
• 17,000 in community;
• 6,000 in the water, environment and transport service group.

The local government, police and justice, community and WET service groups are all recommending that members vote 'yes' in the ballot. The higher education service group is recommending that members vote 'no'.

Heather Wakefield, national secretary for local government and police and justice, who led the negotiations for UNISON says: "After months of talks, led by UNISON, we now want you to have your say on the proposals for the new Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS 2014).

"UNISON is recommending that members vote yes in the ballot, because we believe that these proposals give most LGPS members - and especially women and low paid workers, who are the majority of members - a better pension deal.

"It is vital that members make their voice heard.

"Please tell your members to look out for their ballot paper which is being sent direct to the home addresses of all UNISON members who are in the LGPS or eligible to join."

The LGPS Scrutiny Group has decided on a joint ballot. It will run from 31 July to 24 August, and members can vote by post or online.

In Scotland, pensions are a devolved matter for the Scottish government and the Scottish LGPS is a separate scheme, with no clear proposals to change it. The LGPS in Northern Ireland is covered by different regulations and proposals are still under discussion".

Getting a Grip about Industrial Action

“Those who argue that unions wanting to negotiate – the majority – have ‘sold out’ and undermined trade union solidarity need to get to grips with the complexities of public sector pensions, serious areas of weakness in membership density and organisation, sectoral bargaining arrangements in the public sector. Only when they have done that should they decide whether there is a route to getting everything we want through industrial action".

UNISON Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield responds to an analysis of the November 30 Public Sector Strike over pensions by academic Gregor Gall in Red Pepper.

I must admit that I get just a little frustrated when outsiders, no matter how knowledgeable, think that they know who and what "grass roots activists" are and think. Also, what is their relationship with the "National leadership". The "National leadership" in UNISON are democratically elected lay representatives who are not only "grass roots activists" but activists with a mandate.

They are responsible to their members not the grand designs of tiny ultra left fringe groups. Let me be very clear. By an overwhelming majority, the elected lay leadership of UNISON voted to continue negotiations over pensions.

There are some who appear to believe that public sector workers will "rally to the cause" and strike regardless of membership densities, steward structures and bargaining position. This is simply untrue. We are not stupid. We are not cannon fodder. It shows a complete and fundamental misunderstanding of British trade unionism.

I also think that further strike action at this time when our members and the public know that there is an improved offer on the table would prove disastrous. If negotiations collapse due to government intransigence then that would be very different.

What is the answer? I think instead of chasing strikes it is the long hard slog of organising workers. Not only recruiting vastly more members and stewards but also training and supporting them. If we had the numbers of members that trade unions in Scandinavia countries had then we would be in a totally different bargaining position. Ironically the Coalition Government attacks on employment rights and safety has provided us with a (unwanted) Recruiting Sergeant. Workers will know what activists have always known, that the best defence at work is joining an union, not relying on the Courts to protect you.

I think that this picture above of Kingston hospital UNISON members is a far more powerful image in this day and age than that of angry men standing around burning braziers. We have another job of work to do with the Great British court of public opinion. Despite the open goal of the worst recession in 80 years brought about by clear failures in capitalism, the "left" in all forms have failed to have any impact. But this belongs to another post.

Battle of Cable Street 75th Anniversary Rally

I wasn't able to make the march but I did manage to turn up to the Battle of Cable Street 75th Anniversary rally at St George in the East park, East London.   Home of the famous mural. Former UNISON General Secretary Rodney Bickeerstaffe was speaking as I came in. He reminded the rally of the close connection of Cable Street with the International Brigade who fought in Spain against the fascists 1936-1939.

I was sorry to have missed Max Levitas, a 97 year old real life veteran of the Battle speak. I have heard Max a number of times over the years on many issues but never at this event. Max still lives in Tower Hamlets but he comes shopping to Stratford and has stopped off at our Labour Party stalls over the years to have a chat. He is still a convinced communist but is pleased to see the Labour Party out campaigning and is still very vocal about the dangers we all face from the splitters and wreakers. 

The video is of Kosru Uddin, Tower Hamlets Labour Councillor, talking not as a polititian but as someone who had lived through racism and who stressed the importance of being united in order to defeat it.  

I was pleased that my UNISON Housing Association branch banner was there – thanks to activists Tony and Mary. There was a number of UNISON folk about including my former Branch secretary Jean Geldart (daughter of another Cable Street veteran and former Red Stepney Communist MP Phil Piratin) and Head of UNISON Local Government Heather Wakefield.  

There was some sectarian silliness by the usual suspects. But such ritualistic howling at the moon amidst grandiose claims of betrayal politics just adds to the colour of the occasion.   

The final speaker was former BNP member turned Hope Not Hate activist Matthew Collins whose recent book “Hate – My life in the British Far Right” I have just ordered. Just saying you are going to Smash the BNP or the EDL is not enough. We will not let them pass - but we also need to fully understand our enemy in order to overcome them. 

UNISON NDC 2011: Building a Future for Public Housing

These are some of my notes from the UNISON housing fringe on Monday evening. The meeting was chaired by Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government. Other speakers were Lord Whitty (Housing Voice) and Mo Baines (APSE). I was billed for the first time as “NEC”.

Aim: What are housing associations up to and how will they respond to government policy?

Does the so called “affordable rent” model make any sense? Is it viable? Will it work for housing associations and those seeking decent, affordable homes?

Key points Housing Associations are operating in a difficult financial environment. Almost ££50 billion of debt is held by larger housing associations (with more than a thousand homes), £18 billion will be paid through re-financing. Housing associations see re-financing as a threat, as rates on new loans are likely to be higher than those currently held.

Under the new system housing associations will get, on average, about £32k per new home, instead of £80k that they received previously. They will be expected to make the difference by charging higher rents – at 80 per cent of the market rate – and use the increase in rents to support more borrowing. The government hope that this model, based on lower grant per home but increased borrowing, will deliver 150,000 new affordable homes by 2015. Remember this is not only on new build but could be also for existing stock.

A recent survey by Inside Housing magazine suggest that while the majority of the largest associations will make bids to gov to build homes under the new system, the extra risk and borrowing is leading to associations scaling back development plans. We will know more in July, when the Homes and Communities Agency awards contracts.

It is also becoming blatantly obvious that this new funding system doesn’t work for all regions. Whilst the difference between existing social rent (which as a rule of thumb is about 50% of market rent) and an 80% of market affordable rent in the South East is in the region of £60 per week, in the Midlands and the North it ranges from about £17 to about £25. Unsurprisingly such associations aren’t likely to generate the kinds of revenue that would enable the model to work.

UNISON, as a housing union, operating in an environment in which half of the public housing is delivered by housing associations and half by local authorities and ALMOs, has to work out two sets of issues. The first set of issues are will this so called affordable rent, based on 80 per cent of market rents, will deliver more decent homes for our members and their families, and working people on low to middle incomes people more broadly.

We know from internal surveys that more of our members are in the private rented sector than the social rented sector, and that this where most people who can’t afford to buy now find themselves. Would this group of people see Affordable Rent as a better option than the private rented sector? How would it work alongside traditional social housing?

As yet we don’t the answers, but we can see problems. In London the average housing association rent on a two bedroom property is £102 per week. An Tory unaffordable rent would be £248. How many low paid workers could afford that? Clearly this is unsustainable – especially when considered alongside cuts to Local Housing Allowance. (housing benefit)

The second set of issues does the new funding system impact on the sustainability and character of housing associations as employers of our members and potential members. Can employers make the new arrangements work in a way which guarantees their survival, and the jobs of our members? Is the business model this implies one that necessarily entails a tougher environment for people at work in housing associations? We have the private sector companies claiming they could save money by managing staff and estates on behalf of housing association. Of course this will be by the slashing and burning of our terms and conditions.

Its already tough out there, with pay cuts and attacks on terms and conditions. Would this make things worse? But as well as a threat is this also an opportunity? Can we organise around this new model in a way that is appealing to housing workers?

Again its early days. The signs are that everyone is cautious about trying to implement this system in the current economic climate. The least we can do, as a union that wants to grow in the sector, with a wider commitment to the provision of affordable housing, is to watch carefully how these issues develop over the months ahead and be prepared to speak out and act as necessary.

UNISON National Housing Seminar 2011: "We Ain’t Seen Nothin' Yet"

Keynote speaker, Heather Wakefield, Head of UNISON Local Government. (Usual health warning about the accuracy of my hurriedly typed notes) "It seems to have been a very long year. So much destruction has taken place. We now know that Nick Clegg “cries”. Bless his heart. His cabinet of millionaires that wreaks our welfare state. £80 billion in cuts. With no mandate to do so. Before the election Nick Clegg said not a single front line worker would be affected.  Check out Richard Murphy’s excellent blog on taxation. The Tory minister who boasted that these are cuts that “Mrs. Thatcher could only have dreamed about”.

This financial crisis was caused by banks and financial services. Who caused a massive reduction from 60% to 35% in the share of wealth. This led to the debt crisis. They lent mortgages to those who could never pay for them. It was not us, not you, that caused this crisis - but the friends of this Cabinet. They are proposing massive cuts in housing and people’s rights. Pay cuts, even though Local government pay is the lowest in all public services. The new White paper that will propose that all public services in England will have to be put out to tender. Also the review of “public duties”. We ain’t seen nothing yet - I am very sorry to say. We all know someone who has been made redundant. Many Tory and coalition councils don’t have to cut as much as they need to - they are not necessary. Thanks to Pete Challis for his work on educating branches and regional organisers on Council finances and show it is possible to not make such cuts. There are 3 things to do

1. Get technical – get on top of budgets.
2. Get political. There has been a lot of disengagement by branches in politics - especially in England. Nowadays a lot of branches do not think they should engage politically but I think we should be doing this. We have to use the local elections to give the coalition a “bloody nose” if we can. This is essential. Certainly not everything was rosy under a Labour government and Labour councils, we all know that, but just think of the difference between now and then. We have to undermine them.

3.Massively increase density. It is around 50% in local government but below this in some branches. We cannot allow our industrial bargaining position to fall in line with lower density. There is no excuse for any reduction in density. We must build organisation and strength. We have got to use our industrial muscle only when we can and when it will achieve what we want it to do. Industrial action is an important weapon. I’ve been told off in the past as being too keen than some about strikes but if we have industrial action that does not deliver – this does not improve things. If we have industrial action over pay or pensions we need to get our records updated. We cannot afford to take action that is not successful. That is what the government wants us to do – to get egg on our face. Take precipitate industrial action.  

UNISON branches are doing an amazing job day in and day out. We may not stop every redundancy. But we have seen success by taking councils on over finance, equality impact statements and campaigning. We have had successful industrial action and I am sure we will continue to have more. This is a government who despite being hard nose bastards can be forced to backtrack and do a “U turn”. Have seen this over Forests but also plans to cut housing benefit for those who are unemployed. There was a partial victory over EMA and the “break” over plans to privatise our NHS. It can be done. Got to be very canny about the way we do it.

Our primary job is to defend our members - we are a trade union but we must also win the argument with the public against privatisation. We cannot afford it. Public money goes down the drain; millions spent on drawing up processes and increased money for senior management. Don’t forget the shareholders premium. Privatisation only delivers cheaper services on the backs of cuts in our member’s wages and conditions. They have got rid of the 2 tier code so new starters will not be paid decent pay and terms. Decent Pensions will also soon go. Privatisation is the biggest threat face the union.  

So what to do? March 26th was a great day. In itself it may have affected the NHS proposals. They, the government, would love us to wear ourselves out by constant marching and industrial action. How do we build on March 26th? How to keep the pressure up on the government and coalition councils? Develop a massive movement against this government from the bottom up. There is no other alternative. We can have another March 26 and this would not change the governments mind. We in housing have to work with tenant and resident groups, voluntary organisations and others and not just fight for pay and pensions. The groups who are taking action against tax corruption such as London Citizens and UK uncut. Important social movements that are born of the same feelings as us. They are different from us. We in the unions are big organisations and are use to leading, but we have to work with others. There are problems with the politics. But by working with other unions and peoples who feel like us - we can derail this government". 

UNISON National Housing Seminar 2011: City of York

This year the seminar was held in York. I went up last night and this morning before breakfast went for a run (aka slow jog) around it’s almost complete City walls (see picture).

This was quite a fitting start in one way for a housing event since apart from the glorious displays of spring daffodils on the grass banks under the walls, you are acutely aware of the huge range of different types of homes and buildings that exists. From the medieval Shambles to the modern scandinavian style wooden fronted low rise blocks. Small traditional family terraces and the mansions with huge gardens next to the Minster.

The housing stock looked in relatively good condition with no obvious graffiti, vandalism or dumped rubbish. The communal washing lines were even in use and it would appear that residents had left clothes hanging up to dry overnight. I am sure that there are problems with Housing in York (homelessness and affordability?) which are not readily apparent. I did wonder how “sustainable” the new housing units would prove and whether they will still be in use in 500 years time.

There were around 100 branch delegates present at the seminar from Council’s, ALMO’s, DLO’s and Housing associations up and down the Country.

The Chair of the UNISON National Housing Forum Nick Olgard welcomed us and reminded everyone about last year’s seminar when we had the then Labour Housing Minister John Healey present, who he called one of the best ever housing minister’s with Graham Shapps. Then we were worrying about possible Tory Housing polices – now we know.

Our first (keynote) speaker was Heather Wakefield, Head of UNISON Local Government. I’ll post on this next.

Get your facts right about the Local Government Pension Fund says UNISON

"UNISON, the UK’s biggest union, with more than 600,000 members working in local councils, today called on consultants and government ministers to get their facts right on local government pensions.  

The call follows a claim by John Balfe, so-called “independent” pensions consultant, that the scheme’s liabilities had increased to £100 billion.  The Communities and Local Government Minister, Eric Pickles, managed to muddy the waters even more by unsubstantiated claims that  ‘town hall pensions are now costing over £300 a year to every household paying council tax."

Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local Government, said:

“Another week, another attack on the local government pension scheme. These so-called independent pensions consultants and government ministers should get their facts right before they resort to crude scare-mongering.

“Eric Pickles is plain wrong. Less than 6% of council tax payments fund pensions. More than 50% is made up of employee contributions and investment returns.

“The local government pension scheme is in good shape, and is a vital way of allowing mainly low paid workers to save for their retirement. A report out this year confirmed that the scheme could cover all its liabilities for the next twenty years, without a single penny more in contributions. What’s more, the scheme invests hundreds of billions in UK stocks and shares every year – a huge boost to our economy.

“With pensions, its vital to take a long term view. It is totally misleading to take an assessment of the schemes liabilities now and make claims for the future that don’t stack-up.  All investments have taken a knock thanks to the financial crisis, but given time they will recover.”

Key facts on the local government pension scheme:

-       The average local government pension is £4,000 per year, for women this drops to just £2,600, or less than £40 per week.

 -       After intense negotiations, a new pensions agreement in local government was introduced in 2008, setting out terms that include workers paying 6.4% of their salary into the scheme.

-       Local councils get most of their revenue from business rates and from central government grants. In reality, less than 6% of council taxpayers’ rates goes towards funding the pension scheme. More than 50% of the cost is met by employee contributions and investment returns.

 -       Research in 2006 showed that if the LGPS did not exist - based only on current pensioners – it would cost the taxpayer £2bn a year in increased means tested benefits and loss of tax revenue. It would also fuel increased take up of NHS and council care services.

 -       Often overlooked is the huge investment power of the LGPS fund. In 2008 the total value of combined assets in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, were £143 billion - 60% of which was invested in equities or shares, in UK and global stock markets. In the same year, more than £1 billion was invested in each of the top four FTSE companies. If the scheme were to close, and this investment was withdrawn, it would have a huge impact on the UK economy.

-       The LGPS is in better shape than a most other schemes. Even in the depths of the recession, investments provided nearly £3bn for the LGPS in England, accounting for nearly one third (27%) of the scheme’s overall income. Year on year, the scheme takes billions more in contributions and investments returns than it pays out in benefits. Last year, income from member contributions to the scheme in England alone increased by 15% - outstripping expenditure by £6 billion.

-       An Audit Commission report in 2010 stated that the LGPS could pay out all pensions due for the next 20 years without any further contributions.

More information from UNISON Press Office on 0207 551 1555".

(Hat tip UNISON press release)

A Million Voices for a Million Affordable Homes: New UNISON/APSE Report

Due to being at the Stoke Rochford I am going to miss tomorrow evenings UNISON/ASPE launch at the House of Commons of a joint report into the capacity of Councils to begin to build new homes.

Our General Secretary Dave Prentis will be there with Housing Minister John Healey to respond to the report then there will be a Q&A led from Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government, UNISON, Kelvin Hopkins MP and Judy Mallaber MP.

Other Labour MP’s are expected to attend. As soon as I get a copy of the report I will post on it.

UNISON’s “Million Voices” campaign includes a housing component – a million voices for a million affordable homes (see main picture - double click to read).

(John Healey has recently confirmed that he will be attending a future meeting of UNISON Housing Association branch Labour Link members at the House of Commons: date to be arranged).

Local Government PAY 2009 – FINAL OFFER

The Employers’ Side met yesterday and agreed to increase their offer to a final offer in settlement of our 2009 pay claim as follows:

· Pay

From 1 April 2009 an increase of 1.25% on SCPs 4 to 10 inclusive

From 1 April 2009 an increase of 1.00% on SCPs 11 to 49 inclusive

· Annual Leave

From 1 April 2009, an increase from 20 to 21 days in minimum annual leave for employees with less than five years’ service.

By 1 December 2009, the NJC will produce joint guidance on best practice in handling redundancies.

So the latest offer has gone up from 0.5% to 1.25% for low paid and 1% for the rest. This would be back dated to April this year. Also an extra days days leave for workers with less service and an agreed union/employer guide on good practice over redundancies.

The joint unions will meet on Monday 27 July to consider a response.

In a press release UNISON Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield says:-

"We are pleased that the local government employers have come forward with an improved pay offer. While we believe that our members are worth more, we are pleased that the employers have realised that 0.5% was an insult. It is also vital that we have an agreement in place to protect jobs in the sector. This will help keep services running through the recession - when families and communities need them most. "UNISON's national committee and the NJC trade union side will meet next week to start the consultation on the offer."

*Scale points 4-10 earn between £11,961 - £13,336 (scale points 0-3 no longer exist)

**Scale points 11-49 earn between £14,197 - £41,083

I think it is fair to say "well done" to the Joint Union negotiators for helping to bring a positive offer to the table in these difficult times and also getting a fairly significant increase on the previous offer. I can imagine the Daily Hate headlines tomorrow morning. But maybe we can get more?

My employer is so far still holding out on a 0% increase for non-NJC Staff (i.e staff not on local government rates – usually directly employed staff who do not have TUPE protection). With us there is any appeal process in hand and this offer should help us argue against the 0% non-offer. I am just back tonight from a Housing Association Branch Executive meeting where I heard that one employer proposed a 5% cut in wages. This was beaten back and in fact many employers have increased wages for this year by more than 1%.

I think that those in local government UNISON leadership roles should wait until they can properly consult their ordinary members on this final NJC offer. Before passing instant judgement and slobbering over the thought of leading their members (who they obviously consider too thick to think for themselves) into the valhalla of glorious strike action.

UNISON Housing Seminar at House of Commons

Yesterday morning I was present at an early UNISON seminar on responses to the Housing Crisis.

There was a pretty wide range of speakers. Heather Wakefield (Head of UNISON Local Government), John Cruddas MP, Cllr Tony Newman (LGA), Allan Riddell (Old Ford HA), Mark Thomas (Shelter) and Toby (forgot surname from Compass). It was chaired by UNISON Labour Link Steve Warwick in his capacity as a UNISON NEC Policy committee member. I was there as a London UNISON representative who works in housing.

UNISON is the largest Housing union in the UK. We have members in Council housing departments, ALMOs, Registered social landlords (Housing associations) and the supported housing sector. But also our 1.4 million members are either homeowners or tenants themselves or in need of affordable housing.

Some things I found interesting:

Heather – “Good Housing is the rock of social well being in our society”.... the BNP are the only ones to benefit from poor and adequate housing...many housing organisations up and down the country are getting rid of staff...our members should not be forced to buy”

Mark – “the government has to be bold”....need to increase grant rate....rethink tenure and the risks of homeownership.

John – need to “rebuild the mixed economy in housing”...the government target was for 240,000 properties per year....3 million in total...last year only 170,000 built, this year 100,000 – next year who knows? Need for state to step in and take the strain. Relationship between state and economy being fundamentally redrawn...not a great issue in ideology but a change in relationships...question of political will rather than economic...he is “optimistic” ...need to keep up the pressure.

Toby – reminded us that at current rate of new build each home will have to last 1200 years...it’s not possible to return to previous housing model...there was a housing cartel of private house builders who restricted supply to keep prices high...

Tony – Need a change in housing finance...there could now be cross party consensus in the LGA for Councils if they wish to start building again in partnership with RSL’s

Allan – New Housing Development used to subsidise management. Due to recession RSLs will face pressures due to increased rent arrears...there is still in London a £60-80,000 funding gap between the cost of new build and grant. Picture of Allan (bottom right) making everyone laugh is when he reminded everyone that RSLs do not want to buy the “off the shelf” new developments currently being offered to them by private builders because many of them are indeed “crap”!

There was a good Q&A. I asked the panel with my Housing Association Branch officer hat on whether it was a premature that some Housing associations are laying off development staff since everyone agreed there was a housing crisis and most thought that the government will have to provide extra funding soon? Much of the panel were very supportive and the words “crime”, “insane” and “short-sighted” was used to describe the sacking of specialist development staff. Some pointed out if they are unable to actually develop currently then they are in very difficult place.

On the Inside Housing web site here there is a piece on the seminar.

Afterwards while scoffing House of Commons “bacon and cheese” croissants (delicious but should be served with statins and aspirin) there were some very good ideas discussed about campaigning and what to do next.

I just might be, repeat, might be, finally understanding how housing development finance works.

UNISON & UNITE Local Government Strike – Today and Thursday.

Watch the excellent video by Heather Wakefield, the UNISON head of local government on why people are on strike.

I’ve set this post to be published at 04:00 The first picket lines would have usually started about now at Council depots across the country. Some lines have been going since 00:01.

Refuse collectors, street cleaners, transport and cleaners will usually be the first out.

Add your support to the strikers by either an on-line message, by phone, by text, by phone picture or video, by Flickr or by YouTube! You can also post a message of support on a Google earth Map.

All UNISON and trade union bloggers are asked to past the above banner code to their blogs. It was quite easy. If you use blogger go to settings, add page elements then simply paste HTML/Java scrip. It is not that difficult – honest.

From UNISON website

Mortgages up 8% Petrol up 22% Bread up 9% Milk up 17% Fuel bills up 15% Inflation up 4.3%
But council workers are being offered a pay rise of just 2.45%. Take inflation into account and it's a pay CUT. Coming on top of 10 years below-inflation pay rises, it's no wonder we think this is the last straw.

So we are striking on 16 and 17 July.

Not because we want to. Many UNISON members are low-paid, part-time women workers, struggling to pay the bills - losing two days pay for strike action is not something we do lightly.

We are striking because the employers won't even consider talking to us about a better offer.

We know that the services we provide are essential to our community, and that shutting them down for two days will cause disruption and we're genuinely sorry if you are inconvenienced. We just can't afford another pay cut.

and unless we get a fair settlement on pay, local communities will suffer too.

Services will simply get worse as councils continue to lose committed staff and struggle to find new employees prepared to work for such low pay.

We empty your bins, clean your schools, conduct your marriages and civil partnerships, care for your parks, check the safety of your food and look after your children in nurseries, schools and in care.

And so much more.

In exchange, all we are asking for is your support for a fair pay settlement.

Cathy comes Home to... “demoralised, underpaid and threatened staff” ?

Above is a quote from a Shelter trade union member who contacted me following the overwhelming vote by Shelter staff to strike. Last month I posted on the dispute between the Housing Charity Shelter and its employees over its plans to cut terms and conditions and to make staff work longer for no extra pay. I really hoped that this dispute could be resolved quickly since Shelter does marvellous work for its many vulnerable clients.

However, this is not to be and members have voted by a majority of 71% (on a very relatively very high turnout of 65.8%) to strike. Shelter has threatened to sack staff who do not accept these cuts.

The first strike is on 5 March 2008. Must find out the nearest picket line?

Ken Loach (the film director who directed “Cathy Come Home” which is credited with helping to launch “Shelter”) has been interviewed in the Guardian calling for people to stop financially supporting “Shelter” until this dispute is resolved. Not sure about that one? No mention of such a call in the T&G website? I’ll go with what the unions advise on that one. See Shelter boss, Adam Sampson response.

It would appear that a cause of this whole disaster is that Shelter management (who may or may not be paid huge amounts of money but do seem to be fond of paying large amounts of money for “change consultants” and expensive refurbishments of their head office) are fearful that unless they can cut staffing costs they will be uncompetitive and lose legal aid contracts to the “evil ones” such as outsourcing giant “Capita”. This is serious issue across the public/private sector. Is it right that organisations can lose contracts to firms that do so by simply slashing the wages of existing staff? Doesn’t TUPE apply? Should new starters also be protected under TUPE? Should the new Warwick Agreement between the trade unions and the Government include all such contracts? (YES).

By co-incidence during the Labour Party conference last year, at the UNISON Housing fringe, Adam Sampson, was a panel speaker alongside the then housing Minister Yvette Cooper and the UNISON Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield. During the Q&A I asked Yvette to respond to Heather’s comment about excessive pay rises for senior management in many Housing Associations. Yvette appeared to be concerned about the unfortunate tendency for these managers to pay themselves very large pay rises and said that the government was aware of the issue and will take firm action to stop it if necessary. Interestingly Adam also piped up with an attack of such housing associations, since he claimed that their actions meant that Shelter had to pay more money to recruit senior staff. This he said was causing financial problems across the voluntary sector.

So Adam, is the reason you have to cut the terms and conditions of relatively low paid staff due to money you think you have to pay to recruit senior executives? I think we should be told.....

UNISON/Compass/Tribune Rally

This is the first of a selection of posts and pictures with brief comments about fringes, rallies and seminars that I attended last week during conference that I didn’t have the time to post.

Sunday evening - Can the public services deliver the new "progressive consensus”?

Chaired by Compass Neal Lawson with Ed Milliband MP, Douglas Alexander MP, Angela Eagle MP and Heather Wakefield (from UNISON standing in for Dave Prentis).

Ed Milliband seemed rather “put out” for some reason by my suggestion in the Q&A that there will be no consensus if the Government continues to privatise and there is a political risk to the Party since some of our core vote may think they might as well vote Tory? Can’t think why?

Compass Conference – Workshops, Global Question time and Close

This report follows my first post “Navigating the Compass Conference”. After the morning keynote speeches there was a choice of 16 workshops. I decided on the “An Irresistible Force? Managing globalisation” by Unions 21. Just beforehand I sneaked into the debate on Trident and took this quick picture (left) of Labour blogger, Luke Akehurst, who was speaking in favour of Trident(on left with Jon Trickett standing).

Will Hutton, of the Work Foundation was guest speaker at the unions 21 workshop. A lot of international trade unions were represented. This is now the third trade union meeting on globalisation that I have attended in recent weeks. Things are starting to happen. Will made an interesting remark about the Chinese being concerned about goods “being made in china but not made by Chinese” referring to the level of foreign ownership of companies, China retains little “added value”. However, it’s the Asian saving culture and the huge amount of petrol dollars which have fuelled the Private Equity boom in the West. I asked my usual question on the role of workers capital. Which the panel broadly agreed should be important.

After lunch I went to the New Local Government Network workshop on Globalisation and local government. The panel of speakers (see top right photo: left to right) Stella Creasy (former mayor of Waltham Forest), Chair (rudely I have forgotten his name), Lyn Brown MP (West Ham), Cllr Steve Reed (Lambeth Council Leader) and Jane Roberts (former Leader of Camden). It seems that the new bill currently making its way on local government is finally going to decentralise decision making back to local authorities. This went down very well with the audience. Lyn, in her probably unique experience as a local government researcher, senior councillor and now PPS to the Minister for Local government felt that these were an opportunity for a Renaissance in Councils. In the meeting was another blogger, my favourite GMB Councillor from the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Miranda Grell (see pic below). In my response to my question to the panel on the role of unions in this Lyn suggested that we ought to have representation on local strategic partnership boards. While Stella quoted Ed Miliban (I think it was Ed not David) that Council workers should stop being “experts” and start being “navigators” for their communities. A very suitable thing to say at a compass conference!

Global question time in the great hall followed. Poor old Garth Thomas MP, under secretary of state for international development had a hard time from his fellow panellists (Martin Bright “New Statesman”, Shami Chakrabarti “Liberty”, Martin Sedden “Al jazeera” and Sukvinder Stubbs “Barrow Cadbury Group”). However, thought that he stood his ground well and gave as good as he got especially over the debate about a “British Day”. Heather Wakefield, from UNISON asked a question about how the panel would tackle the continued discrimination in public services regarding equal pay for women. This had Shami unusually, she admitted for a Liberty spokesperson, calling for greater regulations and legal enforcement.

Antonio Miranda a Brazilian campaigner spoke about the successful battle in Brazil against water privatisation.

Jon Tickett MP was the final speaker. Jon Cruddas was in Cardiff with the rest of the deputy leadership candidates. He was billed to give a video message, but it never happened for some reason. I thought that Jon T speech was quite negative and even a little grumpy. Nothing to write home about.

It is interesting that I don’t think any of main Compass speakers mentioned Tony Blair by name even once. Despite this I am not wholly convinced that Compass is really that different from “New Labour”. Compass is certainly associated with distinctive polices such as opposition to Iraq and Trident at which they are at odds with the Labour Government. However, on the basis of what I heard at this conference about Compass supporters “positions” on privatisation, economic policy, globalisation etc then I think there is in reality no fundamental schism. I think that Compass is a “traditional” Labour movement which has ditched Marxism and state socialism for civil liberties and equal opportunities.