Contacting the Branch

Uncategorised

If you have any questions or need any support please contact the Branch Office

 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Or you can call 020 8359 2088, if we are unable to answer the telephone please leave a message speaking slowly and clearly please include your name, telephone number, membership number and a brief message about the assistance you require. We will respond as soon as we can.

Alternatively you can contact UNISON Direct Call Centre by telephone 

08000 857 857 Monday – Friday 6am – Midnight, Saturday 9am – 4pm

or make an online enquiry by clicking the following link

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/online-enquiries/

To Join UNISON click the following link 

https://join.unison.org.uk/

PRESS RELEASE: Barnet UNISON demands fair pay for outsourced cleaners: end delayed wages and implement London Living Wage from announcement date

Anti - Racism, Austerity, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON demands fair pay for outsourced cleaners: end delayed wages and implement London Living Wage from announcement date

Barnet UNISON is calling on the London Borough of Barnet (LBB) and its contractor Norse to end unfair pay practices affecting outsourced cleaners — including delayed wage payments and the six-month delay many contractors apply before implementing the new London Living Wage (LLW) rate.

The union’s call follows testimony from a cleaner working on a Council contract who described the daily reality of trying to raise a family in London on the LLW during the cost-of-living crisis.

“Food is so expensive now. Sometimes it’s hard to buy even basic food — and it’s even harder when you have children… On top of that I have to find money for gas and electricity… Sometimes I have to borrow money from family.”

The cleaner also highlighted what Barnet UNISON describes as a stark two-tier system, where outsourced workers are treated differently from colleagues employed directly by the Council:

“It’s unfair that my employer holds onto my pay for another 12 days before they pay me. I’m working alongside council workers who get their pay at the end of the month… Why are we treated differently?”

Concern over Norse Group pay schedule

Barnet UNISON has written to the Chief Executive of the Norse Group, a local authority trading company owned by Norfolk County Council, which holds the contract to provide cleaning services for Barnet Council.

Norse Group states publicly that it aims to “improve people’s lives”, deliver “ethical profit for the public sector”, and “invest in our people” through recruitment, training, and retention.

However, Barnet UNISON says the pay arrangements for cleaners on the Barnet contract do not reflect those values. Based on Norse’s published four-weekly pay schedule, cleaners can be paid 10–12 days after the end of the pay period — meaning many are already well into the next working period before receiving wages they have already earned.

In its letter to Norse Group’s Chief Executive, Barnet UNISON urged an urgent intervention to end the practice and move to prompt pay dates.

London Living Wage should be paid when it is announced

Barnet UNISON is also calling for a procurement change at LBB: a requirement that the LLW uplift is implemented from the date it is announced, rather than being delayed until 1 April. The LLW is typically announced in October, leaving workers waiting roughly six months for pay increases designed to help them meet living costs.

As the cleaner put it:

“Prices don’t wait six months. Rent doesn’t wait. Food doesn’t wait. Gas and electricity don’t wait. If the London Living Wage is the rate people need to live on, then it should be paid from the moment it’s announced.”

Barnet UNISON’s demands

Barnet UNISON is calling for:

  1. An end to delayed wage payments on outsourced contracts — wages should be paid promptly at the end of the pay period (or as close as reasonably possible), not held back for over a week.
  2. A contractual clause in all future outsourced contracts requiring the new London Living Wage rate to be implemented from the announcement date, not months later.
  3. Clear contract monitoring and enforcement, so contractors that want to win or retain LBB work must meet basic fair work standards.

Statement from Barnet UNISON Branch Chair

Helen Davies Branch Chair of Barnet UNISON, said:

“Our cleaners keep Barnet’s buildings safe, clean and working — yet many are among the lowest paid workers connected to Council services. In a cost-of-living crisis, it is simply unacceptable for any contractor to delay paying people what they have already earned, or to delay implementing the London Living Wage uplift for months after it is announced.

Barnet UNISON is proud to stand with our outsourced members. We are calling on Norse Group and Barnet Council to act now: end delayed pay practices, implement the LLW from the announcement date, and ensure every contract reflects fair treatment and dignity at work.”

Notes to editors

  • Barnet UNISON is the recognised trade union representing Barnet Council staff and many outsourced workers delivering Council services.
  • The worker quoted is anonymous to protect their identity.
  • Norse Group is a local authority trading company owned by Norfolk County Council and operates through partnerships and joint ventures with councils.

Media contact:
Barnet UNISON
contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

ENDS

 

 

A London Cleaner’s Reality on Barnet Councils outsourced cleaning contract : Working Hard, Still Struggling

Anti - Racism, Health and Safety, Local, London Living Wage, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

I’m a cleaner on a Council contract. I’m proud of the work I do — it matters. But I want people to understand what it’s really like trying to live and raise a family in London on the London Living Wage.

When people talk about the cost-of-living crisis, it can sound like something on the news. For me, it’s everyday life.

Food is so expensive now. Sometimes it’s hard to buy even basic food. And it’s even harder when you have children — they’re hungry all the time, and you can’t just tell them to wait. You do everything you can to make it work, but it never feels like enough.

Then there are clothes. Children grow so fast and they still need what everyone else needs: shoes that fit, warm coats, school things. On top of that I have to find money for gas and electricity. Those bills don’t stop. They don’t care what you earn.

Sometimes I have to borrow money from family. That’s not easy. It’s embarrassing and it’s painful, because you want to stand on your own feet. But when everything costs more and your wages stay the same, you end up with no choice.

What makes it even harder is the way we’re treated at work compared to other people around us.

It’s unfair that my employer holds onto my pay for another 12 days before they pay me. I’m working alongside council workers who get their pay at the end of the month. They don’t have to wait for the wages they’ve earned. Why are we treated differently?

We’re doing our jobs. We’re turning up. We’re keeping places clean, safe and working properly. But we are the lowest paid staff — and everything is made that much harder for us.

We only get the London Living Wage. We don’t get sick pay. That means if I’m ill, or if something happens, it’s not just a health worry — it becomes a money worry too. You start thinking, “If I can’t work, how will I pay bills? How will I buy food?” That’s not how anyone should have to live.

And another thing that doesn’t feel right is the delay in getting the London Living Wage increase. The new rate is announced in October, but a lot of employers don’t bring it in until 1 April. That’s about six months of waiting.

But prices don’t wait six months. Rent doesn’t wait. Food doesn’t wait. Gas and electricity don’t wait. If the London Living Wage is the rate people need to live on, then it should be paid from the moment it’s announced — not half a year later.

London is an expensive city. I work hard. I’m not asking for special treatment. I just want fairness — and to be treated like my council worker colleagues. I want to be paid on time. I want proper sick pay. And I want the London Living Wage paid when it’s announced, because that’s when families like mine actually need it.

That’s why I support Barnet UNISON’s campaign to make sure Council contracts include a clause so the new London Living Wage rate is applied from the announcement date — not months later. Because people like me shouldn’t have to struggle this much just to get by.

 

End.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2026 Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Disability, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 January 2026

Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”

Barnet UNISON has submitted a formal Pay and Terms & Conditions claim to The Barnet Group (TBG) on behalf of workers delivering adult social care through Your Choice Barnet, including staff on YCB contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.

The union says the claim is aimed at ending a long-running “two-tier workforce”, where care and support workers delivering publicly commissioned services are not on council terms and conditions and do not have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).



What Your Choice Barnet workers are demanding (from 1 April 2026)


The claim, submitted for the 2026/27 period, includes:


PAY


An increase of £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across pay points/rates


A £15 per hour minimum rate for all staff


Applied consistently to overtime, sleep-ins/unsocial hours payments, enhancements, allowances and other pay-related payments, with no detrimental changes to existing arrangements


TERMS & CONDITIONS


A two-hour reduction in the standard working week with no loss of pay, implemented in a way that protects service users and staffing levels Harmonisation to a standard 36 hour contract


One additional day of annual leave


ENDING THE TWO-TIER WORKFORCE


A commitment to move Your Choice Barnet staff onto equivalent core terms and conditions to Barnet Council/NJC standards


A single, transparent pay structure with clear progression, equality-proofed arrangements, covering all staff including those on TBG Flex contracts


PENSIONS


Access to the LGPS, including a route-map meeting with stakeholders (TBG, Barnet Pension Fund/LBB as administering authority, and UNISON), and no detriment to staff


Barnet UNISON has requested a formal negotiation meeting and has given management four weeks to respond.




“Care workers are being exploited in one of the most expensive cities in the world”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative, said:


“Your Choice Barnet staff provide vital care and support to vulnerable adults, yet many are treated as second-class compared to council employees delivering public services. Keeping care workers outside council terms and conditions and excluding them from the Local Government Pension Scheme is unfair — and it amounts to exploitation of a predominantly low-paid workforce.


“This is London, one of the most expensive cities in the world. People who deliver life-changing care should not be forced to do so on worse terms and without a proper public service pension.


“It’s time to end this injustice. Barnet UNISON’s claim is straightforward: fair pay, fair conditions, and access to LGPS for the care workers who keep services going every day. We are calling on The Barnet Group to negotiate seriously and reach a fair settlement.”


Notes to editors


    

  • Your Choice Barnet delivers adult social care services on behalf of the London Borough of Barnet and is part of The Barnet Group.
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents care and support staff across Barnet, including staff employed by The Barnet Group and its subsidiaries.
    • 

  • The claim applies to Your Choice Barnet staff, including those on TBG contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.
    • 



Contact


For more information, interviews, or to support the campaign:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End. 


2026.01.07 leaflet (YCB)

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2026  Barnet Homes housing workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”
		
		
 
	
		Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Uncategorised, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

27 January 2026


Barnet Homes housing workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”


Barnet UNISON has submitted a formal Pay and Terms & Conditions claim to The Barnet Group (TBG) on behalf of workers delivering Barnet Homes Housing Services in the London Borough of Barnet.


The claim seeks to end what the union describes as a long-running “two-tier workforce”, where staff providing essential council housing services through the local authority trading company are not on Barnet Council terms and conditions and do not have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).


Barnet UNISON says it believes these are the only housing workers in London delivering council housing services who remain outside council terms and conditions — and that the situation is now untenable in a city facing extreme housing and cost-of-living pressures.




What Barnet Homes housing workers are demanding (from 1 April 2026)


The claim, submitted for the 2026/27 period, includes:


PAY


A pay increase of £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across pay points/rates


A £15 per hour minimum rate for all staff


Uplifts applied consistently to overtime, enhancements, allowances and other pay-related payments


TERMS & CONDITIONS


A two-hour reduction in the standard working week with no loss of pay


One additional day of annual leave


ENDING THE TWO-TIER WORKFORCE


A commitment to move Barnet Homes staff onto equivalent core terms and conditions to Barnet Council/NJC standards


A single, transparent pay structure with clear progression covering all staff, including those on TBG Flex contracts


PENSIONS


Access to the LGPS, including agreement of a route-map and timetable with relevant stakeholders and no detriment to staff


Barnet UNISON has requested a formal negotiation meeting and has given management four weeks to respond.




“These workers are being exploited in one of the most expensive cities in the world”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative, said:


“Barnet Homes staff deliver vital housing services for residents, yet they are treated as second-class compared to council colleagues. Excluding them from council terms and conditions and the Local Government Pension Scheme is unfair and it has gone on for far too long.


“This is London — one of the most expensive cities in the world — and these workers are being asked to keep services running without the pay, protections and pension that should come with public service work. That is not right.


“It’s time to end this injustice. Our claim is clear: fair pay, fair terms, and access to LGPS for all Barnet Homes housing workers. We are asking The Barnet Group to do the right thing and settle this claim properly.”


Notes to editors


    

  • Barnet UNISON represents workers providing housing services through Barnet Homes, part of The Barnet Group.
    • 

  • The claim covers Barnet Homes staff, including those on TBG contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.
    • 

  • The union is calling on housing workers to get involved and support the campaign.
    • 



Contact


For more information, interviews, or to support the campaign:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End. 


2026.01.07 leaflet (Barnet Homes) 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet Homes (Housing Services): UNISON pay & terms claim being submitted next week
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON is preparing to submit a collective Pay & Terms and Conditions claim for Barnet Homes (Housing Services) staff for 2026/27.


Important: as of today, Wednesday 21 January, the claim has not been submitted.

We are giving members advance notice so you’re clear on the timetable and what happens next.


What’s happening and when


    

  • Next step: Barnet UNISON will submit the claim to management next Tuesday, 26 January, ahead of the scheduled JNCC meeting.
    • 

  • After the JNCC: We will share the full details of the claim with members and publish an update on the outcomes of the meeting and next steps.
    • 



Why UNISON is doing this


Members have been clear that we need a serious, collective push on pay, terms and conditions and fair treatment for the Barnet Homes (Housing Services) workforce. UNISON is acting on that instruction by bringing forward a formal claim for 2026/27.


What you can expect from UNISON


    

  • A clear members’ briefing after the JNCC meeting on 26 January
    • 

  • A summary of management’s response and what it means in practice
    • 

  • Next-step plans, including how members can support the claim and strengthen our negotiating position
    • 



What you can do now


    

  • Make sure your contact details are up to date so you receive the members’ briefing.
    • 

  • Encourage colleagues in Barnet Homes (Housing Services) to join UNISON and get involved — the stronger our membership, the stronger our leverage.
    • 



We’ll publish the claim details and a members’ update immediately after the JNCC meeting on Tuesday 26 January.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Your Choice Barnet (Adult Social Care): UNISON pay & terms claim being submitted next week
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Barnet Group, Local, News, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON is preparing to submit a collective Pay & Terms and Conditions claim for the Your Choice Barnet (Adult Social Care) workforce for 2026/27.


Important: as of today, Wednesday 21 January, the claim has not been submitted.

We are giving members advance notice now so everyone understands the timetable and what happens next.


What’s happening and when


    

  • Next step: Barnet UNISON will submit the claim to management next Tuesday, 26 January, in line with the scheduled JNCC meeting.
    • 

  • After the JNCC: We will share the full details of the claim with members and publish an update on management’s response and next steps.
    • 



Why UNISON is doing this


    

  • Members across Your Choice Barnet have been clear that we need a serious, collective push on pay, terms and conditions and fair treatment for staff delivering adult social care on behalf of Barnet Council. UNISON is acting on that instruction by bringing forward a formal claim for 2026/27.
    • 

  • This is also about protecting the service: fair pay and decent conditions are essential for recruitment and retention, continuity of care and the quality of support for service users.
    • 



What you can expect from UNISON


    

  • A clear members’ briefing after the JNCC meeting on 26 January
    • 

  • A summary of management’s response and what it means for staff
    • 

  • Next-step plans, including how members can support the claim and strengthen our negotiating position
    • 



What you can do now


    

  • Make sure your contact details are up to date so you receive the members’ briefing.
    • 

  • Talk to your colleagues and encourage them to join UNISON — the stronger our membership, the stronger our leverage.
    • 



We’ll publish the claim details and a members’ update immediately after the JNCC meeting on Tuesday 26 January.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Equal Pay Update 2026: Complete Your Case Form & Register for Our AGM (Tue 24 February, from 4pm)
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Equal Pay, Local, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Happy New Year to all Barnet UNISON members.


We’re starting 2026 with real momentum on our Equal Pay campaign. More than 550 UNISON members have now completed the Equal Pay case form — an outstanding achievement and a strong sign of the collective determination of our membership.


But there is more to do.


To protect every member’s position and ensure nobody misses out, we need to make sure all eligible members complete the Equal Pay case form, even if you’re not sure whether the claim applies to you.




Why completing the case form matters


Many members have told us they didn’t think the Equal Pay issue applied to them. However, from conversations with hundreds of staff across the council and related workplaces, it’s clear that people’s roles, patterns of work, job histories, and pay arrangements can differ — and that can affect whether an Equal Pay claim applies.


Completing the case form ensures UNISON has the information needed to assess your situation properly and progress the case.


Is there a deadline?


There is no formal deadline at the moment.

However, that could change quickly, depending on how the process develops. The safest approach is: complete your case form as soon as possible.




Barnet UNISON AGM: Guest speaker on Equal Pay


To help members understand what Equal Pay claims can look like in practice — and what happens when they are resolved — we’re pleased to announce a guest speaker at our AGM:


Barnet UNISON AGM

Tuesday 24 February

From 4pm onwards

(Details of venue/online access will be confirmed in the registration information.)


Guest Speaker: David Hughes (Birmingham UNISON)


We will be joined by David Hughes, Birmingham UNISON and SGE representative for the West Midlands on UNISON’s Local Government Service Group.


David is one of many workers who benefited from the Equal Pay award in Birmingham, where thousands of council staff received payments. He will speak from direct experience about:


    

  • How Equal Pay claims are resolved
    • 

  • How payments are calculated and made
    • 

  • What members can expect during the process
    • 

  • A Q&A session so you can ask your questions directly
    • 



This is a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand from someone who has been through an Equal Pay process and received an Equal Pay payment.




What you need to do now (two actions)


✅ 1) Register for the AGM (required to attend)

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barnet-unison-annual-general-meeting-2026-hybrid-tickets-1974770786582?aff=oddtdtcreator


 


✅ 2) To request your Equal Pay case form

Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Need help?


If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, or you need support completing the case form, please contact Barnet UNISON and we will help.


Contact the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Let’s keep the momentum going. Completing the case form and attending the AGM are two simple actions that strengthen our collective case and help ensure members don’t miss out.


In solidarity,


Barnet UNISON


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Barnet UNISON congratulates Andrea Egan on election as UNISON General Secretary
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, News, Solidarity	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON sends our warm congratulations to Andrea Egan on her election as UNISON’s next General Secretary. (UNISON National)


Andrea will begin her five-year term on 22 January 2026, and we look forward to working with her in the year ahead to defend public services and deliver real improvements for members across local government and beyond. (UNISON National)


As Barnet UNISON, our priorities remain clear: protecting jobs and conditions, winning fair pay, tackling inequality (including equal pay), and standing up for the services our communities rely on. We’ll be engaging with Andrea’s new leadership team as 2026 begins—and we’ll keep members updated on what it means for our campaigning and negotiations in Barnet.


In solidarity,

Barnet UNISON


End. 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
500+ Barnet workers take a stand for Equal Pay — and we’re just getting started
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Equal Pay, Local, National, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON has now collected over 500 Equal Pay claims from members working for London Borough of Barnet (LBB), The Barnet Group (TBG) and Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS).


That’s a major milestone — and it matters for one simple reason: when workers act together, we protect each other and we win change. Every new claim signed is another colleague saying: “I won’t be left behind. I won’t be short-changed. I’m standing up for what’s lawful and fair.”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair, said:

“Reaching 500 claims shows the strength of feeling among Barnet workers and the power of members standing together. Equal pay is a legal right — not a bonus and not a ‘nice to have’. This campaign is about fairness, dignity, and making sure people—especially those in undervalued roles—aren’t asked to carry on accepting less than they’re lawfully entitled to. If you haven’t submitted your form yet, please don’t wait: it takes less than 10 minutes, and Barnet UNISON will support you every step of the way.”


A growing campaign — powered by members


The momentum is building because more members are hearing the message, asking questions, and talking to colleagues at work. People are realising this isn’t “someone else’s issue” — it’s about protecting your rights and making sure you don’t miss out on what you may be owed under the law.


This campaign is about equal pay for work of equal value. Across local government and related employers, many roles dominated by women have historically been undervalued, while other roles have been rewarded differently — even where the work is comparable in responsibility, effort, skill, and impact. Equal Pay is not a favour. It’s a legal right.


Others are winning — and we can too


Across England and Wales, workers like us have been organising, submitting claims, and winning improved pay and compensation through equal pay campaigns. That’s not happening by accident — it’s happening because union members are doing exactly what Barnet UNISON members are doing now: getting informed, getting organised, and getting their paperwork in.


We’re building the same kind of strength here in Barnet: member by member, workplace by workplace, school by school.


Don’t miss out — act now


If you haven’t completed your case forms yet, this is your moment.


Please don’t lose out. Completing the forms takes less than 10 minutes, and it could make a real difference. Barnet UNISON can support you through the process — and we can also visit workplaces and schools to help members sign up and talk colleagues through it.


✅ To get support, just email: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Let’s keep building this campaign — and make sure nobody is left behind.


Complete your forms. Encourage a colleague. Protect your lawful rights.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	
			  

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