Bad News for Housing Workers in Barnet Council
On Tuesday 16 July Barnet Council Cabinet Committee met and agreed to carry on with the outsourced Barnet Homes model of employment.
According to one councillor “If something isn’t broken don’t fix it, is my mantra,”
(You can view the discussion and quote two hours, two minutes and 10 seconds on the Council recording of the meeting access via this link https://rb.gy/6d51j0 )
Barnet UNISON had submitted a report to the Cabinet Committee which members can read by clicking on the link below.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNISON-Housing-Service-Report-2024.pdf
I have been attending Council Committee meetings as a UNISON rep for almost 28 years and in all that time one thing that stands out when all councillors are speaking about council services is that they fail to acknowledge that without the workforce there would be no services for residents.
For instance, where they are discussing a decision which has a fundamental impact on the workforce, they refuse to allow UNISON to speak and answer questions from councillors about our own report and recommendations.
Barnet UNISON has hundreds of outsourced members who are all providing services on behalf of Barnet Council, yet they are not entitled to Barnet Council Terms and Condition or access to the Local Government Pension Scheme. Over the past 15 years outsourcing services has been the direction of travel for many of our members.
What councillors and senior officers who draft the reports promoting the outsourcing don’t want to discuss is the detrimental impact of outsourcing on the workforce. They are keen to offer words of comfort, but as our members know words of comfort do not pay the rent, the energy bills, the food shop. There is no discount for outsourced workers when the council tax bill arrives, or travel cost go up again.
We are in the worst cost of living crisis in 77 years and many of our members in the outsourced workforce need to two jobs to survive and even that is not enough, and they are forced to rely on food banks.
What we have in Barnet is a Two-Tier workforce and it is our duty as a trade union to try and negotiate an end to outsourcing.
For Housing workers, it is deeply disappointing that members of the committee do not see the connection between how the staff are treated in terms of pay and terms and conditions and service delivery.
There is only one other ALMO in London whilst every other Housing worker is on Council Terms and Conditions with access to the Pension scheme.
Barnet UNISON believes that Housing workers deserve better which is why we are supporting UNISON National Policy “Bringing Services Home” campaign.
Look out for our communications which start in the Autumn. A campaign must involve member not just the reps.
If you are a Housing worker and have a question, please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
John Burgess Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.
End.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNISON-Housing-Service-Report-2024.pdf