Author: admin
Volunteers running Libraries is Outsourcing – Join us 5th November
“Dont take our members jobs”
Why we are asking all Barnet UNISON members to join us on 5th November
This is critical moment in the future of Libraries. Volunteers are being used now to help push through brutal austerity policies and take the livelihoods of thousands of low paid Library workers.
Imagine if you will, going into work today. There you are carrying out your job, earning your living, paying your bills feeding your family. Next you receive a tap on the shoulder, you look up and a stranger/volunteer says:
Volunteer: “Excuse me, erm, this is all a bit awkward for me, I really am unhappy about this but if I don’t do this there will be nothing left.”
Worker: “What?”
Volunteer: “I’m your replacement, don’t worry they’ve told me although you are being sacked you will get redundancy pay”
I think you would be pretty upset and angry.
That is what is happening in Barnet.
Barnet Council are not closing the Libraries they are simply sacking the staff and using volunteers to replace them.
This isn’t a closure it’s “outsourcing” with mass redundancies (46% of the workforce are being sacked).
I have a message for any voluntary organisation thinking of running “Partnership Libraries” either here in Barnet or anywhere else.
“Don’t do it. Don’t be part of brutal assault on our Libraries. Don’t take the livelihoods of our members and their families.”
Join us on 5th November on the National Libraries, Museums, Galleries demonstration.
John McDonnell Shadow Chancellor gives message of support to Barnet Libray strikers
Barnet UNISON Library workers strike on 5th November
Dear Colleagues
Strike Action
Barnet UNISON has called for industrial action in Barnet Libraries on the following dates:
- Saturday 5th of November 2016
- Saturday 12th of November 2016
- Monday 28th of November to Friday 3rd of December 2016
This is in pursuance of our dispute with the Council over the outsourcing of the Library Service. The Council plans to hand 4 of our Libraries to “Community groups, not-for-profit and voluntary organisations” in April 2017. The Council plans to outsource the remaining Libraries at a future date.
“The Council will continue to explore the opportunity to develop an alternative model for the management of Library Services as part of a later phase of the Library Service review once the future model for the service is agreed by the Council.
(Appendix A: Future of Barnet Libraries 4.2.11 Alternative Delivery Models) » Read more
Unified Pay Update 18 October 2016
Unified Pay Update 18 October 2016
To: All Barnet UNISON members employed directly by Barnet Council (including schools) only.
Contact details: Members can contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Collective issues
For example where there are number of workers with the same job description all raising the same issue for example Nursery Nurses, TA’s on 52 week contracts, Coach Escorts. Meal Time Supervisors. » Read more
Health and Safety – Barnet UNISON sheds a light
Health & Safety
Colleagues at Barnet House will be amused to read the conclusion of the Health and Safety Report into the confused evacuation process at Barnet House on 27th September – that it’s all the fault of staff not obeying the fire wardens. Never mind that a number of staff members experienced being given conflicting messages (not necessarily from fire wardens). Of course if a fire warden instructs colleagues to leave the building then this is what we must do, but do we detect a culture of managerial abdication in the face of Health and Safety concerns? » Read more
“Unsafe & Unsustainable” – Mental Health Service proposals
At the end of consultation UNISON has submitted a report on behalf of our members which recommends the following:
- Reverse the proposed deletion of social work posts.
- Reverse the proposed deletion of Principle Practitioner posts.
- Enter into urgent negotiations with Trade Unions to address the recruitment & retention crisis for Approved Mental Health Practitioners (AMPH).
- Any decision to restructure Mental Health Services must be submitted to General Functions Committee.
A copy of the full report will be sent to our members in Mental Health. Interestingly the restructure also repeats a pattern in the rest of Adults and Communities which is to delete Social Worker roles in favour of radically increasing the numbers of Assessment and Enablement Officers to do the same work but for less pay! We think this is highly risky.
You can read the full report here 2016-10-12-unison-response
