On Wednesday 26 June 2024 a group of Barnet UNISON mental health social workers paid a visit to the London Headquarters of Association of Directors of Social Services (ADASS).
The purpose of the visit was to deliver their letter of concern to ADASS.
On this occasion our letter was accepted.
You can view our letter by clicking the link below.
End.
On Wednesday 12 June 11.30 am Barnet UNISON mental health social worker strikers went to CQC London office to hand in a letter to CQC outlining the serious issues facing mental health services in Barnet.
Our strikers made their way to the plush offices in the new developments surrounding Stratford station.
At reception we asked to meet someone from CQC in order that we could hand over our letter.
What happened next was bizarre. CQC refused to accept our letter. A member of security came and spoke to us and explained they would not accept our letter.
We pointed out that (see in the screenshot of CQC website) that it states very clearly that:
“You can leave information or documentation at the main reception.”
It was obvious CQC were not prepared to receive our letter of concern.
Later, we sent the letter by registered post, and we now have confirmation that someone signed to confirm they now have possession of our letter.
You can read our letter by clicking on the link below.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FINAL-LETTER-TO-CQC.pdf
As of Wednesday 26 June 2024, no one from CQC has contacted the branch.
End.
On behalf of our mental health social worker strikers, in solidarity with the 40th Anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, Barnet UNISON is inviting supporters to our:
“BANNERS HELD HIGH” lobby of Barnet Council Full Council
Tuesday 9 July 6pm outside Hendon Town Hall, NW4 4BG
The nearest tube station is Hendon station on the northern line. Turn right out of the station for a 10-minute walk up the hill then turn right at the top and the Town Hall is a one-minute walk on the left.
In 2015, our branch had the honour to march through Thatcher’s back yard with the late Davey Hopper and the Durham Miners banner, and the iconic LGSM banner.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2016/06/10/message-of-solidarity-from-davy-hopper/
This lobby will mark the end of nine weeks of continuous strike action. By the end of this strike action our strikers will have taken 81 days of strike action which started in September 2023.
Our strikers have stood up to the worst gaslighting and intimidation that our branch has seen ever.
Over the past four weeks Labour controlled Barnet Council has paid for a recruitment agency to provide social workers to carry out the work our strikers would be doing if they were not on strike.
It is UNISON’s view that this is strikebreaking. Many UNISON members at UNISON conference agreed, along with our General Secretary Christina McAnea listen below.
https://youtu.be/Wyl9UxFp5LA?feature=shared
The actions of Barnet Council to employ Tory tactics and anti-union laws to strike break is an attack on the trade union movement as it provides cover for other employers to use the same tactics to break other strikes.
This is why there needs to mobilisation across the trade union movement publicly condemning strike breaking not just for our strike but all strikes.
You can provide support by calling out the Leader of Labour controlled Barnet Council by joining hundreds of trade union members and supporters in signing and sharing this statement.
As trade unionists Barnet UNISON believes we should applaud our striker’s commitment which is why our branch is asking trade union members across the country to make plans to attend this lobby and most importantly to bring banners/placards to Hendon Town Hall.
Please feel free to circulate this call to action to any who would like to support our lobby.
If you organise social workers, please feel free to share.
Finally, please let our strikers know if you are able to attend by sending an email to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
In Solidarity
Barnet UNISON
End.
The question on the lips or our members is why Barnet Labour Party is promoting anti-union tactics using Tory legislation i.e. Trade Union Act 2016, the Minimum Service Levels (Strikes) Bill and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022 whilst at the same time the Labour Party during the General Election is promoting “Delivering A New Deal for Working People.”
The Labour Party is promoting a policy called: Delivering A New Deal for Working People.
This is an extract:
As the recent period of disruption has shown, arcane bureaucratic hurdles do not prevent strikes and make it harder for unions to engage in the bargaining and negotiation that does settle disputes. The rules around agency workers in breaking strikes were condemned by industry and put the safety of the public and workers at risk. It places unnecessary red tape on trade union activity that work against their core role of negotiation and dispute resolution. Over the past 14 years, the Conservatives have consistently attacked rights at work, including through the Trade Union Act 2016, the Minimum Service Levels (Strikes) Bill and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022 – all of which Labour will repeal to give trade unions the freedom to organise, represent and negotiate on behalf of their workers.
View the full document here.
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LABOURS-PLAN-TO-MAKE-WORK-PAY.pdf
Last week UNISON issued a letter asking Barnet Council to stop their course of action.
“UNISON’s view LBB may be guilty of the common law offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a criminal offence, conspiracy under section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 or encouraging the commission of a crime under sections 44 and 45 of the Serious Crime Act 2009. Your use of agency workers during a period of strike may also be unlawful as a matter of public law. Any employment businesses who provide workers to LBB in breach of Regulation 7 may also be exposed to civil liability.”
To date Barnet Council and Imperium Solutions are still working together to break our lawful strike.
End.
Barnet UNISON is proud to announce that we are promoting UNISON Bringing Services Home campaign.
As a branch we have had more than our share of outsourcing. The easy Council experiment was a spectacular failure. It cost more money (yes, we told them it would!) and it did not lead to better services.
In May 2022, Barnet Labour Party won the election with a massive majority and one of their priorities was “Review of contracted out services, in the context of the new administration’s aspiration to bring privatised services back in-house.”
Last year Barnet Labour Party brought back one of the big contracts with Capita and other services on the other Capita contract have been coming back in-house.
The Council is going through a period of healing from the badly advised outsourcing ideology which dominated our Council for over a decade.
Today Barnet UNISON has written to all senior council officers responsible for outsourced contracts seeking a meeting to discuss how and when they are going to review the outsourced service.
Barnet UNISON also want to deal with the Ethnicity Pay Gap which the outsourcing easy Council ideology promoted by always securing the outsourcing option for services which are largely provided by Black workers e.g.
All the above services were outsourced under the Tories.
Barnet UNISON positively supports the statement of UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“Black workers make a vital contribution to the health and care sector but are all too often at the bottom of the pay scale as care workers, porters, healthcare assistants and catering staff. They frequently face shocking discrimination, threatening their health, job security and life chances.”
This why Barnet UNISON is determined to work with the Labour Administration to bring back these services into the Council thus enabling real life meaningful changes for a workforce that is often invisible and often low paid and without occupational sick pay.
End.
Today is our last day of strike action. Barnet UNISON Mental Health social workers have taken 27 days of strike action which equates to at least 405 LOST working days to Mental Health services. Our members estimate that these days lost mean that at least 4,050 contacts for Mental Health services users have been lost.
It has been 162 days (six months) since UNISON notified Barnet Council of the intention to strike, yet senior management refuse to negotiate despite the obvious serious implications for service users.
Senior management are defending the indefensible they have lost control of the service, and they are doubling down on a strategy that is dragging the Councils reputation into disrepute.
Key points about our campaign.
End.
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024.02.09-Day-27-strike-leaflet.pdf
Barnet UNISON Mental Health social workers begin a week of strike action on Monday 4 December.
Please see details of the location and times of our picket line.
What can supporters do?
1. Visit our picket lines all week commencing 4 December to 8 December
between 8- 12.30 pm (see attached graphic).
2. Please sign #BarnetUNISON email campaign to Barnet Council Chief Executive Please click on the link and follow the instructions. https://action.unison.org.uk/page/135744/action/1 Let us know when he replies.
Please send a solidarity message to our strikers by emailing our office at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
3. If you are on social media, you can help by liking/sharing or commenting on our many posts. Here are our social media sites.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnet_unison
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarnetUNISON
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnetunison/
4. Please write by email or by letter to:
John Hooton, Chief Executive of Barnet Council John.Hooton@Barnet.gov.uk
Address: London Borough of Barnet; 2 Bristol Avenue; London NW9 4EW
Cllr Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council Cllr.B.Rawlings@barnet.gov.uk
Address: London Borough of Barnet; 2 Bristol Avenue; London NW9 4EW.
Solidarity
Barnet UNISON.
End.
Background:
Why are Barnet Council Mental Health social workers taking strike action?
Mental Health Social Workers in Barnet have taken 12 days of strike action and another 14 days are planned in the coming months. But Barnet isn’t the only local authority in which social workers are saying enough is enough. Earlier this year South Gloucestershire social workers became the first branch to successfully ballot for strike action with Barnet, Brighton, Swindon and Leeds social workers all having declared strike action in the following months. Similar issues are being raised by strikers across the country including high caseloads, under-staffing, unsafe services, and unfair pay policies.
13 years of austerity have resulted in huge cuts to local authority statutory services while the impact of covid has contributed to increases in referrals to social care that are forecast to continue for years to come. In such an environment and with no clear political priority being placed on fixing social care, this panel discussion considers topics like the role of social workers in championing better public services and fair pay for workers.
The session will be held on 5th December 2023 at 6.30pm in Committee Room 17, House of Commons.
The event is free, and all are welcome but please book your place by emailing contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Co- Chairs: John McDonnell MP and Kerie Anne
Panellists:
Kerie Anne, Chair of UNISON National Social Care Forum, Branch Secretary, Tower Hamlets UNISON and Families social worker.
Corinna Edwards-Colledge is joint branch secretary of Brighton and Hove UNISON and has worked in local government for over 20 years. She is also a campaigner and a writer, and is currently leading adult social workers in Brighton on their very first strike action over pay parity.
Kristiana Heapy Kristiana is the Unison team rep in Barnet’s Mental Health Social Work South Team which is currently undertaking strike action. Kristiana qualified as a social worker in 2022, prior to that she worked in the voluntary sector in a number of public policy, campaigning and service delivery roles. In her spare time Kristiana has held voluntary positions for charities focused on access to green space, equality and supporting people experiencing mental ill-health..
Dan Smart is Branch secretary, UNISON South Gloucestershire and an Adulst social worker.
Nana Yabbey-Hagan is a Qualified Social Worker for Children and Families of 10 years. Nana is currently a Team Manager for a Looked After Childrens Team, previously a Team Manager for a frontline Children Protection Team. In addition, Nana is a Practice Educator for Bachelor’s, Masters, Step Up Students/ASYE assessor for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW), University Lecturer and Co-Host of the Social Worker and The Mentor Podcast.
***Please note Barnet UNISON Mental Health Social Workers are taking a whole week of strike action starting Monday 4 December to Friday 8 December.
You are welcome to join our Festive Barnet UNISON Picket line details of location are below.
End.
Background:
