Search Results for “one barnet” – Page 40

What has the “rigged economy, John McDonnell, Barnet UNISON motion” got in common

19th February 2018 admin Austerity, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

If it is good enough for the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell then its good enough for Barnet UNISON members, we have taken up the challenge and we are mobilising to campaign to bring back service in-house. We were fortunate to have John McDonnell speak at our AGM on 8 February 2018 you can view what he had to say here https://youtu.be/orDpOHNiowI

We passed following motion “Time to Take our Services Back!” below at our AGM.

We have now had confirmation that the motions have been approved for both UNISON Local Government Conference and UNISON National Delegate Conference in June 2018.

We hope our motion presents our union with an ideal opportunity to escalate and lead an organised grassroots campaign to bring outsourced services back in-house across our membership service groups. Let’s deliver “Deeds not words” and help banish all outsourcing from the workplace.

Motion: Time to Take our Services Back!

This union notes:

Carillion went bust and the immediate effect was for building works on key public sector projects to stop. Potentially thousands of people lost their jobs as Carillion relied on numerous small businesses to deliver on its projects.
Within a month of Carillion going bust Capita’s share prices nose-dived and speculation began as to whether it too would survive.
Capita is one of a handful of big companies which bid to run public services on the promise of saving money. These companies employ tens of thousands of workers. Capita employs over 50,000.
Capita advises Northampton on its finances. 1st February Northampton’s County Council Chief Finance Officer issued a section 114 notice banning any Council expenditure as it was overspent.
Capita has several hundred contracts up for renewal this year.
The initial response from the Local Government Association (LGA) has been to advise Councils not to do anything which might jeopardise the viability of companies like Capita.
Forensics Company collapsed putting in jeopardy the validity of hundreds of court cases but was given further public funds to keep going.

This union believes:

UNISON’s policies of opposing privatisation and outsourcing have been vindicated in the wake of these failures.
The predicament of these companies presents risks to thousands of workers but also opportunities to thousands of workers as the arguments for services being run in-house strengthen.
UNISON has an opportunity to seize the time by organising and campaigning to bring public services in-house and to stop the further outsourcing of other services.
Vigorous and mass public campaigning has a real possibility of weakening the resolve to outsource other services and of discouraging the renewal of other contracts.
The response of the LGA and the response to the collapse of the Forensics Company are outrageous as the onus of saving firms which have taken millions of public sector money to provide public services lies not with public bodies.

This union resolves:

To write to all branches with outsourced members encouraging them to issue press releases calling on their employers to publicise their contingency plans in the event of private contractor failure. Model press releases to be circulated with this notice to assist branches.
To link together the branches which have been able to issue press releases in order that these branches can directly share and develop with one another their experiences of campaigning within the workforce and the local community to bring services back in-house.
To oppose calls to bail out private companies in place of demanding services are brought back in-house.

Solidarity feel free to share widely

Barnet UNISON Street Cleansing overtime cut meetings

16th February 2018 admin Local, News, Solidarity

Earlier this week our office was contacted by staff upset at the news that there has been a massive reduction on overtime until 31 March 2018.

Our members working in Street Cleansing rely on the overtime and are quite understandably upset at the short notice of the cut.

Barnet UNISON are organising workplace meetings for our members working in Street Cleansing on the following days please try to attend one of these meetings:

Wednesday 21 February at 5.30 am Oakleigh Road depot
Friday 23 February at 5.30 Harrow depot

Barnet UNISON seek job security for #Capita staff working for Barnet Council

31st January 2018 admin Austerity, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Press Release: Barnet UNISON seek job security for #Capita staff working for Barnet Council

31 January 2018.

This morning Capita staff woke up to some scary headlines that the former FTSE 100 company was in serious trouble.

The next Carillion? Shares in outsourcing firm Capita plunged 40% after profit warning.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/capita-profit-warning-share-price-fall-2018-1

Outsourcing giant Capita announced the suspension of its dividend as part of a transformation plan this morning – and shares duly plunged by more than 40 per cent.

http://www.cityam.com/279777/capita-shares-have-tumbled-more-than-third-city-reacting

This news follows on from the recent collapse of Carillion only a couple of weeks ago. Already political commentators are making comparisons with Carillion and Capita.

In light of the much publicised stress and anxiety experienced by Carillion workers in the wake of the company’s downfall; Barnet UNISON has written to the Chief Executive seeking details of Barnet Council’s contingency plan in the event Capita may have to give up their contracts.

We know that whatever happens there is going to be a great deal of speculation and uncertainty for the staff and whilst UNISON has seen the email from Jon Lewis, Capita’s, new Chief Executive trying to stem anxieties of his 70,000 workforce, we know workers will be worried about their jobs.

Barnet UNISON is looking for a statement from the Council in the event that Capita are unable to continue to run the two Barnet contracts, that Council will initiate plans to transfer the staff back in-house.

Who can we trust?

Since the collapse of Carillion, more news has emerged as to how bad things really were for that company. Furthermore questions are being asked about the role of the external auditors KPMG more here https://www.insider.co.uk/news/watchdog-probe-kpmg-over-carillion-11931818

It has happened before in Barnet……

In 2010 Barnet Homes had commissioned Connaught’s to provide Council Housing Repairs service. Connaught’s went into liquidation. Our members were told they had lost their jobs over a message on a speaker phone. Months earlier Barnet UNISON had held talks with Barnet Homes Chief Executive as it was becoming increasing clear Connaught’s were in serious trouble. There was further problems when it became clear that there was missing pension contributions which needed to be picked up by Barnet Council.

Footnote: On 26 June 2017 Capita share price was 705.50 now six months later the share price closed today at 202.09 which represents a 72% drop in their share price over a six month period.

On Wednesday 31 January, 2018 the Capita share price opened up at 347 and closed at 182.50 which represents a 47.53% fall in share price.

“Once again the market shows that it is merciless when a company is in trouble. Carillion looks as if it is just the tip of the iceberg. The minute Carillion collapsed I immediately started to look more closely at Capita Share price. I noted that Capita share price had already dropped by around 66% in the last two years. Today seems to have shocked many experts. My concern is for the staff and the local services they provide for Barnet residents. I know from speaking to staff that they are worried and quite understandably cynical about any messages trying to play down what is happening to the company. After the debacle that our former Connaught members went through previously I want to ensure this time that Barnet UNISON does it utmost to try to allay members concerns about their future employment. My view is that this event is a watershed moment for Barnet Council. Please abandon your “love affair” with outsourcing and commence negotiations to return all services back to the Council.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary Barnet UNISON

Links.

1. “NHS England has said it is ‘holding Capita’s feet to the fire’ over poor performance, and GP leaders have called for the service to be taken back under NHS control.”

https://www.gponline.com/bma-demands-assurances-gps-capita-share-price-drops-40/article/1455914

2. “No sensible public authority, whether council, NHS trust, or Whitehall department, would let a contract to a company over which hang as many question marks as hang over Capita.

Procurement chiefs and permanent secretaries should now be poring over their contracts with Capita and making contingency plans. Capita runs payroll in many councils and staff have to be paid, so immediate alternative arrangements should be in place. That costs money, which needs to be factored into the cost of this and future contracts.”

https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2018/jan/31/capita-beginning-end-public-service-contracting-councils-privatisation

3. Wave Tata, Capita: You’ve lost mega-contract to rival outsourcer

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/16/capita_loses_biggest_contract_to_rival_outsourcing_biz/

4. Ministry of Defence ‘wasted millions on failed computer system’

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/14/ministry-of-defence-failed-computer-system

5. Thousands of court cases adjourned due to failures in interpreting services

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/may/04/thousands-of-court-cases-adjourned-due-to-failures-in-interpreting-services

Barnet Parking Service in-house option rejected in consultant’s report.

10th January 2018 admin Austerity, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

“It is a well-accepted industry fact that without careful management, the CEO workforce in any Borough, whether in-house or outsourced, will not always be as productive as desired with a corresponding impact on the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).” Oaklawn Consulting Limited report to Barnet Council, Environment Committee, 11 January, 2018). http://bit.ly/2mi1Z3R

This is the outrageous statement made by the latest in a long line of outsourcing consultancy companies that have earned literally millions of Barnet tax-payers’ money over the last decade as a result of the Council’s ideological obsession with outsourcing services.

Barnet UNISON campaigned vociferously to oppose the outsourcing of the Parking Service. We argued that a well-run in-house service was more than able to deliver a quality service and it had done previously until the agenda changed and outsourcing became the only game in town. Good operational managers were not appreciated and the Council became reliant on interim consultants who presided over the demise of in- house services.

The Parking Service, once a well-run service, suffered as a result of a series of poor managers and became a soft target for the outsourcing ideologues in Barnet.

However, the Parking Service in its final year, still believed that it could turn itself around and I was informed back then that they managed almost 165k PCNs (Penalty Charge Notices) which is quite incredible considering the last three months of that period morale was at rock bottom after they learnt the hard work was for nothing.

This completely demolishes the comment made by the consultant and it is an insult to local authority managers who demonstrated they knew how to run Parking Services.

Barnet UNISON has had to trawl through hundreds of pro-outsourcing reports over the last decade all trotting out the same mantra. We had hoped that the obsession with outsourcing was wavering but this report demonstrates that is not the case.

NSL took over the Parking Service in May 2012, yet there has been no evidence provided that they have been able to secure the same level of PCNs in the last five years.

Waste of money

In light of the cuts to funding it seems incomprehensible that the Council should commission a report on the merits of an in-house bid when senior officers have already begun the procurement process.

What was the purpose of the consultant’s report?

If the report was commissioned for genuine reasons then surely that means the procurement could have been undermined if it recommended a return of the Parking service in-house?

If that is the case then why begin procurement?

Why waste money on procurement?

If you want to know what is going to be discussed you can view the reports on Parking Service here

http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s44235/Parking%20Enforcement%20Contract%20Re-commissioning.pdf

#BringParkingBackInHouse

UPDATE: Barnet Council Gritting Service

13th December 2017 admin Austerity, Local, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

First things first, the Gritting service is provided directly by Barnet Council.

It has not been outsourced.

However there have been changes to the Gritting service since Re (Capita) were given a contract that included the Highways Services.

If you go to Barnet Council Winter maintenance web page you will see the contact details for Re, view here https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/parking-roads-and-pavements/Roads-and-Pavements/Winter-Maintenance.html

The implications of trying to run services with multiple partners, each of whom will have their own agendas, was probably not discussed thoroughly by those councillors who rubber stamped the outsourcing of key environmental services to Capita.

I know it wasn’t discussed because I attended every single council committee meeting for years, desperate to see some semblance of scrutiny. What I witnessed, was no scrutiny of claims in favour of outsourcing made by senior council officers, long since gone from the Council.

No accountability.

Back to the Gritting service.

The Gritting service prior to privatisation made their own decision as to when they went out to grit roads, now they have to be instructed by Re (Capita).

It is really important to note that fact.

What happened on Sunday 10 December 2017?

I am writing this post in defence of our members who carry out this service.

There has been a great deal of anger from Barnet residents about the lack of gritting that led to the chaos on the streets of Barnet.

I just want to make it clear if my members in the Gritting service had been asked to go out, they would have gone out.

The question that must be asked is why were they were not asked.

I have asked and I am still waiting…….

Harrow depot

Many residents are blissfully unaware that Barnet Council sold Mill Hill depot (in the exact centre of the borough) without securing a suitable location for a new depot. This has resulted in services being scatted over a number fo sites. In the case of the Gritting service, it was moved to Harrow. This means they have to drive from Harrow and drive into Barnet to begin the routes, then drive back to Harrow to pick up more grit.

The workforce can’t believe councillors could make such a decision and neither can Barnet UNISON.

Capita, privatisation

Bring the Parking Service back in-house – Barnet UNISON

13th December 2017 admin Local, News, UNISON Campaign

On Thursday 11 January 2018, from 6 pm at Hendon Town Hall the Environment Committee are considering a report written by a consultant as to whether the Parking contract should be brought back in-house or whether the Council should waste more public money putting the contract out to tender,

You can view the agenda item on the work programme for the Environment Committee here

http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s43104/Work%20Programme.pdf

Barnet UNISON issued “For A Better, Fairer, Democratically Accountable Barnet.” Policy statement.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/10/06/for-a-better-fairer-democratically-accountable-barnet/

Our policy statement states: “work towards bringing services already outsourced back in-house including NSL.”

Barnet UNISON believes the Parking Service should be delivered in-house.

We are lobbying all politicians to vote for the in-house service.

Barnet UNISON will be attending the Environment Committee meeting and are asking our NSL UNISON members to join us at Hendon Town Hall 6 pm Thursday 11 January 2018.

Environment Committee starts 6.30 pm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON issues warning to members about the Pension Service provided by Capita.

1st December 2017 admin Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON Press Release: Friday 1 December 2017

“The final straw for me was when I was sent copies of letters issued on London Borough of Hounslow letterheads with London Borough of Hounslow email contact details to our members by Capita Pension Service in response to their own Barnet Pensions queries. Barnet UNISON has been monitoring an ongoing catalogue of serious errors made by the Capita Pensions Service operating out of Darlington. Not only am I unhappy with Capita, but also with the Council, which agreed this outsourcing model. This fragmented model, where you have two pay roll departments running out of Belfast and Carlisle and Pensions running out of Darlington was agreed by senior Barnet Council Officers in 2012. They have long gone and left us with a service in which we have no confidence. Our Pension, is our members’ single biggest financial saving for their future. It is also their deferred earnings. The Pension service our members’ are having to endure is unacceptable. My concern is that there is an “Emperor’s New Clothes” culture in our Council. No criticism is tolerated, well Barnet UNISON will not stay silent the service needs to be brought back in-house.” John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary

We advise all Barnet UNISON members who are in the

Local Government Pensions Scheme

to read this Press release and take up our offer below.

1. Please find a brief explanation of the serious issues we have found over the past two years

2015 Annual Benefit Statements not sent to all by statutory deadline
2016 Annual Benefit Statements not sent to all by statutory deadline
2015 Annual Benefit Statements not all correct – CARE benefit incorrectly based on taxable pay rather than pensionable pay
2016 Annual Benefit Statements not all correct – CARE benefit incorrectly based on taxable pay rather than pensionable pay
2017 Annual Benefit Statements not all accurate – missing previous LGPS membership, more than one statement, CARE benefit based on part pensionable pay
Barnet Pension communicated on another local authority’s letterhead showing two different e-mail addresses for communication with them
Insufficient details provided for pension calculations to check accuracy

2. What HAS Barnet UNISON done so far?

Raised issues at meetings with Chief Executive in December 2016, January 2017 and September 2017
Asked LBB to inform breaches to the Pensions Regulator
Issues raised at Local Pension Board meetings
Issues raised at regular monthly meetings with Council officers and Capita Pensions staff.

3. What YOU can do

Contact Branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring on 0208 359 2088 if you want a seminar on Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) at your workplace
Contact Branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring on 0208 359 2088 for a 1-1 meeting for information on LGPS

End.

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

Below are a few links of the post transfer consultations with Capita which resulted in wholesale cuts to the local workforce.

1. The Pensions Regulator fines Barnet Council for failing to submit pension documentation

https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/issues/july-online-2017/pensions-regulator-fines-barnet-council-failing-submit-pension-documentation/

2. Capita consultation on proposed sacking of Barnet Council Pension workforce as jobs move to Darlington (2013).

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/Pensions%20consultation%20document%20final%20v1%20071013.pdf

3. Barnet UNISON Press Release: “From hard working families to ‘scroungers’ – Capita redundancies

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2013/10/06/barnet-unison-press-release-from-hard-working-families-to-scroungers-capita-redundancies/

4. THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

“But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said.

“Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?” said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, “He hasn’t anything on. A child says he hasn’t anything on.”

“But he hasn’t got anything on!” the whole town cried out at last.

http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html

Teaching Assistants (TA) – Call to action by Barnet UNISON

23rd November 2017 admin Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has just sent out letters to every TA working in a community school.

The letter explains the Group Appeal process and asks all TAs to complete a short form about the work that they do.

It is critically important that TAs complete the form and send back in the business reply envelope provided.

The other day I was asked by a TA the following question.

What might they gain or lose

1) If they vote for the appeal?

2) If they vote against the appeal?

My response was swift and clear.

If TA’s don’t vote for YES for an appeal they miss out on a 6/7% pay increase.

The Budget yesterday has confirmed there is no chance of a break in the PUBLIC SECTOR PAY FREEZE.

Barnet UNISON has looked at the TA grades and believes there are grounds to Appeal.

We want to give TAs in Barnet a chance to get a pay rise.

Barnet UNISON Nursery Nurses won their Grading Appeal because they responded to our call for action, they provided the critical information that delivered a pay rise for Nursery Nurses.

Here is a quick reminder of what their UNISON reps had to say about their Group Grading Appeal.

“Barnet Nursery Nurses won their appeal! This would not have happened without the support and dedication of John Burgess and Unison. Thank you from us all.”

Beverley (UNISON Nursery Nurse rep).

“Barnet unison remained resolute in their commitment throughout this appeal. Showing the importance of working together to ensure ever member has a voice, this was paramount to secure this momenta’s positive conclusion for Barnet Nursery Nurses.”

Elaine Thompson Unison Nursery Nurse Rep.

“Unison has provided steadfast support to the nursery nurses since as far back as 2009. John Burgess in particular advised and guided the three nursery teams that went through the federation process, resulting in a much better staffing structure than had originally been offered. Throughout every occurrence Unison has kept their members informed and updated so much so that when Unified pay come over the horizon we all had every confidence that our best interests were at the heart of any negotiations they were involved in. The confidence and determination/ tenacity shown by the Unison team was infectious and made us all the more determined to at least have our say. Knowing John Burgess had championed others and been successful gave us hope and spurred us on to do our homework, galvanise as workers and put our case to the powers that be. Happily we were successful and I’m sure that with Unison on your side any workers have a fighting chance. Good luck comrades!”

Ruth Kevin (UNISON rep)

If you have not had a letter please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

PLEASE RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE BARNET UNISON OFFICE BY

TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER IN THE BUSINESS REPLY ENVELOPE PROVIDED

Barnet Council Level 2 Teaching Assistants Grading Appeal ballot begins

6th November 2017 admin Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet Council have informed Barnet Unison that the ballot letters for all Level 2 Teaching Assistants in Community Schools will handed out on Tuesday 7 November 2017.

It is extremely important that every Level 2 Teaching Assistant responds to the ballot and makes sure they are send back a YES VOTE.

Over 600 Teaching Assistants will receive ballot papers.

We need everyone to vote yes in order that Barnet UNISON can submit the appeal to the grade.

If you have not had your ballot letter by 10 November, please contact Barnet Council by email at unified.reward@barnet.gov.uk or post to The Unified Reward Team, London Borough of Barnet, North London Business park, Oakleigh Road South, London, N11 1NP.

Ballot closes 24 November 2017.

Barnet UNISON Press Release “I have a Jewish neighbour and a Christian neighbour, and they are my brothers.”

17th October 2017 admin Uncategorised

At Barnet UNISON we were appalled to hear of the racist abuse being expressed against the planning application for an Islamic Centre at the Hippodrome in Golders Green.

The title of this piece comes from the press officer, Ahmed Al-Kazemi, of the Hippodrome Centre in Golders Green. This is just one comment made to appeal to those who would condemn the opening of the centre as an Islamic Centre on racial grounds.

We welcome and would echo the comments made by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, of the Golders Green Alyth Reform congregation and Laura Marks, chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust condemning the racism and appealing to a prouder anti-racist tradition.

We also support Barnet Council’s decision to remove all comments relating to this planning application from the public domain on its website.

We celebrate the fact that when the Bravanese Islamic Centre was tragically burnt down a few years ago, the response from all Faiths in the community and people from the broad anti-racist political spectrum was quick in rallying round to support that community and show solidarity.

This is the kind of Barnet we want to belong to.

We would very much like to be a part of a similar response to the racist abuse being levied at the Hippodrome Centre now.

For background information please read these articles:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/racism-row-over-petition-to-stop-islamic-centre-being-opened-in-golders-green-hippodrome-a3659521.html

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/14/golders-green-hippodrome-mosque-plan-rabbi-urges-calm

https://www.bod.org.uk/board-of-deputies-looks-forward-to-good-relations-with-new-muslim-community-centre-in-golders-green/