Campaign against Redundancies - previous news
Press Release 9th Sept 2010
UNISON CONDEMNS MASS COUNTY COUNCIL REDUNDANCIES
UNISON has condemned the latest County Council attack on jobs and services. Following the recent announcement of an extra 2,000 redundancies, unions have now been told that over 25% of all managers will go and that it is expected that more than £60 million will have to be found to pay for redundancies.
Mike Scott (Notts UNISON Branch Organiser) said:
“This is brutal, wasteful and unnecessary. How can it make sense to slash jobs and public services and divert this sort of money to pay for redundancies? Many of these managers are close to retiring age in any case – why can’t their expertise be used in a different way and jobs be reduced by natural wastage, if this is actually necessary at all?
Any reduction of this size must affect front-line services, so all of the assurances on protecting these were just window-dressing. At this rate, there’ll be nothing left in five years. Once services have gone, they’ll never come back and it’s the public that will suffer.”
A further restructuring of Council Departments is also on the cards and UNISON will be examining any proposals very carefully, to ensure that it isn’t just pointless desk-shifting and will actually improve efficiency.
Contact: Mike Scott (Notts UNISON Branch Organiser) Phone: 0115 981 0405
Removal of Car Allowances
Apparently managers are currently drawing up lists of people who are essential and authorised car users, so that they can get the £450 or £150 lump sum. Make sure you check your contract as you may well be an authorised casual car user allowance. (Some members may not have had to use their car whilst in post but it may actually be part of your contract). PLEASE CHECK your car user status, and, if appropriate, ensure that your manager includes you on the lists.
UNISON letter to Chief Executive about the Financial Situation
UNISON have written to the Chief Executive, Mick Burrows, following the recent press reports and Council statements regarding various aspects of the Councils financial situation. This makes very interesting reading. Download here (888k)
Campaign against Redundancies
As you are aware the County Council announced on 11 August they would make at least 2,500 staff redundant over the next 2/3 years, with two thirds of the job losses over the next 18 months!
These proposals are totally unjust and we are of the opinion they are politically driven and have been made with the deliberate aim of reducing the workforce before privatisation of the remnants of Council Services. These redundancies come on top of the huge attacks on our terms and conditions in recent months. We believe that the Council is using the excuse of a financial blackhole as a means to further its own political agenda.
Council staff will now be receiving a letter from the Chief Executive dated 16th August asking you if you wish to express an interest in taking voluntary redundancy. I have to tell you that UNISON’s position is to oppose any form of redundancy as once the job has gone it will not be brought back. Our view is that the redundancies are unnecessary and are purely for political ends and not in the best interests of the services that we all provide.................. See full letter on 'latest news' page
UNISON position relating to redundancies
Outrage at cost of new post at Notts County Council
Notts County UNISON understands that the New Improvement Director (who will essentially oversee the programme of swinging cuts and privatisation that Notts County Council are intent on implementing), who commences in post on 1st September, will receive a market factor supplement of £17,500 in addition to the £92,575 that the post has been graded at.
We deplore such largesse for Senior officers at the council at a time when the majority of staff, who are paid very much less are facing a period of pay freeze and slashing of their terms and conditions at best, and redundancy at worst.
This new post comes only days after the council announced there would be some 2,500 redundancies over the next 18 months or so. UNISON believes the salary for this new post is a disgrace and shows total insensitivity on the part of Notts County Council, particularly in light of a tranche of budget constraints announced only last week, included amongst which was that all honorariums and additional payments would cease forthwith. This seems to be a case of one law for those at the top and another for the majority of us.
UNISON shall be campaigning vigorously against the creation of this post and the salary attached to it.
Martin Sleath, Notts UNISON Joint Branch Secretary.
Disgust at Mass Redundancies
Nottinghamshire County Council announced today that it would make 2,500 staff redundant over the next three years, with 2/3 of these job losses set to happen within the next 18 months. We believe the Council is using the excuse of a financial blackhole as a means to further its political agenda at the expense of a dedicated workforce. Full Branch press release available here
Link to report on National UNISON website
Link to Nottm Evening Post
Link to BBC
NCC Budget Control Measures
This morning (Monday 9th Aug) the NCC Intranet has a small front page notice re Budget control, however upon looking further this leads to other pages that outline some very severe budgetary measures that are now being imposed without consultation. We have responded immediately to the Authority and requested an urgent meeting to seek clarification on many of the issues raised in the notice. A copy of the branch letter can be seen here.
Many of the measures need detailed clarification of what exactly they mean and how they will be administered and quite frankly why many of them are being introduced when the Council has a substantial under spend in every Department and reserves of £95 million plus - this remains a serious question. What we are looking at is further pressure to run down services and staff before eventual privatisation. Basically at the heart of this Administration is a policy of privatisation irrespective of the damage it will cause to the local community.
The budget control measures come at a time when the Council actually has more than £95 million pounds in Reserves and every Department has an underspend amounting to another £3 million. The District Auditors have said "your current financial health is sound with a county fund balance of just under £25 million and adequate reserves set aside to meet known liabilities." Additonal detailed financial info is available here