Tuesday 20th July

Sefton UNISON Branch Secretary, Glen Williams, met up with Brendan Barber (General Secretary of the TUC and pictured below left ) yesterday in opposition to Public Sector Cuts. Brendan spoke of the TUC co-ordinating a massive response in places like Sefton where jobs are threatened and he outlined an alternative budget and decisions and choices that 'politicians' could make. He congratulated UNISON for its work so far and assured our Members that trade unionists will not abandon their members for the sake of an 'ideologically driven attack on public services' such as is happening in Sefton. Sefton UNISON Officers then met with Bill Esterson (MP for Sefton Central pictured below right) at Westminster, who fully supports the UNISON opposition to any compulsory redundancies in Sefton and has committed to raising this matter in 'The House'. Indeed that very night, live on TV in the House of Commons, Bill fulfilled part of this promise and he cited Churchtown School in Southport as one of many schools that will not be conned by the ConDem government as well as raising the issue of money lost to schools such as Chesterfield High School and Crosby High School and the devastating impact the coalition government policies will have on Sefton Council's staff and residents. On Thursday of this week, Glen will take the issue of Sefton's threatened Job Losses to UNISON's National Local Government Service Group Executive seeking advice and support. Watch out also for those famous purple UNISON T-Shirts later this week and next week delivering the much awaited next edition of the 'UNISON Matters' Newsletter!

Members will already be aware that Cabinet and Full Council met a fortnight ago (8th July) - both attended by UNISON (the only union to turn up) and the decision carried by the local ConDem parties to proceed with compulsory redundancies of up to 60 posts in order to address the reduction in Area Based Grants. Described by the leader of the Council as the 'tip of the iceberg' in relation to the budget crisis, UNISON has already presented a range of legitimate means to protect those jobs currently threatened by those political decisions made last week. Given the projected £53million deficit over the next three years there is a real threat to job security and UNISON has already challenged the need to act before we actually have been allocated all funding streams (HMRI for example) and the figure of 700 jobs that is being circulated. The Senior Management team have now also set up a range of roadshows going round the entire workforce seeking to explain their perspective on the budget crisis. So far the unions have not been invited to any of these meetings and I have written to seek to get an invite for UNISON to as many of them as we can cover. This does not bode well and undermines the commitment given in the recent Transformation News Sheet 19 that talks of being 'committed to working in partnership with the unions'. UNISON would urge all Members to attend these meetings and if you are unhappy to pose a question, let us have it and we will pose it for you.

The trade union movement grew out of extremely difficult economic and political times - Sefton UNISON will do eveything possible to support those faced with losing their jobs and we are due to meet with the Council on Wed 27th July to develop those negotiations. You should also be aware that national policy of UNISON is to oppose compulsory redundancies and your local Stewards agreed last week to a consultative Ballot in relation to the attack of jobs. This will be sent out shortly.

I will, as always try to keep you up-to-date.

Monday July 5th

UNISON met with Council Chiefs last week to be advised that the Central Government cuts to the Area Based Grants (ABG) will mean the equivalent savings needed of 700 Jobs. No specific posts were detailed but a long list of ABG services were presented as being at risk and likely to require formal notice being served on potential redundancy postholders. The Office has today received a number of calls from very concerned Members who have been advised by their Strategic Director that job losses would have to be made and their fixed term contracts might not be renewed. UNISON wrote to the Council today to ask for specific details as to which posts are being considered. UNISON will not abandon those faced with job losses and will be discussing a strategy to oppose any compulsory redundancies including a ballot for industrial action at its meeting of Stewards this Wednesday (7th July).

'Fighting for Jobs is not a crime' has long been the slogan of this Branch and we need to do everything possible to protect our Members' jobs. We have already produced an 'alternative budget' and have also advised the Council that Sefton Schools, that have millions of pounds in reserve should now be expected to pay for those school based services previously funded out of the ABG. UNISON has already detected the Council strategy will be to present a 'choice' - lose hundreds of jobs or pay for the deficit out of terms and conditions, overtime, allowances and further pay freezes including a cut to the working week (equivalent to a 6% pay cut before inflation, currently at over 5%, is added into the equation). These are going to be extremely difficult times for public servants and UNISON will seek your views throughout the process as a member-led union. Compulsory redundancy is no longer something that is just a threat to other organisations and not Sefton Council, this threat is very real and already some of the likely 'casualties will actually be so-called frontline services.

Recruit a colleague - the greater our number, the greater our influence - get a colleague to join the fight back and resist the imposition of massive job cuts.

 22nd June General Secretary Election Result

Dave Prentis has been elected UNISON General Secretary.

The results of the ballot are as follows:

• Roger Bannister: 42,651 (19.7%)
• Paul Holmes: 28,114 (13%)
• Dave Prentis: 145,351 (67.2%)  

This Branch congratulates Dave on his re-election and looks forward to the Fight Back continuing. Your Elected Officers and Stewards were all out today distributing the UNISON Alternative Budget that sees bankers, big business and big earners creating £80 Billion as a fund for the deficit. For a copy of the Alternative Budget call or email the branch and we will send you a copy. All Stewards have been sent a copy. 

 UNISON National Conference last week gave a clear message to the new ConDem government - attack our jobs and we will fight back - attack our Penions and we will hold a National Ballot for Industrial Action. Announcing that 'This is our Time', Dave Prentis, (pictured above) the General Secretary, made it very clear that there is an alternative budget - increasing taxation on those earning above £100,000, stopping bank bonuses and tax havens for the rich and scrapping Trident plans being amongst some of the reasonable options.

The answer cannot be to attack council jobs, making the low paid  responsible for the economic mess and threatening any economic recovery by increasing unemployment. The National Conference was reminded that whilst the right wing gutter press talk of gold -plated pensions and 'fat cat' salaries, the reality is that the average pension for a public servant is £3,700 and less than £3,000 for women who make up the majority of part-time work.

The Conference highlights included Denis Goldberg (pictured above) who was imprisoned for 22 years in South Africa along with Nelson Mandela - albeit in another prison as Denis was white (racism even in a time of sentencing!). A signed copy of his book is available in the Branch Office if any member wishes to borrow it and excerpts from his DVD will be shown at the next Branch Executive Committee for elected Stewards.

Billy Bragg (pictured above) presented the case for the Robin Hood Tax (hence the green mask!) and shared stories about his successful campaign with Hope Not Hate to oust the BNP from Barking and Dagenham. Your delegates to National Conference were Sarah Smith, Mandy McNally, Glen Williams, Jane Evanson and John Carlsen who all contributed to the supreme democratic policy decision-making forum.

On the last day, Audrey from Sheffield and part of the Three Companies Project of UNISON (headed up by Nigel Flanagan) gave a rousing speech about her work and explained that joining a union is like joining a gym. You do not simply pay your subs then sit back and expect to get fit. You have to go along and work hard. I hope more and more members become 'fit' over the next few months as these are to be very difficult times indeed.

Ask if your colleague at work is in a trade union - if not ask if they wish to join and we will do the rest.

Thursday 3rd June - Understandable Anger

UNISON has received one or two very angry, and unnecessarily personalised attacks from members who are set to lose income through Job Evalution and I thought I should respond to ensure the position is clear:

1/ No agreement with the proposed Pay Model has yet been achieved with any of the unions and the Council. The period we are in at present is one of re-checking for errors in the JE scores or anomalies that our members are highlighting and getting them rectified

2/ All posts have been evaluated - all UNISON Members have been advised (more than 12 times via website, workplace meetings, emails and Newsletter) to contact us to go through your JE submission to ensure the 'worth' of your job is properly evaluated.

3/ UNISON is working extremely hard to reduce, where possible, any losses of income. We are re-checking the scores and the Job Descriptions of all who contact us and submitting additional evidence where scores should be uplifted.

4/ UNISON is very clear that some mistakes may have been made in such an enormous exercise and has already identified simple human errors that have lowered the scores of some posts and are having them checked by the Council.

5/ UNISON will represent all Members who have a legitimate Appeal, once the final letters go out in late June/early July.

6/ The anger felt by the small minority who have been identified as losing income is perfectly understandable and UNISON is prioritising them as requiring most support and advice at present. I would ask for some understanding also of the fact that essentially there are two of us dealing with the hundreds of enquiries we still get about car parking, the budget, compulsory redundancies as well as Job Evaluation before we do any casework. Our immediate priority is to advise and represent those members who are potentially going to lose income as a result of Job Evalaution. Your understanding of this is requested and a recognition that the immediate response some demand will simply not be forthcoming for the next few weeks unless it is about Job Evaluation.

7/ If you have a query about your JE letter simply email or contact the Branch and ask for a single page JE Query Form.  Your Branch Officers will use this form to collate groups of collective issues and advice as well as individually advise and represent at Appeal if necessary.

8/ UNISON met yesterday with the Council to further progress 'snags' that we have had pointed out or discovered in relation to the JE scores. I have written formally today to clarify all the points we raised and will keep members informed as appropriate.

9/ On a personal note, I attended the 3 hour meeting yesterday, then spent 4 hours reviewing other JE matters in the Office, followed by 4 hours emailing collegues from home to ensure all areas of JE and UNISON Policy are covered. Today, I have spent 4 hours writing reports for JE and UNISON Conference. I wish no sympathy or recognition for this, simply some understanding of the fact that I am actually ON LEAVE this week and I am not alone in your Branch Office putting members 1st well above and beyond the contracted hours or call of duty.

10/ Please do not forget - all those colleagues in your office, workplace or depot not in UNISON, will not get expert representation or advice on their JE score or at Appeal. This might be a good time to get them to join us, simply ask the question!

Glen Williams,

Branch Secretary,

Sefton UNISON.