The new coalition Government plans to slash public services by cutting more then £6bn of funding. This will have a massive effect on our member’s jobs, pay and terms & conditions. Barnsley Council is expecting to have to cut expenditure by more then 20% over the next few years. Council workers will pick up the tab for the bankers bail out.- The Council has set out in a recent global communication the challenges we will face in the near future.
- The Senior Management Team (SMT) are looking into spending in areas such as consultants, income and trading, premises, terms and conditions, supplies and services, transport and third party payments.
- Members of Barnsley’s Leadership Team are looking at their own service areas to see where savings can be made and key services protected.
- Employees are being urged to think long and hard before spending.
If you have not seen this yet – ask your manager for a copy
The Local Government Employer’s organisation has just published advice to Councils on how to reduce their workforce costs. In addition to the now standard message of look-at-everything we do, they have come up with some pearls of wisdom this time, such as
- Replacing staff with volunteers
- Imposing a pay freeze
- Introduce a percentage reduction in pay
- Freezing increments
- Encouraging career breaks and the purchase of additional leave
- Training staff to do multiple jobs in multiple locations
- Deleting vacant posts
You can do something now, however – by helping to build the strength of the Union by recruiting a friend. Now is the time for non members to join us and stand together against these attacks on jobs and public services.
Membership forms can be downloaded below, please talk to people you know are not union members and persuade them to join and become prepared.
UNISON is offering to both the new member and the member who recruits them a chance to be in a branch draw to win a prize, details below:-
1st form drawn £100 cash each for recruiter and new member
2nd & 3rd forms drawn £50 cash each for recruiter and new member
5 further draws £20 cash each for recruiter and new member
The draw will take place Monday 13th September 2010 and will be notified by Letter and will be published in the Branch news letter and our website at www.unisonbarnsley.co.uk
Recruiters should add their name & contact details on the back of completed forms.