This is a reminder to all members about the importance of posting your ballot paper by Friday 17th March for our industrial action ballot over the budget cuts and reductions to redundancy pay.
The ballot closes on Monday and I am confident that we will have had a massive vote to defend our jobs and services. But some of you might be wondering what this campaign has to do with you. You may think that as your job isn’t at risk then these proposals won’t affect you. I can assure you that you’re very wrong.
Whilst your job may be safe at the moment, this is the first round of cuts. We know that there will be significant job losses around admin, finance, HR and IT through the Council restructuring. We also know that Social Services will need to make more cuts next year.
We also know that the Council is considering creating an arms length company for its DSOs and DLOs, and I can promise you this is the first step towards full privatisation.
We believe that the Council may have over estimated the amount they will save from this years cuts. So when they finally admit they have miscalculated you can be sure that we will see more job losses.
We also have a duty, as public servants, delivering vital public services to speak up for the vulnerable and disenfranchised members of our society. Many of the cuts will affect very vulnerable people. The Council hasn’t bothered to ask them what they want. So we must speak for those who have been denied a voice.
We must ensure that the Council do not think that they can strip away our pay and conditions without a fight. This year we will be entering into negotiations on pay and terms and conditions. I do not think we will win a good deal from these talks if the Council thinks it can make fundamental changes to our terms and conditions without consequence.
So there you have five reasons why we must fight these cuts. But I will give one more. When you joined UNISON you agreed that you would stand by your fellow members to fight together. This means that all our other members have agreed to stand and fight with you. It is our commitment to protecting each other that makes us so strong.
The ballot closes on Monday and I am confident that we will have had a massive vote to defend our jobs and services. But some of you might be wondering what this campaign has to do with you. You may think that as your job isn’t at risk then these proposals won’t affect you. I can assure you that you’re very wrong.
Whilst your job may be safe at the moment, this is the first round of cuts. We know that there will be significant job losses around admin, finance, HR and IT through the Council restructuring. We also know that Social Services will need to make more cuts next year.
We also know that the Council is considering creating an arms length company for its DSOs and DLOs, and I can promise you this is the first step towards full privatisation.
We believe that the Council may have over estimated the amount they will save from this years cuts. So when they finally admit they have miscalculated you can be sure that we will see more job losses.
We also have a duty, as public servants, delivering vital public services to speak up for the vulnerable and disenfranchised members of our society. Many of the cuts will affect very vulnerable people. The Council hasn’t bothered to ask them what they want. So we must speak for those who have been denied a voice.
We must ensure that the Council do not think that they can strip away our pay and conditions without a fight. This year we will be entering into negotiations on pay and terms and conditions. I do not think we will win a good deal from these talks if the Council thinks it can make fundamental changes to our terms and conditions without consequence.
So there you have five reasons why we must fight these cuts. But I will give one more. When you joined UNISON you agreed that you would stand by your fellow members to fight together. This means that all our other members have agreed to stand and fight with you. It is our commitment to protecting each other that makes us so strong.
Fight to save our jobs
Fight to save our services
Fight to protect our terms and conditions
Fight to protect our vulnerable citizens
Fight to save our services
Fight to protect our terms and conditions
Fight to protect our vulnerable citizens
Jill Turner
Joint Branch Secretary
Joint Branch Secretary
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