What N30 and the one day of Strike Action achieved.

No apologies for nicking this from the North Somerset UNISON Blog, they did an excellent job in wrapping up some points which all UNISON members may find useful.

What we have gained from taking Industrial Action:

A clear commitment to avoid contribution increases. There will be no contribution increases from April 2012. These have now been postponed until 2014, and may not be necessary at all if alternate ways of making savings can be found.
Retaining Admitted Body Status, which means if you transfer to the private sector you keep your pension, or at least a broadly comparable one
Suspension of the formal consultation with government for short-term savings - from now on we'll be negotiating with Local government employers for a new scheme starting in 2014
Flexible retirement age of 55-75, with actuarial adjustments made by the link to the state retirement age
Protection for those within 10 years of retirement
Equality impact assessment at each stage
What hasn't changed:

There has been no movement from the government on bringing public sector retirement ages into line with the state pension age, which is increasing from 65 to 66, 67, and 68 depending on how old you are currently.
There has also been no movement from the government on the linking of pension increases to the CPI rather than the RPI – UNISON and other trade unions have taken this to the court of appeal.
The new LGPS scheme will be a career average rather than a final salary scheme, although this is not necessarily a bad thing for low paid female workers, but is dependent on decent accrual and revaluation rates.
In summary then local government workers won't have to pay more (at least until 2014), but they will have to work longer and they will get less when they retire (unless the courts overrule the switch from RPI to CPI).

Danny Alexander has promised that what is agreed as part of the current negotiations will last for 25 years. Can we believe him?

If UNISON members agree to these principles for negotiation, then between January and April this year UNISON will undertake further negotiations with the employers on the value, distribution and phasing of any employee contributions (I think the fact that this is even mentioned indicates that we're not sure that there will be no increases in 2014), accrual rate, revaluation rate, transitional protections, and employer cap and collar.

UNISON members in Local Government now have to decide what the next steps should be. We have 2 choices:

Either we:

Reject the principles and timetable for further negotiation and commit to further industrial action.

Or we:

Agree to the principles and timetable for further negotiation. If these negotiations fail then we still have the option of further industrial action as we are still in dispute and our ballot is still live.

UNISON members in Local Government may want to consider whether what we have gained is enough - have we won enough ground to suspend industrial action? In addition, can we be sure that there will not be an increase in employee contributions in 2014? The government still want £900 million in savings from the LGPS - how are they going to get this £900 million if not from increased contributions? If we are not sure, then agreeing to this framework simply means postponing the inevitable. But if we agree now, when other trade unions do not, then we may find ourselves without the backing of our sister trade unions if we face the threat of increased contributions for 2014.

NHS Pension Scheme

This is not an agreement or a deal but is the government's final offer for the NHS scheme.

What we have gained from taking Industrial Action:

A significant improvement in accrual rates to 1/54th
Those within 10 years of retirement will continue in their current existing pension scheme and will continue to be able to retire at 55, 60 or 65, depending on what scheme they're in. There will be additional tapered protection for those within 13.5 years of retirement
Retaining Fair Deal, which means if you transfer to the private sector you keep your pension, or at least a broadly comparable one
No contribution increases in 2012 for those earning less than £26,557 full-time pay (about 48% of workforce, and 70% of UNISON membership), although there will be further discussions on increases for future years.
What hasn't changed:

Contribution increases from April 2012 of between 0 and 2.4% for those on a pensionable salary of £26,557 or more.
Further discussion on contribution increases for all NHS staff for 2013 and 2014.
There has been no movement from the government on bringing public sector retirement ages into line with the state pension age, which is increasing from 65 to 66, 67, and 68 depending on how old you are currently. Although there will be a review of pension ages for those staff who undertake physical work, such as emergency services.
There has also been no movement from the government on the linking of pension increases to the CPI rather than the RPI – UNISON and other trade unions have taken this to the court of appeal.
The new NHS scheme will start in 2015. It will be a career average scheme, although this is not necessarily a bad thing for low paid female workers, but is dependent on decent accrual and revaluation rates.
In summary then, those earning under £26,557 full-time salary won't pay any extra contributions (at least until 2013), while those earning above that salary will pay more from April 2012. All NHS workers will work longer, and will get less in retirement (unless the courts overrule the switch from RPI to CPI).

Danny Alexander has promised that what is agreed as part of the current negotiations will last for 25 years. Can we believe him?

UNISON members in the NHS scheme now have to decide what the next steps should be. We have 2 choices:

Either we:

Reject the final offer and commit to further industrial action.

Or we:

Agree to continue negotiations on the final offer and then consult members on the final package. If these negotiations fail then we still have the option of further industrial action as we are still in dispute and our ballot is still live.

UNISON members in the NHS scheme may want to consider whether what we have gained is enough - have we won enough ground to suspend industrial action? Again the question I think we need to ask is what's going to happen to contribution increases in 2013, particularly as the government is still committed to securing Spending Review savings of £2.3 billion in 2013/14 and £2.8 billion in 2014/15. How else can they get these savings if not from increased contributions? Given that at least half of NHS workers will pay more, work longer, and get less, is this really a good enough deal to suspend further industrial action? But if we agree now, when other trade unions do not, then we may find ourselves without the backing of our sister trade unions if we face the threat of increased contributions in 2013.
 
UNISON members need to decide what to do next

UNISON members have now got to decide what they want to do. Are members prepared for more industrial action to protect their pensions? If they are then I think we should hold out for more, because neither offer is really good enough, particularly if assessed against what we campaigned against – "pay more, work longer to get less". On 30th November we showed what could be achieved when trade unions stand together. Public sector unions need to stick together, not just to oppose the changes to our pensions, but to oppose the pay freeze, pay cap, and cuts to terms and conditions, jobs and services.

But if UNISON members do not want to take further industrial action, then they will need to accept what's on offer, which has been outlined above.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Fighting for Public Services

I am in Manchester at the UNISON conference fighting for Public Services for those providing and those receiving. Late this morning a care worker in an Elderly Peoples Home posted on Facebook Bristol City Plans to close the Elderly Peoples Homes and Day Care centre provision. Last week the in-house Homecare workers were told they could be redeployed into the empty posts in these care homes which the Council have announced today could be closed.

What the press release hasn't said is the way the Council has sat on the Commissioning Teams and the Social Work Teams over the last few weeks to ensure that all packages of care have been allocated to the private providers. This is not about service users choice but back door privatisation of the public services those service users rely upon. To drive down costs and to reduce the wages of these complex services to minimum wage.

This has nothing to do with quality but everything to do with cost. The Council has done this at a time when Bristol has been put on the map with the dreadful practices the private sector has allowed in the Care hospital in Winterboune near Bristol that made the entire country sick when it was exposed on Panorama.

At a time when Southern Cross is failing the 30,000 older people in their care and the latest reports that the predominately private sector now delivering Homecare is found to be failing older people in their own homes.


This is the right time now for those who provide public services and those receiving them to say enough is enough. When the bill for the war in Libya has cost 250 million, when we have big business making bonuses again that would pay for nurses and carers for our most vulnerable then we need to tell the Tory Government enough is enough. If we collect the unpaid billions of taxes from the rich the poor can be adequately cared for and those that provide that care can be given the decency at work they deserve for the important work they do.

I hope the 1700 workers in Bristol that this announcement today affects join forces and take on the Council to rethink this madness.


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Day 1 of UNISON National Delegates Conference

Bristol Branch of Local Government had breakfast together and a nice stroll through Manchester to the conference centre. Two are new delegates and it was nice to see their delight at the range of stalls that abound at conferences. After collecting a variety of sweets, pens, cups and T-shirts and seeing the smiles on their faces we made our way to the conference hall.

A great speech from the President Angela, before accepting finance report. Then Clytus introduced SOC report. Can't wait to see him in the kilt doing his song and dance routine to close conference.

The first motion was carried on the cuts and many members gave speeches that brought reality to the cuts already happening up and down the country.

The second motion dealt with the attack on our pension. Many retired members spoke passionately about taking the fight on, and pledged to do everything they can to assist us in that fight.

We then broke for lunch, sat out side under the grey skies of Manchester, it's a wonder our mood didn't change the sky red. We are angry at the way the welfare state is being dismantled and the people we provide those services for are being so needlessly hurt.

We recognise our general membership have not really felt the full impact of Osbourne's spending review and the cuts will begin towards the end of this year on a scale never before experienced by public sector providers or service users.

The papers this morning have pitted public sector workers and the ever perpetuating myth of the gold plated public sector pension versus the private sector who don't enjoy the same benefits. They don't tell you we give up part of our wages to put away for our pensions and the millions of pounds the company chiefs in the private sector take in pensions at the expenses of the rest of us somewhere along the line. All working people regardless of employer need to have the means to provide for their old age, and occupational pensions should be available for all.

After lunch we came back to the motion supporting Sure Start Centres. We watched a young UNISON member who works in a Sure Start Centre, who became very emotional at the cuts she is witnessing young children suffering. Simple things like access to books are being denied young children. Sure Start is the Big Society at work within our Communities, not the Big Society the Tories really want us to have, despite ConDems propaganda that We are all in it together. The millionaire cabinet government just want us cheaper, poorer, so the "The Fat Cats" can become even richer.

All working people need to reject the ConDem attack on us all. We didn't vote on it, we don't want it, we will March On as the conference video clearly says from the 26th March.

march with us, march for us, march for yourself, we are all under attack together. We are all strong together. Dave's opening speech was a UNISON Member said "Eric Pickles has eaten my community centre" and when we want Ed Ball's advice we'll ask for it.

Dave Prentis clear, Join us as we struggle to pay our bills, as we wait to be made redundant, care homes close, children denied good education. We need to fight the brutality of the ConDems cuts. Together we are all in it together, it's us they are hurting, the providers and the receivers of services.

Time to say no we don't accept cuts on the poor to repay a debt the rich caused.

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Tough measures demanded by UNISON to stamp out appalling abuse.

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, has today (1 June) demanded a comprehensive package of safety measures, following the appalling abuse revealed by BBC’s Panorama programme at the privately run Winterbourne View Hospital in Bristol.

The shocking undercover programme showed staff violently abusing adults with learning difficulties. UNISON is demanding urgent action to help protect
patients from abuse in other care facilities, including tougher regulation,
better training, regular monitoring and inspection.

Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health, said:

“The abuse revealed in the Panorama programme is sickening. We need action and we need it now. These patients have been betrayed by their carers, by the hospital owners, Castlebeck, and by the Care Quality Commission, who all failed to take action, despite repeated warnings about abuse.

“UNISON has long called for staff working with vulnerable adults to be given
quality training – it is very revealing that, without any previous
experience, the reporter got a job at Winterbourne View and was given just
one week’s training.

In addition UNISON is arguing against the Government for care assistants to
be covered by statutory, not voluntary regulation. The safety and welfare of
patients must be of primary concern and tough regulation would give much
needed protection.

“Finally, the failure by the Care Quality Commission to take action
following complaints, highlights fatal flaws in the system. We need more
inspectors going into these facilities and not the move to more light-touch
regulation, which leaves vulnerable patients at greater risk.

“The question has to be asked – how much more abuse is going on undetected because of the lack of thorough inspection by qualified inspectors? Self assessment is not the way to stamp out this disgusting abuse of trust.”

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Is Pickles making a pickle out of Local Government.

There appears to be much change being advocated by Eric Pickles. Despite a good upward trend for Labour at the recent local elections and a crushing defeat for the Lib Dems, we must be vary and not so jubilant in thinking the Tory downfall is nigh.

The Tories didn't gain or lose much, which means they still have support and with most of the population firmly believing the Tory rhetoric that the debt this Country faces is solely down to Labour rather than a world recession caused by the Financial Sector is worrying for all those who receive and work in Public Services.

We have seen the end of the consultation Pickles conducted, wishing to rid the state of Red Tape. This includes doing away with duties that fall to Local Authorities now. I spoke with a social worker this morning and asked if she was aware of the recent consultation on Red Tape, she wasn't, and when I asked her what she thought of the possible removal of the duty to take children into care, she asked "well who would do it if we don't"

I asked office workers what they thought of, no one available to keep the highways clean of litter. They said exactly the same as the Social worker, "who would do it"

No one seems to grasp we are under Tory rule, and the concept of who does, is probably not something they consider. In America, a country we seem to be hell bent on following, has a system where the occupiers of a property have the responsibility to keep the patch outside their home within the street, clear of litter. If they don't do it, they get fined.

Two London Councils are considering to encourage all 40-50 years old to volunteer to care for the elderly. This will entitle them to accrue "care credits" for their old age.

The future if we continue to let the Tories impose the breakup of the Welfare State, the collapse of Local Councils and the duties they have to provide, we will all see changes on a scale that will be difficult to turn around.

Apathy in this Country will have us asking endlessly who does this now, only to find out no one does, or worse as we work longer for less, we do.

If we don't we get fined. The good old American model.

One of the duties up for consultation was under the Public Health Act, to respond to those hurt in a vehicle accident, which good old Pickles wants to scrap. So if you are unfortunate enough to have a crash in your car, think what would happen if an ambulance does not come. The person whose house you crash outside of, is going to be more angry that you have given them debris to clean up, as it would be their responsibility. You would then be reliant on upon the goodwill of those near to either patch you up in situ, or give you a lift to the nearest hospital. Then think about whether that hospital is still NHS, would they treat you if they were not, or if your insurance wasn't up to date.

As the big posters UNISON put out across the country "WELCOME TO THE BIG SOCIETY". Said very loudly in green and purple.


If anyone else asks me "who will do that" when I mention change, keep the Tories in power and the answer will always be you, you, you, and even yourself. Do they care NO THEY DO NOT.

Apathy will have a hefty price if we don't wake up soon.


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Another Gem passed to me by Jenny

Government set to relax environment laws in bid to boost jobs

The conservative-led coalition appears to be on the verge of seeking to relax up to 278 environmental laws in a desperate attempt to encourage the private sector to create new jobs to make up for its big cuts in the public sector.

Tribune understands that civil servants at Defra, the environmental ministry, have been instructed to only look at the burden of environmental requirements on business” rather than balance regulation with the benefits to widen society and the environment.

The move amounts to a major attack on the progress of combating climate change and protecting the environment – supposed to be one of the flagship policies of both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

It could, ironically, cause even more job losses since there is now a burgeoning green industry employing more than 800,000 people in Britain dependent for growth on tougher regulations of the environment.

The laws which could be relaxed include strict business restrictions in national parks, pollution laws, hazardous waste and requirements for business to meet ever rising environmental standards to conserve energy.

Ministers have tried to play down the “red tape” review, saying it is aimed at encouraging the public to comment on the necessity for 21,000 regulations governing businesses. But this looks extremely hollow in the light of the instructions sent around Whitehall.

Any move to curb environment laws would be attacked by both environment campaigners and the green industry, which lives and dies by the regulatory framework. Government intervention is a vital ingredient in the creation of the environmental markets of the future.

The campaigning group 38 Degrees has also warned environmental protection is not “red Tape”.
By David Henchke, Westminster Correspondence.

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UNISON Press release on the horrors of the CLG proposals threatening a statutory duty removal.

03/05/2011

Threat of statutory duty removal

Rubbish could litter our streets, bodies could pile up, vulnerable children could be left without care, strip clubs could be set up on any corner, and mouldy chops could stack up on our shelves. These are just some of the damaging things that could happen if the Tory government presses ahead with plans to cut the duties on councils that protect us all, and give us better communities.

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today publishes a list of crazy cuts that could leave communities exposed. In its submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (CLG) consultation on statutory duties, UNISON is calling on the government to protect our communities by putting a stop to its damaging plans.

Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local Government, said:

“The coalition has made some pretty crazy and dangerous decisions, but even thinking about getting rid of some of these duties is up there with the best of them.

“If the Tories press ahead with their race to scrap the so-called ‘red tape’, they could see bodies pile up on the street, as nobody has responsibility for mortuaries. We could see gas safety fall and recycling schemes dry up. Unregulated taxis could prowl the streets and strip clubs set up on any corner.

“Eric Pickles only needs to scratch the surface to find out that these duties protect our communities, making them safer and better places to live. Like a lot of other Tory plans, this consultation should go on the scrapheap.”

Crazy cuts rundown

Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/1629)

Local Authorities are responsible for keeping gas safe. How many people will be put at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if this is abolished?

Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 Section 7

Makes provision for the purpose of extinguishing fires and protecting life and property. Who else should do this?

Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 Section 8

Makes provision for the purpose of rescuing people in the event of road traffic accidents.

Fire and Rescue Services (Emergencies) (England) (Order) 2007 (SI 2007/735) made under s. 9 FRSA 2004

Makes provision for chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear emergency and urban search and rescue. Who will the public turn to if this duty is removed?

Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 Section 7

Local Authorities have a duty to provide a library service. Will libraries be cut to extinction if this is abolished?

Gambling Act 2005 Section 159

Councils have to licence premises for gambling activities. How would corrupt operators be stopped if this was abolished?

Licensing Act 2003 Section 18

Requires local authorities to have a system for regulating premises licenses, including issuing licenses. Would we see strip clubs set up on any corner?

Zoo Licensing Act 1981

Councils should ensure zoos are safe for the public to visit and have a high standard of welfare for animals. What cruel and bad practices would come into place with unregulated zoos?

Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 45 A

Councils have to arrange for the collection of recyclable materials. Is our care for the planet going to be dumped?

Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 89

Councils currently have to keep land and highways clear of litter. Would litter start to pile up on our streets?

Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1499)

Councils are responsible for ensuring food labelling is accurate and out of date food is not being sold. Do we want to eat old sausages or have ingredients missed off the label?

Public Health Act 1936

Councils have to provide mortuaries. Would removing this duty see bodies pile up in the street?

Children Act 1989 Section 33

Councils take vulnerable children into care and look after them. Who would take over this role if this duty was scrapped?

Local Government (Misc. Provisions) Act 1976 Section 54

Councils licence taxi drivers. If they stopped doing this, how dangerous would it be to get into a cab?

Highways Act 1980 Section 41(1A)

Puts local Authorities responsible for dealing with snow and ice – who else could take this up?

New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 Section 81

Councils have to tell other bodies when they (or a utility company) are digging up the road. Without this, would we see roads in constant upheaval?

Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (as amended) Section 5 (1)

Makes local authorities one of the authorities responsible for formulating and implementing strategies to tackle crime and disorder. Who else can create a joined-up approach?

Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004) Section 9

Requires local authorities to participate in domestic homicide reviews with a view to improving policies and practice and preventing further violence and homicide. Tackling domestic violence requires a multi-agency approach – should this be optional?

Juries Act 1974 Section 3

Requires electoral registration officers to provide the Lord Chancellor with copies of the electoral register from which potential jurors can be summoned. A vital cog in the wheel of justice.

Crime and Disorder Act 1989 Section 39 (5)

Establishes the multi-agency, multi-disciplinary ethos behind the Youth Offending Teams. Putting into practice decades of experience.

Criminal Justice Act 2003 Section 325

Requires agencies to work together to manage the risks posed by offenders following their release from custody, for example to ensure that paedophiles aren’t inadvertently housed by the local authority near a school, or in an estate with many families. It is necessary to have one body – the locally accountable one – ensuring that this coordination happens – it can’t be optional.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Councils have to disclose information to the public on request. Do we want a culture of secrecy from the people we elect?