but is it value for money for the council tax payers to
keep schools with less than a full compliment of pupils open ?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Union leaders meet with Chancellor
to discuss public sector pay
TUC leaders this morning (Wednesday) met the Chancellor, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) to press the Government for a new approach on public sector pay to safeguard the living standards of all public servants.
TUC public service unions have all committed to work together to coordinate their approach in the upcoming negotiations across public services.
The TUC team led by TUC President, Dave Prentis, and General Secretary, Brendan Barber, told the Chancellor that public service pay is not driving inflationary pressures in the economy, and that it is utterly unfair for public servants to be expected to accept pay settlements that fall short of matching inflation. The TUC team emphasised that the inflation index referred to by pay negotiators reflecting the real increases in living costs facing ordinary workers is the RPI which currently stands at 4%, well ahead of the Government's inflation target index, the CPI. Unions are prepared to consider long-term deals where appropriate, but a rigid centrally imposed policy that ignores recommendations from independent review bodies will not be acceptable.
The TUC team pressed the Chancellor that public service negotiators need greater flexibility in their negotiations with unions, including scope to address long term problems in pay structures and low pay.
The TUC team will be reporting back to all public service unions on the meeting and will be seeking a further meeting with the Chief Secretary to continue the talks.
The TUC delegation included TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, Paul Noon, General Secretary of Prospect, Lesley Mercer of the CSP, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Patrick Roach of the NASUWT.
to discuss public sector pay
TUC leaders this morning (Wednesday) met the Chancellor, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) to press the Government for a new approach on public sector pay to safeguard the living standards of all public servants.
TUC public service unions have all committed to work together to coordinate their approach in the upcoming negotiations across public services.
The TUC team led by TUC President, Dave Prentis, and General Secretary, Brendan Barber, told the Chancellor that public service pay is not driving inflationary pressures in the economy, and that it is utterly unfair for public servants to be expected to accept pay settlements that fall short of matching inflation. The TUC team emphasised that the inflation index referred to by pay negotiators reflecting the real increases in living costs facing ordinary workers is the RPI which currently stands at 4%, well ahead of the Government's inflation target index, the CPI. Unions are prepared to consider long-term deals where appropriate, but a rigid centrally imposed policy that ignores recommendations from independent review bodies will not be acceptable.
The TUC team pressed the Chancellor that public service negotiators need greater flexibility in their negotiations with unions, including scope to address long term problems in pay structures and low pay.
The TUC team will be reporting back to all public service unions on the meeting and will be seeking a further meeting with the Chief Secretary to continue the talks.
The TUC delegation included TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, Paul Noon, General Secretary of Prospect, Lesley Mercer of the CSP, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Patrick Roach of the NASUWT.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Energy profit probe demanded
(22/01/08) UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign have come together to demand an official inquiry into almost £2.5bn extra profits energy companies are awarding themselves as households up and down the country deal with huge price rises announced this winter.The call for an Ofgem probe comes the week after British Gas became the latest energy provider to increase its prices: announcing an immediate 15% rise.It followed EDF's decision to increase gas prices by 12.% and electricity by 7.9 %, while npower had previously announced rises of 17.2% for gas and 12.7% for electricity.Research, sponsored jointly by UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign and published today, says the average household is paying £100 extra a year because prices charged to customers have increased by £2.3bn more than the costs of producing and selling electricity and gas.Backing the call for an Ofgem inquiry, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis noted: "Hard-working families are desperately worried about increasing fuel bills, rising housing costs, food costs and millions of public sector workers are being told they must accept pay cuts."Pensioners are finding it a huge struggle, despite the winter fuel payments that have been wiped out by these greedy companies."The government should order Ofgem to do its job properly."Gas and electricity costs to householders, produced by Cornwall Energy Associates, shows that British households’ annual spending on electricity and gas increased by £8.2bn between 2003 and 2006, while the energy companies costs' grew buy £5.9bn – meaning an extra £2.3bn profits for them.Over the same period the average household's debt to energy suppliers grew from £159 to £194 for electricity customers and from £141 to £180. Charities have found that their funding of individual debts has grown to £16m a year. Click here to download a copy of the full report (.pdf) Click here for a National Right to Fuel campaign paper on tackling fuel poverty (.pdf)
More on UNISON and fuel poverty National Right to Fuel Campaign
(22/01/08) UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign have come together to demand an official inquiry into almost £2.5bn extra profits energy companies are awarding themselves as households up and down the country deal with huge price rises announced this winter.The call for an Ofgem probe comes the week after British Gas became the latest energy provider to increase its prices: announcing an immediate 15% rise.It followed EDF's decision to increase gas prices by 12.% and electricity by 7.9 %, while npower had previously announced rises of 17.2% for gas and 12.7% for electricity.Research, sponsored jointly by UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign and published today, says the average household is paying £100 extra a year because prices charged to customers have increased by £2.3bn more than the costs of producing and selling electricity and gas.Backing the call for an Ofgem inquiry, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis noted: "Hard-working families are desperately worried about increasing fuel bills, rising housing costs, food costs and millions of public sector workers are being told they must accept pay cuts."Pensioners are finding it a huge struggle, despite the winter fuel payments that have been wiped out by these greedy companies."The government should order Ofgem to do its job properly."Gas and electricity costs to householders, produced by Cornwall Energy Associates, shows that British households’ annual spending on electricity and gas increased by £8.2bn between 2003 and 2006, while the energy companies costs' grew buy £5.9bn – meaning an extra £2.3bn profits for them.Over the same period the average household's debt to energy suppliers grew from £159 to £194 for electricity customers and from £141 to £180. Charities have found that their funding of individual debts has grown to £16m a year. Click here to download a copy of the full report (.pdf) Click here for a National Right to Fuel campaign paper on tackling fuel poverty (.pdf)
More on UNISON and fuel poverty National Right to Fuel Campaign
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Prentis warns government over pay
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has a message for the government: “Don’t pick a fight with UNISON members.”Rejecting the 2% pay limit imposed in the comprehensive spending review, Mr Prentis warned of the dangers of holding down public-sector pay.“The 2% limit is just not on – it is a real pay cut for millions of hard working public-service workers. If you want first class public services, if you want the sick and elderly cared for, your children well-educated and protected and your streets clean and safe, cutting the pay of public-sector workers is the wrong way to go about it.“We are determined to secure decent pay rises for our members,” he said.UNISON's current pay claims for local government workers throughout the UK are for one-year deals, designed to make up lost ground, protect against future inflation and boost the minimum wage.With living costs rising fast, and below-inflation pay settlements in recent years, many public service workers are finding it incredibly hard to make ends meet. Morale is at rock bottom, Mr Prentis said.“It is wrong to put inflation at their door,” he stressed. “Instead, look no further than the multinationals bleeding our public services dry, the fuel price hikes and the massive profits made by big business."The gap between public sector pay packets and burgeoning living expenses must be bridged.”UNISON has submitted pay claims for local government workers in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK calling for rises of 5% and 6% respectively. Both have as a key element increases that would take low-paid members closer to a living wage.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has a message for the government: “Don’t pick a fight with UNISON members.”Rejecting the 2% pay limit imposed in the comprehensive spending review, Mr Prentis warned of the dangers of holding down public-sector pay.“The 2% limit is just not on – it is a real pay cut for millions of hard working public-service workers. If you want first class public services, if you want the sick and elderly cared for, your children well-educated and protected and your streets clean and safe, cutting the pay of public-sector workers is the wrong way to go about it.“We are determined to secure decent pay rises for our members,” he said.UNISON's current pay claims for local government workers throughout the UK are for one-year deals, designed to make up lost ground, protect against future inflation and boost the minimum wage.With living costs rising fast, and below-inflation pay settlements in recent years, many public service workers are finding it incredibly hard to make ends meet. Morale is at rock bottom, Mr Prentis said.“It is wrong to put inflation at their door,” he stressed. “Instead, look no further than the multinationals bleeding our public services dry, the fuel price hikes and the massive profits made by big business."The gap between public sector pay packets and burgeoning living expenses must be bridged.”UNISON has submitted pay claims for local government workers in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK calling for rises of 5% and 6% respectively. Both have as a key element increases that would take low-paid members closer to a living wage.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Council workers ask for 6%
to ‘catch up and match up’
(14/01/08) Town hall unions including UNISON, GMB and TGWU-Unite have agreed a pay claim for this year that would give more than one million local government workers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales a payrise of 6% or 50p an hour – whichever is the greater.The claim would take the wages of the lowest paid workers up to £6.50 an hour – a step towards the £6.75 that poverty experts say is the minimum needed to live on.Unions said it was intended to be a ‘catch up and match up’ claim, to recoup losses from below-inflation pay awards since 2004 and to keep up with inflation over the coming year.Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s national secretary for local government, said: “Despite the headline figure, this is a modest claim.“No-one could argue that an increase of 50p an hour fuels inflation. Over the past three years local government workers’ pay has increased by less than the rate of inflation, so we are starting from a low base. We need to make sure that they catch up with the rest of the public sector and that they are cushioned against inflation over the coming year.She added: “The government’s 2% limit is just not on. It is half the rate of inflation and represents a real pay cut for loyal, hard-working public-sector workers, two-thirds of whom are women."They are struggling to make ends meet with the ever-increasing spiral of housing and fuel price rises.”UNISON is working with other public-sector unions, through the TUC, to campaign for a fair deal for all public sector workers.The 2004-7 pay agreements gave an increase of 11.4% over three years, during which inflation rose by 12.5% and average earnings by 13.4%. The 2007-2008 award was for 2.475% and 3% for the lowest paid – inflation was more than 4% over that periodThe claim covers all grades of workers in local government, including refuse collection, school meals, social workers, administrators, cleaners, teaching assistants, parks and leisure workers and librarians. UNISON in Local government
to ‘catch up and match up’
(14/01/08) Town hall unions including UNISON, GMB and TGWU-Unite have agreed a pay claim for this year that would give more than one million local government workers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales a payrise of 6% or 50p an hour – whichever is the greater.The claim would take the wages of the lowest paid workers up to £6.50 an hour – a step towards the £6.75 that poverty experts say is the minimum needed to live on.Unions said it was intended to be a ‘catch up and match up’ claim, to recoup losses from below-inflation pay awards since 2004 and to keep up with inflation over the coming year.Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s national secretary for local government, said: “Despite the headline figure, this is a modest claim.“No-one could argue that an increase of 50p an hour fuels inflation. Over the past three years local government workers’ pay has increased by less than the rate of inflation, so we are starting from a low base. We need to make sure that they catch up with the rest of the public sector and that they are cushioned against inflation over the coming year.She added: “The government’s 2% limit is just not on. It is half the rate of inflation and represents a real pay cut for loyal, hard-working public-sector workers, two-thirds of whom are women."They are struggling to make ends meet with the ever-increasing spiral of housing and fuel price rises.”UNISON is working with other public-sector unions, through the TUC, to campaign for a fair deal for all public sector workers.The 2004-7 pay agreements gave an increase of 11.4% over three years, during which inflation rose by 12.5% and average earnings by 13.4%. The 2007-2008 award was for 2.475% and 3% for the lowest paid – inflation was more than 4% over that periodThe claim covers all grades of workers in local government, including refuse collection, school meals, social workers, administrators, cleaners, teaching assistants, parks and leisure workers and librarians. UNISON in Local government
Friday, January 11, 2008
UNISON kicks off 2008
equal pay campaign
(10/1/08) UNISON has launched its campaign to close the gender pay gap by lodging a record 33,000 equal pay claims against public sector employers. The union, two thirds of whose members are women, has been battling for equal pay for years, and has won significant pay increases for thousands of low-paid women workers.Its litigation and bargaining strategy will be further fine-tuned by officials and leading activists from across the UK, meeting at a special seminar in London today. And it is warning employers to start facing up to their responsibilities."Equal pay is not just the wish of the trade unions," said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis. "It is the law of the land. Yet, 30 years on, the Equal Pay Act is still seen by many employers as a take-it-or-leave-it bit of legislation. "This cannot be allowed to continue. It must be implemented robustly across the UK."Mr Prentis said that funding, particularly in local government, remained critical to achieving equal and fair pay. "As a direct result of UNISON’s campaigning through the Labour Party, last September the government released £500 million to 46 local authorities to fund equal pay," he said. "But more is needed. In addition, the government must change the law, to cut the time it takes for legal action. At the moment, it takes years, is costly and, in the meantime, women remain underpaid.”The pay gap between men and women is around 17%, according to official figures. This means that women are losing out on a staggering £4,000 a year, based on an average salary of £23,600.
equal pay campaign
(10/1/08) UNISON has launched its campaign to close the gender pay gap by lodging a record 33,000 equal pay claims against public sector employers. The union, two thirds of whose members are women, has been battling for equal pay for years, and has won significant pay increases for thousands of low-paid women workers.Its litigation and bargaining strategy will be further fine-tuned by officials and leading activists from across the UK, meeting at a special seminar in London today. And it is warning employers to start facing up to their responsibilities."Equal pay is not just the wish of the trade unions," said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis. "It is the law of the land. Yet, 30 years on, the Equal Pay Act is still seen by many employers as a take-it-or-leave-it bit of legislation. "This cannot be allowed to continue. It must be implemented robustly across the UK."Mr Prentis said that funding, particularly in local government, remained critical to achieving equal and fair pay. "As a direct result of UNISON’s campaigning through the Labour Party, last September the government released £500 million to 46 local authorities to fund equal pay," he said. "But more is needed. In addition, the government must change the law, to cut the time it takes for legal action. At the moment, it takes years, is costly and, in the meantime, women remain underpaid.”The pay gap between men and women is around 17%, according to official figures. This means that women are losing out on a staggering £4,000 a year, based on an average salary of £23,600.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tory 'Workfare' proposals will not
help people back into work
Responding to the Conservative Party's welfare reform proposals announced today (Tuesday), Midlands TUC Policy Officer Alan Weaver said:
'The Tories' Workfare proposals manage to combine injustice, expense and inefficiency in a single package. Experiences of Workfare schemes around the world have shown that they fail to help people into work. In Australia, Workfare has left unemployed people less likely to get a job. In New York, existing workers have lost their jobs to Workfare temps.
'Employers aren't impressed either - who will want to recruit someone who has been forced into their last job? The Tories will have to pay for the work people are forced to do, on top of support services like childcare. So there is no chance that the Tories will find the £3 billion savings they are looking for.
'Under the Tory proposals, people will not be paid the rate for the job they are doing and there will be no guarantee of a job at the end. The only beneficiaries will be dodgy employers, who will exploit unpaid Workfare temps to the detriment of existing staff.'
help people back into work
Responding to the Conservative Party's welfare reform proposals announced today (Tuesday), Midlands TUC Policy Officer Alan Weaver said:
'The Tories' Workfare proposals manage to combine injustice, expense and inefficiency in a single package. Experiences of Workfare schemes around the world have shown that they fail to help people into work. In Australia, Workfare has left unemployed people less likely to get a job. In New York, existing workers have lost their jobs to Workfare temps.
'Employers aren't impressed either - who will want to recruit someone who has been forced into their last job? The Tories will have to pay for the work people are forced to do, on top of support services like childcare. So there is no chance that the Tories will find the £3 billion savings they are looking for.
'Under the Tory proposals, people will not be paid the rate for the job they are doing and there will be no guarantee of a job at the end. The only beneficiaries will be dodgy employers, who will exploit unpaid Workfare temps to the detriment of existing staff.'
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The importance of taking a break
(04/01/08) Holidays are important for people's wellbeing -- but for many families on low incomes, a holiday is simply beyond reach, according to new research.The research -- sponsored by UNISON Welfare, the Family Holiday Association, the Family Fund and the Youth Hostel Association (England and Wales) -- found that families cited the 'opportunity for fun and happy memories for children' and 'the chance to spend time together as a family' as the top benefits of their holiday.The researchers from the University of Nottingham identified a range of circumstances affecting low-income families -- money, health, disability, stress and neighbourhood problems -- which can be helped by a break from challenging circumstances and a fresh perspective.They concluded that holidays can open up new ways to live which can have a lasting impact and cited the positive effect on issues such social exclusion and child poverty.Every year, hundreds of UNISON members receive help with a holiday or get well break from UNISON's charity. The service, called wellbeing breaks, includes support for day trips and leisure outings."We know only too well about the impact on family life and general health of long hours, difficult shift patterns and inflexible working conditions," says general secretary Dave Prentis."So we recognise the value of holidays and the need for low-income households in particular to have more access to adequate leisure time and a break from the stresses of daily life." UNISON welfare UNISON's work-life balance campaign
(04/01/08) Holidays are important for people's wellbeing -- but for many families on low incomes, a holiday is simply beyond reach, according to new research.The research -- sponsored by UNISON Welfare, the Family Holiday Association, the Family Fund and the Youth Hostel Association (England and Wales) -- found that families cited the 'opportunity for fun and happy memories for children' and 'the chance to spend time together as a family' as the top benefits of their holiday.The researchers from the University of Nottingham identified a range of circumstances affecting low-income families -- money, health, disability, stress and neighbourhood problems -- which can be helped by a break from challenging circumstances and a fresh perspective.They concluded that holidays can open up new ways to live which can have a lasting impact and cited the positive effect on issues such social exclusion and child poverty.Every year, hundreds of UNISON members receive help with a holiday or get well break from UNISON's charity. The service, called wellbeing breaks, includes support for day trips and leisure outings."We know only too well about the impact on family life and general health of long hours, difficult shift patterns and inflexible working conditions," says general secretary Dave Prentis."So we recognise the value of holidays and the need for low-income households in particular to have more access to adequate leisure time and a break from the stresses of daily life." UNISON welfare UNISON's work-life balance campaign
TUC supports campaign to stop
violence against Iraqi women
The TUC is supporting the campaign launched on 3 January by the Iraqi Women's League (IWL) Co-ordinating Committee Abroad against violence against women in Iraq. We reproduce here their press release, and urge trade unionists to sign up to the online petition at
http://www.ahewar.org/camp/i.asp?id=111
violence against Iraqi women
The TUC is supporting the campaign launched on 3 January by the Iraqi Women's League (IWL) Co-ordinating Committee Abroad against violence against women in Iraq. We reproduce here their press release, and urge trade unionists to sign up to the online petition at
http://www.ahewar.org/camp/i.asp?id=111
Thursday, January 03, 2008
TUC offers ten 'green' resolutions for 2008
With UK workplaces generating more carbon dioxide emissions than homes, the TUC has today (Wednesday) published new advice for staff to tackle climate change at work.
The TUC Green Workplaces project has found that a typical workplace produces ten times more carbon dioxide emissions than those produced by the homes and personal lives of its workforce. And while energy consumption at home has been reduced by five per cent in the last year, it continues to rise in UK workplaces.
Despite this trend, the Green Workplaces project has uncovered several examples of successful green initiatives across the UK, including recycling projects and schemes to reduce electricity usage. The TUC wants workplaces to be a major front against climate change in 2008 and has used examples of good practice to draft a guide for employees and union reps on how to green the workplace.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'When it comes to tackling climate change, people tend to look towards international agreements or what they can do at home. But more than half of the UK's carbon emissions are produced at work or through work-related transport. There's a lot more we can all do to reduce our workplace's carbon footprint.
'The TUC's advice should help everyone to act together and have a greener workplace. It's not about making people feel guilty, but about removing barriers to being green at work. Union environmental reps will be working with staff and managers to make UK workplaces greener in 2008.'
Ten resolutions to make your workplace greener in 2008:
1. Remember the three 'Rs'. Try to recycle as much as possible, but remember that reducing paper usage and re-using paper is even better.
2. Make sure that your workplace is the right temperature, ideally between 19 and 24 degrees centigrade. This will make for a greener, healthier working environment.
3. Flexible working options, such as home or remote working, can reduce your carbon footprint by avoiding the commute into work.
4. Consider video-conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings.
5. Ensure that all bulbs are low-energy.
6. Make sure furniture or equipment is not blocking any heating or windows.
7. Find out if your workplace is properly insulated and draught-proofed.
8. If you're the last to leave the office, make sure you turn everything off, such as lights, computer equipment, appliances, motors and machinery.
9. Talk to colleagues about working together to green your workplace. Collective action is more effective than individual efforts.
10. If you're unsure about how to reduce your carbon footprint at work, consult your union environmental rep. If there isn't one in your workplace, why not become one yourself! Contact Shropshire Unison Office on 01743 252952 Amelia Jones is the Branch Environmental officer.
With UK workplaces generating more carbon dioxide emissions than homes, the TUC has today (Wednesday) published new advice for staff to tackle climate change at work.
The TUC Green Workplaces project has found that a typical workplace produces ten times more carbon dioxide emissions than those produced by the homes and personal lives of its workforce. And while energy consumption at home has been reduced by five per cent in the last year, it continues to rise in UK workplaces.
Despite this trend, the Green Workplaces project has uncovered several examples of successful green initiatives across the UK, including recycling projects and schemes to reduce electricity usage. The TUC wants workplaces to be a major front against climate change in 2008 and has used examples of good practice to draft a guide for employees and union reps on how to green the workplace.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'When it comes to tackling climate change, people tend to look towards international agreements or what they can do at home. But more than half of the UK's carbon emissions are produced at work or through work-related transport. There's a lot more we can all do to reduce our workplace's carbon footprint.
'The TUC's advice should help everyone to act together and have a greener workplace. It's not about making people feel guilty, but about removing barriers to being green at work. Union environmental reps will be working with staff and managers to make UK workplaces greener in 2008.'
Ten resolutions to make your workplace greener in 2008:
1. Remember the three 'Rs'. Try to recycle as much as possible, but remember that reducing paper usage and re-using paper is even better.
2. Make sure that your workplace is the right temperature, ideally between 19 and 24 degrees centigrade. This will make for a greener, healthier working environment.
3. Flexible working options, such as home or remote working, can reduce your carbon footprint by avoiding the commute into work.
4. Consider video-conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings.
5. Ensure that all bulbs are low-energy.
6. Make sure furniture or equipment is not blocking any heating or windows.
7. Find out if your workplace is properly insulated and draught-proofed.
8. If you're the last to leave the office, make sure you turn everything off, such as lights, computer equipment, appliances, motors and machinery.
9. Talk to colleagues about working together to green your workplace. Collective action is more effective than individual efforts.
10. If you're unsure about how to reduce your carbon footprint at work, consult your union environmental rep. If there isn't one in your workplace, why not become one yourself! Contact Shropshire Unison Office on 01743 252952 Amelia Jones is the Branch Environmental officer.
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