Con-demned jobs: Cuts that wreck recovery
UNISON today (24 January) warned that savage public sector job cuts are threatening whole communities and wrecking recovery.The UK’s largest union is publishing a snapshot of “Con-demned jobs” covering just the last 6 weeks, to show that growing numbers of workers are being consigned to already lengthy dole queues, along with the services they provide. Staff at the Heart of England NHS Trust are being hit with the loss of 1,600 jobs and the latest cuts added from local councils include 1,200 in Hampshire, 1,000 in Norfolk and 400 in East Sussex County Councils, where social service departments are being targeted.The careers service has also fallen victim to the cuts, with 8,000 jobs going by 31 March this year. The union is predicting that half the workforce could now be axed - with cuts ranging from 25% to 90% in some areas - leaving young people without the help and advice they need.Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:“This dossier of Con-demned jobs makes very grim reading. Behind every statistic there are families desperate to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and the dignity of a decent job.“With unemployment up to 2.5m, the coalition cuts are blighting lives and wrecking the country’s chances of recovery. Sacking workers and closing down essential services will not put the economy back on its feet.“The union is calling for an alternative political vision, to boost economic recovery and keep Britain working. Money can and should be raised from the bankers who continue to rake in their bonuses. Having brought the country to its knees by their financial dealing, they are happy to ignore a Government on its knees and powerless to stop the bonus culture.“The latest figures show record levels of unemployment for 16 to 24 year olds, with 1 in 5 (951,000) unable to find work. Getting the right help can make or break the future of young people desperately trying to find their feet, as well as workers made redundant struggling to retrain. “Cutting 8.000 jobs from the careers service will add to their difficulty. The hikes in tuition fees, education cuts and record unemployment means that many young people don’t know which way to turn and now they will have one less place to turn to.”The union says that the figures nail the lie that the NHS is being ring-fenced by the Government. The £20bn that is being demanded in efficiency savings is already being translated into job losses. Good patient care depends on having the right numbers with the right level of skills on the wards. This is one of the key lessons to come out of the Inquiry into the death toll at Mid Staffordshire Hospital Foundation Trust.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
UNISON calls for an end to excessive hours in social work
In the second week of a ten-week long campaign, UNISON, the UK’s largest union, and Community Care magazine, have written to key stakeholders in social work, calling on them to make sure social workers can get time off in lieu (TOIL) or be paid for working additional hours. A recent survey* showed that 64% of social workers worked extra hours, and in another survey** social workers reported that they did an average of 1.9 hours per week in overtime without pay or TOIL. 39% said they had to work additional hours at short notice either most days or every week. Many social workers can’t claim it back or have TOIL because they’re too busy, or their managers won’t let them. This does nothing to help morale, and contributes to already high rates of social worker burn out, making it near on impossible for social workers to practice safely and effectively. Helga Pile, UNISON national officer for social work, said: “Heavy caseloads and high vacancy rates mean many social workers have little choice but to work late. And the stats back it up – 64% work extra hours. It’s not as if they can say ‘sorry, I’ve got to go’, when it hits five o’clock if a vulnerable child is depending on them. “But social workers can’t keep picking up the slack. This constant overloading is not sustainable. Lots of people in the profession are facing burnout. They are hit with the impossible dilemma of trying to balance their heavy workload, with the needs of their own families. Many simply give up on the idea of having a life of their own.“If they have to work extra hours, social workers should be paid or given time off in lieu. This will force employers to stop exploiting their goodwill, and start managing workloads properly. “This week we have written to key stakeholders in social work calling on them to make it a priority. It’s only right that social workers get the opportunity to rest and recuperate, so they can carry on doing one of the toughest jobs going.”UNISON is campaigning for minimum conditions to give social workers what they need to practice safely and effectively. Together with Community Care, the union has developed the Social Work Contract, which outlines ten key points, one of which is giving social workers TOIL (time off in lieu) or pay for working additional hours. Each week, the union is writing to Tim Loughton, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Children and Families, Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services, Sharon Hodgson MP, Labour Shadow Minister for Children and Families, and Emily Thornberry MP, Labour Shadow Care Services Minster, highlighting one part of the social work contract. The union has also launched an online petition on the contract, and is calling on members of the public, parents and social workers to add their voice to the call for action. Hundreds of social workers have already signed. Add your support here: http://www.unison.co.uk/asppresspack/%3CA%20HREF=">http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/714/061/796/ <http://www.unison.co.uk/asppresspack/%3CA%20HREF=">http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/714/061/796/>
Thursday, January 20, 2011
UNISON slams growing toll of council job cuts
Commenting on today’s shocking news that 1,200 workers at Hampshire, 1,000 in Norfolk and up to 400 at East Sussex County Councils, face joining the 2.5 million unemployed, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:“The Government’s cuts are taking a terrible toll on council workers and services. It is a disgrace that 2,600 more council workers are being added to growing dole queues as unemployment hits 2.5m. “The job losses are a bitter blow to families who face inflation hikes, soaring prices and the prospect of their mortgages going through the roof, when interest rates rise. This Government is robbing communities of hope for the future and vital services that people depend on.“In Hampshire, children and adult services look likely to be hardest hit by these huge cuts - how will vulnerable people who rely on these vital services cope with such a strained service? We know that workers there only found out about the job losses through word of mouth. Bosses should have the decency to tell workers the truth.“There are alternatives. The government should come clean on the real impact of their savage cuts agenda.”
Commenting on today’s shocking news that 1,200 workers at Hampshire, 1,000 in Norfolk and up to 400 at East Sussex County Councils, face joining the 2.5 million unemployed, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:“The Government’s cuts are taking a terrible toll on council workers and services. It is a disgrace that 2,600 more council workers are being added to growing dole queues as unemployment hits 2.5m. “The job losses are a bitter blow to families who face inflation hikes, soaring prices and the prospect of their mortgages going through the roof, when interest rates rise. This Government is robbing communities of hope for the future and vital services that people depend on.“In Hampshire, children and adult services look likely to be hardest hit by these huge cuts - how will vulnerable people who rely on these vital services cope with such a strained service? We know that workers there only found out about the job losses through word of mouth. Bosses should have the decency to tell workers the truth.“There are alternatives. The government should come clean on the real impact of their savage cuts agenda.”
Policy Committee in its deliberations on interest
rates since November 2009.
The sentiments now
are that interest rates will have to rise from their historic
low of 0.5% to put the squeeze on inflation.
% increase on a year earlier
RPI except mortgage interest payments
Five of the 14 groups that make up the RPI posted
an increase of the overall rise of 4.8% or more.
The clothing and footwear group’s 10.3% rise included
double digit percentage rises on women’s,
men’s, and children’s clothing of 13.8%, 11.1% and
11.7% respectively. Meanwhile, the motoring expenditure
group’s 9.1% rise included a 29.1% rise
Inflation rise piles on
the misery
Inflation has risen and will almost certainly rise
further as the VAT rise to 20% and fuel duty rises
will impact on next month’s figures for January. As
it was, higher fuel prices and dearer food had the
greatest impact on the rise for December.
Under the Retail Prices Index (RPI), the rate of
inflation was 4.8% in December against 4.7% the
previous month.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the
alarming rise in inflation will “make a tough year
for workers even harder to bear” and that “fuelling
inflation with a VAT hike will hit workers in
their wage packets”. The VAT rise is “bad for
working families and damaging for the economy
too,” Barber said.
Under the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), inflation
was up to 3.7% from 3.3% the previous month. The
rate is at its highest for eight months. This measure
does not include housing costs and is the measure
used by the coalition to update state benefits and
public sector pensions.
The CPI figure has been above the 2.0% target set
by the Treasury for the Bank of England's Monetary
in tax and insurance and a 12.6% rise in petrol and
oil prices. And the 4.3% rise in fares, included a
7.3% rise in rail fares.
Food prices rose by an average of 5.9%, but there
were substantial rises in butter (24.0%), tea (11.3%)
and lamb (11.8%).
The fuel and light group only showed an overall
rise of 2.8%, but “oil and other fuel” prices racked
up a 44.0% rise.
4.8% or more % Less than 4.8% %
Clothing & footwear 10.3 Fares etc 4.3
Motoring expenditure 9.1 Personal goods & services 3.9
Tobacco 8.4 Alcoholic drink 3.7
Food 5.9 Catering 3.4
Leisure services 4.8 Household goods 3.3
Household services 3.2
Housing 2.8
Fuel & light 2.8
Leisure goods 0.6
www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpi0111.pdf
www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpibrief0111.pdf
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/a-to-i-dec-2010.pdf
www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-19007-f0.cfm
rates since November 2009.
The sentiments now
are that interest rates will have to rise from their historic
low of 0.5% to put the squeeze on inflation.
% increase on a year earlier
RPI except mortgage interest payments
Five of the 14 groups that make up the RPI posted
an increase of the overall rise of 4.8% or more.
The clothing and footwear group’s 10.3% rise included
double digit percentage rises on women’s,
men’s, and children’s clothing of 13.8%, 11.1% and
11.7% respectively. Meanwhile, the motoring expenditure
group’s 9.1% rise included a 29.1% rise
Inflation rise piles on
the misery
Inflation has risen and will almost certainly rise
further as the VAT rise to 20% and fuel duty rises
will impact on next month’s figures for January. As
it was, higher fuel prices and dearer food had the
greatest impact on the rise for December.
Under the Retail Prices Index (RPI), the rate of
inflation was 4.8% in December against 4.7% the
previous month.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the
alarming rise in inflation will “make a tough year
for workers even harder to bear” and that “fuelling
inflation with a VAT hike will hit workers in
their wage packets”. The VAT rise is “bad for
working families and damaging for the economy
too,” Barber said.
Under the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), inflation
was up to 3.7% from 3.3% the previous month. The
rate is at its highest for eight months. This measure
does not include housing costs and is the measure
used by the coalition to update state benefits and
public sector pensions.
The CPI figure has been above the 2.0% target set
by the Treasury for the Bank of England's Monetary
in tax and insurance and a 12.6% rise in petrol and
oil prices. And the 4.3% rise in fares, included a
7.3% rise in rail fares.
Food prices rose by an average of 5.9%, but there
were substantial rises in butter (24.0%), tea (11.3%)
and lamb (11.8%).
The fuel and light group only showed an overall
rise of 2.8%, but “oil and other fuel” prices racked
up a 44.0% rise.
4.8% or more % Less than 4.8% %
Clothing & footwear 10.3 Fares etc 4.3
Motoring expenditure 9.1 Personal goods & services 3.9
Tobacco 8.4 Alcoholic drink 3.7
Food 5.9 Catering 3.4
Leisure services 4.8 Household goods 3.3
Household services 3.2
Housing 2.8
Fuel & light 2.8
Leisure goods 0.6
www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpi0111.pdf
www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpibrief0111.pdf
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/a-to-i-dec-2010.pdf
www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-19007-f0.cfm
Friday, January 14, 2011
Government cuts score direct hit on Manchester with 2,000 jobs lost
UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today laid the blame for the “tragic loss” of 2,000 jobs at Manchester Council, at the door of the Government. The union is shocked by the targeting of such a deprived area, and said that the impact of job losses on services and the local economy will be devastating.Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:“The shockwaves of 2,000 job losses will spread across the City of Manchester and beyond. It is a tragic loss to workers who will have to break the news to their families that they are losing their jobs. It is also a bitter blow to communities who will lose services they rely on and will hit local businesses and trade".“The Government’s cuts have been targeted at some of the most deprived areas in the country and Manchester is clearly in the firing line. The council had been working with UNISON to try to lessen the impact of budget cuts, but the Local Government finance settlement in December, was the final straw. It was the toughest in living memory and has forced the council into font-loading the cuts".“We will continue to work with the council but the people of Manchester face the grim reality of longer dole queues".
UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today laid the blame for the “tragic loss” of 2,000 jobs at Manchester Council, at the door of the Government. The union is shocked by the targeting of such a deprived area, and said that the impact of job losses on services and the local economy will be devastating.Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:“The shockwaves of 2,000 job losses will spread across the City of Manchester and beyond. It is a tragic loss to workers who will have to break the news to their families that they are losing their jobs. It is also a bitter blow to communities who will lose services they rely on and will hit local businesses and trade".“The Government’s cuts have been targeted at some of the most deprived areas in the country and Manchester is clearly in the firing line. The council had been working with UNISON to try to lessen the impact of budget cuts, but the Local Government finance settlement in December, was the final straw. It was the toughest in living memory and has forced the council into font-loading the cuts".“We will continue to work with the council but the people of Manchester face the grim reality of longer dole queues".
Monday, January 10, 2011
Rail fare rises funding
fat cat pensions
Rail passengers paying fare rises of up to 13%
are funding gold-plated pensions for private rail
bosses, the white collar rail union TSSA has said.
The pensions bonanza — which sees First Group’s
Sir Moir Lockhead retire on £325,000 a year this
March — comes as passengers face three years of
increases of RPI inflation plus 3% from 2012 on top
of the present increases.
“The rewards at the private rail companies expose
the myth that these huge fare increases are directly
linked to future rail investment,” said TSSA general
secretary Gerry Doherty.
“Rail privatisation is a gravy train. The private
companies take all the profits and the passengers
take all the pain.”
As well as Lockhead, Southeastern boss Keith Ludeman
retires this summer on a pension of £200,000
a year. Meanwhile at Arriva, David Martin, who
banked nearly £5 million when the firm was taken
over by Deutsche Bahn, will pick up £366,000 a year
when he retires.
“These huge rewards are being paid on the back
of passengers who are paying the highest fares in
Europe,” added Doherty.
Ray O’Toole “retired” from National Express’
board last May, but continues as an employee of
the group. He opted out of the group’s final salary
scheme in April 2006 by which time he was entitled
to a pension of £38,200 a year on retirement
in 2015. However since then the group has been
paying a pension supplement to him equivalent
to 44% of basic salary and over £800,000 has been
paid to him to sort out a rather handsome pension
in retirement.
Stagecoach is involved in a number of franchises,
including South West Trains. Chief executive Brian
Souter, according to the group’s 2010 annual report,
has accrued a pension worth at least £348,000 a year
for when he retires in four years time.
fat cat pensions
Rail passengers paying fare rises of up to 13%
are funding gold-plated pensions for private rail
bosses, the white collar rail union TSSA has said.
The pensions bonanza — which sees First Group’s
Sir Moir Lockhead retire on £325,000 a year this
March — comes as passengers face three years of
increases of RPI inflation plus 3% from 2012 on top
of the present increases.
“The rewards at the private rail companies expose
the myth that these huge fare increases are directly
linked to future rail investment,” said TSSA general
secretary Gerry Doherty.
“Rail privatisation is a gravy train. The private
companies take all the profits and the passengers
take all the pain.”
As well as Lockhead, Southeastern boss Keith Ludeman
retires this summer on a pension of £200,000
a year. Meanwhile at Arriva, David Martin, who
banked nearly £5 million when the firm was taken
over by Deutsche Bahn, will pick up £366,000 a year
when he retires.
“These huge rewards are being paid on the back
of passengers who are paying the highest fares in
Europe,” added Doherty.
Ray O’Toole “retired” from National Express’
board last May, but continues as an employee of
the group. He opted out of the group’s final salary
scheme in April 2006 by which time he was entitled
to a pension of £38,200 a year on retirement
in 2015. However since then the group has been
paying a pension supplement to him equivalent
to 44% of basic salary and over £800,000 has been
paid to him to sort out a rather handsome pension
in retirement.
Stagecoach is involved in a number of franchises,
including South West Trains. Chief executive Brian
Souter, according to the group’s 2010 annual report,
has accrued a pension worth at least £348,000 a year
for when he retires in four years time.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Travel expenses and minimum wage
A change to the minimum wage regulations came
into force on the 1 January after a legal challenge
from a company failed.
The change to the regulations prevents employers
from treating travel expenses as part of the wage
paid to workers.
Recruitment group Cordant, which employs around
30,000 people in the UK and Ireland, unsuccessfully
challenged the amendment to the National
Minimum Wage Regulations 1999, which came into
force on New Year’s Day.
The regulations now provide that any payments
to workers for travelling expenses under section
338 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions)
Volume 73 Issue 1 Fact Service 3
Act 2003 cannot count as part of the national
minimum wage.
Giving judgment in R (on the application of Cordant
Group) v Secretary of State for Business [2010]
EWHC 3442 (Admin), Mr Justice Kenneth Parker
described the challenge as “an attack on the economic
merits of regulatory reform affecting the
labour market in the guise of a common law and
legal equality case”.
He said he could “discern no arguable basis”
why the amendment, which brought “substantial
benefit” to low-paid workers and was in the public
interest, should not be implemented as planned.
Unions have welcomed the changes. Mary Maguire,
head of press and broadcasting for the public sector
trade union UNISON, said it would prevent bad
employers from exploiting workers.
She said: “It’s good news that the courts have come
down on the side of low paid workers. Employers
should not be allowed to get around their legal
obligations in this way.
“UNISON fought for years to get a statutory national
minimum wage established that would help stop
exploitation by bad employers by providing a pay
floor. Despite the fact that it is still too low, it is
incredible that employers are still trying to get
round it.”
A change to the minimum wage regulations came
into force on the 1 January after a legal challenge
from a company failed.
The change to the regulations prevents employers
from treating travel expenses as part of the wage
paid to workers.
Recruitment group Cordant, which employs around
30,000 people in the UK and Ireland, unsuccessfully
challenged the amendment to the National
Minimum Wage Regulations 1999, which came into
force on New Year’s Day.
The regulations now provide that any payments
to workers for travelling expenses under section
338 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions)
Volume 73 Issue 1 Fact Service 3
Act 2003 cannot count as part of the national
minimum wage.
Giving judgment in R (on the application of Cordant
Group) v Secretary of State for Business [2010]
EWHC 3442 (Admin), Mr Justice Kenneth Parker
described the challenge as “an attack on the economic
merits of regulatory reform affecting the
labour market in the guise of a common law and
legal equality case”.
He said he could “discern no arguable basis”
why the amendment, which brought “substantial
benefit” to low-paid workers and was in the public
interest, should not be implemented as planned.
Unions have welcomed the changes. Mary Maguire,
head of press and broadcasting for the public sector
trade union UNISON, said it would prevent bad
employers from exploiting workers.
She said: “It’s good news that the courts have come
down on the side of low paid workers. Employers
should not be allowed to get around their legal
obligations in this way.
“UNISON fought for years to get a statutory national
minimum wage established that would help stop
exploitation by bad employers by providing a pay
floor. Despite the fact that it is still too low, it is
incredible that employers are still trying to get
round it.”
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
UNISON secures £27,398,985 compensation for personal injuries in 2010
Assaults, car crashes, back injuries and slips at work are among the cases UNISON has won £27,398,985 worth of compensation for in 2010.The UK's largest public sector union has handled 3,893 cases to help members receive justice for the pain and suffering caused by personal injuries.UNISON's General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said:"A lot of these injuries could and should have been prevented. These jobs are not dangerous - nursery workers, dental technicians and dinner ladies - but, because employers have been negligent, some UNISON members have lost their health, families, confidence and careers."Employers have a duty of care and where they fail, workers and their families deserve compensation for the pain and suffering caused by personal injuries."Last year UNISON secured £28million for workplace injuries but, one year on, and it's clear some employers have still not learnt their lesson and introduced safer working practices. "Public sector workers already face pay freezes, job and service cuts, with worse to come. They deserve to be able to do a hard day's work in a safe environment."
Breakdown of compensation by region:
Eastern - 204 cases - £1,482,492.60 compensation
East Midlands - 345 cases - £2,600,048.30 compensation
Greater London - 239 cases - £2,752,227.50 compensation
Northern - 463 cases - £2,746,031.80 compensation
Northern Ireland - 143 cases - £559,509.72 compensation
North West - 519 cases - £3,155,907.60 compensation
Scotland - 224 cases - 1,602,762.20 compensation
South East - 196 cases - £1,952,433.30 compensation
South West - 186 cases - £2,443,894.50 compensation
Wales - 382 cases - £2,754,931.80 compensation
West Midlands - 428 cases - £2,025,836.40 compensation
Yorkshire and Humberside - 564 - £3,322,913.90 compensatio
Examples of compensation cases for UNISON members:
Assaults, car crashes, back injuries and slips at work are among the cases UNISON has won £27,398,985 worth of compensation for in 2010.The UK's largest public sector union has handled 3,893 cases to help members receive justice for the pain and suffering caused by personal injuries.UNISON's General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said:"A lot of these injuries could and should have been prevented. These jobs are not dangerous - nursery workers, dental technicians and dinner ladies - but, because employers have been negligent, some UNISON members have lost their health, families, confidence and careers."Employers have a duty of care and where they fail, workers and their families deserve compensation for the pain and suffering caused by personal injuries."Last year UNISON secured £28million for workplace injuries but, one year on, and it's clear some employers have still not learnt their lesson and introduced safer working practices. "Public sector workers already face pay freezes, job and service cuts, with worse to come. They deserve to be able to do a hard day's work in a safe environment."
Breakdown of compensation by region:
Eastern - 204 cases - £1,482,492.60 compensation
East Midlands - 345 cases - £2,600,048.30 compensation
Greater London - 239 cases - £2,752,227.50 compensation
Northern - 463 cases - £2,746,031.80 compensation
Northern Ireland - 143 cases - £559,509.72 compensation
North West - 519 cases - £3,155,907.60 compensation
Scotland - 224 cases - 1,602,762.20 compensation
South East - 196 cases - £1,952,433.30 compensation
South West - 186 cases - £2,443,894.50 compensation
Wales - 382 cases - £2,754,931.80 compensation
West Midlands - 428 cases - £2,025,836.40 compensation
Yorkshire and Humberside - 564 - £3,322,913.90 compensatio
Examples of compensation cases for UNISON members:
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