Urgent Update - 23/24 Strike
April 22nd UNISON issued the following clarification to members:
"Despite, managements’ best efforts to muddy the waters with
their sham
revised offer & subsequent propaganda campaign, we believe that members
throughout our services will support the planned action on 23rd &
24th
April.
For those staff who have read our managements propaganda & seen the
video,
I would like to draw your attention to a number of points that seem to
have been forgotten or glossed over.
Firstly, for those staff who are relying on a positive Appeal against
their score, management in talks admitted that they had made no financial
provision for successful appeals. Given the size of the appeals –
where is
the money going to come from if we win our Appeal? Or is a fair &
equitable appeals process simply a pipe dream?
Secondly, despite their comments to the contrary their revised offer
does
not constitute extra money because they have admitted that this money
will
have to be found from existing directorate budgets & as we all know
the
city is awash with spare cash!!!
Lastly, despite their assurances to the contrary staff are being asked
to
keep ALL offices open on traditional Concessionary & Extra Statutory
Days
with no regard to childcare issues or any other plans staff may have
around school holidays. Clearly, this is how they see our flexibility
in
the future.
Finally, we would like to thank those senior officers for their
presentation, especially as their jobs have not been measured & unlike
you
& me they’re not facing huge wage cuts. Indeed, we understand,
the
national employer has just offered senior officers a 6% pay rise compared
to their final offer of 2.45% to everyone else!!!"
And in response to press reports about division amongst the unions
Birmingham City Council Strike
Media Release 22 April 2008
The Birmingham City Council Joint Trade Unions met today and have
re-asserted their united position calling on all union members to
take strike action tomorrow and Thursday, 23 and 24 April.
Claims by senior management of splits in the Joint Union side are
unfounded and were rejected as sheer desperation.
Steve Foster, Unite/TGWU said
"The council unions have been united from day one and remain so. If
the council is serious about reaching a settlement, it should
withdraw the imposed contracts."
Caroline Johnson, UNISON said,
"This imposed contract affects all our members from cooks to park
wardens, clerical workers to street cleaners. We have never known
such unity amongst our members. Over 95% voted for continued action
at our recent meetings. Our members remain united in our opposition
to the new contracts and grading structure."
Paul Sayers, UCATT said,
"We remain solidly behind all our members who lose out under the pay
and grading contract. We are all out tomorrow and Thursday. One
question for Steven Hughes, Chief Executive, will he be losing his
bonus like our members."
Ann Lafferty, GMB said,
"The GMB and its members are fully committed and involved in the
dispute and along with their colleagues within the other trade
unions will be asked to take part in the industrial action on the 23rd
and 24
th April 2008. There is a slight difference of opinion as to the
level of talks we are willing to be involved in with Education,
however, this does not create disharmony. The joint trade unions
have a commitment to fight together against an unreasonable package
submitted by an unreasonable employer. Employer's tactics come and
go, our commitment to the dispute is unwavering."
Birmingham Council Joint Trade Unions
For more information call : Steve Foster 0121 303 2867 / 643 6221
Caroline Johnson 07855 645 199
Paul Sayers 07828 038 801
GMB Office 0121 550 4888
Strike Suspended - 14 days of intensive talks agreed
UNISON and the Joint Trade Unions have agreed to suspend strike action
scheduled for 26th February. The council have agreed to intensive negotiations
to resolve our differences by the 12th of March, 2008. The branch will
be holding mass members' meetings immediately after the talks for you
the members to consider the outcome and to vote on whether they are agreeable
or we need to take futher industrial action.
These talks will start from firm undertakings:
- To extend protection beyond 2010 and take measures to minimise losers
and the amount they lose
- Assimilation to salary bands more closely matching the job evaluation
score
- Consideration of additional funding for the structure
- Agreement to be reached on non-pay contractual issues such as flexibility,
weekly to monthy pay and changes to the working week
The branch was expecting from workplace reports and even stronger level
of support for the second day of strike action. It is clear that the employers
also recognised the strength of support in agreeing to these intensive
talks.
We call upon members to keep the pressure up on the council and the Conservative-Liberal
ruling group through lobbying their councillors in line with our last
newsletter. It is your fantastic support and involvement which has
created the opportunity for real talks. The dispute is still very much
on, we must now win an acceptable deal or return to industrial action
after the 12th
For more details see Single
Status Action news 8.
Strike, 26th February 2008, confirmed
The Joint Trades Unions have confirmed another day of all out action
for 26th February 2008. For more details see the
newsletter. We would like to thank everyone who joined us on the picket
lines on 5th February and the members of the public who gave us fantastic
support. we hope that you can join us again on the 26th.
Strike 5th February 2008
Following an overwhelming majority "YES!" vote UNISON Birmingham
branch is calling out all members effected by Single Status and the proposed
new 'flexible' contracts on strike. The first action will be an all out
one day strike on Tuesday 5th February 2008. For futher details see
the announcement (PDF).
Voluntary Action Levy
In the next weeks, we will be calling out small groups of members on
longer strike action to disrupt key council functions and to highlight
our dispute to councillors. This will need the rest of us to support a
regular voluntary levy to make up their lost pay. Please give generously
and regularly. A log sheet and standing order form for donations can be
downloaded
here.
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