Blackpool Local Government Branch

Following the successful lobby of the full Council meeting on 28 June, UNISON organised another protest on Wednesday, 21 July, this time to coincide with the meeting of the Council’s Conservative-dominated Executive Committee. It was sitting to discuss proposals to reduce the impact of the reduced funding from central government. It was UNISON’s intention to keep up the pressure to reduce the number of staff facing redundancy to zero and to submit its proposals to the Committee for consideration. To the astonishment of many in the public gallery, the Committee failed to acknowledge the suggestions and refused to allow elected Labour councillors from speaking, let alone to put forward alternative solutions.

Reduction in the number of ‘at risk’ redundancies

In the period leading up to the meeting, the numbers ‘at risk’ of redundancy had been dramatically reduced from over 260 down to 80. This was the result of painstaking negotiations between Trade Union officials, Senior Officers of the authority, and the ruling group of Tory councillors. There can be little doubt that June’s lobby, the contributions of Labour councillors, as well as the extensive media coverage had a significant impact on the decision to look again at how the proposed redundancies should be handled. If proof were needed, it should also be a demonstration of what can be achieved when people collectively decide their circumstances can be changed for the better.

UNISON’s proposals

Mike Booth, Regional Organiser for UNISON, offered an interim solution to avoid the remaining redundancies. In his letter to Executive Committee members, he said the Council could use a portion of its Reserves to fund the 80 posts identified as still at risk of redundancy, up to the 31 March 2011. Such a proposal would have provided for a period of up to five years to replenish that funding. The letter went on to commit the Trade Unions to working with the Council to “seek via redeployment, and other recognised means, to achieve related significant cash savings” during the remainder of the period of employment.

Democracy and accountability shockingly absent

After holding a protest on the steps of the Town Hall, and with more media coverage from the Gazette (read the article here) and from Radio Wave, UNISON members moved inside to attend what they assumed would be a debate about the Council’s proposals, and the alternatives suggested by UNISON and Labour councillors. To the shock and anger of those assembled, the meeting consisted of the leader of the Executive, Peter Callow, reading out part of the already-available report of the Executive and making baffling criticisms of Labour members sat opposite. There was no mention of any alternative proposals to save jobs and, once Cllr Callow had finished speaking, the vote was taken, passed unanimously and the meeting finished abruptly. To the casual observer, the whole affair must have felt like a charade and an affront to basic principles of accountability and democratic rights. To those directly affected by the threat of redundancy, and their supporters, it was an outrage.

The devil is in the detail

In supporting some affected services, part of what the Executive proposed consisted of a £99,000 reduction in funding from the Extended Schools budget and a further £390,000 from the Learning and Schools funding. UNISON’s proposals to use relatively small sums from the Council’s reserves would have avoided the need to reduce these budgets and avoiding putting others at risk of redundancy.

On the issue of redundancies, the report concluded by saying, "Reserves and balances will have to deal with this, the alternative being even deeper cuts in services and more job losses." In fact, redundancy payments could be paid from a capitalisation loan that could be paid over a more sustainable period of time. Again, UNISON’s proposal was for the Council to use some of its ample Reserves to be used to honour the contracts of those who are under threat of losing their livelihoods.

The only way to achieve our aims

It is clear that the campaign to save the jobs of the remaining 80 staff members facing redundancy will require an intensification of UNISON’s campaign. The Council hasn’t shown any signs that it is willing to lobby its political masters in Whitehall to defend the town from the devastating loss of much-needed grants. It, therefore, falls on ourselves to look at all necessary options and to build a campaign capable of achieving our aims. This can only be done by mobilising the maximum number of members of all affected Trade Unions and others willing to provide support. In doing so, we call on everyone to participate in future activities.