Blackpool Local Government Branch

The letter below is currently being sent to all our members.  We have also informed Carmel McKeogh, the Assistant Chief Executive for Human Resources and Organisation Development, of our position:

Dear Member,

In recent months, the Authority has proposed (to save 100 jobs) a continuation of last year's variation in Terms and Conditions and to maintain Car Park charges.

 

UNISON's Local Government Branch Committee confirmed the following position at its meeting held yesterday (6 December):

1.      Oppose any continuance of the Unpaid Leave and Frozen Increments package beyond 31 March 2012.

2.      Support the cessation of the Car Parking Fee Scheme with effect from 1 April 2012

The Branch Committee, in reaching these decisions, are conscious that many of our members are struggling to make ends meet as inflation, local cuts on pay and conditions, and the freezing cost of living awards, combine to push our members further into poverty.

Council employees have suffered below inflation pay increases for a number of years, followed by a two year pay freeze without the Government’s promised £250 compensation for the low paid.

The Government's recent announcement that public sector pay will be capped at 1% increase for a further two years, taking us up to 2015, will mean a further cut to living standards and weaken the economy overall.

Taking the above combined pay restraints into account, this would mean a five year period of real term pay cuts amounting to approximately 16% cut in living standards for Unison members working in Local Government service.

As it stands NOW, in advance of the next freeze, and the 1% increase, NJC pay is at 1997 levels in real terms.

Additionally, members are facing a further 3% pay cut through unjustified increases in pension contributions, working longer for an inferior final pension. Unison members are acutely aware that the Government’s change in pension indexing from RPI to CPI, cuts the value of members pension benefits by 15%; that’s both the value of contributions already paid into their pension savings, and all future pension savings.

Last year’s one year package, was delivered by Blackpool Unison members under extreme  circumstances against a massive onslaught of CSR cuts.  By agreeing the package, the aim was to front load a defence against further attacks on living standards, terms and conditions, service delivery and job security.

Unpaid Leave is a pay cut. Freezing increments is a pay cut. Car parking fees are a pay cut.

The Unison Branch Committee, therefore  could not support any further detrimental cuts to members terms and conditions which would mean reduction upon reduction in real living standards.

Yours sincerely

Michael Booth

Unison Regional Organiser