Barnet struggle for services and Care UK strike

A little more about these two campaigns.

For the past six years our Barnet UNISON has been engaged in an ideological struggle with London Borough of Barnet employer over service delivery models. First it was called Future Shape, then EasyCouncil, then One Barnet, and now it is being rebranded as the “Commissioning Council.” The rationale is the same – privatise to save money. Except Your Choice Barnet – comprising the previously ‘in-house’ services for people with physical and learning disabilities – was spun off in February 2012 projected to make a significant surplus, but shortly afterwards it was around £1m in debt! It required a bail out from Barnet Homes to cover this gap at 6% interest PA. This failure has resulted in the announcement in January 2014 of the need to cut a further £400,000 from the staffing bill on top of a number of redundancies in 2013. This will mean jobs cuts, pay cuts and an inferior service provided by a greater proportion of agency staff.

Please show your support by signing the petition below to bring Your Choice Barnet back in house and to stop the erosion of services for adults with disabilities in the borough:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-ongoing-destruction-of-services-for-adults-with-disabilities-in-barnet

As a humourous campaigning video, “A Tale of Bob in Barnet” (see below) provides an insight into the challenges facing Barnet UNISON and their members. Many of the challenges they are facing are no different to what other trade unions and community campaigns have been facing since the Coalition government unleashed Austerity in our workplaces, our homes, our services.

 

The Care UK dispute in Doncaster is another situation concerning the privatisation of social care. Former NHS workers in Doncaster, who work with adults with learning disabilities, now employed by Care UK, face cuts to weekend pay rates, holiday and sick pay which will amount to huge attack on their wages. On top of this they have had no pay rise for five years. This fantastic strike action is an inspiration and unites the workers and service users. The present industrial action includes a solidarity demonstration at 11am, this Saturday – 19th April – at the Civic Square, Waterdale, Doncaster. Please jon them.Care UK demo - Sat 19th April

Rush solidarity messages and requests for speakers to:
admin@unison-dab.org.uk

Make cheques payable to: Doncaster, District & Bassetlaw Health Branch and send to: Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ

Email Care UK chief executive Mike Parish to complain about the way they’re treating their workers: mike.parish@careuk.com

Visit the strike Facebook page ‘Doncaster Supported Living Unison Strike’ click here.

Follow on twitter: @StrikeUnison

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