REPORT BACK FROM BEC MEETING HELD ON 28TH NOVEMBER 2012
The BEC meeting began with a presentation from Britannia, which is now part of the Co-op Bank. Unison members qualify for preferential mortgage deals. Last year Britannia contributed £ 85,000 to the UNISON welfare fund. For more information contact michelle.searle@cfs.coop or mobile 07808609940.
There has been an outbreak of thefts of bicycles and bicycle parts from the storage shed at First St. Offices.
Stewards debated how to build members support for a pay claim despite the savage job cuts focused on big urban local authorities. Branch secretary Pat McDonagh pointed out an average loss of spending power of 15% per member over the last 3 years which shows that there is no trade-off between wage restraint and job security.
Despite the cuts the government is further than ever from reducing debt as a percentage of GDP. Austerity is working…to make matters worse than when the coalition took power. If we as a branch, and a movement, don’t stand up for ourselves, nobody else will.
Manchester Council will soon learn of the scale of next year’s cuts. They are expected to be around £80 million of which around £35 million will be staffing. VER and VS will be offered to staff on the same terms as last year. The council will shortly make strategic decisions on which services to prioritise.
Previous cuts have lead to increased pressure on call centres where staff bear the brunt of complaints about the declining level of public service provision.
Potential disputes are in the offing about stress-inducing management directives in children’s safeguarding and by the company managing the connexions service for young people proposing a 38% budget cut.
Personal note: The Branch has nominated me for a place on the regional retired members committee
John Taylor
