Plymouth’s Conservative City Council are pursuing an unprecedented scorched earth policy, officially de-recognising Britain’s biggest public sector union in a battle over pay and conditions. In what has been described as a “completely disproportionate” move, Unison representatives have been told to “vacate their offices” after they refused to sign up to what they say are discriminatory changes to terms and conditions.
Despite representing the largest group of council employees, Unison will not be consulted in future collective bargaining with the council, who had already threatened to make 400 people redundant if the deal was not signed. Council bosses are looking to slash £18m from staff, overtime and expenses.
Having adopted hardline tactics which will remind many of union busting in Wisconsin, cabinet member Ian Bowyer (pictured above with leader Vivien Pengelly) looked to lecture council workers on what was good for them:
“We believe it is not in the interests of the workforce to continue our relationship with Unison.”
With Unison members having already voted — and approved — an agreement, the Tory executive stand accused of moving the goalposts to introduce terms which union lawyers warned had “serious equality impact issues”.
It seems some Tories haven’t lost their taste for union busting.
4 Comments
If the new terms are discriminatory to the extent of breaking EU or British/English Law, just advise their lawyers that the terms would be in breach of the Law, with references.
As this is an issue not covered by local or national Conservative Party electorial mandate, and is a local attempt to alter the discriminatory laws of England, Britain, and the EU, they should go to a plebiscite of the voting register on this issue, putting their need for these discriminatory clauses to the voting public.
The madness of the Tories in local governement must have spread down the coast to Plymouth. Southampton Unison and Unite have been fighting the Southampton City Council for what they have been doing for the past 12 weeks. Good luck to the Unison members in Plymouth in their fight in the coming months.
I fear the longer they remain in overall power…and I hope no one still kids themselves that this is a coalition…the more they will reinforce these local idiots and their pathetic, cowardly attempts at union busting and workforce decimation. I just hope that some challenge is mounted in the courts fast because other councils are watching this I can guarantee.
Apparently there’s a Common Purpose influence there too , most of it is looney right paranoia and mad conspiracy theories , however they do have a point at times . Ironically it’s where the hard left and hard right actually agree on some issues .http://www.cpexposed.com/document_library/?city=Plymouth