"Pensions, Pensions and more Pensions"

(This is an article I wrote last week for my Branch Stewards newsletter).

"Let’s face it. Many members probably consider Pensions to be a pretty boring issue and something that they would prefer to put off thinking about too much until another day (or preferably never). Well, whether you like it or not, in the coming months, all UNISON members and in fact nearly all employees will have to wake up and start thinking about pensions. 

For those of us in the Local Government Pension Scheme there is an ongoing consultation process at the moment by UNISON on a new look scheme. LGPS 2014 agreed last month with the unions, LGA employers and the Government. You will be balloted on the scheme at the end of the month. Have a look at what is being proposed on the UNISON website http://www.unison.org.uk/pensions/lgps.asp

While members in the Social Housing Pension Scheme (Pensions Trust) will need to be aware that their employers have been sent letters about the deficits in their pension schemes which is causing some employers to panic and start talking of closing the scheme or massive increase in contributions. There has also been some outrageous scaremongering by some financial “advisors” to schemes. UNISON is arranging an urgent meeting with the Pensions Trust. In the meanwhile if your employers start talking of any changes to your pension scheme please contact the branch immediately and ask your employer to send us copies of what is being proposed.

Remember – the current pension so-called “deficits” are valued in a completely discredited and inaccurate manner which even the current Pensions minster has recognised is wrong and needlessly “killing” good pensions schemes. Remember closing a pension scheme does not get rid of any deficit - in fact it can make things worse.

Finally, for those of you who are not in the LGPS or SHPS please be aware that “auto-rolling” is kicking in at the end of this year. Nearly all employees who are currently not in a pension scheme will be automatically enrolled into the employer’s scheme or a state scheme.

Now this is “good news” for those not in a scheme but what we are concerned about is that some employers who currently have decently funded defined contribution schemes (also known as DC, Group personal pensions, Group Stakeholders, money purchase etc) may be tempted to cut existing employer contributions, since they are worried about an increase in the pension bill from more people being in it.

We have to fight this as well. Pensions are expensive. Employer’s have to realise that unless they want their staff to retire in poverty they have to fund pensions properly.

Pensions are obviously not boring nor are they as complicated as you think. We need to have at least one UNISON Pension Champion (or rep) in every employer. If you are interested in being a “Pension Champion” let the branch office know and we will sort out some training for you on the role in the very near future".

John Gray
Branch secretary

"Housing bodies fight to protect staff pension pots"

Today the Social Housing Magazine "Inside Housing" led with a report that housing organisations are to challenge a threat to their workers' pensions.

The Pension Trust which administrates the Social Housing Pension Fund (and many other Community and voluntary sector pension funds) is being blamed for attempting to force employers to close decent defined benefit schemes and force them to open less secure defined contributions schemes. This is supposed to be about rising pension "deficits".

To be fair to the Pension's Trust I have had conversations with people closely connected with the Trust and they say that they are fully committed to keeping these schemes affordable and open.

This morning I posted these comments on the Inside Housing website.

"While it is good news that Housing organisation are going to fight to protect their pension schemes it is absolutely vital that everyone understands that these “deficits” are frankly meaningless.

The cost of pension schemes is measured by a discredited and outdated accounting system called “Mark to Market” which even the Pensions minister Steve Webb described as a “Nightmare” which is “killing” perfectly good schemes. He has promised “not to stand “idly by” and to do something.

All employers and defined benefit pension schemes must not panic or over react. They should be working jointly with the trade unions to resolve this temporary problem. Remember closing the scheme will not get rid of the deficit. It can make it even worse.

Modern defined benefit pension schemes are as sustainable and affordable now as they have ever been. 

John Gray Branch Secretary UNISON Greater London Housing Association Branch"

UNISON Housing Association Branch blog NDC 2012

The branch delegation have their own blog on this year's conference here.

The UNISON Housing Associaiton (Greater London region) web site is here.

Workers Memorial Day – take part in UNISON’s one minutes silence at 12 noon Thursday 26 April

International Workers' Memorial Day (IWMD) takes place around the world on 28 April each year, with many wearing the purple forget-me-knot ribbon.
  

The day and the ribbon are about remembering those who have died, been injured or made ill by their work, and about renewing our demand for safe and healthy work to protect those who are still working.
   

In the UK, work 'accidents' cause up to 1,600 deaths a year. These include work-related suicide, road accidents while driving for work, and members of the public killed by someone else’s work. There are up to a further 50,000 deaths from work-related illnesses, including cancers, respiratory illnesses and heart disease. Figures for non-fatal injuries and ill-health caused by work are far greater. The numbers behind Worker’s Memorial Day.



This year, IWMD falls on a Saturday, so UNISON is supporting the TUC call for a Day of Action on Health and Safety.  If not at work on Saturday 28 April, many UNISON members will also want to organise something at work to mark IWMD just before.
   

You could consider organising something at work for the Friday or Thursday. UNISON's national health and safety committee will be holding a minute's silence at 12 noon when it meets on Thursday 26 April.

 

UNISON staff across the UK will also be taking part in this minute’s silence. Why not join us?



London Hazards Centre

In May London Councils are discussing principles and priorities for 2012/15 with a view to commissioning  in summer 2012.  The centre provides health and safety advice and training, the branch is affiliated.  Stewards may wish to write to their local authority urging the London Councils to continue commissioning the health and safety advice work from London Hazards. (Hat tip UNISON Housing Association Branch).

The Homeless Charity and the "Race to the Gutter"

Below is the UNISON press release on the attack on terms and conditions of staff employed by London Homeless Charity Broadway. Our members (seen lobbying their Board meeting on Tuesday evening in Commercial Street, Tower Hamlets) carry out a very difficult and demanding job supporting vulnerable single homeless people across London. both "on the street" and in hostels and projects.  Of course the original "villain" in all this is the Tory Government for cutting "Supporting People" funding. 

However, a small number of rogue Housing Associations and "Charities" are under cutting decent employers in a bidding war to win "new business". This is truly a "race to the gutter". You simply cannot provide a quality service to clients by decimating your staff's pay and conditions. No responsible employer should take part in such bids. Our branch is launching a campaign against "Rachman employers". Believe it or not there are employers who are treating staff even worse. 

NEWS FROM UNISON

UNISON MEMBERS PROTEST AGAINST ATTACKS ON TERMS & CONDITIONS

On the 13th March angry UNISON members employed by Broadway Housing Association lobbied Board members, following their decision to slash wages and dramatically cut terms and conditions.

The proposed changes - which have reached the end of a consultation with UNISON despite objections from the union and staff - would;

·         Reduce the pay of new front line staff by at least £4,500 per annum – in effect a 20% reduction in salary(with salaries which currently stand at between £23,000-25,000 being pushed down to between £18,500 – 20,000).

·         Reduce the pay of 14 existing staff which Broadway believes are paid above the medium wage for their roles.

Terms and conditions for new staff will be dramatically cut and will include:

·         No pension provision(current staff receive 5% employer contributions matched by 3% employee contribution).

·         Reducing Annual leave entitlement to statutory requirements (a loss of 6 days per year).

·         Abolishing dependency leave and halving compassionate leave to 5 days

·         Reducing sick leave entitlement(to statutory during probationary period and a 4 weeks full pay and four weeks half pay per annum in the first three years of employment).

·         Reducing maternity pay to statutory.

In addition to these cuts Broadway intend not to pay a cost of living increase for 2012/2013.  

Joel Bodmer Chair of the UNISON Housing Association branch, which represents members employed at Broadway as well as many other housing associations said

“ It is absolutely shameful that Broadway have apparently made a strategic decision to position themselves away from a focus on quality; which the organisation have in past been associated with, and move themselves towards the “no frills airline” model of care and support.

The organisation are clearly re-jigging themselves to be at the forefront of the race to the bottom which we are witnessing in the sector. It is really sad that very skilled people who work in some incredibly challenging environments are being so un-fairly rewarded for the jobs they do.

People choose to work in the sector because they believe in helping the most vulnerable members of society; this good will is clearly being abused by organisations who believe they can squeeze terms and conditions as much as possible, and still receive high quality work from dedicated staff. We will continue to fight the short-sightedness off all attempts attack the terms and conditions of people who perform such crucial roles in our society.”

Broadway claim the cuts are necessary for the organisation to remain viable and continue to be in a position to win new services claiming it could not allow its reserves to fall below £850,000.

For more information please contact:  

Colin Inniss, UNISON Regional Organiser 07703 194 127 / c.inniss@unison.co.uk

John Gray, Branch Secretary, UNISON Housing Associations Branch - 07432 150 530 / J.Gray2@unison.co.uk

Housing Association Branch at Community Conference 2012

This picture collage is largely of my branch members speaking at yesterday's UNISON Community Conference in Brighton.

In total we had 8 members of our branch speaking (in various capacities). 4 of whom were first time speakers at a UNISON conference. We moved 5 successful motions. Including organising and recruiting young members by Branch Chair (and Young member) Joel Bodmer (MHT); the Big Society attack on terms and conditions by Ionela Flood (Notting Hill); Why Income equality at work is better for everyone by Ebrahim Piperdy (Circle) and Condem threats to high quality and sustainable social housing by Tony Power (East Thames).

This is only the second ever Community and Voluntary Conference. Our service group is the 3rd largest in the union. We also have in my view amongst the toughest organising challenges going. We have all gone a long way in a short period of time but there is still much to do. I think that last weekends successful seminar and conference will help us on that way.

Boris THE OMEN: Branch Labour Link report

This was my Annual Report to the UNISON Housing Association Branch as the Labour Link officer

"We had a well attended branch Labour Link meeting at the House of Commons with Shadow Housing minister Alison Seabeck MP as keynote speaker. Next year we will try to get the new shadow Jack Dormey MP to a similar event.

In 2011 branch activists have been out campaigning for Labour. They have taken part in street stalls, telephone and door to door canvassing. We have also taken an active part in the formation of a new London branch of the Labour Housing Group.

The big battle in 2012 will be over the GLA Mayoral elections in May. It is absolutely vital we do all we can
to get rid of Tory Mayor Boris Johnson and elect Ken Livingstone. This will also send a message to the
government to stop and think again about the disastrous economic policies they are following. Below is a message from Ken Livingstone to all members of our branch.

“Each week, I meet too many Londoners struggling on waiting lists, and living in overcrowded or
Unsuitable accommodation, who represent the reality of London’s social housing shortage. The facts show that these are some of the Londoners worst let down by Boris Johnson. The Tory Mayor should be ashamed that on his watch, London has had the biggest decrease in house building in the country, and just 56 affordable homes have been built in the last six months.

Tackling the shortage of homes in the capital and undertaking a large scale programme to build social housing will be one of my priorities if elected next mayor.  

Londoners need a Mayor who is on their side and committed to taking action on the big issues that
matter to them like housing, transport and crime.” Contact http://kenlivingstone.com to volunteer. 


John Gray
(hat tip caption Col. Roi)

UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

Picture from my branch AGM held last week at the UNISON centre in Euston.  The branch has 3500 members working in 180 different employers in Greater London and the South East.  We organise and represent all Housing Association staff staff, whatever post they hold. Sixty per cent of branch members are women. We have over 150 elected local representatives.

I had been been re-elected (unopposed) as Branch Secretary. The guest speaker was Sean Baine from the Equality Trust who spoke on "Why inequality is bad for all of us - and what we should do about it".   Sign the "Fair London" petition calling for the London Mayor candidates to take action on income inequality in London (Ken Livingstone is the only mainstream candidate to have signed). A branch motion "Why Income Equality at Work is Better for Everyone" will be going to 2012 UNISON National Delegate Conference.

By coincidence Sean had worked with our office manager Moira in Haringay Council 30 years before (see left of picture next to our branch Chair Joel Bodmer). This was the first time they had met since then. Sean was also the CEO of Stepney Neighbourhood when I worked for Tower Hamlets (don't think we met).

Why Income Equality at Work is better for everyone

This is my speech to the UNISON London Regional Council AGM last week on Motion 4 "Why Income Equality at Work is better for everyone". Which was passed and selected as a regional motion to send to our national conference.

"Council, Convenor, John  Gray Housing Assocaition Branch moving motion 4. "Why Income Equality at Work is better for everyone". Council, Let us not forget that it is not just the Bankers and the Executives in the private sector who have been filling their pockets with other peoples money to a degree out of all recognition to their worth. In the traditional public sector and in supposedly “Not for profit” organisations, who provide public services, you also find that many Executives and members of the SMT have in recent years, enjoyed massive pay rises and massive increases in their income. We use the example of the CEO of the housing and social care association, Anchor, who earned over 330k last year - up 14%. At a time when many of her employees, doing a difficult and demanding job, caring for the frail and the vulnerable, earn little more than minimum wage. Nearly 30 times less.

For crying out aloud, Anchor Housing, was originally set up by the respected charity “Help the Aged”. This pattern of greed at the top for a few and poverty for the many at the bottom is repeated in many other private and public organisations providing public services up and down the country.

This issue is not just about fairness or social justice nor is it about the so called “politics of envy”. Such vast and growing inequalities in income are not just morally wrong it is deeply damaging and destructive to those organisations that allow it.

In the same way as researchers for the book “The Spirit Level” found compelling evidence that the more unequal societies are, with regard to incomes, the more rotten the society. The more unequal the greater the death rates of new born babies; the greater the levels of mental illness; the greater the drug abuse; the greater the violence; the greater the ignorance and squalor. It is ironic that the day after the 200th birthday of the birth of Charles Dickens, we still find in our own Capital city, one of the very richest cities in the world, that your life expectancy, how long you live, is determined largely by how affluent the postal code is in the area you happen to have been born in.

With regard to income inequality in the work place it is not enough for us to simply condemn but to explain to our members how harmful it is not only to society but to that workplace– If you are managed by not just highly paid or people on a good earning but the super rich; while most workers struggle to keep their head above the water - it is corrosive it is divisive. It causes low staff morale and poor service; it causes resentment and mistrust from our clients, residents and services users who after all have to pay for all this inequality.

We are told that there is no choice, competition is king, the market must decide the rate of pay, yet there is a choice. There are successful modern countries in the world such as Sweden where there is much, much less inequality. Where for example trade unions reps sit on boards and remuneration committees as a matter of course. They have done this for decades and act on as a brake on greed. There are countries such as Japan were if there are economic problems, managers become leaders and will often be the first to volunteer for pay curbs or restraint. Unlike in my sector, where yesterday I found out that staff at project being tuped over to a supposed charity, who had won a tender, were told by this charity that they had to have pay cuts and low jobs since they had to “pay their way” to keep to the new contract. While at the same time the SMT of that organisation pays itself massive bonuses to reward themselves for winning new business. This culture, this attitude, this view of life, can and must change.

The Equality Trust is the charitable arm set up by the authors of the Spirit level to promote income equality. Please also consider affiliating your own branches to them. Next week they are coming to my branch AGM to speak to us about what we can do to help bring about change.

Finally Council remember that greater income equality at the work place will make it a better place and help bring about greater income equality in our society, which will make it a better world for all.

Thank you please support this motion (orignal motion similar to this)

Reminder: UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

The race to the bottom is destroying care and support

Guest post by Joel Bodmer who is the UNISON Housing Association Branch Young Members officer. Joel works as a mental health support worker.

"There is at present a real crisis in the care and support sector, which seems to be hardly recognised or seems to attract a great deal of attention. There is currently a race to the bottom of epidemic proportions in social care, which although the causes are numerous, primarily stems from two government policy changes.

Firstly following the coalition’s 2010 comprehensive spending review, Local Authorities have been under incredible pressure faced with the reduction of revenue budgets by 28% over a 4 year period. How these cuts have been absorbed has of course been a matter of political choices.

Secondly the removing of the ring fencing of supporting people funding from 2009, has meant that local authorities could effectively raid money that was intended to be used for services for vulnerable people and use it elsewhere. Likewise of course here political choices by local authorities come into play here too, but the fact is local government has a legal obligation to provide statutory services, so even many well meaning authorities have been forced to divert this cash elsewhere. Quite literally robbing peter to pay paul.

Faced with such harsh cuts and often the diversion of funds from supporting people, it is frequently the “soft” services that suffer. The real tragedy is the short termism in this approach. It is the preventative services that are suffering, whereas greater investment could really reduce the strain on Social Services and the NHS.

Whatever the mantra so often repeated by commissioners that quality still matters, it has been an inevitable fact the emphasis has shifted almost purely to cost based procurement. A bizarre process of reverse auctions, gambling with the provision of services for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Like local authorities, Housing Associations that provide care and support have had choices to make too, they have been forced to reflect, to take stock and think about what they do and why. There has been an array of responses to the challenges faced.

The crisis has highlighted the calibre of many good organisations; those who have refused to engage in the merciless race to the gutter and those who have prided themselves on the quality of the services they provide. These organisations have refused to bid to deliver services at unaffordable low levels, and have focused on delivering what they can do well.

But likewise the “bad eggs” have been exposed, organisations (we all know who they are) that operate more like rogue traders, winning contracts because they bid at dishonestly low levels, masters of slick bid writing and all the razzmatazz rather than care and support. Of course once they have been awarded a contract they need to find a way of delivering it at below the real cost, such providers then set about restructuring services with a skeleton level of staffing and either failing to accept their legal obligations under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) or employing new staff at rock bottom wages, and under poor terms and conditions.

It is a real sad situation that as a result of this race to the bottom many skilled and professional staff working in the sector are leaving in droves, many facing redundancy or the lowering of terms and conditions.

Good care and support providers need to lead the fight to re-jig the focus back towards quality, by refusing to engage in the race to the bottom that is so damaging not only to care and support but to society at large. 

The commitment to high standards in services for vulnerable people that is an engrained value of so many people working in our sector can only be achieved by a focus on quality rather than cost.

Rachman Employers: A Branch Secretary Report

On Thursday it is the UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM. This is my contribution to our annual report.

"2011 was a pretty rubbish year for many members. We either had no pay rise or one far below inflation. While in Care and Support, many employees have had their pay, terms and conditions cut. There has been redundancies and job insecurity. The TUPE transfer of staff to Rachman landlords who claim to be “charities” and “social” landlords yet win contracts by deliberately putting in uneconomic bids. Then once they win, they sack, slash, burn and bully staff into leaving or taking huge pay cuts. Knowing full well that at the same time they are putting vulnerable clients at risk. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

But it was not only doom and gloom. The lesson of 2012 is also where we had good union organisation, where there was a higher density of members and an active steward structure, we were able to better defend members, protect jobs and conditions. We made a real difference.

The Public Service Pension strike in November 30th also showed our employers that the branch can deliver effective strike action and picketing. I suspect there will be further such disputes in the future although industrial action will always be very much a last resort.

2012 will be a very difficult year as well. From April, the Government will double the length of time needed to claim unfair dismissal from 12 months to 2 years and is proposing changes to ACAS guidelines to “simplify” dismissal procedures. It is even contemplating introducing “no fault” sacking where you could be dismissed by your employer (with minimum compensation) without them even having to give you a reason. Also from April, if you have been unfairly treated or even discriminated against by your employer you may have to pay up to £1750 to go to a tribunal. I could go on and on about attacks over health and safety, redundancy consultations, TUPE etc.

Workers have to realise that they cannot depend on the “law” to protect them at work. The best defence is a strong union and collective action. So help yourself (and your union) by recruiting a work colleague, going to local union meetings and think about becoming a steward or a health & safety rep.

Finally many thanks to the activists, stewards, branch staff and of course our tireless UNISON full time Regional organiser Colin Inniss for all their hard work during the last 12 months".

John Gray, Branch Secretary

“Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too.” (Google it)

UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

My Union Branch AGM takes place on Thursday 16 February 2012 at the new UNISON headquarters in Euston (5 minutes walk from either Euston or Kings Cross station). I have been re-elected unopposed as Branch Secretary. We will hold two separate meetings during the day and evening to try and maximise attendance.  All branch members welcome!

Our guest speaker will be Sean Baine, the Co-Chair of the London Equality Trust on "Why inequality is bad for all of us - and what we should do about it".  There is also a motion to be debated on income inequality in Housing Associations. The Equality Trust was set up by the authors of the "The Spirit Level". 

I will try to arrange a visit beforehand to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson museum which is inside the UNISON building. 

UNISON and Family Mosaic agree to talks at ACAS

Hat tip UNISON press release " A planned ballot for industrial action by UNISON members at Family Mosaic Housing Association has been postponed after both parties agreed to hold talks at ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

The talks will aim to resolve the dispute over Family Mosaic’s proposals to increase working hours for all front-line staff and substantially
reduce the pay of many social care and support staff.

Family Mosaic has already issued letters of dismissal to all staff members who have not signed new contracts agreeing to the changes. It is anticipated that that threat of dismissal will be postponed whilst talks at ACAS take place.  

London UNISON regional organiser, Colin Inniss stated: “UNISON is genuinely committed to trying to resolve this dispute and we welcome ACAS’s intervention. But any agreed resolution has to be an equitable one. As things currently stand, a large number of our members will have pay cuts ranging from £3,000 to £8,500; a figure which will leave them and their families facing financial misery. Meanwhile, senior management are facing no salary cuts whatsoever. If we cannot get agreement at ACAS, UNISON will be left with no alternatives other than to conduct a formal ballot for strike action and to pursue legal action". Good news - but check out here and here.

LAPFF 2011: "More Soviet than City"

The 2nd presentation at the LAPFF conference on Thursday was "Owners and directors: challenges to board", chaired by John Plender, of the Financial Times.  Simon Laffin, formerly Finance Director Safeway, former Chair Mitchells & Butler spoke first about the failure of regulators to ensure that British billionaires shareholders behave properly.While Ken Olisa, formerly Non-Executive Director Eurasian Natural Resources Company (ENRS) entertained us with a colourful account of the failure to ensure his Kazakhstan billionaire shareholders behaved any better.  He ended up the first Non-Executive Director of a FTSE 100 company to be sacked at an AGM! In his case this is a badge of honour methinks.

Afterwards there was a Q&A. Anne Kvam, Norges Bank Investment Management (Norwegian Sovereign wealth fund) and Stuart Morgan, National Express joined the panel.  I asked a question whether having a employee representative on a company board could improve diversity and the necessary checks and balances? Many successful European companies have such representation and they seem to do very well?  Anne said she was concerned that there were only 2 firms of headhunters who appoint nearly all Non-Executive directors in the UK and that in Norway a 1/3 of the Board are employee representatives while in Germany it is 50%. Simon was opposed and argued that a company board needed to work as a team and trust each over (not sure what he meant by that?), Stuart didn't think it would be much of a problem, while Ken thought that an employee representative would only represent employees and not the interests of the shareholders. 

My response to Ken would have been that he was speaking to an audience comprised mainly of different employers, officers and employee representatives who sit together on pension committees and should be putting the interests of the pension fund beneficiaries ahead of any thing else.  All members of a board however they are elected should act in the same way for their shareholders.

I only realised today that by one of those bizarre coincidences that often makes life interesting, Ken Olisa is also the Chair of ThamesReach. This is a housing charity whose members belong to my UNISON branch (I am the branch secretary) who were on strike over pensions and had a picket line outside ThamesReach HQ in Aldgate on Wednesday.  It's a small world.

Striking for Pension Justice on November 30

Today Wednesday 30 November UNISON and 36 other trade unions will be on strike and/or protesting to protect public service pensions from collapse. If these schemes go - then Pension Trust and Social Housing
Pension Schemes could be next
(Note could be – we simply don’t know what the fall out will be)

Some UNISON members may not even be in a pension now but one day they will want to belong to a scheme that is secure, affordable and will look after them and their family. The existing public service pensions are benchmarks for all schemes. Unless we win this fight then everyone’s future will be at risk. Members ask themselves “do they want to end their lives living in poverty?

Never forget that not a penny of the money that ministers are trying to take from pension schemes will go towards improving them, instead it will simply all go to the Treasury to pay for the excesses of the bankers.

The branch is organising two Official Strike pickets and lobbies - starting 7am in Central London

• · Circle Housing Group Headquarters in Islington Circle House 1-3 HighburyStation Road, London N1 1SE – 3 minutes’ walk from Highbury & Islington station.With “Jive for Decent Pensions lessons” at 11.00am Contact: John Gray 07432 150 530 

• ThamesReach in Aldgate Gem House, 122-126 Backchurch Lane, London E1 1ND – 3 minutes’ walk from Aldgate East Contact: Joel Bodmer 07891 941 376

UNISON have balloted 12 London based employers on Strike Action. See UNISON strike action 30 November FAQS 

Colleagues on the picket lines and lobbies will be handing out leaflets to non-union staff and members of the public explaining why UNISON members are taking action. It is expected that all schools will be closed.  

Other events

· TUC regional rally, assemble from 12 noon Lincolns Inn Fields, march 1.00pm to rally 2pm at Victoria Embankment, SW1. 

· Join local UNISON picket lines, NHS hospital lunch time protests and rallies where you live map of events. (branch press release)

Letter from a branch secretary

Dear Members

Strike for Pension Justice on November 30
On Wednesday 30 November UNISON and other trade unions will be on strike to protect public service pensions from collapse. If these schemes go - then Pension Trust and Social Housing Pension Schemes could be next (Note could be – we simply don’t know what the fall out will be) 

You may not even be in a pension now but one day you will want to belong to a scheme that is secure, affordable and will look after you (and your partner). The existing public service pensions are benchmarks for all schemes. Unless we win this fight then everyone’s future will be at risk. Ask yourself if you want to end your life living in poverty?

Never forget that not a penny of the money that ministers are trying to take from pension schemes will go towards improving them, instead it will simply all go to the Treasury to pay for the excesses of the bankers. Enough is enough. 

The branch will be organising two pickets and lobbies starting 7am in Central London. Please come to either (or both) and support the action:- 

Circle Housing Group Headquarters in Islington (Circle House 1-3 Highbury Station Road, London N1 1SE – 3 minutes walk from Highbury & Islington station). 

ThamesReach in Aldgate (Gem House, 122-126 Backchurch Lane
London E1 1ND – 3 minutes walk from Aldgate East). 

We will also be organising lobbies, leafleting, petitioning and visits to other picket lines. After the picket we will go and join the TUC regional rally at the Embankment, SW1. It is expected that all schools will be closed. So please bring your children to the picket line. If this is impracticable then join local UNISON picket lines, NHS hospital lunch time protests and rallies where you live. Check out our website for FAQ on the Strike and we try to post links to as many events and major picket lines in the South East as we can. 

Finally, I understand that for many UNISON members, this will be the first time they have ever been involved in an industrial dispute. If you do have any concerns then please get in touch with your local stewards or the branch. 

Yours sincerely

John Gray
Branch Secretary
17 November 2011

Union Strike Ballot Results for N30

AEP 64% for strike action 

ASPECT 75.1% for strike action 

ATL (30 June ballot mandate still valid) 

CSP 86% England & Wales for strike action (89.1% Scotland)

FDA 81% for strike action 

GMB 83.7% for strike action http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/gmb_vote_for_action.aspx 

NAHT 75.8% for strike action 

NUT (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

PCS (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

Prospect 75% for strike action

SCP 85.3% for strike action

SOR 86% for strike action

UCATT 83% for strike action https://www.ucatt.org.uk/content/view/1166/30/

UCU (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

UNISON 82% for strike action

Unite 75% for strike action http://www.unitetheunion.org/resources/pensions/protecting_pensions_for_our_pu/unite_public_sector_pensions_b.aspx

(hat tip SERTUC and Picture of UNISON Housing Association Branch members)

Family Mosaic Housing Association "to sack 1000 workers"

Branch press release "UNISON condemns housing association who intend to sack their workforce of 1,000 in London and Essex.

London and Essex based housing association, Family Mosaic, has notified UNISON that it intends to dismiss approximately 1,000 staff in their social care and support division unless they accept massive cuts in pay ranging from hundreds of pounds to nearly £11,000 per annum. In addition, Family Mosaic want to increase the working hours of all front line staff - general housing and care and support – from 35 to 37.5 hours. Family Mosaic will be writing to the affected staff to ask them to sign new contracts. If they refuse to sign the contracts, Family Mosaic will sack them.

Essex UNION Regional Organiser, Nick Bradley said: “This is appalling and awful news for these staff. Family Mosaic management are acting like bullies of the worst kind. They have refused all requests not to go ahead with these cuts to pay which will be devastating to the staff and their families. We know that some staff will not be able to survive on such cuts in their pay. It is notable that only the support staff and their local managers face these pay cuts while the senior management team continue to receive their comfortable salaries and benefits without cuts. UNISON will be fighting hard to resist this and both strike action and legal action are being considered.”

London UNISON Regional Organiser, Colin Inniss, said: “With a £34 million surplus for 2010/11 and £33 million for 2009/10, Family Mosaic’s funds are amongst the very best in the sector. In fact finances at Family Mosaic are so good that they have been able to purchase Hyde Housing’s entire care and support subsidiary, In Touch. Yet at a time of high inflation, they want support staff to take salary cuts of up to 35% and all front line staff to work a further 2.5 hours or else face dismissal. That’s bad news for those members and their families; it will inevitably affect staff morale at Family Mosaic and lead to a diminishing quality of service delivery. After the appalling debacle at Southern Cross, this type of bad publicity is the very last thing that the care and support sector needs right now“. 

Notes for Editors
1. UNISON’s represents over 60,000 members in the Community and Voluntary sector.
2. Family Mosaic own and manage 23,000 properties across, 27 London Boroughs and in Essex. It has a significant Supported Housing business providing nursing, care and support services to around 4,000 people.
3. Family Mosaic’s operating surplus rose from 19% in 2009/10 to 26% in 2010/11. The Group’s net surplus increase to £34 million in 2010/11, a rise of 4% on the previous year.
4. In July 2011, Family Mosaic finalised the purchase of Hyde Housing’s £14 million-turnover subsidiary, In Touch, which provides services to 4,200 people and includes 120 contracts.

Strike to Defend Your Pension: 30 November 2011

This morning I received by email new posters and leaflets about the UNISON strike action on 30 November.  Yesterday I met up with UNISON Housing Association Branch staff and our regional officer to plan our response.  I am also
organising a branch strike committee
meeting for next week.

Good news today that the School Headmasters unions have voted for strike action on 30 November to save their pensions. This is I understand the first strike action by Heads in over 100 years.

There are at least 13 different unions planning to take action.

So far we are planning at least two branch picket lines. One in North London and one in South London. UNISON will be calling out members to strike in a number of Housing Associations. We are also asking for support and solidarity action for those who are have not been currently balloted.

There may be more picket lines but for many members this will be the first time they have ever been on strike. So it is vital that we make sure that we hold organised and effective pickets. I am also trying to help co-ordinate action within my employer for those members who are not part of my branch and those in our sector who are in other unions. All this in a fragmented workplace and multi-employer branch/region is complicated and difficult... but not impossible. Who said life had to be easy?

After the pickets we will encourage everyone to attend the regional rallies taking place up and down the country.