Union members threaten action over council cuts

8:46am Friday 8th March 2013 in Local

UNISON members in Bolton have unanimously agreed to take industrial action if the council imposes compulsory redundancies.

More than 100 members of the union gathered at Bolton Town Hall’s Lancaster Suite on Wednesday, where they pledged their opposition to cuts and the prospect of any compulsory job losses at the authority, while also backing the union’s national decision to reject a one per cent pay rise for local government workers.

There was applause for branch secretary Bernadette Gallagher when she said: “The banks have robbed us of our future and our children’s future, and there should be no bonuses until they pay us back.”

Compulsory job losses have so far been avoided at the council, despite the authority axing 833 posts in the past two years.

But last month councillors voted through more than £43 million in cuts over the next two years.

The move will see the loss of 536 more jobs — 240 of which are currently vacant or filled by agency staff.

So far 150 to 200 people have offered to accept voluntary redundancy, leaving a question mark above the remaining 96 to 146 “under threat” jobs.

Mrs Gallagher claimed the Government was imposing cuts for ideological reasons. She said: “This is a runaway train and we’ll have 1,500 jobs gone from local government in Bolton by 2015.

“If people are made to take compulsory redundancy, we must take industrial action — that’s the line in the sand for this branch.”

Nationally, local government workers have had their wages frozen for three years and Ms Gallagher told The Bolton News her branch’s welfare officer had seen a massive increase in casework, and that some members had been forced to turn to food banks.

After the meeting, John Lewis, the Unison’s regional head of local government, said: “Pay has fallen by 15 per cent in real terms in four years.

“It’s about making it clear we’re not prepared to stand there and be rolled over.”

Comments (7)

9:59am Fri 8 Mar 13

underwater says...

If the Unison members were productive members of society I would have some sympathy, but most of the jobs are unproductive, unnecessary and a complete waste of taxpayers money. Get rid of a lot of them and we save on there inflation proof pensions as well.
If the Unison members were productive members of society I would have some sympathy, but most of the jobs are unproductive, unnecessary and a complete waste of taxpayers money. Get rid of a lot of them and we save on there inflation proof pensions as well. underwater

10:46am Fri 8 Mar 13

Boltontoday says...

The sad thing is that we are paying Mrs Gallagher and others their wages. They are employed by the council to spend all their time on union matters. It's time the union paid for its own people.
The sad thing is that we are paying Mrs Gallagher and others their wages. They are employed by the council to spend all their time on union matters. It's time the union paid for its own people. Boltontoday

2:09pm Fri 8 Mar 13

boltonnut says...

Thatcher killed most unions,It's been down hill eversince.Employment agencies are the bane of the country,they take a high percentage of the wages offered to workers.It's no wonder people are reluctant to work.People should expect a decent wage for a decent days work.
Thatcher killed most unions,It's been down hill eversince.Employment agencies are the bane of the country,they take a high percentage of the wages offered to workers.It's no wonder people are reluctant to work.People should expect a decent wage for a decent days work. boltonnut

5:31pm Fri 8 Mar 13

Dobbler says...

Typical union whinging. Face the facts, the public sector is bloated and has been for years. Cut the jobs then cut the pay of those who remain. if they dont like it - tough. they will just have to get used to living the lives of those in the private sector who mostly have. If the union leaders owned their own business they wouldnt be quite so generous towards their staff Im sure. They are the hangover from the 60s and 70s before Thatcher did her best days work and effectively shattered them beyond belief. Thank god for that. No wonder bolton is such a dump full of mindless morons who cant think for themselves and who simply dont understand real economics of business (housekeeping). Horrible people in a horrible town.
Typical union whinging. Face the facts, the public sector is bloated and has been for years. Cut the jobs then cut the pay of those who remain. if they dont like it - tough. they will just have to get used to living the lives of those in the private sector who mostly have. If the union leaders owned their own business they wouldnt be quite so generous towards their staff Im sure. They are the hangover from the 60s and 70s before Thatcher did her best days work and effectively shattered them beyond belief. Thank god for that. No wonder bolton is such a dump full of mindless morons who cant think for themselves and who simply dont understand real economics of business (housekeeping). Horrible people in a horrible town. Dobbler

7:28pm Fri 8 Mar 13

owencoyle99 says...

Don1t they realise the country is in trouble the private sector has to make a profit and produce with no final pensions - the unions need to get real and get their members to pay for the union officials - not let the rest of us pay for them
there is right & wrong this is certainly wrong
Don1t they realise the country is in trouble the private sector has to make a profit and produce with no final pensions - the unions need to get real and get their members to pay for the union officials - not let the rest of us pay for them there is right & wrong this is certainly wrong owencoyle99

11:41pm Fri 8 Mar 13

Duane pipe says...

The town hall will save thousands on strike days. The best way is reduce the amount of councillors fees as they are not worth the expence it cost at all. How many people does it take to change a light bulb springs to mind.
The town hall will save thousands on strike days. The best way is reduce the amount of councillors fees as they are not worth the expence it cost at all. How many people does it take to change a light bulb springs to mind. Duane pipe

11:09pm Sat 9 Mar 13

toryhater says...

owencoyle99 wrote:
Don1t they realise the country is in trouble the private sector has to make a profit and produce with no final pensions - the unions need to get real and get their members to pay for the union officials - not let the rest of us pay for them
there is right & wrong this is certainly wrong
funny that really, private companies in discussions with their workforce for 3% pay rises in THIS town, but public sector workers who look after the frail, the needy AND the domestic needs of this town- are seen as second class citizens - we need trade unions in workplaces, protects workers from the greedy - Vince Cable seems to disagree with you
[quote][p][bold]owencoyle99[/bold] wrote: Don1t they realise the country is in trouble the private sector has to make a profit and produce with no final pensions - the unions need to get real and get their members to pay for the union officials - not let the rest of us pay for them there is right & wrong this is certainly wrong[/p][/quote]funny that really, private companies in discussions with their workforce for 3% pay rises in THIS town, but public sector workers who look after the frail, the needy AND the domestic needs of this town- are seen as second class citizens - we need trade unions in workplaces, protects workers from the greedy - Vince Cable seems to disagree with you toryhater

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