'Stand up for workers, don't turn on them'
A UNION leader has launched an outspoken attack on the city council's Labour leaders over proposed changes to staff terms and conditions.
Council leader Steve Brady is calling for union negotiators at the Guildhall to accept plans to scrap overtime payments and reduce mileage allowances.
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ATTACK: Hull branch secretary of Unison Adrian Kennett. Left, city council leader Steve Brady.
He said the move would allow the council to save about £7m a year and avoid the need to consider axing up to 400 jobs.
But Adrian Kennett, Hull branch secretary of local government union Unison, said he wanted Labour councillors to stand up for staff instead of criticising them.
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He said: "These are not perks. These are terms and conditions that have been negotiated over decades.
"Prior to the financial crisis, no Labour leader in the city had referred to them as generous or a perk."
The two sides have been locked in talks over the issue since before Christmas.
The proposed saving is expected to form part of the ruling Labour group's budget, which is due to be unveiled next month.
Mr Kennett said the fall-out from the "financial apocalypse" facing the council should not be shouldered by its staff.
He said: "Driving down terms and conditions for workers who provide valuable and much-needed support to vulnerable people or workers who clean the streets in the early hours is not the answer to the city's problems.
"In fact, those who work antisocial hours should be compensated for doing so, whether that's in the council or the private sector.
"The continual race to the bottom in workers' pay is unacceptable and rather than the leader of the council saying it is immoral to pay overtime, we would argue it is immoral for the most vulnerable and lowest paid in the authority to take the brunt of the cuts.
"We would like to see him and the ruling group stand up and defend their staff rather than turn on them."
7 Comments
by a-gramsky
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 1:27PM
“"And come on.. he is a dinosaur isnt he? Kind of like a "smart price" Scargill if you like" well I really hope Mr Kennett has some Scargill in his personality, Scargill as you call the old leader of the NUM fought from the front, and led the mine workers against one of the most vicious attacks on organised labour this country had ever witnessed. He was wrong on one thing, namely he said the government would close 50% of the pits. They closed 95% of them and decimated town after town with nearly all the small businesses that relied on the pits down with them. Remember the ideas of people like Arthur Scargill and Mr kennett came after capitalism (the thing you feel part of as a wealth creator), as a response to its inhumane treatment of workers by greedy mine and other workplace owners. You call them dinosaurs, well that they may be, but the ideology you profess to hold is far older and akin to a single cell amoeba.”
by Kilgore
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 9:29PM
“by mickey_luv3
The rate for occasional/casual car user mileage is 65p per mile.
Staff who regularly use their own vehicle on Council business are paid at the HMRC standard rates.
All mileage payments are taxable.”
by mickey_luv3
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 7:15PM
“Ok luv, calm down. Only asked why a very generous 45p a mile, mileage allowance isnt enough.
And come on.. he is a dinosaur isnt he? Kind of like a "smart price" Scargill if you like”
by a-gramsky
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 2:07PM
“"As a self employed, wealth generating working man," how you can attack a community activist like Mr. Kennett is beyond me, also your criticism of him being a through back from the 70s is very simply outrageous. You are a business person who is trying to make a living in an area that is being decimated by the Con/dem government's cuts, yet you call for less money in the pockets of consumers (local government workers) to buy the products/services you sell in our community. I am afraid to say it's you who is a through back from the 70s, the 1870s where workers had no rights and business was monopolised by a few very wealthy people. No health care provision and education for people like you. You are short sighted and can't see further then your next tax bill. Remember we live in a civil society and that costs money, anti social hours should always be rewarded and remember we all get old and need hospitals from time to time, you can only hope the workers in both the NHS and Local government fight to retain and improve the current services they provide for all our sakes. They should be paid more for the vital work and services they provide and never receive attacks from people for being paid a premium for working through the night or on a Sunday for giving a pensioner dignity and respect in the last years of their life, but I suppose you would have them put in the workhouse and be free from the burden of taxes at all so you can be "As a self employed, wealth generating working man,". Shame on you.”
by bogsdollocks
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 10:21AM
“I know I've said it before but why should council staff work through the night, weekends, bank holidays etc. and not be rewarded for doing so ? I don't see chief execs' etc doing these hours but they expect others to do it for a flat rate of pay and no shift allowances. I would also point out that council staff have not had a pay rise for over three years which means we're doing the same job for less money anyway. The powers that be are just trying to make our services more ripe for a takeover by the private sector.”
by mickey_luv3
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 10:09AM
“As a self employed, wealth generating working man, I can claim a very generous 45p mile allowance from HMRC. What makes this 70s throwback think that his members deserve 65p a mile?”
by KiminHull
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 7:39AM
“The choice looks pretty simple, because every council must turn in a balanced budget, you either lose some mileage money and I recall the council pays 25p a mile more than the Union does, or you lose more jobs. It's bad that the council will lose another £30,000,000 next year in funding and the Government is hitting northern councils unfairly compared to down south, but thats the stark choice they have. When you had that march about the cuts, I saw the Labour councillors with you campaigning for the same thing. They are just as disgusted by these awful cuts as the staff and unions. You're on the same side.”