Shropshire Council staff ‘intimidated’ by dismissal letters
Tuesday 12th July 2011, 7:15PM BST.
A letter sent out to staff at Shropshire Council telling them they have been dismissed and will only get their jobs back if they agree to a pay cut has left workers feeling “scared and intimidated”, union officials claimed today.
Unison said the council was being “ruled by fear”.
The letters have been sent to about 6,500 employees as a bitter row over the proposed pay cut continues.
The letter says all employees will be dismissed on September 30 but will keep their jobs if they agree to the 5.4 per cent pay cut and new terms and conditions.
The authority says it has to make £76 million of savings and that its wage-cut proposals will spare it having to make up to 500 redundancies.
Staff who do not accept the pay cut will not be able to take redundancy and will therefore not receive any severance package.
Unison, which represents about 40 per cent of the workforce, has vowed to push ahead with a ballot for strike action over the issue after holding a meeting earlier this month which they said showed there was a “clear mandate” for a ballot.
Today Alan James, Shropshire branch secretary at Unison, said: “People are scared of talking because they are scared for their jobs. This is a council being ruled by fear.”
Jackie Kelly, head of organisational development at Shropshire Council, admitted the letters were “very formal” in tone, adding: “We have been absolutely clear with staff that they are all being offered immediate re-employment, and that these changes will help to avoid widescale job losses.”
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How much money could be saved my not paying the elected County Councillors who at one time were voluntary? How much are they claiming in “expenses” including I believe “Child Care”?
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“The letter says all employees will be dismissed on September 30 … ”
“Staff who do not accept the pay cut will not be able to take redundancy and will therefore not receive any severance package.”
Surely if they are being dismissed, they must qualify for a redundancy payment???
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No????!! Wouldn’t that be a nice world to live in :)
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You cant run a system like this its outragious! Its virtually blackmail do this or else tactics. I wouldnt want to work for an employer if this were my options. You dont run a council on fear, I would exactly tell them where they could put their job. Its ok saving 76 million pounds but what does the government and or council go and do give it away or use it on some useless project!
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Before the usual suspects turn up and insult decent working people they do not know and have never worked alongside with their puerile and spiteful ‘welcome to the real world’ rhetoric, perhaps they’d like to declare who they work for and what socially indespensible job they do.
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Oh dear the staff have been subject to some straight talking.
Don’t worry like everything else you don’t want to face today there always a counsellor on tap
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The whole thing stinks…Are Shropshire Council playing by the rules?
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Peter,
As previously stated, the Council’s view is that the changes to contracts are only minor variations and therefore no redundancy payment is due.
The Council is overlooking two major factors. Firstly, the changes affect a range of major contractual terms and it is unlikely that they would be classed as minor. The proposals do not only put in a pay cut but change the way staff hours operate, leave entitlement, sick pay benefits and redundancy entitlement, hardly minor issues.
Secondly, contracts are not one sided. The employee is party to the contract and it is their decision, whether individually of collectively to agree to the changes. If staff do not agree, the law is clear and they have been constructively dismissed.
The Council is taking a huge risk by relying on a very dubious definition of minor. Legal advice taken by Unison confirms this view.
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OH my god “scared and intimidated” grow up for goodness sake . Although Saying that, must be careful not to cause stress or they will be off for 6 months and back in time before it goes to half pay.
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I was made redundant recently so will these unions please refuse to accept the offer call the councils bluff then I’ll do the job probably twice as much in half the time with better pay and conditions than I previously had. Tough life eh?
I wish these public servants would just get on with it , they behave as though the real world doesn’t exist , whoops sorry I forgot they’re socialists , my mistake.
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Given that you’re apparently out of work, and assuming that you have the necessary qualifications, perhaps you could advise why you’re not applying to councils and other public sector employers for a job? At least that way you’d understand the real Ts and Cs, rather than fantasising about them.
Can you really not see the futility in your approach? There’s a wealth of evidence that companies are using the banker’s recession to drive down pay and line their senior execs’ pockets. By supporting this illegal outrage, you are simply inviting more ill-treatment, in both the public and private sector, for the future. You reap what you sow…!
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Surreal ! Am I to believe the unions policy is not that of a political stasis quasi to a tyranny worthy of Solonic Reforms ?
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Did you not understand the question?
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The unions aren’t socialists Pete, they’re out and out commies…
All of these sabre rattling bob crow wannabes should be sacked as an example to the others.
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Whenever I come across one of your increasingly bizarre rants Andy, I find myself inexplicably reminded of the Spitting Image puppet caricature of Ronald Regan.
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Kenny Everetts ” Round em up, put em in a field, and bomb the b@£&*~#s ” American General springs to mind.
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Something to consider?
Lets see the Shropshire Council executive, and cabinet member following this guys lead.
Whilst the news on cuts have been directed towards “staff” I presume that the hierarchy are also being addressed in a similar manner?
Food for thought?
I know this story is about town councils but gives a good model to work from?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8116093.stm
The main content was sent to me in an email this morning.
Every Town needs a Council Chief like this.
A maverick mayor elected after promising to slash council spending, clear the streets of yobs and ditch politically correct services is the torchbearer for how towns should be run.
On his first morning as Mayor of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, Peter Davies cut his salary from £73,000 to £30,000 then closed the council’s newspaper for “peddling politics on the rates”.
Now three weeks into his job, Mr Davies is pressing ahead with plans he hopes will see the number of town councillors cut from 63 to just 21, saving taxpayers £800,000.
Mr Davies said: “If 100 senators can run the United States of America, I can’t see how 63 councillors are needed to run Doncaster”.
He has withdrawn Doncaster from the Local Government Association and the Local Government Information Unit, saving another £200,000. Mr Davies said, “They are just talking shops”.
“Doncaster is in for some serious untwinning. We are twinned with probably nine other cities around the world and they are just for people to fly off and have a binge at the council’s expense”.
The mayor’s chauffeur-driven car has also been axed by Mr Davies and the driver given another job. Mr Davies, born and bred in Doncaster, swept to power in the May election with 24,244 votes as a candidate for the English Democrats, a party that wants tight immigration curbs, an English Parliament and a law forcing every public building to fly the flag of St. George.
He has promised to end council funding for Doncaster’s International Women’s Day, Black History Month and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month.
He said, “Politicians have got completely out of touch with what people want.
“We need to cut costs. I want to pass on some savings I make in reduced taxes and use the rest for things we really need, like improved children’s services”.
Mr Davies has received messages from well wishers across the country and abroad as news of his no-nonsense approach spreads.
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Come on voters now is the time to take over.
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Errrm, perhaps have a look at his profile on wikipedia before deciding whether we want to go down that road or not. Easy to grab positive newspaper headlines, but sounds like he’d struggle to run a chip shop, let alone a council.
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Funny you should say that Julian because isn’t Shropshire council struggling to run a restuarant in a busy tourist spot?…enough said!
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What a straight talking man, we need people like him as M.P.s
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Many of the things in his programme he has no power to actually do, some of it is illegal and he has refused to resign following a vote of no confidence. Doncaster is in special measures and is effectively being run direct from Whitehall. Some example!
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can we get him transferred to Shropshire Council please?
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Are the Bosses taking their same share of cuts and how many councillors have agreed to limit their expense claims by the same figure or more?
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Councillors took a 5% reduction in allowances in April, and like staff, a reduction in milage allowances as well.
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Let’s be honest here Martin a reduction in expenses is much easier to take than a reduction in wages! Could you clarify the average amount of expenses a Councillor takes home per year? I bet it’s more than some people earn! So much for doing it for the sake of the community!
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But Martin – or perhaps I should call you councillor – the 5% was after a doubling of allowances – that leaves a 95% net gain – I think anyone would be pleased with that.
And in light of David Camerons ‘new openess’ with the press do you think it would be more appropriate that councillors should openly declare who they are when posting on a media website – especially when defending council policy? – and by the way I am not a councillor or trade union official/member
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‘Andy’ writes:
All of these sabre rattling bob crow wannabes should be sacked as an example to the others.
An example of what? That the little people should know their place and any dissent will be crushed.
Who is making the example? The government, the councillors? Those on very high salaries with plenty of perks lecturing others on the virtues of austerity?
Anyone who objects to having their terms and conditions driven down in this authoritarian and hypocritical way is a ‘Bob Crow wannabe’, are they?
For all your ranting about Commies, the society you’d like to see – where workers know their place and daren’t dissent for fear of being crushed by their employers or the government – hardly sounds like a place I’d like to live.
Sounds totalitarian to me, Andy – perhaps that’s your political creed?
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And what position he, The Lord and Oswestrian hold on the Council
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PF
And your former position in the Council was?
And reason for leaving and trying to make the position of your former colleagues more difficult than it already is?
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The only people making this situation more difficult are the Chief Executive and the Councillors.
What’s your role with the Council Martin?
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Martin
If you are a councillor (and I suspect you are as you are the only one openly defending your allowance) then you should openly say so. If things are so difficult at the council then the councillors should lead by example – cut your allowances to the pre unitary levels -you don’t need a vote – or independent remuneration committee – you can all just do it. You can also cut the pay of the Chief Executive to that of his predecessor – it may only be a relatively small amount in the scale of things but it will show that councillors are willing to share the pain you are inflicting on your workforce
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The story contradicts itself, If people don’t sign the letter then they won’t be able to claim redundancy and the council will have to make 500 people redundant.
Whats all that about..
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I think the council mean that if they don’t take this action, the alternative is to make 500 redundant. Sounds like sabre rattling to me – set Andy on ‘em ;)
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Ok ,may i suggest union members request that unison sanction the councils alternative, which is the 500 redundancies in order to save some of the money needed and also agree to some of the cuts also to take place as making 500 redundant will not be enough of a saving. I would also suggest that the union and its 40% membership stop behaving like an ostrich and remove its head from the sand or where ever it is buried and wake up to the horror that we face if this is not done.
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Everyone knows that the 500 figure is made up. The Council is in the process of making a structural review and has announced its intention to share back office functions with other organisations. This means redundancies and is likely to lead to more than 500 redundancies. Promises that pay will go back up in the future are also bogus.
It was the same when they removed essential car allowances claiming to save 50 jobs. A completely bogus figure designed to scare staff into compliance.
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Don’t go on strike (because if the letter reads right after the 30th September you won’t be on strike because you won’t be employed if you do not accept the nbew terms) , take out a group unfair dismissal claim against the council, that will get them running scared.
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Good grief are you aware of how many unfair dismissals reach the courts? how many are won each year? how many individuals do not work again due to taking an employer to court? and how low the payments are if you win.
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Martin. Councillors took a 5% reduction in allowances NOT 5% in pay – BIG difference. Why don’t the Council stop wasting money Heathgates island, office refurbishment for Kim Ryley roads round Shrewsbury that have just been regritted…Wake up and smell the coffee Shropshire Council. And yes I used to work at Shirehall but got out before the s*it hit the fan like it is now!
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What a lot of hot air, councillors earn the wage elsewhere the role of a councillor is voluntary with allowances . May I suggest if you are not happy with that situation you lobby your MP for change.
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Maybe 20 years ago but the way Shropshire operates almost turns the role of a Councillor into a job. They don’t hold evening meetings so you have to be available during working hours and cabinet members have to attend meetings between 9 and 5 daily. That is why the Council leader pockets nearly £40,000. A campaign has been started by Unison and other Unions to get the Council to hold more evening meetings so cost can be reduced and the public can attend.
You can blame the changes Tony Blair made in setting up the Council cabinet system. The cabinet make the decisions, other Councillors are voting fodder unless they are on a scrutiny panel.
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Martin:
Councillors took a 5% reduction in allowances in April, and like staff, a reduction in milage allowances as well.
i) councillors voted themselves a 100% increase in allowances, just over two years ago.
ii) councillors had somehow been given a higher mileage rate than council employees.
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@ Pete (comment 6)
Pete, do you actually know anyone who is employed by SCC, do you have any idea what their work load, pay, conditions etc are.
Do you think someone employed by the Council cleaning for £6.25 an hour is overpaid??
I would guess not, in fact your probably too busy reading the Daily Mail and telling the world how the immigrants are to blame for it all.
GET REAL!! SCC is bullying staff into taking a large paycut. My wife works at SCC, I have seen the letter, firstly it is threatening and secondly it is not clear – two things which make this a very scary time for not only the 6,500 staff, but also their families.
The Council is not acting like a responsible employer, these are real people, real families Pete
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Martin:
Whilst Councillors are making decisions such as running services on the cheap or giving them to volunteers, they have forgotten that their jobs were voluntary not very long ago. Why don’t they set an example and return to those days? Why do I find it tiresome to hear lectures about being ” in this together” when my friends’ professions have been turned into dust while town and county councillors strut their stuff, being paid wages to do nothing but self congratulatory meetings? What is their skill except being voted in by less and less people? Can they give personal care to severely disabled children? Can they help housebound elderly with their meal, toileting, social care? Those who can earn less than a councillor for a full time week of REAL work.
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The choices are simple,the coffers only hold 100% and the money won’t go around like it did before, we all have home budgets and sometimes when something costs more you have to forego something else to balance things, county finances are no different.
The alternative is the Gordon Brown School of Economics,after you’ve ripped the guts out of the private sectors pension schemes just borrow, borrow and borrow some more and leave the following generations to pick up the tab by which stage you’ll be out of the way and everybody will say Who?
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Pete,
Gordon Brown did not take a single penny out of private sector pension schemes – he simply stopped adding to them with taxpayers’ money by way of tax relief – get your facts right!
He stopped the tax relief at a time when many large employers were so confident of the performance of their investments that they had stopped paying into these schemes, and instead given the money to their fat cat directors and their shareholders.
When it became clear that they had overestimated the performance of their investments, they simply closed the schemes – denying a decent pension to their employees. If you are someone who was adversely affected, then you have to blame a) your employer, for their greed and lack of foresight, and b) yourself and your colleagues for standing by and doing nothing about it.
It’s worth noting that governments have continues to offer tax relief on individual pension contributions, and actually spend more on this annually than on the total for public sector pensions each year.
If you look at the structure of our current debt – it was approximately doubled by the additional debt directly caused by the banks. The remainder of the debt is not a particularly high figure when viewed historically as a percentage of GDP, yet people continue to regurgitate the propaganda that it is somehow our worst debt ever.
You talk of financial prudence – yet you conveniently overlook that fact that the state owned and other banks who took taxpayers’ money appear to have no schedule of payments to return that money. Can you imagine a bank lending you or I money on the basis that we might return it sometime but won’t agree to when?
And why would a government allow the banks such leeway? Could it be because the Tory party receives more than half of its funding from the banking sector?
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Pete @18. That makes your wife’s salary £13,000, doesn’t that mean she won’t be affected?
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Sorry that should be directed to “concerned” @18
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The cuts are based on full salaries. Part time staff who’s hours are based on pro rata will be affected. Many part time members of staff will earn less than £13,000. Also, you could probably count the number of full time staff who earn less than £13,000 on your fingers.
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