Somerset County Council UNISON Members Vote for Industrial Action

UNISON members working for Somerset County Council have today, 16 June, voted in favour of industrial action short of a strike, in protest at the Council’s decision to impose savage cuts to redundancy payments.

Helen Eccles, UNISON South West Regional Organiser, said:

“UNISON members have once again demonstrated to the employer the strength of feeling on this issue with an overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action.  Our members are backing a “work-to-rule”, essentially withdrawing goodwill by refusing to go beyond the normal terms of the contract, with a view to persuading the employer to return to its senses and negotiate a reasonable agreement.  The precise shape and duration of the action will depend on how quickly and positively the employer responds.

“In practice, many staff volunteer innumerable hours of unpaid overtime and stretch well beyond the formal demands of the job to get things done, motivated by their personal drive and commitment to support the needs of often vulnerable and dependent service users.  Somerset County Council’s ill-judged and brutal cuts are tearing up the fabric of this support, probably beyond repair, and taking staff’s goodwill utterly for granted.”

Helen continued:

“Our members are telling us enough is enough.  Unlike strike action, a work-to-rule maintains basic service provision, but gives a foretaste of how under-staffed, minimalist and frayed public services will look within a couple of years.  This rigidly dogmatic administration cannot be allowed to turn the clock back to Victorian times.

“Our members feel that they are being forced towards industrial action by the intransigence of Somerset County Council.  We hope that with this ballot result, the employer will listen to their staff and return to the negotiating table so that we can avoid the necessity of industrial action and conclude an agreement that is both fair to staff and affordable to the employer.

Nigel Behan, UNISON’s Somerset County Branch Secretary, added:

“The Leader of the Council, Ken Maddocks, needs to hear clearly the anger of our members who feel undervalued and overworked.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Helen Eccles, Regional Organiser, UNISON South West c/o 01823 285310

Issued: Thursday 16 June 2011