UNISON warns staff jobs cuts could lead to scandal of 2,000 police officers taken off street

Date: Tuesday 28 Feb 2012

Police staff union UNISON has warned the Scottish Parliament that plans for a new unified force could result in 2,000 police officers taken off front line crime fighting.

UNISON’s Dave Watson told the Scottish Parliament’s JusticeCommittee today (Tuesday 28 February) that hundreds of police officers are now substituting for some of the thousand staff posts  that have already been cut in the last year. The plan of police chiefs to meet government savings for the new force by cutting thousands more vital support staff can only result in the public scandal of hundreds or even thousands more police officers being taken off the streets.

Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, told MSPs:

“We are already getting substitution of police staff jobs by police officers, as a result of the loss of about 1,000 police staff jobs in the past year or so. This is happening now, even before the  new force.  And the threat of two or even three thousand further police staff jobs cut means it can only get worse.

“We have just completed a survey of our membership – which shows that something like 53% of police staff posts which have already gone are being covered in part or in full by police officers.

“That means around 500 police officers are now not out on the street fighting crime. If you extrapolate this to the future it would suggest as many as 2,000 officers could be taken off the street.

“One officer off the street would be too many – 2,000 is clearly a scandal.”

Dave Watson said:

“This is hugely expensive – but it is not just about cost, it’s about specific skills. The world has moved on since the 1980s. Crime and policing have become more complex. We need the skills of police staffs to enable police officers to do the job the public wants them to do, where they want them to do it – that is fighting crime, out on the streets.

 “Scotland is already behind modern best practice in England and Wales. The Stewart report on ‘Civilianisation of Police in Scotland’ published in May 2009 shows that Scotland had 28% civilianisation, compared to figure of 39% for England and Wales.

“Only the best Scottish forces have achieved this England and Wales average. Others fall far short. And after last year’s cuts and the planned cuts we now face, the Scottish figure of civilianisation is likely to fall to around 15%.

“This strategy is crazy. It takes policing in Scotland back to the 1980s – and even further back than that. I enjoy watching repeats of ‘The Sweeney’ like everyone else - but I don’t think it’s a model for modern policing in Scotland now and for the future.”

ENDS

Note to editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 162,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, and represents police staffs in Scotland.

2. Documents available on UNISON Scotland website:

·         UNISON Scotland Evidence to Scottish Parliament Committees on the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill published in Feb 2012 is available on our website

• Evidence to Justice Committee:

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Police&FireReform_SPJusticeCtteEvidence_Feb2012.pdf

• Evidence to Local Government Committee:
  http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Police&FireReform_LocalGovtCtte_Feb2012.pdf
  
• Evidence to Finance Committee:
  http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Police&FireReform_SPFinanceCtteEvidence_Feb2012.pdf
  

·         UNISON Scotland’s document ‘Future of Policing in Scotland - Response to Scottish Government consultation’ published in May 2011:http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response_%20FutureofPolicinginScotland_May2011.pdf

·         UNISON Scotland commissioned Stewart Research to examine the benefits of police staff – the report ‘Civilianisation of Police in Scotland’ published in May 2009: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/police/CivilianisationofPoliceFinalReport.pdf

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Careers staff job cuts unacceptable in face of youth unemployment crisis – UNISON

Mon 27 February 2012

UNISON Scotland has called for direct Scottish Government intervention to stop over 100 jobs being cut at careers agency Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in the face of a mounting youth unemployment crisis. 

The union has reacted with shock and anger to the announcement of over 100 redundancies in the frontline Skills Development Scotland workforce. At a time when unemployment in Scotland stands at 231,000 and youth unemployment is standing at 88,000 amongst 18-24 year olds, Skills Development  Scotland, whose staff provide vital face to face careers advice and guidance, has taken the decision to further reduce its workforce.

UNISON Regional Organiser Gerry Crawley said:
“For the second time in only 12 months Skills Development Scotland have announced large scale redundancies. In March 2011, one in eleven of the workforce were made redundant. Now, in March 2012, one in ten of the remaining workforce are going to be made redundant. At a time of unprecedented youth unemployment in Scotland, there is more need for direct face to face careers advice than ever before. UNISON Scotland is deeply concerned at the level of cuts taking place at Skills Development Scotland and the direction of travel that the organisation is taking in ‘modernising’ its workforce.”

At the start of February 2012 the new Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance unveiled the Scottish Government’s youth unemployment strategy. As part of the launch Ms Constance referred directly to Skills Development Scotland as one of the agencies that would assist in getting young people back to work. The Minister stated then that all partners across the public and private sectors need to be “on the same page, pointing in the right direction ensuring we are all standing shoulder to shoulder to provide a national response to what is undoubtedly a national challenge in terms of rising unemployment.”

Just a few weeks later SDS, one of the key agencies which the Government expects to tackle youth unemployment, is itself to be decimated.

Gerry Crawley said:
“UNISON Scotland agrees that there is a national challenge in terms of rising unemployment and rising youth unemployment. How can the Careers Service and Skills Development Scotland deliver the required face to face intervention with these job cuts happening again? Not once, but twice in one year the frontline services have been cut. It is unacceptable. The Scottish Government needs to invest and restore the staffing levels in Skills Development Scotland. The right hand and the left hand need to work in tandem to get Scotland’s youth back into work.”

“How can the Careers Service and Skills Development Scotland continue to improve the service when their own job losses over the past year have seen a reduction of over 200 frontline staff? The Scottish Government needs to intervene and stop this happening at Skills Development Scotland as it’s a public service that is desperately needed at this time,” Gerry Crawley added.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working in the public services, and organises staff in Skills Development Scotland.

2. UNISON’s response in December 2011 to the publication of the Scottish Government’s request for written submissions on ‘Putting Learners at the Centre: Delivering our Ambitions for Post-16 Education’  included the following statement: “Careers officers need to be fully involved in the development of new post-16 support. They are the key professionals trained to ensure that people are able to make the right choices throughout their working lives. The careers service has seen a 50% increase in adults accessing their services during this recession.” 

The full UNISON Scotland submission to ‘Putting Learners at the Centre: Delivering our ambitions for post-16 education’ can be found at the UNISON Scotland website here:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/
Response%20to%20Putting%20learners%20at
%20the%20centre%20post%2016%20educati%85.pdf

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UNISON urges councillors to end compulsory redundancy threat to police staff in Strathclyde

Wed 22 February 2012

UNISON Police Staff have called on elected members on Strathclyde Police Authority to remove the threat of compulsory redundancy when they meet in Glasgow City Chambers tomorrow morning (Thursday 23 February 2012). The union is concerned that a proposed decision by SPA to end a voluntary severance scheme on 31 December this year could pave the way for compulsory redundancies. The new Scottish police force is due to come into being in April 2013 – which leaves three months in which job cuts could be forced on police staff.

Stevie Diamond, Chair of UNISON Strathclyde Police and Fire branch said:
“We are calling on the democratically elected councillors on the Police Authority to support us in having the voluntary scheme extended to 31 March 2013 – and end this imminent threat of compulsory redundancy.

“Police Staff in Strathclyde have lived under a veil of uncertainty for the past 2 years. There is much more uncertainty to come.

“We have borne the majority of cuts on existing police budgets. We know that more job losses are in the pipeline as the Police Service of Scotland takes shape. The prospect of our voluntary severance scheme ending three months before the new force is due to come into being does nothing to decrease the anxiety felt by all Police Staff members of the Force who face an increasingly unclear future.

“We already face losing posts, attacks on terms and conditions through harmonisation and disruption.”

By proposing that VSS2 – the current voluntary severance scheme – will finish on 31 December 2012, Strathclyde Police has opened to question whether compulsory redundancy could be utilised to reduce Police Staff numbers prior to the formation of the new Scottish force. Unions have discussed the extension of VSS2 with Strathclyde Police. The expectation was that the scheme would be extended to 31 March 2013, the eve of the transfer of staff to the Police Service of Scotland.

UNISON is calling on Strathclyde Police Authority councillors to extend the voluntary scheme and so ensure that there will be no compulsory redundancies of Police Staff in Strathclyde before the transfer to the new force.


ENDS


Notes to editors
1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 162,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, and represents police staffs in Scotland.

2. UNISON Scotland Evidence to Scottish Parliament Committees on the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill published in Feb 2012

Evidence to Local Government Committee:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_LocalGovtCtte_Feb2012.pdf

Evidence to Justice Committee:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_JusticeCtte_Feb2012.pdf

Evidence to Finance Committee:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_FinanceCtte_Feb2012.pdf

3. UNISON Scotland’s document ‘Future of Policing in Scotland - Response to Scottish Government consultation’ published in May 2011:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response_%20FutureofPolicinginScotland_May2011.pdf

4. UNISON Scotland commissioned Stewart Research to examine the benefits of police staff – the report ‘Civilianisation of Police in Scotland’ was published in May 2009:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/police/CivilianisationofPoliceFinalReport.pdf


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UNISON raises concern over threat to 2,000 police staff jobs at Scottish Parliament

Tue 21 February 2012

Police staff union UNISON has voiced concerns in Parliament over plans for a new Scottish police force – especially the direct threat to 2,000 jobs. UNISON today told the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government Committee that police chiefs plan to meet government budget constraints almost entirely by cutting 2000 vital support staff – even though a thousand staff posts have already been cut in the last year.

George McIrvine, vice-chair of UNISON’s Scottish Police Committee told MSPs:

“Clearly our major concern is the direct threat to 2,000 vital police staff jobs. There is a concern that the projected savings from the move to a single police force will be mainly achieved by drastically reducing the number of police staff. A recent ACPOS paper indicated as many as 2,000 posts were under threat. Cutting police staff is a dangerous strategy. It makes no economic or policing sense. It simply means that important support and expert jobs are increasingly done at great expense by police officers - who should really be out in our streets and communities upholding law and order.

“We know the Police Reform Group have a huge efficiency savings requirement and they are also constrained under the figure of 17,234 police officers and a no compulsory redundancy policy. Something’s got to give. But we are already effectively de-civilianising Scottish policing at the moment. You can’t get rid of thousands of police staff jobs without having a negative impact on policing. We need the right people for the right jobs.”

The union also warned of compulsory redundancy issues which could affect council staff being transferred to the new police force, and a loss of democratic accountability which is currently ensured by local authority representation on police boards.

George McIrvine said:

“We have serious concerns about workforce planning for the new force - particularly for staff who may be currently employed by local authorities but are working for police forces - for example in shared services, such as camera safety partnerships. The Bill states that such staff will be transferred, subject to a staff transfer scheme - but there is little detail. UNISON Scotland wants clarification on whether police staffs, once transferred to the new Scottish Police Authority, would be subject to the Scottish Government guidance on non compulsory redundancies.

“We also have concerns about the democratic accountability of a single police force which is currently ensured by local authority representation on police boards. The new arrangements could break the link between communities and their local police force. And we believe that the move to a national police force fails to meet the Christie Commission’s criteria for reform of public services. Policing must be built around the people it serves."

ENDS


Notes to editors
1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 162,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, and represents police staffs in Scotland.

2. UNISON Scotland Evidence to Scottish Parliament Committees on the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill published in Feb 2012

Evidence to Local Government Committee:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_LocalGovtCtte_Feb2012.pdf

Evidence to Justice Committee:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_JusticeCtte_Feb2012.pdf

Evidence to Finance Committee (available from 22 February 2012):
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ Police&FireReform_FinanceCtte_Feb2012.pdf

3. UNISON Scotland’s document ‘Future of Policing in Scotland - Response to Scottish Government consultation’ published in May 2011:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response_%20FutureofPolicinginScotland_May2011.pdf

4. UNISON Scotland commissioned Stewart Research to examine the benefits of police staff – the report ‘Civilianisation of Police in Scotland’ was published in May 2009:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/police/CivilianisationofPoliceFinalReport.pdf


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Work Your Proper Hours Day on Friday 24 February

UNISON supports the TUC's Work Your Proper Hours Day on Friday 24 February 2012. 

Work Your Proper Hours Day - from workSMART.org.uk:

"Work Your Proper Hours Day (24 Feb 2012) is the day when the average person who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year, and starts earning for themselves. We think that's a day worth celebrating.

"Over five million people at work in the UK regularly do unpaid overtime, giving their employers £29.2 billion of free work last year alone. If you're one, why not take some time to reflect on how well (or badly) you're balancing your life?"

Find out more at the TUC's Work Your Proper Hours Day campaign website at Work Your Proper Hours Day - from workSMART.org.uk

More on TUC campaigns at www.tuc.org.uk


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UNISON joins High Court appeal over pensions

Monday 20 Feb 2012

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, will today join a group of unions in an appeal to the High Court over which measure of inflation is used to calculate annual pension increases.

In his June 2010 budget, George Osborne announced, without consultation, that the government would use the consumer price index (CPI) instead of the retail price index (RPI).

When the change comes into effect in April 2012 the value of public sector pensions will fall by around 15% because CPI is around 1.2% lower on average than RPI.

This is the latest stage in the unions’ legal challenge, launched in October 2011. The unions case is that the switch is not allowed under social security legislation and that it goes back on assurances given by successive governments that the RPI inflation would be used when determining pension increases. 

Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary, said: 

"The decision to switch to using the CPI instead is a cynical move to pay down the deficit. This move could cost pensioners thousands. They deserve better. RPI is a much fairer reflection of the costs that retired people face – because, unlike CPI, it includes housing costs. 

“Pensioners now, and in the future are being unfairly targeted to pay down a deficit they did nothing to cause. Meanwhile, it’s still bonuses for the bankers. This government may try to claim that we are all in this together – but pensioners will not be fooled.” 

UNISON UK press release

http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2609

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UNISON seeks independent probe on bullying and harassment at Adam Smith College

Date: Monday 20 February 2012

UNISON has called on the Education Secretary Mike Russell to set up an independent investigation into allegations of bullying and harassment at Adam Smith College in Fife.  The union, which represents 100 staff at the college, intervened after press reports and concerns expressed by members regarding a “culture of bullying and harassment” by some senior staff.

Douglas Black, UNISON Regional Organiser said:
“There is a pressing need for these issues of bullying and harassment to be investigated to ensure our members can work in an environment free from intimidation.

“The allegations are so serious that I understand the Scottish Funding Council - a public body with responsibility for all Further Education Colleges Governance - has been asked to provide a report for Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education. This is welcome but  it doesn’t go far enough. Given the level of public exposure this issue has and the many concerns being raised confidentially by our members there is a need for thorough independent investigation. I have written to ask the Cabinet Secretary to initiate this.”

Douglas Black said:
“Bullying and harassment in any shape or form is simply not acceptable in Adam Smith College or in any walk of life and UNISON will actively pursue all such issues on behalf of our members.”

“This is not a matter that can simply be dealt with internally within the college - given the fact that the allegations go to the very highest level. An investigation independent of the college is the only way that our members can have confidence that these issues will be dealt with on an open, transparent and fair basis.”

ENDS

Note to editors
UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, including staff in further education. UNISON represents 100 staff at Adam Smith College.

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Council budget cuts: UNISON calls for review of funding to protect vital services and jobs

Date: Thursday 9 Feb 2012

 UNISON Scotland has called for a review of local government  funding to prevent further loss of vital local services and job following news of local council budgets approved across Scotland today.

Mike Kirby, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary said:

“These are tough times for local government, and for those employed to provide vital services in local communities.

“In the space of a year, the number of people working to deliver council services has declined by over thirteen thousand. Today’s budgets will mean thousands more jobs will go.

“Everyday all of us use the services provided by local government.  Many people don’t even notice them, we take them for granted, but they matter most when they’re not there.”

“Workers are also facing a pay freeze at a time of rising costs. We welcome commitments to living wage, but this must apply also to those working for agencies providing services. Councils can ensure contract compliance with living wage.”

“Public services offer great value for money. But they must be paid for. Continuing the council tax freeze is not right, not fair, in that it’s a real terms cut for the wealthiest home owners.

It’s damaging to local democracy, to jobs and to services. Simply removing the freeze is not the answer. We call for a wider revue of funding services.”

“We hope elections in May will bring a much-needed focus on the importance of local government and the range of essential services it provides. UNISON welcomes the fact that elections to local government are no longer overshadowed by the Scottish Parliament election.“

ENDS

Note to editors
1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, including staff in local government areas.

2. The UNISON Scotland Manifesto for the Scottish Local Government election is available on our website www.unison-scotland.org.uk   

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SCCS welcomes more active travel funding, though still a cut

8 Feb 2012

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland welcomes today’s announcement from John Swinney that an additional £13m over three years, compared to the Budget Bill published last month, will be allocated to sustainable and active travel. However, we note that this is still a cut on the funding available for this work in the current year.

Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:

“While we welcome the additional funding that the Scottish Government has allocated to sustainable and active travel in today’s budget announcement, it is still insufficient to deliver plans to meet Scotland’s climate change targets. The Government’s own plans to meet targets – set out in the Report on Proposals and Policies - are still not fully funded through this budget.

"The funding allocated for sustainable and active travel for the coming two years remains a cut on the funding available in 2011-12. At the same time, yet more funding - £72m - has been allocated to the carbon-generating road-building programme. This will not encourage people in Scotland to choose sustainable and active travel options.”

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UNISON manifesto calls for radical reform and democratic service design in local government

Date:  Saturday 4 February 2012

Launch of UNISON Scotland manifesto for local government elections in May

You can’t cut your way to better public services, UNISON has warned Scotland’s councils. Launching the union’s manifesto for May’s local elections today (Saturday 4 February), UNISON Convener Lilian Macer outlined the union’s alternative – a radical reform of local government around five key democratic principles and direct involvement of users and staff in the design of local public services.

Lilian Macer, UNISON Scotland Convener ,said:

“The cuts are hurting – as we warned they would. But they’re not working. You can’t cut your way to better services. And you can’t privatise or outsource your way to better services. Local government has to make a radical, democratic change - by involving users and staff directly in service design.

“What we want is real improvement - not the failed dogma of privatisation and outsourcing. When they’ve been subjected to democratic scrutiny, experience shows they’ve fallen apart – like Edinburgh’s costly privatisation project.

“Centrally driven initiatives cannot provide the answers to the complex needs of our diverse communities. People need to have a real say in how services are delivered in their communities. Only full involvement of users and staff in service design and delivery will guarantee that.”

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary, said:

“We welcome the fact that elections to local government are no longer overshadowed by the Scottish Parliament election. We campaigned successfully for that and we now hope this election will bring a much-needed focus on the importance of local government and the essential services our members work to provide for their communities.

“Tackling poverty and inequality to make Scotland fairer is the key to overcoming the serious challenges we face. A growing body of evidence tells us that fairer, more equal societies perform better on indicators such as crime, health and education. Local government has a crucial role in reducing inequality to help create the fairer and better Scotland we want to live in.”

 “Through the principles of Democracy, Fairness, Excellence, Partnership and Investment, local government can support our communities through this crisis - and lead the way out of the crisis through investment in those communities.”

Mike Kirby added:

 “We’ll be challenging all the candidates in the forthcoming elections on their commitment to public services - and asking them to support these principles and our manifesto for a better way.“

ENDS

Note to editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, including staff in local government areas.

2. UNISON Scotland is launching its Manifesto for the Scottish Local Government election at its Scottish Council meeting in Glasgow from 10am-1pm on Saturday 4 February 2012. The manifesto document will be available on our website www.unison-scotland.org.uk  shortly after the meeting.

3. Five Principles for Public Service  – from the UNISON Scotland Manifesto for Scottish Local Government Elections 2012

• DEMOCRACY: Accountability and the meaningful involvement of users and staff - rather than the market - will provide the services the public want

• FAIRNESS: Essential to build a fairer society both in delivering services and as a model employer

• EXCELLENCE: Should be the aim of all Scotland’s public services.We should be the country others look to, to see what can be achieved

• PARTNERSHIP: Creating the joined up working essential to meet the complex challenges Scotland faces without costly and disruptive reorganisation

• INVESTMENT: Essential to support communities in this economic crisis and lead the way out through growth and employment

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National Libraries Day 4 Feb – support your local library and its team of skilled, dedicated staff

Date: Friday 3 February 2012

As part of National Libraries Day on Saturday 4 February 2012, UNISON Scotland has called on councils to defend their local library services - not cut them. Falkirk Libraries opening hours have been cut from 54 hours a week to 45 hours along with cuts in staff hours. Glasgow is about to lose half of  its professional librarians over the next year.

Dave Watson, UNISON’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns in Scotland said:

“On National Libraries Day, UNSION Scotland rightly celebrates the wonderful service that our members in local libraries provide to communities across Scotland. Libraries, community learning centres and access points provide an ever more vital role in this time of recession and economic uncertainty. They provide accessible education and entertainment for people facing pay freezes, job insecurity or unemployment and rising costs.

“But our library services themselves are increasingly under threat from cutbacks in opening hours and jobs. UNISON Scotland believes this is a false economy. We call on local councillors – and candidates in the forthcoming Scottish council elections – to campaign for decent library provision and proper staffing levels, not cuts to the vital service our members provide.”

Gray Allan, Secretary of Falkirk UNISON branch and a librarian, said:

“The opening hours of Falkirk Libraries have been reduced from 54 hours to 45 hours per week since last September. Libraries now do not open till 10am, they close earlier at 3pm on Saturday and 4pm on Wednesday. And they are now only open to 8pm on two nights each week instead of three. Meanwhile part-time staff hours have been cut and one professional librarian’s post deleted and replaced at a lower wage.”

The story of library cutbacks is being repeated in other councils. In Glasgow over half of the city’s 25 professional librarian posts will be lost over the coming year. And in Dumfries and Galloway, the library materials budget has been cut by 25%.

Gray Allan said:

“If you can’t afford a key book for your studies and the library can’t afford to buy it either how are you to achieve your full potential? If the library isn’t open, what can you do? And if skilled library staff are not available because jobs have been cut or downgraded, the service will be less effective. Access to knowledge and information is the key to a fair society and a well educated population will be the key to a better economy. And for that we need libraries - and librarians.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, and represents library staff in local council areas.

2. UNISON’s UK campaign Love Your Libraries is online here: http://www.unison.org.uk/localgov/loveyourlibraries.asp  and we are supporting National Libraries Day on Saturday 4 February – more info on website here : http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/

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UNISON warning over threat to employment rights

Thu 2 Feb 2012
UNISON, the UK’s leading public service union, is urging the government to resist calls from big business to weaken employment rights, warning that it would have a damaging effect on the UK’s workplaces – for both employer and employee.

In a submission to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) consultation into TUPE* - regulations that protect employees' terms and conditions when a business or service is transferred from one owner to another – UNISON warns that rolling back the regulations would see legal costs rise and disputes increase.  TUPE not only gives employers time to consider more cost-effective in-house solutions, but gives staff time to consider their options.

Bronwyn McKenna, UNISON Assistant General Secretary, said:

“UNISON is calling on the government to resist big business’ calls and give it’s backing to both workers and employers, by safeguarding TUPE. Rolling back this vital transfer protection would see disputes rise and legal actions increase. This would be counterproductive, costing businesses more than the savings some are claiming could be made by watering down the rules.

“TUPE not only creates a level playing field, the regulations also provide real clarity for both worker and employer. We are urging the government not to weaken this vital protection. It could see employees stripped of their rights, with employers permitted to reduce pay, impose less favourable terms and conditions or sack staff once they’ve been transferred.”

*TUPE – Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations.


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