Exclusive

FESTIVE GREETINGS FROM COUNCIL – “YOU’RE FIRED!”

31-12-2007

Thousands of council workers in Birmingham have been sent the Christmas present they were dreading – a letter warning they’ll be sacked if they refuse new terms and conditions imposed by their bosses. One employee with more than 15 years service has been telling The Stirrer how it’s affected her.

New contracts have been sent to around half the local authority’s 40,000 employees following a Pay and Grading Review designed to eliminate gender discrimination (all a result of Single Status legislation).

We’ve previously reported that as many as six in ten of those who’ve so far replied have rejected the offer (see link here).

Anyone who has either said “no” or simply not replied has now been sent a formal notice, warning that unless they accept by today, they will be considered to be under formal notice of dismissal.

This means that – in the local authority’s eyes at least - if they turn up for work on April 1 they will be deemed to have accepted their new deal. And if they don’t show because they disagree with their new contracts, they will be fired.

One residential care worker who looks after elderly people – let’s call her Alice Watkins* – told The Stirrer how the unfestive letter dropped on the doormat on December 28.

“I think it’s diabolical for them to send it out at this time of year. It’s definitely cast a shadow over Christmas” she said.

Alice, who has done her current job for more than 15 years is, ironically one of the supposed “winners” in the re-shuffle; her annual income will rise by more than £2,000 to around £13,000 a year.

But the bizarre rules surrounding the review mean she won’t receive the salary her works merits (which is nearer £16,000) until she’s had a further nine annual increments.

That’s because those who are getting increases are automatically being placed at the bottom rung of the next pay band up, even if their assessment suggests they should be earning considerably more.

It means that a deal created to ensure equality is actually discriminating against hard-working middle aged women like Alice, who may well have retired before they get their dues.

She says: “What I don’t like about the letter is that there’s nothing in there about having time to negotiate. It’s clear – you either have to accept or you’re out.

“A lot of the people I work with are scared now about losing their job, so they are feeling pressured to sign up.”

Alice also feels at a disadvantage because workers in her (female-dominated) sector don’t have the industrial muscle of the refuse workers who have been widely expected to strike if a deal can’t be struck to their satisfaction.

“If the bin men don’t do their job, and the rubbish piles up, they’ll get the Army in,” Alice says.

“If we don’t do our job, old people won’t get their bottoms wiped. Who are they going to get in to do that? And which job is more important?”

On the question of industrial action, she warned, “I’ve never done it before, but this time I will if I’m able to.”

(*Alice Watkins is a pseudonym designed to protect the identity of a real worker, who fears that she would lose her job if she used here real name).

Join the Single Status thread on the Message Board.