"The government has decided that women, families and children will bear the brunt of cutting the deficit," Ruth Lister, head of social policy at Loughborough University told a TUC forum on 22nd July 2010.
Although the government claims that the emergency budget is fair, the combined effect of changes to benefits and service cuts is hitting the poorest hardest, especially low paid women workers and their families.
The Chancellor has claimed that the budget will "have no adverse impact on child poverty".
But, according to research by Ms Lister, the government is asking families with children to make an additional contribution that others are not paying.
"Gender and family friendliness are vitally important when we're talking about passing the fairness test," said Ms Lister.
"The conservative manifesto promised to 'make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe'," she said, "yet there seems to have been no assessment of how the budget will affect the coalition's family-friendly agenda".
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recently advised the Treasury of its legal obligation to carry out an equality impact assessment of the budget.
"We need to remind the government of its duties to do an equality impact assessment of the emergency budget, and the spending review expected later this year," said Ms Lister.
Cuts to services announced in the budget, and housing benefit changes, will also hit women hardest. Research commissioned by UNISON, shows that service cuts will mean the poorest tenth of households will lose the equivalent of 20.5% of their household income, whilst the richest tenth will lose just 1.6%.
Service cuts will be particularly harsh for low-paid women, who make up most of the public sector workforce, and their families and children.
Low paid workers, who already face pay freezes and job cuts, will now also see their services and household income cut.
The government is planning to cap and put restrictions on housing benefit, which many hard-working low-income families depend on to meet rising housing costs.
Freezing of child benefit, and focusing on Child Tax Credits, which will be reduced and withdrawn from many families also indicates a shift in government policy from universal to means-tested benefits for families and children, warned Ms Lister.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Monday, 26 July 2010
One-off payment being made to staff
UNISON have been advised by The Mungo Foundation that following a review of the final year accounts, the organisation were in a position to make a one-off payment to the value of £217 (subject to tax and NI) to each full time employee. This will be paid with your July salary. This payment is being made to all staff currently on the payroll.
Part time staff will be paid a pro rata equivalent and relief staff will be paid based on average hours worked per week in 2009/10.
UNISON welcomes any increase in our member's wage and we acknowledge TMF's efforts to give some recognition of their employees commitment in this difficult financial climate.
Please note that this payment has no bearing on our recently submitted pay claim for this financial year.
We fully expect to meet with TMF soon to take forward discussions on our claim.
Part time staff will be paid a pro rata equivalent and relief staff will be paid based on average hours worked per week in 2009/10.
UNISON welcomes any increase in our member's wage and we acknowledge TMF's efforts to give some recognition of their employees commitment in this difficult financial climate.
Please note that this payment has no bearing on our recently submitted pay claim for this financial year.
We fully expect to meet with TMF soon to take forward discussions on our claim.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
UNISON families hit by low pay
An in-depth study, published by UNISON, explores the complex relationship between working, juggling childcare responsibilities and low pay, a relationship that traps people into low wage jobs, with little chance of progression.
The knock-on effect to families is huge. From working two jobs, taking shifts on the weekend, or feeling too tired to discipline their children or help out with homework, many parents on low wages fear their kids are missing out on vital care and support.
Working alongside researchers from the Working Lives Research Institute from London Metropolitan University, UNISON members discussed and documented the effects of low pay, long and unsocial hours and/or multiple jobs on their own lives and those of their children.
The Impact of Low Pay on UNISON’s Families is available here
The knock-on effect to families is huge. From working two jobs, taking shifts on the weekend, or feeling too tired to discipline their children or help out with homework, many parents on low wages fear their kids are missing out on vital care and support.
Working alongside researchers from the Working Lives Research Institute from London Metropolitan University, UNISON members discussed and documented the effects of low pay, long and unsocial hours and/or multiple jobs on their own lives and those of their children.
The Impact of Low Pay on UNISON’s Families is available here
'Here's how you can cut the deficit' - Mr Cameron
UNISON had a message for David Cameron today, in response to his invitation for public service workers to suggest ways of cutting the deficit.
A letter to the prime minister made our ideas quite clear. It said:
"Dear Dave,
"You asked us how we could cut the deficit. We believe you can do this without devastating public services. Here's how:
"Stop cutting vital public services.
"Stop cutting public service jobs.
"Cut bankers' bonuses and bring in a Robin Hood tax.
"Keep services in-house, instead of paying consultants.
"Cut out the privatisation profiteers.
"Thanks for listening,
"From 1.3 million public service workers in UNISON."
General secretary Dave Prentis said: "Our members didn't cause the recession. It wasn't a nurse or a social worker or a teaching assistant that gambled millions on the stock exchange and almost brought the economy down.
"So our members should not have to pay. It's time that those who created the crisis paid for it
In our alternative budget and here, UNISON has shown how it can be done without making public services workers and our communities suffer."
There's still time to let the prime minister get the message by clicking here and leaving your comments. And let us know what you've said by emailing millionvoices@unison.co.uk.
You can find more ideas in UNISON's alternative budget here.
Click here to join our Million Voices campaign to defend public services.
A letter to the prime minister made our ideas quite clear. It said:
"Dear Dave,
"You asked us how we could cut the deficit. We believe you can do this without devastating public services. Here's how:
"Stop cutting vital public services.
"Stop cutting public service jobs.
"Cut bankers' bonuses and bring in a Robin Hood tax.
"Keep services in-house, instead of paying consultants.
"Cut out the privatisation profiteers.
"Thanks for listening,
"From 1.3 million public service workers in UNISON."
General secretary Dave Prentis said: "Our members didn't cause the recession. It wasn't a nurse or a social worker or a teaching assistant that gambled millions on the stock exchange and almost brought the economy down.
"So our members should not have to pay. It's time that those who created the crisis paid for it
In our alternative budget and here, UNISON has shown how it can be done without making public services workers and our communities suffer."
There's still time to let the prime minister get the message by clicking here and leaving your comments. And let us know what you've said by emailing millionvoices@unison.co.uk.
You can find more ideas in UNISON's alternative budget here.
Click here to join our Million Voices campaign to defend public services.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Red Towers meeting for staff facing redundancy
UNISON representatives will be visiting Red Towers on Friday 2nd July at 2.30pm to meet with staff facing redundancy there.
Food Allocation Policy
UNISON is aware that a new Food Allocation Policy has appeared in many projects proposing significant changes of approach to the processes and practices currently in place.
This has been the source of major concern to our members.
UNISON has not been consulted with regards to this policy and has raised this with TMF management.
Our advice is not to sign the policy and to stick to the status quo and to politely advise managers accordingly, you should state to them that you are waiting for the matter to be discussed between UNISON and TMF. If there are issues because of this please contact us ASAP.
Regards
Alice Lyness
Senior Steward
This has been the source of major concern to our members.
UNISON has not been consulted with regards to this policy and has raised this with TMF management.
Our advice is not to sign the policy and to stick to the status quo and to politely advise managers accordingly, you should state to them that you are waiting for the matter to be discussed between UNISON and TMF. If there are issues because of this please contact us ASAP.
Regards
Alice Lyness
Senior Steward
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Budget: Government declares war on public services
22/06/2010
UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, today accused the Government of declaring war on public services and public service workers with the most draconian budget in decades.
He said: “This budget signals that the battle for Britain’s public services has begun with the Government declaring war. Public sector workers will be shocked and angry that they are the innocent victims of job cuts and pay freezes.
“Freezing public sector pay when inflation is running at 5.1% and VAT is going up, will mean a real cut in living standards for millions of ordinary workers and their families - already struggling to pay rising bills.
“Nurses, social workers, midwives, paramedics, police community support officers, housing and environmental officers who provide vital public services, are amongst those who will be hit hardest by the two year pay freeze. And for local government workers this comes on top of this year’s freeze.
“A 25% cut in departmental public spending will decimate our public services. The budget will do nothing to restore confidence or kick-start the recovery, but will push local economies into the ground, raising the spectre of breadline Britain.
“They haven’t even bothered to consider any other option but slash and burn. What of the bankers who caused the recession and the super-rich who evade tax? They must be breathing a sigh of relief that they got away so lightly. The bank tax levy is a poor substitute for a serious ‘Robin Hood” tax on financial transactions. It is a missed opportunity to raise £30bn which would have made a significant dent in the country’s deficit.
“Throwing tens of thousands of public sector workers on the dole will cost the country billions in lost tax revenue as well as piling billions onto the benefits bill.
“The Chancellor dreams of a private sector recovery but how can that be on the back of brutal cuts to public services workers. Local businesses, shops, hairdressers, restaurants will go to the wall as spending dries up. No amount of fiscal stimulus will do any good if they have no customers
“Vital services that the poor, the sick and the vulnerable rely on, are in the firing line. There is no compassion in this coalition.
“Freezing council tax is a useless gesture saving people pennies but cutting tens of millions from council budgets, trhreatening jobs, losing services and undermining the local economy.
“Raising VAT affects the poor the most as they spend a higher proportion of their meagre incomes on goods and services.
“Meanwhile major utility companies spend money sponsoring sporting events whilst attacking pay and conditions – that cannot be fair.”
Adding 500,000 public service workers to the dole between now and 2015 – which the CIPD says would be the likely effect of Osborne’s spending plans – will cost around £10 billion in lost tax and increased benefit payments. This would almost entirely cancel out the reduction in the pay bill, as well as dealing a massive blow to local economies and communities.
UNISON’s Save Our Services alternative budget:
£4.7bn could be raised every year by introducing a 50% tax rate on incomes over £100,000
£10bn could be raised every year by reforming tax havens and residence rules to reduce tax avoidance by corporations and ‘non-domiciled’ residents
£14.9bn could be raised every year by using minimum tax rates to stop reliefs being used disproportionately subsidise incomes over £100,000
£30bn could be raised every year by introducing a Major Financial Transactions Tax on UK financial institutions – the Robin Hood Tax
At least £1.5bn could be raised this year by bringing back the windfall tax on bankers’ bonuses.
£4bn could be saved this year by cancelling Trident, the project could cost as much as £100bn.
£500m could be saved every year by eradicating healthcare acquired infections from the NHS – the extra cleaners would cost half this.
£495m could be saved every year by adopting measures to improve the health and well-being of NHS staff, thereby reducing sickness absence
£1bn could be saved every year by halving the local government agency bill, as has been achieved by high performing councils
£5bn could be raised every year with an Empty Property Tax on vacant dwellings. This only exaggerates housing shortages and harms neighbourhoods.
£2.8bn could be saved every year by ending the central government use of private consultants who bring little discernable benefit
£3bn could be saved in user fees and interest charges every year if PFI schemes were replaced with conventional public procurement
Total – 77.895bn.
UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, today accused the Government of declaring war on public services and public service workers with the most draconian budget in decades.
He said: “This budget signals that the battle for Britain’s public services has begun with the Government declaring war. Public sector workers will be shocked and angry that they are the innocent victims of job cuts and pay freezes.
“Freezing public sector pay when inflation is running at 5.1% and VAT is going up, will mean a real cut in living standards for millions of ordinary workers and their families - already struggling to pay rising bills.
“Nurses, social workers, midwives, paramedics, police community support officers, housing and environmental officers who provide vital public services, are amongst those who will be hit hardest by the two year pay freeze. And for local government workers this comes on top of this year’s freeze.
“A 25% cut in departmental public spending will decimate our public services. The budget will do nothing to restore confidence or kick-start the recovery, but will push local economies into the ground, raising the spectre of breadline Britain.
“They haven’t even bothered to consider any other option but slash and burn. What of the bankers who caused the recession and the super-rich who evade tax? They must be breathing a sigh of relief that they got away so lightly. The bank tax levy is a poor substitute for a serious ‘Robin Hood” tax on financial transactions. It is a missed opportunity to raise £30bn which would have made a significant dent in the country’s deficit.
“Throwing tens of thousands of public sector workers on the dole will cost the country billions in lost tax revenue as well as piling billions onto the benefits bill.
“The Chancellor dreams of a private sector recovery but how can that be on the back of brutal cuts to public services workers. Local businesses, shops, hairdressers, restaurants will go to the wall as spending dries up. No amount of fiscal stimulus will do any good if they have no customers
“Vital services that the poor, the sick and the vulnerable rely on, are in the firing line. There is no compassion in this coalition.
“Freezing council tax is a useless gesture saving people pennies but cutting tens of millions from council budgets, trhreatening jobs, losing services and undermining the local economy.
“Raising VAT affects the poor the most as they spend a higher proportion of their meagre incomes on goods and services.
“Meanwhile major utility companies spend money sponsoring sporting events whilst attacking pay and conditions – that cannot be fair.”
Adding 500,000 public service workers to the dole between now and 2015 – which the CIPD says would be the likely effect of Osborne’s spending plans – will cost around £10 billion in lost tax and increased benefit payments. This would almost entirely cancel out the reduction in the pay bill, as well as dealing a massive blow to local economies and communities.
UNISON’s Save Our Services alternative budget:
£4.7bn could be raised every year by introducing a 50% tax rate on incomes over £100,000
£10bn could be raised every year by reforming tax havens and residence rules to reduce tax avoidance by corporations and ‘non-domiciled’ residents
£14.9bn could be raised every year by using minimum tax rates to stop reliefs being used disproportionately subsidise incomes over £100,000
£30bn could be raised every year by introducing a Major Financial Transactions Tax on UK financial institutions – the Robin Hood Tax
At least £1.5bn could be raised this year by bringing back the windfall tax on bankers’ bonuses.
£4bn could be saved this year by cancelling Trident, the project could cost as much as £100bn.
£500m could be saved every year by eradicating healthcare acquired infections from the NHS – the extra cleaners would cost half this.
£495m could be saved every year by adopting measures to improve the health and well-being of NHS staff, thereby reducing sickness absence
£1bn could be saved every year by halving the local government agency bill, as has been achieved by high performing councils
£5bn could be raised every year with an Empty Property Tax on vacant dwellings. This only exaggerates housing shortages and harms neighbourhoods.
£2.8bn could be saved every year by ending the central government use of private consultants who bring little discernable benefit
£3bn could be saved in user fees and interest charges every year if PFI schemes were replaced with conventional public procurement
Total – 77.895bn.
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