Councils slash thousands of jobs

Bromley council in south London is the latest authority to announce plans to dramatically slash its workforce.

As Labour Research went to press, general union Unite had balloted its members at the Tory-controlled council for strike action over the authority’s plans to cut its directly-employed workforce from 3,000 to just 300 as part of its privatisation drive.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said the union believed that private outsourcing companies would then employ ex-council staff on much reduced pay and terms and conditions.

He said: “We have offered to discuss a “procurement strategy” to safeguard service quality, but the council has refused.”

And, he warned: “The council’s proposals will hit the most vulnerable members of the community.”

Meanwhile, members of public sector union UNISON working for north London’s Barnet Council have also been balloted on strike action over the outsourcing of the majority of the workforce.

The union believes as many as 80% of workers will end up being employed by private companies.

In February, Northamptonshire County Council approved plans to outsource all services and make £68 million of cuts. The plans would see it retaining just 150 of its 4,000 staff.

www.unitetheunion.org/news/strike-ballot-as-tory-run-bromley-council-plans-to-dramatically-slash-its-workforce

www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1525

www.localgov.co.uk/Northamptonshire-to-outsource-all-services-and-save-68m/38171