Somerset County UNISON Branch

= Somerset County UNISON Branch

2006 Pay Scales

Welcome to Somerset County UNISON Branch Website!

Local Government Pay Claim 2008
Catch Up & Match Up!
pay matters logo Our pay matters! Our pay needs to catch up with the cost of living and match up to other workers - 2% is not enough - Catch Up and Match Up

Latest News

‘2.5% is not enough’
(01/05/08) Further education unions have rejected a below-inflation pay offer proposed by employers at talks today. More from UNISON

Ministers have ‘failed to give good reason for pay caps’
(01/05/08) The government has failed to give a good explanation for the current squeeze on public sector pay, an independent pay expert told a conference of trade unionists this week. More from Public Finance

Scotland's local government unions reject three-year pay offer
(09/04/08) UNISON and the other two unions representing Scotland’s 220,000 local government workers have rejected a three-year pay offer. The rejection comes after UNISON, the GMB and Unite sounded out members on the deal proposed by the employers, which would give a pay rise of 2.5% this year and for the next two years. More from UNISON

Union recommends rejection of 2.45% offer
(08/04/08) UNISON’s lay committee overseeing local government talks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is consulting members on the employers’ final offer, under the local government group's pay consultation procedures, with a recommendation to reject. More from UNISON

Employers come back with 2.45%
(02/04/08) Local government employers returned to the negotiating table today with a pay offer that would leave the lowest paid workers less well off than supermarket staff.More from UNISON

Local authority employers make improved pay offer
(02/04/08) Local authority employers today made an increased pay offer worth 2.45% to over 1.5 million council workers in a bid to head off the threat of a strike. More from 24ash.com

(01/04/08) "Crucial pay talks for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland resume this week. UNISON has already rejected a 2.2% pay offer for these workers because it is below inflation and, therefore, represents a pay cut. Local government workers in Scotland are between talks, after rejecting a 3-year deal last month.

Public sector pay is falling behind again and we all know that that will throw up huge problems of recruitment and retention. Big increases in energy, transport and housing over the past year have eaten further into our members' pay. Members should keep up the pressure on employers, councillors and MPs to make sure that they are in no doubt of the strength of feeling about pay."

Initial Offer
(19/03/08) UNISON pay talks: NJC pay – Employers make initial offer of 2.2% read circular from UNISON

'A slap in the face'
(19/03/08) UNISON described a 2.2% pay offer from local government employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland tonight as "a slap in the face". More from UNISON

'Face up to reality'
(18/03/08) General secretary Dave Prentis called on the government to "face up to the reality of inflation" today on the eve of crucial local government pay talks. More from UNISON

Prentis calls for a fairer Britain
(10/03/08) UNISON is calling on the chancellor to use his debut budget on Wednesday to release the stranglehold on public service pay. More from UNISON

(25/02/08) Letter to Councillor Shortland regarding pay claim

'Keep pressure on councils,' members urged
(21/02/08) UNISON is calling on members in local government to lobby their employers throughout the UK over our pay claim for 2008. More from UNISON

UNISON rejects local government pay offer in Scotland
(18/02/08) UNISON in Scotland has rejected a three-year pay offer from the local government employers. More from UNISON

Risky business
(31/01/08) UNISON says the government should heed a study by economic experts which warns against staging pay rises for public service workers.More from our Pay Matters Campaign

More from our Pay Matters Campaign

Making Local Services Count
The government is proposing major changes to local services - changes will affect almost all UNISON members.While aiming to increase participation and improve the co-ordination of local services, the recent white paper also signals a rapid acceleration in the marketisation of council services and in efficiency cuts.UNISON is campaigning to strengthen local democracy, support high quality, publicly-provided services and defend our members' interests.

Please see UNISON Powerpoint Presentation

Please use the links on this page and on the left to navigate around this site or login to our members area below where meeting notes can be accessed. Please contact the Branch Office to get user name & password and login below

Southwest One
May 2008

Southwest One- Audit Commission presentation
(01/05/08) The following is the Audit Commisions presentation, please note that the the report is yet to be completed and the Branch's concerns are still to be addressed. View report

Southwest One: Access to Full Business Cease refused
(16/04/08) Ealier in the month, the branch requested the Full Business Case under the freedom of Information act - our request has been refused because if the FBC were to be released it might upset IBM. Read the letter we recieved from Matt Jones

Southwest One: Letter to Audit Commission
(03/04/08) letter from Branch regardig SAP and whether the scope of the commission's own audit will involve a Gateway 4 review. Details of letter

Southwest One: Freedom of Information Request
(02/04/08) Branch requests for the Full Business Case on the partnership arrangements with IBM. Details to follow.

Southwest One criticised by MP
(27/03/08) Outspoken Mp Ian LiddellGrainger has attacked the way private company Southwest One has been set up More from Western Daily Press

MP's anger over services company
(26/03/08) An MP has told the Commons he believes public money is being "misappropriated" with a company running public services in Somerset. More from the BBC

MP slams Southwest One
(26/03/08) WEST Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger today launched an astonishing attack on a new company set up to make multi-million pound savings in public services. More from Somerset County Gazette

Southwest One: Discussion in Parliament
(26/03/08) Transcript from Hansard http://www.publications.parliament.uk/

Police join Southwest One
(26/03/08)AVON and Somerset Police Authority has joined Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Council in the new IBM joint venture admin company, Southwest One. More from Somerset County Gazette

Southwest One: Further Freedom of Information request
(04/03/08) FoI letter to Matt Jones, Head of Client Functions

Southwest One: Latest report from European Services Strategy Unit
(24/01/08) Please read Lessons and new agenda for public services in the South West and our latest press release

Paper on Strategic Service Delivery Partnerships
(07/01/08) Paper on SSDPs to go to South West Provincial Council.

European Services Strategy Unit
(04/12/07) Shared Services Strategic Framework, Dexter Whitfield

A Somerset resident gives their views on IBM/SW1
(18/12/07) The news of the new company has not been greeted well by all - read what a resident had to say to Orchard FM

Statement to Audit Scrutiny Committee
(14/12/07) address by Roger Conway, a member of the public to the Audit Scrutiny Committee

Powerpoint Prestentations on South West One
(04/12/07) Survive or Thrive in SW1 & Southwest One (You will need MS PowerPoint or Viewer to load)

Branch Response to Councillors
Union anger as council services go private
(06/10/07) Money from Somerset taxpayers may be used to line shareholders' pockets after the county council and Taunton Deane Council signed a £400million contract with IBM, union members claim. More from Somerset County Gazette

IBM takes on Council Services
(03/10/07) Staff working in areas such as human resources, IT and finance will become employees of Southwest One, a company run by computer giant IBM. Union officials claim the deal was struck in secret and was never fully debated. More from the BBC

Unions fear for Police jobs
(03/10/07)Union bosses last night revealed they have "grave concerns" about moves by Avon and Somerset police to privatise key parts of its workforce. More from Western Daily Press

ISiS - Letter in response to rejection of request to put ISiS to Full Council
(01/10/07) Letter to Jill Shortland outlining the consitutional reasons why ISiS should have been put to Full Council - read more

ISiS - Formal Grievance lodged with SCC
(27/09/07) As we have not been consulted on the Staffing Agreement the branch has today, sent a letter to the Acting Head of HR, lodging a formal grievance with SCC.

ISiS Staffing Agreement
(27/09/07) The failure of SCC to provide the the Branch with a copy of the ISiS Staffing Agreement has now been referred to our solicitors - please read our letter to the County Solicitor

Conference 2008
For details of the motions we have submitted, please visit our conference page

Annual Branch Report
UNISON Elections
Branch nominates:-
* South West General Seat - JEREMY GUISE (City of plymouth)
* South West Female Seat - AMANDA BROWN (Dorset County)

New from the ESSU, Public Sector Research ONLINE
provides detailed guidance on how to research and investigate public policy, public services, the economy, government, companies, consultants, trusts, organisations and individuals. It is intended to provide a service to those involved in public policy making, public sector research, public employees, service users, trade unions, community and civil society organisations. It has a major role in public sector education and training. Visit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/psro/

Public Services Not Private Profit
www.publicnotprivate.org.uk
is a joint union campaign launched in March 2006 to defend public services against privatisation.

Billions of pounds of public funds are being wasted boosting the profits of private companies who are downgrading services and slashing conditions and jobs for public sector workers. This increased trend towards privatisation puts at risk the accountable and effective delivery of public services.

Related topic: Local Government White Paper