Further strikes loom at Notting Hill
Staff of a London housing association are poised to take further strike action in a dispute over changes to terms and conditions.
Trade union members at Notting Hill Housing Group are set to go on strike for two more days and will hold lunchtime demonstrations outside the group’s west London headquarters.
Staff went on strike on 15 March over the reductions in redeployment and relocation benefits, carers leave and changes to flexitime, which were introduced on 1 March. The union is now holding further demonstrations and has planned additional strikes.
Colin Inniss, regional organiser for Unison, said: ‘We are very disappointed. I think it shows a lack of understanding of the real difficulties the Notting Hill staff are facing because of those changes particularly on carers leave. I cannot believe the organisation cannot afford £40,000 a year to pay carers leave which it cost in 2008/09.’
No date has been set for the further strike dates but they are likely to take place in May.
A spokesperson for Notting Hill said: ‘To date, 97 per cent of all Notting Hill staff have signed their contracts of employment and we continue to meet individually with staff who have not signed to listen to their concerns and try to find a working arrangement that suits them within the framework of the new terms and conditions.’
She said Unison had told the organisation there would be a series of lunchtime protests this week. She added: ‘The protest is about changes to staff terms and conditions and Notting Hill respects the right of individuals to protest.’
She said there had been about a dozen members of staff protesting during Tuesday lunchtime at any one time. Unison also said there were about 12 protesters at any given point as staff take their lunch break on shifts.
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Readers' comments (8)
Tumeke | 05/05/2010 1:51 pm
To date, 97 per cent of all Notting Hill staff have signed their contracts of employment and we continue to meet individually with staff who have not signed to listen to their concerns and try to find a working arrangement that suits them within the framework of the new terms and conditions.’
Basically, if you don't sign you sack yourself. Of cause 97 per cent have sign.
However, looking forward to my big bonus at the end of the year. Yer Right.
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Simon Stokes | 05/05/2010 3:10 pm
A lot of us are going through it, Some here have taken £7,000 pay cuts in real terms, but we all faced up to reality and signed. Those who have taken pay cuts have put in appeals but are not holding their breath,which is usually the manual helpers and carers too. The Managers of course either stayed the same or even went up in pay, despite the fact they dont do that much more than the staff in real terms.
We have decided not to strike as it wont get us anywhere and cost us even more money in lost days pay.
As the article says, those at the top have no idea about the realities of those lower down and clearly dont care anyway!
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the purple avenger | 05/05/2010 4:30 pm
I think we should be happy to have jobs. I was recently at risk of redundancy, which is much more stressful and worrying that an erosion of conditions. The recession will bite hard and jobs are at a premium - so if you have one its better to keep it on reduced terms than lose your job altogether. You can always look around for a new job if you are unhappy with your revised deal - that's less of a problem than being unemployed and seeking a role.
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Troubleatmill | 05/05/2010 5:41 pm
The same thing happened at the ALMO I worked for. Sign and take a pay drop or sack yourself. It is absolutely disgusting the way staff are being treated.
To top it off I have now just found out I am being made redundant too!
This treatment of decent hard working staff needs to stop, it seems that these organisations do what they want to staff. Flexi time is to suit them, not help with work life balance. Taking annual leave is encouraged if sick, parents are expected to work different hours at a moments notice.
The only silver lining on my redundancy is that after 8 years working in housing, I will never go back.
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The Realist | 06/05/2010 8:12 am
Purple Avenger, you are very right. We are lucky to have jobs and even at the reduced pay and conditions we have been forced to take, it is still a good job with a good pension and sometimes you have to lok down instead of up and be grateful for what you have. After spending most of my working life in the private sector, working in a council housing department is more like a hoilday camp anyway, staff here pretty much run their own jobs with no consequences or input from managers. Flexitime is seen as an additional leave entitlement and some had 11 weeks away from their desks last year not including bank holidays. They work what ever hours suits them, drink as much coffee as they want and no one monitors anything they do, managers are very inept and try to keep their heads down and hope that anything that happens just goes away!
So yes you are right, we should be very grateful for what we have compared to many who have far less.
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The Realist | 06/05/2010 9:36 am
""Me | Thu, 6 May 2010 08:26 GMT:
Happy to have jobs? So in that case our employers can treat us like dirt, reduce our salaries and undermine our terms and conditions? ""
Why is it no one looks at the bigger picture. There is less money around, which means less jobs and lower salaries, its basic economics. As for being treated like dirt, you have a choice, you can accept their new terms or get a job somewhere else. You want the right to resign and walk away from your employer at a months notice for a better paid job, but you dont think that your employer should be able to change your conditions?
Too many people think the world owes them a living. Life is about choice and choice is a 2 way thing, you can choose where you work and your employer can choose what they pay you. Sometimes reality hurts! Or would you rather be working in Greece right now?
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Working Class Hero | 06/05/2010 7:09 pm
Hey Realist...! Go easy on your adoration for Adam Smith, its nauseating. Next you'll be advocating a return to a 12 hour working day, no paid holidays and work houses for those who can't get with the program and see your 'bigger picture'.
Those who are (handsomely) paid to lead should lead by example and take full responsibility when things go wrong, not sit pretty and retain their benefits whilst those that they have responsibility for have to accept a forced loss.
The solution to the problems at NHH is simple: listen to your employees concerns and work with them to address their concerns. But maybe that tried and trusted method is a little to simplistic for you?
Pontificating arrant nonsense about freedom of choice is what got us into this financial mess, mate. Live up to your name and get real before you find yourself (cap in hand) working for food and lodgings only.
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Me | 06/05/2010 8:44 pm
Thanks Purple Avenger (very poor spelling in your post - maybe an adult literacy course?) and your comments that there will be no jobs but staff can always look around for another if they are unhappy. Did it occur to you that this may be a contradiction? And Realist for your comments - I would be curious to know what you do for a living? I doubt if any staff at NHH think the world owes them a a living as THEY ARE WORKING AS IN EMPLOYED. Did you miss that bit?
Come on - tell us what you do and give us a laugh. Or come to NHH and do a week on customer facing service and then be smug and judgemental.
As for the comment about Greece - you should be ashamed. We are a rich nation - one of G8 and NHH is a rich company and has a huge rent roll - ask about staircasing revenues while you are at it. We can afford to pay our CEO a huge salary.
I AM NOT GRATEFUL FOR HAVING A JOB. I work damn hard and expect respect for what I do. PS Put any young boys up the chimney recently?
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