Plymouth City Council urged to cut £100k union subsidy
COUNCIL bosses have been urged to slash the £100,000-a-year subsidies they give to trade unions.
Conservative councillor Ian Bowyer said council figures showed that the equivalent of 8,000 hours of staff time was diverted to union activities each year, paid for by council taxpayers.
-
Subsidies for union-related activities in schools amount to £47,000, and council unions are subsidised to the tune of £42,600. Accommodation costs for the unions are £6,500.
"These annual costs of £96,000 are just those the council has disclosed, but they admit there are others," Cllr Bowyer said.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
"I am horrified to see that the progress the last Conservative council made on this issue has been stopped in its tracks.
"In the interests of taxpayers we modernised and streamlined the way the council did business and reduced the wage bill.
"It looks like the present Labour council doesn't have the bottle to take the tough decisions needed to keep this going."
Cllr Bowyer said the subsidy was the equivalent of five jobs.
"Local people are bankrolling the very unions whose national agenda seeks to undermine and disrupt the local services we all rely on."
He accepted that effective union representation could be a force for good in the workplace, but said: "These costs must be met by trade unions. The time has come for the council to face up to the facts and address this unfairness.
"This is an example of where sensible savings can be made rather than hiking up council tax."
A council spokeswoman said: "The council has a duty to inform, consult and negotiate with our workforce.
"Local authorities have a number of national negotiating bodies for different professions such as teachers, psychologists, health workers and other professions covering 300 different types of services.
"The use of local unions to work with the employer when consulting and negotiating means we can work together at a much quicker pace."
She said the unions were also working to improve health and safety in the workplace, support employees in improving their learning and development as well as supporting workers who face redundancy.
Cllr Peter Smith, deputy leader of the council, said: "Local authorities are the most efficient arm of government and we are still expected to bear the brunt of the cuts imposed in the public sector.
"With the help of trade unions, we are able to consult on the way in which we make these cuts, whilst protecting as many front-line services as possible.
"The amount paid to the trade unions has not changed and remains the same as when the previous administration was in power.
"It represents good value when you consider some of the other options of consulting and negotiation – especially with the speed at which the cuts from central government are being forced on us."
Comments
by Nevman
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 8:10AM
“What drives you to turn everything into an excuse to vent your obsession with the EU and the commies, jabba?”
by paulmh66
Sunday, November 11 2012, 10:53AM
“@ JonnyGlenholt. Actually the government brings in rules (via the EU) for H&S the unions back it up, the big firms still employ management to enforce health and safety but ultimately, it's down to the individual them self, both morally and legally, to follow health and safety rules.”
by beowulfonline
Sunday, November 11 2012, 9:25AM
“We need the trade unions to help protect us from Tory cuts. Personally I think they should be entirely funded by their members. That also applies to political parties who should not be funded by unions (Labour) or the bankers and City of London (Conservatives).”
by jabbathebutt
Saturday, November 10 2012, 10:43PM
“@jonnyglenholt.... it would be even better value if all taxpayers were not forced into paying for a left wing agenda and the unions were forced to pay it themselves . I for one, want nothing to do with reds in any form whatsoever,wether here or in the EU WHERE THEY ALSO USE OUR TAXES FOR PROMOTING MARXISM ... so why is my money being given to them ?”
by JonnyGlenholt
Saturday, November 10 2012, 8:31PM
“Even Tory councils recognise the value for money that the Unions offer. It costs millions to get private sector organisations and management consultants to do all the Health and Safety, HR, dispute resolution and consultation that any large organisation needs and that the unions provide. That's also why it's so common in the private sector, too.”
by ewan55
Saturday, November 10 2012, 6:22PM
“Yes stop this subsidy (why should the taxpayer pick up the bill ?) and while your at it you can also stop the rent free office space the Tory and Labour parties have in the Civic Centre. Both have office, heating, lighting, possibly phones and supplies all at the taxpayers expense.”
by paulmh66
Saturday, November 10 2012, 12:01PM
“Unions are there to help the workers, all they are doing now is costing jobs. I stopped paying my union dues a long time ago after they fought for a large pay rise where I worked. The pay increase resulted in 80% of the staff enjoying a very good wage, and 20% losing their jobs over a short period of time. I might add that the hourly rate was more than twice minimum wage.”
by Devonportboy
Saturday, November 10 2012, 11:48AM
“""Local people are bankrolling the very unions whose national agenda seeks to undermine and disrupt the local services we all rely on."
and there was me thinking it was the conservative led coalition doing that, have you not realised yet Bowyer that this kind of petty point scoring and scaremongering is why politicians are held in such low regard. As for local tax payers paying for a right wing 'perk', wasn't Viv's trip to South Africa enough for you Jabba? Time we got past this left wing right wing nonsense, people in the real world don't rely on such clichés any more let's look at whether there's a legitimate reason to fund trade unions but not simply dismiss it because it's 'left wing'.”
by lweston
Saturday, November 10 2012, 9:45AM
“Wot about the worker”
by Jannercide
Saturday, November 10 2012, 9:32AM
“"In the interests of taxpayers we modernised and streamlined the way the council did business and reduced the wage bill" - We have made cutbacks to frontline service and made many members of staff redundant.
"Local people are bankrolling the very unions whose national agenda seeks to undermine and disrupt the local services we all rely on." - Would that be the services you have already slashed and burned under the guise of modernising and streamlining?”