The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition says:

No to Cuts and Privatisation!

Make the Bosses Pay!

   Follow @TUSCoalition

31 January 2013

Brighton council workers appeal for support

GMB members employed by Brighton & Hove City Council are facing massive cuts to their take-home pay following Green Party and Conservative plans to alter their terms and conditions.

Green and Conservative councillors forced through a measure last week which authorised council officers to implement a ‘modernised pay and conditions package’. Council officers will now enter into negotiations with the recognised unions to seek cuts for allowances under part three of the NJC terms and conditions. These include measures such as overtime and shift allowances and could affect up to 75% of the council’s workforce.  In the event that agreement is not reached the officers have been authorised to take ‘all necessary measures’ to implement the changes and e-mail correspondence from the Green Party leader of the council, Jason Kitkat, confirms that he will not rule out instructing officers to impose the changes by dismissing and re-engaging members of staff on new terms and conditions.

The Greens are trying to balance the books in the face of government cuts, but instead of taking the fight to the government they are taking it to the council workforce and service users. Even with the best intentions the council will end up cutting jobs, pay and services. Two years that could have been used to build a campaign against government cuts have been wasted. The Greens have been backed into a corner but they refuse to even consider a fightback. Genuine anti-cuts councillors would refuse to implement the cuts and help build a movement to return the lost funding to the city.

Please sign the petition here – every signature is sent directly to all the Brighton councillors:

www.gmb-southern.org.uk/no-to-green-cuts-at-brighton-hove-city-council/