Diary date: Thursday 9 February, strike against One Barnet and for public services

An important message from Barnet Unison:

Strike against One Barnet and for public services

On Thursday 9 February we are embarking on our fourth day of strike action which will mark a sustained campaign of activity to highlight our fight to remain council employees.

Our members are proud to serve the residents of Barnet.

As I have said over the last four years our UNISON branch is facing the most fundamental challenge in our history.

· 1 February 2012: 130 care workers transfer to the Local Authority Trading company

· 1 April 2012: 90 housing workers transfer to Barnet Homes

· 1 April 2012: all of the parking service transfer to NSL

· 1 April 2012: all of legal service transfer to Harrow Council

Development and Regulatory Services (DRS) and the New Support Organisation/Customer Services Organisation (NSO/CSO) projects enter Dialogue 2 process and if continued will transfer all the staff in January 2013.

All the above would involve approx 2,000 council workers and over £2 billion of council business over the next 10 years.

Wave 2 of One Barnet is about to begin - it will involve all the depot based staff, eg, refuse, street cleaning, grounds maintenance, approximately 1,000 staff. The likely transfer date for this group of services could be the end of 2013.

What is left?

Social workers and commissioners, approximately 500 staff. The Local Authority Trading Company has been set up to take other council services and we believe that social work will eventually be outsourced, leaving a core 300.

But there is still a strong fighting spirit in our branch and amongst our members to defend our services and jobs.

Please send messages of support to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk. We also need you all to spread the word of our struggle via Facebook ("Barnet Unison") and Twitter (@barnet_unison).

Best wishes,

John Burgess
Branch Secretary
Barnet UNISON

020 8359 2088

www.barnetunison.me.uk