Union members from UNISON, GMB and Unite met on Monday to voice their opposition to the Tory Governments attempts at privatising Sandwell’s Children’s Services.
Tony Barnsley, Joint Branch Secretary for Sandwell UNISON stated,
“Creating uncertainty over the pay, pensions and conditions for staff working in Children’s Social Care does nothing to improve the service provided to Sandwell’s children. In fact it could make it worse if staff vote with their feet and leave to find jobs elsewhere. The private sector firm Impower has already failed to improve the service and it cost Sandwell taxpayers £1.5million for this failure. There is simply no reason why introducing a profit motive will help protect Sandwell’s children.
UNISON wants to work constructively with management to improve the service, but if the Government attempts to privatise our members into a ‘Trust’ we will ballot for industrial action, as mandated by our members.
Therefore we call upon the Children’s Minister, Edward Timpson, to make the decision where we can work together to protect Sandwell’s children, rather than enter into a dispute to protect our members employment conditions, pay and pensions.”