More cuts likely for Kirklees Council but strike is off...for now
Sep 7 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Kirklees Council strike action called off, but are more cuts on their way?
PLANS for Kirklees Council staff to strike has been averted. But a government Comprehensive Spending Review, due in October, leaves the situation in Kirklees uncertain. Here Chief Executive Adrian Lythgo and Head of Human Resources Rebecca Jones talk to JOANNE DOUGLAS about redundancies, pay and staff morale.
STRIKE action which could have seen some schools close has been avoided.
Unison were due to ballot its 8,500 members, including bin men and teaching assistants, about industrial action from Thursday in a dispute about redundancies and sick days.
But negotiations between Unison and Kirklees Council over the last week have seen them agree to a memo of understanding.
It means the ballot has been suspended and possible strike action in mid-October will not take place.
In an interview with the Examiner, Adrian Lythgo, Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, and Rebecca Jones, Head of HR, said it was an important step.
But Mr Lythgo warned that they cannot plan further ahead than October 22, when the results of a Government Comprehensive Spending Review are known.
Economists have predicted the biggest budget cuts since World War II.
Mr Lythgo said: “We’ve been talking with the trade unions over the last week and we have an understanding that Unison are not holding their ballot for industrial action on the basis of those discussions.
“In any event they haven’t held the ballot so we cannot know what the outcome would have been, but they are suspending that as negotiations continue.”
Yesterday morning the council agreed a memo of understanding, an agreement to establish a clear understanding of how a procedure will follow. The next step is to continue the discussions.
But Mr Lythgo added: “I don’t know how long it will take, we need to hold a meeting as soon as is practically possible, what happens after that I could only speculate about.
