Star date: 18th April 2016

IS THERE AN ELECTION IN THE AIR AS COUNCIL HALTS UNION ATTACK?

Salford City Council has backed off in its all out attack on trade unions UNISON, Unite and GMB – at least until after the Mayor and local election.

Plans to remove facility time for elected union representatives were supposed to be finalised by April 4th but a statement by Salford UNISON confirms that Salford Council has "agreed to defer the current proposals". Definitely an election in the air!

Full details here...

It was always going to be awkward...

Paul Dennett, Labour Party candidate for Mayor and Jeremy Corbyn supporter, proclaiming on election leaflets that he is a "proud Trade Unionist" (sic), while deep in the shadows of Labour controlled Salford City Council, plans were afoot to attack the very same trade unions he was lauding.

Under new conditions, which the Council was to impose by April 4th, time set aside for trade union reps to represent their members was to be cut down, meaning the loss of one full time post at Salford UNISON and half a post at the GMB.

The attack was similar to that contained in the Tory Government's Trade Union Bill, which both Labour councillors and Jeremy Corbyn have opposed, and almost mirrored Salford Conservative Party alternative proposals in the annual budget.

The attack was widely condemned and even Corbyn himself was poked for not sorting out his own Salford supporters...

"You can't say one thing and do something else" said Karen Lewis, regional organiser of GMB "You've got to talk the talk and walk the walk...He shouldn't just be floating around visiting different workplaces or being seen in the right places, he should be doing the right thing for the people." (see previous Salford Star article – click here)

Last Friday, Salford UNISON posted a statement relaying that Salford Council had backed off temporarily, for `joint discussions', taking the final decision beyond the May 5th date of the local and Mayor elections.

"Constructive dialogue has been taking place between the City Council and the Joint Trade Unions regarding the ongoing review of partnership working and facility time support" explained the UNISON statement "It has been agreed to defer the current proposals and continue with joint discussions following and in the full light of the finalised Trade Union Act with a genuine view to reaching a mutually agreed outcome by way of a collective agreement. Until then, existing facility time arrangements will continue."

Definitely an election in the air!