Union calls on council to avoid job ‘shambles’

Unison is due to have its second meeting with management over plans for up to 240 job cuts in Hull Council’s business support section.

The council, which axed 1,000 jobs last year, is paying international consultancy Deloitte £330,000, to help “replace a largely paper-driven bureaucracy with a more focused, modern and efficient business model.”

Adrian Kennett, Unison branch secretary, said they were “ideologically” opposed to any job cuts: “One of the things we are concerned about is their reliance on new information technology to provide all these services.

“Very often it looks good on paper but in the real world does it work? We already have members who are social workers who are office-bound because the work which was historically done by business support has already taken a major impact.

“Currently the position is that people are hunkering down, there is a lot of fear.

“Labour are saying the right things and an industrial framework is in place. (Last time) it was a total and utter mess. The Liberal Democrats didn’t engage with the unions and people were treated appallingly. One minute they were told they couldn’t go, the next they were told clear your desks tomorrow. It left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths.”

Lib Dem councillor Claire Thomas said: “I am sure the people of Hull will be very disappointed that Labour campaigned in the election against cutting jobs, and now they’re in power that is exactly what they are proposing to do. The Lib Dems have always been open with residents and council staff about the challenges the council faces in balancing the books.”

Cabinet member Phil Webster said: “It was a shambles last time. Jobs were cut with no thought to front line services. We are going to do it sympathetically and in full consultation with the unions.”