Hull council in aggressive attack on union convenors

Hull City Council, run by Labour, is pre-empting the Tories’ trade union bill by issuing a redundancy notice known as a ‘188 notice’ which threatens the council’s five full time union convenors.

As Mike Whale, Chair of Hull City Council trade unions has said: “The proposal to halve the convenors’ time is a determined attempt to behead the workforce as the council prepares to implement the Tories’ brutal cuts.”

Cuts

Earlier this year Hull City Council passed a budget which will mean cuts of £48 million to services over the next two years with a loss of up to 500 jobs. Sitting alongside the cuts package in Hull is the likelihood of mass privatisation of council services.

This might be to private companies or through social enterprises. Alternatively it could be to council owned ‘arms-length’ companies. Whichever way, the outsourced services will mean that it will be easier to cut. Privatisation will also make it easier to further attack workers’ terms and conditions and pay.

Unison Hull branch has claimed that Hull City Council is even proposing to cut the trade union convenor posts based on incorrect membership figures.

It is to be expected that a Tory government would attack the unions but it should be expected that a Labour-led local authority and Labour councillors defend workers’ and union rights.

The council should follow the lead of Jeremy Corbyn and fight back on behalf of one of the poorest cities in the country against the anti-trade union bill, cuts and austerity.