Surrey County UNISON branch

2000 UNISON members employed by Southampton City Council are to strike for 24 hours on Tuesday 20 March. The strike is being called in protest at Council proposals to transfer 700 Council jobs to private sector company Capita.

On Wednesday 21 March, Councillors are due to agree the final stage of negotiations with Capita to transfer the following services out of the Council – IT, Customer Services, Property Services, Housing Benefit, Council Tax, Human Resources, Payroll and Procurement. The transfer date out of the Council is set for 1 October.

UNISON members from all parts of the City Council were balloted (apart from 800 members working in schools). They voted by 73% for strike action and by 83% for action short of strike action. The action short of strike action will start on Monday 26 March and will include the following actions of non co-operation:  refusing to attend meetings with Capita, not covering for vacant jobs, not working unpaid hours, not using Council mobile ’phones or laptop computers.

Care workers in elderly persons homes and home care, who are still in dispute over cuts to their wages will be joining the strike.

On Wednesday 21 March, hundreds of Council workers will demonstrate outside the Civic Centre before the start of the Council meeting. On Tuesday 20 March UNISON will be picketing all central Council offices.

The Council’s privatisation proposals are a threat to all public sector workers in the South East. Havant Council are signed up to transferring services to the project and other Councils are actively considering doing the same.

Please support our strike with messages of support and donations. 

Support at the lobby would also be welcome.

Mike Tucker
Branch Secretary
UNISON Southampton District Branch
Civic Centre
Southampton
SO14 7NB

e-mail:  branchsecretary@soton-unison-office.org.uk