Alternative Futures Group pay cuts – Don’t sign, don’t panic

Further information regarding attempts by the Alternative Futures Group to slash the pay of its care workers.

Submitted by working class … on February 24, 2012

Reproduced via - http://carerstalk.wordpress.com/

Alternative Futures Group (AFG) have now announced exactly what the new terms and conditions it is imposing on its staff will look like. Three different sets of terms and conditions are to be introduced, each with different levels of pay cuts. The hardest hit (as ever) will be casual staff, who will see a 6.45% pay cut, with bank holiday enhancement reduced from double time to time and a half. By the 8th of March new contracts will be issued and support workers will be told to sign them or be dismissed.

Support workers can still fight back:

o Do not sign new contracts, if we refuse to sign in large enough numbers, AFG will have no choice but to back down and negotiate
o Talk to your fellow support workers about the pay cuts. Set up meetings away from work with other staff teams to organise and share information
o Contact local and national press to let them know that a company that claims to care is attacking the terms and conditions of one of the most underpaid and overworked groups of workers in the country
o Take action on the job. Direct action tactics, such as work to rule and sick outs, will put further pressure on AFG
o Get in touch with us via e-mail ([email protected]) or on twitter (@carerstalk) and let us know what’s going on in your staff team
o Don’t panic! Much as they may like to pretend otherwise, AFG’s management are neither all knowing nor all powerful

Recently, some of the largest construction firms in the UK were forced to back down from a massive 35% pay cut for electricians by a campaign of refusal to sign new contracts, protests and direct action on the job. AFG are no Balfour Beatty, if we have the will to fight back, we can win.

This text is available as an A4 leaflet:
https://p.twimg.com/AmXsJMWCMAADRgp.jpg

Comments

Steven.

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on February 25, 2012

Thanks for posting these here, I would like to wish the workers best of luck and solidarity!

Is there a union at the workplace? If so, which is it? Does it look like many people will refuse to sign?

madashell

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by madashell on February 26, 2012

AFG recognise Unison, though it's far from clear what proportion of staff are actually in the union. The company appear to have voluntarily recognised Unison a few years ago, branch convenor is based at AFG's head office and is generally pretty useless. Unison have just now sent out ballots for strike action, having completely ignored this up untill the last week or so. It seems a bit like the union were hoping this would all blow over without them having to do anything and are just now being made to act.

As far as people refusing to sign goes, it's not completely clear, a lot of people are pretty angry about this, but there's a lot of (understandable) fear about losing the job. There's a series of consultation meetings going on over the next week, so will probably have a better idea of what's going on after that.

On the plus side, blogging about this alone seems to have seriously freaked management out, they've been sending e-mails round every house in the company threatening dire consequences for any support worker caught in possession of an opinion, so they're definately in a much weaker position than they like to pretend.

madashell

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by madashell on February 26, 2012

Also, if there are any libcommers in Rochdale or Burnley who have some spare time, we could really do with some help with a bit of leafletting, PM me for details.

Steven.

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on February 26, 2012

Hey, thanks for the response. It's good that you actually manage to get a strike ballot out of unison! They are always very reluctant to allow them. Is an updated version of the leaflet going to also suggest a yes vote for strike action?

Please do keep us updated on how the dispute progresses.

madashell

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by madashell on February 27, 2012

Steven.

Hey, thanks for the response. It's good that you actually manage to get a strike ballot out of unison! They are always very reluctant to allow them. Is an updated version of the leaflet going to also suggest a yes vote for strike action?

Have edited the blog article, I didn't design the leaflet and am fairly crap at that sort of thing, so will have to get hold of the person that did to ask them to add that in.

Edit: I should say, now that I've had another look at the ballot, what Unison are actually doing is balloting for a ballot, which seems a bit of a weird way to do things, is that normal?

Please do keep us updated on how the dispute progresses.

I'll start a thread in Organise about it, should have done that ages ago but have been a bit snowed under between the dispute and the job.

Steven.

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on February 27, 2012

Cool.

With UNISON, yes it is their standard practice to have an indicative ballot before initiating a full ballot. Which of course just slows everything down even further.

Chilli Sauce

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Chilli Sauce on February 27, 2012

Good luck MaH and please do keep us in the loop.

How many people are employed by AFG?

madashell

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by madashell on February 27, 2012

Just under 2,000 support workers, mostly on Merseyside.

working class …

12 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by working class … on March 5, 2012

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9568986.Hundreds_of_East_Lancashire_care_staff_could_strike/