More taxpayer funded union activists at York City Council 9

Andrew Allison Grassroots

The York Press reported this week that two of the five planning officers at York City Council have been released to do full-time union duties.

Mike Slater, assistant director for planning and sustainable development said the council had a statutory duty to release union reps for duties, and other members of the enforcement team would now move up to full-time roles with an extra member being brought in.

So according to Mr Slater, council taxpayers should pay for these two officers to help organise strikes, protests, and engage in political campaigning, instead of the jobs we pay them to do. Cllr Sian Wiseman, who chairs the east area planning sub-committee, had this to say:

“One has to question the priorities of a council which either allows this to happen or which has found itself in a position where it can find itself dictated to regarding the secondment of officers to union duties. It’s the people of York who are being short-changed.”

If you agree with her, as we do, you can write to the leader of the council, Cllr James Alexander and express your views. If these two officers want to work full time for their union, they should resign from their posts at the council and become union employees, and not leave taxpayers to foot the bill.

Andrew Allison

Andrew is the National Grassroots Coordinator, and helps our activists across the country organise campaigns on local issues.

Follow @andrew_allison

Bryan

this is disgusting! as a council tax payer in York, why should i fund these people’s wages??
Henwood

By any stretch of the imagination this is incomprehensible. The Trade Union movement, in general, is not a force for good. It may be good to be at the top of the union tree, but what good they have done this country? Two places to see dinosaurs – the Natural History Museum, and the TUC Annual Congress.

Blarg1987

Although I agree they should be funded by union subscriptions, it is another thing to say Unions in general have not done anything good.

I think you will find in general the hours most people work, holidays, pay, safe working, defined benefits and social security originated from union organisations.

I accept sometimes they have gotten to greedy and other times they have got areas right such as disagreeing with PFI and managment decisions which have cost companies millions or billions because they did not listen to their employees.

I think there does need to be a rebalancing as one must ask if there was stronger unions in certain areas of the economy, such as the banking sector, would the financial crisis have happened as there were bankers who when flagged there could be a problem were dismissed, and since no union to turn to for support could not voice their concerns.
Tony

The council has a statutory duty to release union reps for duties, hence this is the law? Quite happily to be corrected. Reading between the lines on these academic TPA webpages I guess this is one of the new targets for the TPA to repeal this law. I agree with some of your general sentiments about Unions but agree more with Blargs second para. I have recently visited the Natural History museum which was a lovely outing, although i have to say the TPA mas more dinosaur supporters than Jurassic Park

henwood

Interesting, then, to see the press this week-end, when HMG appears to have woken up to the fact that union officials are in many cases being paid for by the tax payer, who for the most part is also a rate-payer. Unions, whatever their worth, should be self-financing.

Matthew

Surely the problem is the ridiculous system of benefits we have in this country. Are you not defending the right for bone-idle British fleabags to fleece taxpayers of our hard earned money as opposed to EU nationals. The obvious solution would be to means-test or time limit all benefit claimants regardless of nationality.
Daft_bentley

Why can’t these wasteful councils learn from efficient organisations like the Taxpayers’ Alliance and only have proper jobs.

They should hire some Local Grassroots Coordinators, as coordinating grassroots is massively important for any organisation that deals with the public.
Bryan

i emailed James Alexander and asked him why i should fund the GMB union indirectly through my council tax payments, i also told him i would like to ‘opt out’ of paying for the GMB union officials , he refused to answer my question and told me to have a nice weekend!

it seems i can opt out of the union in the private sector but am forced to pay for the public sector unions, bizarre!

Bryan

to clarify, i am in the unite union and my full time official is paid for through union subs, we dont have full time officials sat tossing it off in an office on site like the York city council does!