On Tuesday, Liam Billington wrote about the taxpayer funding of unions in Tameside, Greater Manchester. In Hull, it is no different. You can see by looking at the photograph taken in Hull's Guildhall, that after the recent elections, UNISON feels it is in power, rather than the councillors elected by the people.
[caption id="attachment_38350" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Who is in charge in Hull?"]
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In our report last year, we highlighted how much of our money is paid to full-time union officials, who instead of doing the jobs we pay them for, work full-time for their unions. When we sent a Freedom of Information request to Hull City Council, we got an unusable response, so - as yet - I do not know how much of my council tax goes on paying full-time union reps. I will try again though, as this information should be in the public domain.
In the East Riding of Yorkshire, the figure is £124,585. If you think this is wrong, and want your money spent on front-line services, then write to your MP and tell them. This is an issue parliament should legislate on, and it's only by putting pressure on MPs that we can get the change required.
Talking about wasting taxpayers' money, it has been revealed this week that more of our hard earned cash is going to senior officers in Humberside Fire and Rescue.
Due to the chief fire officer retiring, a number of changes have been made. The deputy and assistant fire officers have been promoted, and two officers have seen their salaries almost double, but just temporarily for two months, as they become assistant chief fire officers. As both of those officers are eligible for retirement next year, they will also see their pensions double as a result of just two months on a higher pay grade. Here is what one firefighter had to say:
This is a disgrace, and once again shows why public sector pensions need reforming. Those who make these decisions should also be ashamed of themselves. They should have realised the implications of their decision to promote these two officers. The chairman of the Fire Authority is John Briggs. Why not e-mail him, and let him know what you think?On Tuesday, Liam Billington wrote about the taxpayer funding of unions in Tameside, Greater Manchester. In Hull, it is no different. You can see by looking at the photograph taken in Hull's Guildhall, that after the recent elections, UNISON feels it is in power, rather than the councillors elected by the people.
[caption id="attachment_38350" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Who is in charge in Hull?"][/caption]
In our report last year, we highlighted how much of our money is paid to full-time union officials, who instead of doing the jobs we pay them for, work full-time for their unions. When we sent a Freedom of Information request to Hull City Council, we got an unusable response, so - as yet - I do not know how much of my council tax goes on paying full-time union reps. I will try again though, as this information should be in the public domain.
In the East Riding of Yorkshire, the figure is £124,585. If you think this is wrong, and want your money spent on front-line services, then write to your MP and tell them. This is an issue parliament should legislate on, and it's only by putting pressure on MPs that we can get the change required.
Talking about wasting taxpayers' money, it has been revealed this week that more of our hard earned cash is going to senior officers in Humberside Fire and Rescue.
Due to the chief fire officer retiring, a number of changes have been made. The deputy and assistant fire officers have been promoted, and two officers have seen their salaries almost double, but just temporarily for two months, as they become assistant chief fire officers. As both of those officers are eligible for retirement next year, they will also see their pensions double as a result of just two months on a higher pay grade. Here is what one firefighter had to say:
This is a disgrace, and once again shows why public sector pensions need reforming. Those who make these decisions should also be ashamed of themselves. They should have realised the implications of their decision to promote these two officers. The chairman of the Fire Authority is John Briggs. Why not e-mail him, and let him know what you think?
[caption id="attachment_38350" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Who is in charge in Hull?"]
[/caption]In our report last year, we highlighted how much of our money is paid to full-time union officials, who instead of doing the jobs we pay them for, work full-time for their unions. When we sent a Freedom of Information request to Hull City Council, we got an unusable response, so - as yet - I do not know how much of my council tax goes on paying full-time union reps. I will try again though, as this information should be in the public domain.
In the East Riding of Yorkshire, the figure is £124,585. If you think this is wrong, and want your money spent on front-line services, then write to your MP and tell them. This is an issue parliament should legislate on, and it's only by putting pressure on MPs that we can get the change required.
Talking about wasting taxpayers' money, it has been revealed this week that more of our hard earned cash is going to senior officers in Humberside Fire and Rescue.
Due to the chief fire officer retiring, a number of changes have been made. The deputy and assistant fire officers have been promoted, and two officers have seen their salaries almost double, but just temporarily for two months, as they become assistant chief fire officers. As both of those officers are eligible for retirement next year, they will also see their pensions double as a result of just two months on a higher pay grade. Here is what one firefighter had to say:
"Our pensions are based on your best salary during your last three years of service, so for two months work these people will be retiring on double the money.
"I can't believe the fire authority have sanctioned this when they are trying to save money. The people they are cutting are at the sharp end.
"It's like they are making these cuts to fund their pensions. It's a disgrace.
"The senior officers have put forward these proposals about cuts, but they won't be here this time next year."
This is a disgrace, and once again shows why public sector pensions need reforming. Those who make these decisions should also be ashamed of themselves. They should have realised the implications of their decision to promote these two officers. The chairman of the Fire Authority is John Briggs. Why not e-mail him, and let him know what you think?On Tuesday, Liam Billington wrote about the taxpayer funding of unions in Tameside, Greater Manchester. In Hull, it is no different. You can see by looking at the photograph taken in Hull's Guildhall, that after the recent elections, UNISON feels it is in power, rather than the councillors elected by the people.
[caption id="attachment_38350" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Who is in charge in Hull?"]
[/caption]In our report last year, we highlighted how much of our money is paid to full-time union officials, who instead of doing the jobs we pay them for, work full-time for their unions. When we sent a Freedom of Information request to Hull City Council, we got an unusable response, so - as yet - I do not know how much of my council tax goes on paying full-time union reps. I will try again though, as this information should be in the public domain.
In the East Riding of Yorkshire, the figure is £124,585. If you think this is wrong, and want your money spent on front-line services, then write to your MP and tell them. This is an issue parliament should legislate on, and it's only by putting pressure on MPs that we can get the change required.
Talking about wasting taxpayers' money, it has been revealed this week that more of our hard earned cash is going to senior officers in Humberside Fire and Rescue.
Due to the chief fire officer retiring, a number of changes have been made. The deputy and assistant fire officers have been promoted, and two officers have seen their salaries almost double, but just temporarily for two months, as they become assistant chief fire officers. As both of those officers are eligible for retirement next year, they will also see their pensions double as a result of just two months on a higher pay grade. Here is what one firefighter had to say:
"Our pensions are based on your best salary during your last three years of service, so for two months work these people will be retiring on double the money.
"I can't believe the fire authority have sanctioned this when they are trying to save money. The people they are cutting are at the sharp end.
"It's like they are making these cuts to fund their pensions. It's a disgrace.
"The senior officers have put forward these proposals about cuts, but they won't be here this time next year."
This is a disgrace, and once again shows why public sector pensions need reforming. Those who make these decisions should also be ashamed of themselves. They should have realised the implications of their decision to promote these two officers. The chairman of the Fire Authority is John Briggs. Why not e-mail him, and let him know what you think?