Brighton and Hove Green’s warning over pay change (From The Argus)
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Brighton and Hove Green’s warning over pay change
7:40pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
Green Party activists have issued a warning to their councillors over planned changes to public sector pay.
As they look to simplify the system of allowances paid to thousands of workers, Brighton and Hove City Council’s politicians agreed to hand over control of negotiations to officers in January.
The move, which included an instruction to take “all necessary steps” to complete the reform by October, was fully supported by key members of the Green minority administration.
But, in an emergency meeting, Brighton and Hove Green Party has now passed a motion claiming “under no circumstances whatsoever” will it support staff being sacked and rehired on new pay and conditions.
It adds the threat is “completely unacceptable” and said, if activated, the party will “publicly dissociate itself from such an action and will actively campaign against it”.
Some opposition councillors have privately claimed it marks a split in the Greens.
But a Green insider dubbed it as a “friendly reminder”.
The motion was passed at an emergency meeting of the city’s Green Party members this week.
It is understood councillors spoke both in favour and against.
Members' guidance
The party operates on a “bottom up” approach, which means party members can offer non-binding guidance on what its councillors do.
However, in addition to none of the members being whipped during votes, the link between councillors and the party has been complicated since it took minority control of the local authority in May 2011.
A spokeswoman for the Green group of councillors said: “While the Green group welcomes the views of party colleagues, council officers have already been instructed by the cross-party policy and resources committee to manage the process of pay modernisation negotiations.
“Nothing has changed in that respect.”
Mark Turner, of the GMB, said: “We welcome the Green Party position and hope the Green councillors on the council take up their wishes.
“We would like to reach a settlement but will not stand for people being dismissed.”
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Comments(7)
HJarrs
says...
10:24pm Fri 1 Mar 13
Plantpot
says...
9:48am Sat 2 Mar 13
So, the rug pulled out from under the feet of the council officers before talking even starts. And doesn't he know it:
“We would like to reach a settlement but will not stand for people being dismissed.”
mimseycal
says...
10:43am Sat 2 Mar 13
I don't buy this. Council officers can be instructed to ignore previous instructions. Jason me lad ... Pontius Pilates' washing of the hands was propaganda pure and simple; so is your attempt to absolve yourself from responsibility in what is clearly turning out to be a bit of a bone of contention between you and the party you represent.
upsidedowntuctuc
says...
4:35pm Sat 2 Mar 13
VoxUnpopuli
says...
6:26pm Sat 2 Mar 13
upsidedowntuctuc wrote:But the difference being this time the loonies are in the governing group and the sensible ones outside. I wonder if the local Greens have been infiltrated at the top by secret Thatcherites?
They ignore everyone and now have included their own party loonies Classic
Resident in Hanover
says...
6:06pm Sun 10 Mar 13
mimseycal wrote:Take a break Kitty Cat...
"A spokeswoman for the Green group of councillors said: “While the Green group welcomes the views of party colleagues, council officers have already been instructed by the cross-party policy and resources committee to manage the process of pay modernisation negotiations."
I don't buy this. Council officers can be instructed to ignore previous instructions. Jason me lad ... Pontius Pilates' washing of the hands was propaganda pure and simple; so is your attempt to absolve yourself from responsibility in what is clearly turning out to be a bit of a bone of contention between you and the party you represent.
Martha Gunn says...
9:06pm Fri 1 Mar 13