The police, councils and NHS in Sussex are spending more than £900,000 a year paying union officials’ salaries.
At a time when Sussex Police has announced plans to make budget cuts of £52 million and 550 staff and 500 officers, the force is paying more than £169,000 for the officers’ representatives.
Brighton and Hove City Council spent £282,210 on union salaries, more than both West Sussex and East Sussex county councils, each of which employ more people.
Last year, the city council paid the equivalent of eight full-time employees for the Unison, GMB, NUT, NASUWT and ATL unions.
Industrial relations
Brighton and Hove City Council UNISON representative Alex Knutsen said: “This is the price Brighton and Hove pays for having such good industrial relations.
“We have only had one dispute in the last 14 years since the union was first represented at the authority, and for taxpayers I think that represents good value for money.
“We are able to save a considerable amount for the authority by avoiding disputes and compulsory redundancies.”
Jason Kitcat, the council’s cabinet member for finance, said: “Unions have an important role to play in any modern workforce.
“As a responsible employer, we welcome the role unions play in supporting our staff.
“Given the Government-imposed cuts on council budgets all areas of expenditure are under review.
“We will keep talking with the unions to ensure all areas of spending, including their own, fit with the hard times local government is facing.”
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show East Sussex County Council spent about £134,571 during 2010/2011 and West Sussex County Council spent £109,105, equivalent to just less than four full time employees.
Brighton and Hove City PCT spent just £2,819, about a tenth of a full-time position.
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust, which runs Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, paid for the equivalent of two full time posts for union officials.
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