Because of further Governments cuts, Leeds City Council plans to put the final nail into the coffin of Adult Social Care. 

On Wednesday 19th November, the Executive Board of the Council are meeting to make a decision on starting a consultation process to close the final Local Authority run Adult Care Homes and stop the community generic service within Leeds; putting between 400 and 500 jobs at risk and leaving the most vulnerable people in our City at the mercy of the private sector.

Leeds City Council has unveiled proposals to shut the homes, in Morley, Armley and Seacroft, affecting 69 residents, as well as associated day centres.  It is also looking at ceasing most council-provided home care services, hitting hundreds of jobs.  The moves, set to be discussed by councillors next week, could save a total of £12m over the next four years.  Council bosses say no decisions will be made until a full consultation has taken place, and no-one will be asked to leave their home until an alternative was available.  But a union representative criticised the plans, the latest in a raft of care home closures.

Members of the GMB union have been on a continuous strike since last Saturday following several one-day walkouts last month. The dispute is over pay, conditions and allegations of ‘bullying’ at the five centres, run by The Green Company on behalf of Sheffield Council and waste contractor Veolia. Tim Roache, regional secretary for GMB Yorkshire and North Derbyshire joined about 20 workers picketing the waste facility at Blackstock Road, Gleadless Valley, yesterday. Other centres affected by walkouts are in Woodhouse, Deepcar, High Green and Shirecliffe.

GMB commented on the EAT judgement that overtime pay is part of normal remuneration and to be included as such in the calculation of pay for holiday leave. 

Workers at five waste recycling centres in Sheffield in South Yorkshire have walked out in an open-ended strike over poverty pay, bullying and a lack of basic facilities. The workers, members of general union GMB, are employed by the Green Company - a subcontractor for privateer Veolia, working for Sheffield City Council.

Injury and ill-health statistics released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that an estimated 28.2 million working days were lost due to work related ill health or injury in 2013/14. As a result, the cost to society from such injuries and new cases of ill health due to current working conditions is an estimated £14.2 billion (2012/13 figures based on 2012 prices), according to the latest annual statistics published by HSE today. Judith Hackitt, the chair of HSE, says that behind every number is the reality of a real person being killed or suffering injuries or ill health while simply doing their job. 

A recent ruling in the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that UK law in relation to the calculation of holiday pay is not in line with European law.

As paid holiday is a health and safety measure, members should not be deterred from taking holiday because they will be paid less than their normal pay.

For most members the calculation of holiday is straightforward and they receive the same pay for each week of holiday as they do for the rest of the year. But the position is more difficult where pay varies because of factors such as overtime, shift pay, commission and some allowances, but not expenses.

GMB, the union for ex Remploy staff, commented on the first anniversary of the closure of the last of the 51 of 54 Remploy factories that shut down.

Remploy had 54 factories at Aberdare, Aberdeen, Abertillery, Acton, Ashington, Barking, Barrow, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bridgend, Bristol, Burnley, Chesterfield, Cleator Moor, Clydebank, Coventry, Cowdenbeath, Croespenmaen, Derby, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gateshead, Heywood, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Leven, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil, Motherwell, Neath Port Talbot, Newcastle, North London, North Staffordshire, Norwich, Oldham, Penzance, Pontefract, Poole, Porth, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton, Spennymoor, Springburn, Stirling, Sunderland, Swansea, Wigan,Worksop and Wrexham. All but 3 closed. Rempower Ltd took over the Remploy Automotive factories in Birmingham, Coventry and Derby.

Join us for a free GMB Young Member social on Thursday 18 April at Henry Boons Function Room, 130 Westgate, Wakefield WF2 9SW, 7pm start.  Anyone who is 27 and under is invited to attend. Under 18’s are also welcome at the venue. We encourage you to bring a friend.  There will be live music from band ‘The Cheats’ who will also be partnered by DJ Wags. There will also be food provided and free drinks per person.