NW
UNISON boss criticises pay awards for failing City fat cats
LOCAL
government workers gearing up for a 2 day strike over pay are
calling on Chancellor Alistair Darling to repeat what he said on
national radio to employers refusing to meet their claim.
The boss of the Government’s purse strings told BBC Radio 4’s Today
programme he believes people should be given the right incentives to
succeed in what they’re doing. And whether they’re on the
Board of Directors, a Chief Executive of a bank or a Regulator,
their incentives must be to make sure they do their job. He
made the comments during an interview about the row over the
outgoing Chairman of the Financial Services Authority Callum
McCarthy receiving an 11% pay rise despite major failings at the
regulator.
UNISON’s North West regional secretary Frank Hont said the
disparities in pay between the likes of Callum McCarthy on £480,553
and many UNISON members on £12,000 a year was obscene. By May
this year, bankers and financiers had taken a record of £12.6
billion in bonuses.
Mr Hont said:- “Company directors keep receiving double digit
percentage increases even when their businesses are performing
badly. At a time local government workers are moving towards
two days’ action over pay, the FSA chair received an 11% rise even
though he was heavily criticised by MPs for failing to spot the
Northern Rock problems. The LGA chair himself admits
government figures show councils are the most efficient part of the
public sector, making efficiency savings of around £1bn a year. The
Audit Commission recently said councils are performing better than
ever before. Yet the 2.45% offer made to our members amounts
to a pay cut because it is substantially below the rate of inflation
whilst City fat cats are being rewarded for failing to deliver.“
YOUTH EVENT SOUTHPORT
THE safer
Stronger Communities partnership have developed a youth engagement
event entitled 'Sound Waves'. The event will be held
over two weekends. the first one was held on 5 July and the next one
will be run on the 12 July 2008 at Southport's 'Splash World'.
Youths at the next event (12 July) will again be allowed access and
use of the pool facilities and then be entertained by local
musicians.
It is hoped that
these events will attract local youths and therefore minimise the
possibility of any incidents of anti social behaviour that may have
otherwise occurred if left to roam the Town Centre. If this
event is successful I believe that plans are afoot to make this
event a permanent fixture for the future so please support this
activity. What are your views, email us to
news24@southportreporter.com. |
Holiday plans on hold as job insecurities and work pressures
increase
SUMMER holiday
plans are in disarray as redundancy fears and the pressure to
deliver results begins to take its toll across the North West.
According to the latest research from the Chartered Management
Institute, many of the region’s executives have postponed holiday
plans and, even if they do go away, many refuse to stop working.
The survey shows that 43% of executives in the North West will not
use their full holiday entitlement this year, preferring to ‘carry
days over’ to 2009. The finding comes against a backdrop of
redundancy rates doubling, to 3%, over the past year and 23% of
employers admitting their staff fear restructuring and job
insecurity. The survey also indicates that ‘belt tightening’
is taking place at a business and personal level. For example,
rather than spend money on a holiday, 37% of individuals in the
region want to ‘exchange unused holiday time for cash’, but
only 15% of employers agree to this. Private healthcare is also
sought in exchange for annual leave, yet just 3% of organisations
agree to the swap.
Respondents in the North West are also blaming a lack of support
from employers for their ‘lack of rest’. Asked why they are
unable to take their full holiday entitlement, 43% cited extensive
workloads. 40% also claimed they have to use holiday time to care
for dependents. Just 12% said they have the option to give back
unused holiday for flexible working options. The survey goes
on to show that holiday plans have been affected by the region’s
executives’ determination to remain employable. For example, 27% in
the North West use their holiday entitlement to develop skills
making them ‘recession proof’, 58% don’t want to let clients
or colleagues down and 33% are focused on ‘meeting project
deadlines’.
Even if they do go on holiday, significant proportions continue to
work. The survey reveals that 37% in the region regularly check work
emails and 32% dial-in to pick up voicemail messages. 1 in 5 also
argue that it is a good time to ‘catch up on background reading’.
Jo Causon, director, marketing and corporate affairs at the
Chartered Management Institute, says:- “There is clearly a
fear that ‘out of sight means out of mind’ but without a proper
break individual performance can suffer and employers will notice
mistakes more than they will absence through holiday. Individuals
need to recognise this and use holiday time to recharge their
batteries.”
According to the survey, there are signs that individuals recognise
the value of holidays, even if they fail to follow their own advice.
75% of those in the North West actively encourage team members to
use their full entitlement and 90% say it helps refresh their
enthusiasm for work. Asked about the impact of their line manager
going on holiday, 56% see it as a positive opportunity to ‘take
on more responsibility’ and 43% enjoy the chance to ‘work
more closely with senior managers’. |