Controversial plans to transfer more than 100 city council staff to Bristol Waste could be scrapped, it has been revealed. A total of 122 employees working in “facilities management” roles across six departments had been earmarked for a permanent move to the authority-owned company, but City Hall bosses are now giving “serious consideration” to keeping them where they are, a council meeting heard.
Unions and opposition councillors had expressed alarm over the proposals amid concerns that the workers’ rights to sick leave and pensions contributions would be weakened, despite them being transferred via TUPE employment regulations, which protect pay and conditions. But human resources committee members heard on Thursday, September 22, that Bristol Waste had not yet produced a business plan to support the move, which it had been expected to draw up, and the plans are far from a done deal.
The six departments are culture and creative industries, intermediate care, asset strategy, children’s homes, Redfield Lodge care home, as well as early intervention and targeted services. About 200 cleaners and security staff were transferred controversially from the local authority to its waste firm in 2021, but there was no indication that other employees would follow.
Read more: Over 100 Bristol City Council workers could be transferred to Bristol Waste company
Bristol City Council HR business partner James Brereton told last week’s committee meeting: “We said to the staff in informal engagement sessions that we were expecting a business case from the company. We haven’t had a business case from the company.
“We have had a response which is being considered by senior management. I hope it will go some way to allaying concerns if I say that alongside that for the consideration of the response is serious consideration of retaining the services in-house, perhaps in a reassembled fashion or a review.
“I’m hopeful there will be some information shared with staff shortly. I am acutely aware, as are senior staff, that there is a vacuum of information.
“We need to go back to the staff as soon as possible once we have information to share.” GMB senior organiser Rowena Hayward told the meeting: “New employees taken on by Bristol Waste are on lesser terms and conditions than Bristol City Council workers.
“The underlying issue here with outsourcing some council services over to Bristol Waste is about the feasibility – is it viable? Putting services out does not make them better.
“But most importantly we need an explanation as to why the council, whose underpinning is providing services, is offloading its frontline services to another organisation which it owns. Why would you do that? What is the rationale for it if it’s not to undermine existing terms and conditions and pay and grading?
“I am also asking that with this issue we need to be given as much time as it takes for staff to be fully briefed and come back and give their views in a timely manner before that decision is made.” One council-employed mechanic told members: “We have had no information from the council. We are in limbo all the time.”
Tory Cllr Richard Eddy said: “About a month ago I had a meeting with the new managing director of Bristol Waste and I asked him specifically about this, having been a major critic of the move last year, and he said nothing was set in stone. He said he would be very surprised if any decision was made before Christmas, so he was really talking early next year.”
Cllr Eddy said no evidence had been presented to show the efficiencies and effectiveness of last year’s staff transfer and there was no synchronicity in the latest services proposed to follow over to Bristol Waste. "The council should say there should be no movement unless and until we see that and we actually have some confidence that the staff want to move. They do not want to,” he added.
Labour Cllr Kerry Bailes said: “It seems there is a clear lack of communication between management and workers. It doesn’t seem like there is any breathing space between consultation and a decision.”
Mr Brereton said: “I agree that communication and consultation are critical. I also agree that those potentially impacted should be given as much time as possible within reasonable limits and have the information they need.
“If we are going to do consultation, it needs to be genuine and not after a decision. You have a proposal upon which you consult and then a decision is made in light of that feedback.”
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