Trade unions are “under attack” from Bristol City Council over plans that could change how much paid time off reps get for carrying out their role, it is claimed. Unison “fundamentally disagrees” with the proposal which it fears could erode unions’ abilities to fight for workers’ rights, a council meeting heard.
Talks are underway between the local authority’s bosses and employee representatives to formalise many years’ custom and practice in a new written agreement. The council says it currently goes beyond statutory limits for time off for union reps – officially called facilities time – and that it wants to produce a process that is fit for the 21st century in a “leaner organisation” because it has not been reviewed for decades.
But Unison Bristol branch secretary Tom Merchant told the human resources committee that while the first recent meeting between the two sides over the issue was “constructive”, the union could never agree with what was being suggested and there was almost no middle ground. Mr Merchant told the meeting: “Let’s be clear – we cannot compromise on 90 to 95 per cent of what is proposed.
