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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2016/apr/21/cuts-catalyst-housing-association-workers-industrial-action-job-losses-workload
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| Half the staff, but double the work: why housing workers are taking industrial action | Half the staff, but double the work: why housing workers are taking industrial action |
| (12 days later) | |
| On Thursday 21 April, neighbourhood managers at Catalyst Housing start a work to rule industrial action. They say their current workloads are unmanageable, while management plan to halve the number of staff doing the job. Catalyst refuses to recognise the union, and normal negotiations have not taken place. | On Thursday 21 April, neighbourhood managers at Catalyst Housing start a work to rule industrial action. They say their current workloads are unmanageable, while management plan to halve the number of staff doing the job. Catalyst refuses to recognise the union, and normal negotiations have not taken place. |
| Last week’s Guardian survey of housing workers showing that 40% of housing professionals say their workloads are unmanageable following cuts struck a chord with Unite members across the housing sector. Cuts are having a serious impact on the wellbeing of staff and tenants and are damaging important services. | Last week’s Guardian survey of housing workers showing that 40% of housing professionals say their workloads are unmanageable following cuts struck a chord with Unite members across the housing sector. Cuts are having a serious impact on the wellbeing of staff and tenants and are damaging important services. |
| Related: Housing staff face 'unmanageable' workloads - poll | Related: Housing staff face 'unmanageable' workloads - poll |
| Employers in the sector often point to government policies such as the 1% cut in social rents to justify cuts: but does this bear serious scrutiny? As associations have become more commercial, social rent is declining as a proportion of their income; in the case of Catalyst it represents only slightly over half. True, there are real uncertainties resulting from government policy and some associations are struggling, but the sector as a whole has reported record surpluses year after year. Last year’s surplus of £3bn across the sector represented a 25% increase on the previous year which was also a record according to the Homes and Communities Agency global accounts. The operating margin also increased from 26% to 28% as costs increased by less than revenues. | Employers in the sector often point to government policies such as the 1% cut in social rents to justify cuts: but does this bear serious scrutiny? As associations have become more commercial, social rent is declining as a proportion of their income; in the case of Catalyst it represents only slightly over half. True, there are real uncertainties resulting from government policy and some associations are struggling, but the sector as a whole has reported record surpluses year after year. Last year’s surplus of £3bn across the sector represented a 25% increase on the previous year which was also a record according to the Homes and Communities Agency global accounts. The operating margin also increased from 26% to 28% as costs increased by less than revenues. |
| In the case of Catalyst, management boast that their £53m net surplus last year [pdf] was more than Greggs the bakers or Foxtons estate agents, which struggled by on £49.7m and £42m respectively. No doubt the size of the surplus is thought to justify the 8% pay rise last year for Rod Cahill, chief executive of Catalyst who is now on £201,920 a year. Belt-tightening in the sector has not extended to its bosses who have taken inflation-busting increases year after year. At the end of their tether, our members do not believe that mass staff cuts can be justified. | In the case of Catalyst, management boast that their £53m net surplus last year [pdf] was more than Greggs the bakers or Foxtons estate agents, which struggled by on £49.7m and £42m respectively. No doubt the size of the surplus is thought to justify the 8% pay rise last year for Rod Cahill, chief executive of Catalyst who is now on £201,920 a year. Belt-tightening in the sector has not extended to its bosses who have taken inflation-busting increases year after year. At the end of their tether, our members do not believe that mass staff cuts can be justified. |
| Significantly the Guardian survey found that 60% of housing professionals felt their employer had lost its social purpose; few in my London Unite housing branch would find that figure a surprise. | Significantly the Guardian survey found that 60% of housing professionals felt their employer had lost its social purpose; few in my London Unite housing branch would find that figure a surprise. |
| Under the housing and planning bill, housing associations will be largely deregulated and will be free to sell stock and fully develop the commercial ambitions of their bosses. On the day the latest housing association mega merger, bringing together L&Q, Hyde Group and East Thames, was announced, Elaine Bailey, deputy chief executive designate of L&Q set the tone, writing [paywall] that housing associations are partly responsible for a “dependency culture” and pledged to do less for tenants, telling them to “take more responsibility in respecting their homes and helping themselves”. | Under the housing and planning bill, housing associations will be largely deregulated and will be free to sell stock and fully develop the commercial ambitions of their bosses. On the day the latest housing association mega merger, bringing together L&Q, Hyde Group and East Thames, was announced, Elaine Bailey, deputy chief executive designate of L&Q set the tone, writing [paywall] that housing associations are partly responsible for a “dependency culture” and pledged to do less for tenants, telling them to “take more responsibility in respecting their homes and helping themselves”. |
| Neil Hadden, the boss at Genesis – soon to merge with Thames Valley Housing - has announced his intention to stop building social rented housing, focusing instead on building for shared ownership and market sale. | |
| He is not alone. Clearly, many housing bosses want to create organisations that are “palpably different” from the social housing providers we have known. Perhaps the cuts to services in associations are to be explained more by the ambition to create lean and mean neoliberal landlords than any threats to their burgeoning surpluses. | He is not alone. Clearly, many housing bosses want to create organisations that are “palpably different” from the social housing providers we have known. Perhaps the cuts to services in associations are to be explained more by the ambition to create lean and mean neoliberal landlords than any threats to their burgeoning surpluses. |
| Union representatives will be taking up workload issues and we will challenge cuts: time to join if you’re not a member! But in Unite we also seek to make common cause with tenants and communities. Social housing has never been more important; social housing professionals will also need to speak out in its defence through our unions. In the past they may have looked to the leaders of the sector for that, but those days are gone. | Union representatives will be taking up workload issues and we will challenge cuts: time to join if you’re not a member! But in Unite we also seek to make common cause with tenants and communities. Social housing has never been more important; social housing professionals will also need to speak out in its defence through our unions. In the past they may have looked to the leaders of the sector for that, but those days are gone. |
| Paul Kershaw is the chair of the London Unite housing workers branch | Paul Kershaw is the chair of the London Unite housing workers branch |
| Join the Guardian Housing Network to read more pieces like this. Follow us on Twitter (@GuardianHousing) and like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest social housing news and views. | Join the Guardian Housing Network to read more pieces like this. Follow us on Twitter (@GuardianHousing) and like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest social housing news and views. |