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| Merthyr council considers 'sack-and-take-back' pay move | Merthyr council considers 'sack-and-take-back' pay move |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Staff at Merthyr Tydfil council could be dismissed and re-employed on lower pay to save money. | Staff at Merthyr Tydfil council could be dismissed and re-employed on lower pay to save money. |
| If there is no agreement on pay cuts of up to 3%, the authority could begin dismissing 1,254 staff just before Christmas, offering new contracts on the reduced terms. | If there is no agreement on pay cuts of up to 3%, the authority could begin dismissing 1,254 staff just before Christmas, offering new contracts on the reduced terms. |
| The GMB union called the move "shocking". The council said it had a legal duty to balance its budget. | The GMB union called the move "shocking". The council said it had a legal duty to balance its budget. |
| A special meeting will consider the proposal on Wednesday. | A special meeting will consider the proposal on Wednesday. |
| The council, which employs about 2,880 staff in total, is facing a budget deficit of £930,000 in the next financial year and the report warns it could grow to £5.8m by 2017/18. | |
| Welsh government funding for the council is being cut by 2.6% next year. | Welsh government funding for the council is being cut by 2.6% next year. |
| Dismissal notices | Dismissal notices |
| The council is looking at staff employment terms as one way of cutting costs. | The council is looking at staff employment terms as one way of cutting costs. |
| A report recommended the authority should try to reach an agreement on pay cuts with unions, which would then ballot their members. | A report recommended the authority should try to reach an agreement on pay cuts with unions, which would then ballot their members. |
| Options include a collective agreement with unions on a three-year pay cut deal. | Options include a collective agreement with unions on a three-year pay cut deal. |
| But if no deal is struck by 21 December, it is proposed Merthyr's chief executive would be given the power to send out the dismissal notices. | But if no deal is struck by 21 December, it is proposed Merthyr's chief executive would be given the power to send out the dismissal notices. |
| It is expected the new contracts would include permanent pay cuts. Any reductions in pay or hours would also hit pensions. | It is expected the new contracts would include permanent pay cuts. Any reductions in pay or hours would also hit pensions. |
| Union leaders say the move would break Merthyr Tydfil from a national joint council agreement. | Union leaders say the move would break Merthyr Tydfil from a national joint council agreement. |
| The proposal does not involve teachers or school support workers. | The proposal does not involve teachers or school support workers. |
| Unequivocal opposition | Unequivocal opposition |
| Mike Colley, Unison's regional organiser, said members were "unequivocally opposed" and would fight the plans every step of the way. | Mike Colley, Unison's regional organiser, said members were "unequivocally opposed" and would fight the plans every step of the way. |
| "Local government workers have already experienced a real term pay loss of 20% since 2010 and now they are being expected to plug the financial gap further through these unfair proposals," said Mr Colley. | "Local government workers have already experienced a real term pay loss of 20% since 2010 and now they are being expected to plug the financial gap further through these unfair proposals," said Mr Colley. |
| "Merthyr council has already seen a loss of 100 jobs in the last year. The demand on services has not reduced though, so instead staff are being expected to deliver more and these plans would mean that they are doing so for even less money." | "Merthyr council has already seen a loss of 100 jobs in the last year. The demand on services has not reduced though, so instead staff are being expected to deliver more and these plans would mean that they are doing so for even less money." |
| Merthyr council leader Brendan Toomey said the authority had a legal obligation to have a balanced budget at the end of each financial year. | Merthyr council leader Brendan Toomey said the authority had a legal obligation to have a balanced budget at the end of each financial year. |
| "With the recent announcement from Welsh government of yet again another reduction to our budget, we have no alternative than to consider going down this route," he said. | "With the recent announcement from Welsh government of yet again another reduction to our budget, we have no alternative than to consider going down this route," he said. |
| "Unfortunately, even by reconfiguring and in some areas cutting some of our services completely, this just isn't enough and we are now at the stage where we have to dig deeper to try and find these savings from other areas." | "Unfortunately, even by reconfiguring and in some areas cutting some of our services completely, this just isn't enough and we are now at the stage where we have to dig deeper to try and find these savings from other areas." |
| The Welsh government said decisions on staffing were matters for local authorities. | The Welsh government said decisions on staffing were matters for local authorities. |
| "Funding reductions do not necessarily mean withdrawing services or making redundancies," a spokesperson said. | "Funding reductions do not necessarily mean withdrawing services or making redundancies," a spokesperson said. |