Tuesday 23 June 2015

Sodexo News

E-mail to staff in Northumbria yesterday:-

Good afternoon everyone

In my previous email dated 11 June part of the agreed statement included that 'We expect to be in a position to communicate the outcome of those discussions and the offer to staff during the week commencing 22 June. As part of that announcement we will also provide you with supporting information and facilities to raise any issues.'

Unfortunately despite a great deal of discussions at national level we still aren't as far ahead as I would have liked. Below is a further agreed statement released across all six of the Sodexo-owned CRCs providing an update on where we are.

You will be aware from recent communications that Sodexo has, on behalf of its CRCs, made a formal voluntary redundancy package offer to the national unions and that the details of that offer are currently being considered by union representatives.

We had hoped to be in a position to communicate the outcome of those discussions this week, however as discussions remain ongoing we have decided to grant the unions a short, one-week extension to enable them to consider the proposal in more detail.

We appreciate that this undoubtedly a challenging time for all staff and that many of you may be disappointed not to have received details of the offer in the anticipated timeframes. We wish to assure you that this extension is a temporary arrangement and that we will seek to publish details of the staff offer at the earliest opportunity after 1 July 2015.

Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing commitment during this time.

I recognise that this is extremely frustrating for everyone and am pushing hard to get us to a position where we can share clear details with you about our restructuring plans. I'm as hopeful as I can be that this will be possible by the beginning of July so as soon as I can I'll be in touch.

Thanks

Nick Hall
Chief Executive
Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company


---oo00oo--

Comment from yesterday:-

The unions have already rejected the offer you haven't seen yet. The six branches linked to Sodexo owned CRCs have all gone into dispute because of the company's intentions to put the offer to their staff when it has not been agreed at the NNC, something that is ALSO against the National Framework Agreement. In short, watch the unethical behaviour of this notoriously unethical company unfold over the coming days. This is why we were fighting to oppose outsourcing; because these companies are interested in only one thing and will achieve it at all costs including breaking agreements and even, if they think they can get away with it, laws. The only defence is to hold them to account in the way that Serco and G4S were held to account over electronic monitoring.

39 comments:

  1. Its just hilarious. Sodexo has magnanimously made an offer to the unions, and even more generously granted the unions a further week to consider that offer. My gratitude & love for them is overflowing. My ongoing cooperation & commitment can't be expressed in words, so maybe I'll have to resort to an expressive dance routine, such is my emotion.

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    1. lets face it, any delay is for sodexo's benefit only, they must still be bashing away on their calculators and preparing behind the scenes and need a bit longer to carry out their agenda. The union response is clearly NO so there is nothing to consider. I agree that the unions need to communicate better, have disputes been lodged and where are we headed when sodexo finally make their move?

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    2. Nick just tell us, you have secured your job. For god's sake have some compassion for your staff. Stop fucking around and get on with the numbers and the EVR.
      We have stuck by you through thick and thin since you became our CEO. Have the balls to tell us the truth.

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    3. A message for Northumbria CEO, JFDI. At least have the gall to be honest in this new FFS world that is TR disaster.

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    4. Same script delivered word for word at Essex CRC by Sodexo's puppet in chief, Mary Archer.

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  2. Thanks Jim for bringing folk that Sodexo Northumbria Email & repeating the comment about the position of the Unions, it seems to me Sodexo are spinning, maybe one of their PR operatives will make a comment in this blog in reaction to what seems to be coming from the Unions and lets hope the Unions clarify their official situation for those of us unclear about whether there are live official disputes in those 6 Sodexo CRC areas.

    Also today I see from a Guardian article Gove is due to make some policy statements - not to Parliament but at an un adverised gathering at a so called think tank called something like Legatum, which is likely to involve IT investment news for Court Services.

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  3. Off topic but a great article in the Guardian about an innovative court process in New York which we should certainly apply to our own justice system as it works and costs a lot less! http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/23/procedural-justice-transform-us-criminal-courts

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    1. Very interesting - thanks. Will cover this in a future blog post.

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    2. We did have this. The North Liverpool Community Justice Centre opened 2005 and closed after eight years. Two major studies couldn't find any good news. In 2012 The Guardian reported that the "LCJC is a bold and radical project with a problem. It doesn't work."

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  4. Similar script distributed to BeNCH CRC. As read it It is beyond comprehension that the CRCs can even think staff are believing this hype. Even more so, patronising not to acknowledge the wider picure in respect of the unions' view as is already public knowledge. "A short one week extension" ... what for? The offer has already been rejected. As 07.45 said, "ongoing commitment" ... who, where?

    To offer further context to Sodexo's 'offer' one should consider the 'Payments' clause of Sodexo's own redundancy policy:-

    7 Payments
    7.1 The Company always complies with all legal requirements governing
    redundancy payments.
    7.2 Certain employees may be entitled to receive an enhanced redundancy
    payment by virtue of the provisions of their contract of employment or a
    Collective Agreement governing their terms and conditions of employment.
    Reference should be made to such documents when an employee becomes
    at risk of redundancy in order to ascertain the payment they would be entitled
    to receive.

    www.sodexoremotesites.com/.../policies/redundancy/redundancy-policy-v2

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    1. Good work, 08:27.

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    2. Apologies for incomplete link at 08:27

      http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sodexoremotesites.com%2Fhr%2Fpolicies%2Fredundancy%2Fredundancy-policy-v2.pdf&ei=AC2JVZPqCsyN7AaJwoOACg&usg=AFQjCNHgPNnk0hTzgGEL8MILu__ogG8OOQ

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  5. This email from Nick Hall seems to encapsulate the Sodexo stance. It's patronising, laced with fake sentiments and insulting because it does not mention the key reason for delay, which is the terms for voluntary redundancy. It's not clear why they have 'granted' the unions another week to say 'No'. At this early stage it is apparent that Sodexo have no interest in collective bargaining and will therefore do everything they can to go directly to their staff with their divide and rule proposals. And the antidote to divide and rule, that will stop the well being poisoned, that will wipe the smirk off Nick's face – is solidarity, refusing to budge, refusing to take Sodexo's cheapskate redundancy terms.

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  6. Also today Via Twitter: -

    " Mary D'Arcy @Mary_hiowcrc

    Interested to hear today's Bill McWilliams lecture #probation culture my dissertation focus. Making a difference & Enabling change "

    https://twitter.com/Mary_hiowcrc/status/613269233791799296

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  7. Evasion of law by Sodexo demonstrates short-sightedness of collective redundancy consultation period cuts
    19 December 2012
    By Sarah Glenister, IER staff
    On the day Employment Relations Minister, Jo Swinson announced the government will halve the minimum consultation period employers must take before mass redundancies, a trade union has been forced to ballot their members for industrial action as services contractor Sodexo attempts to evade existing laws on the matter.
    GMB has issued a statement saying their members will take a vote on whether to go on strike early in January 2013 in protest against attempts by Sodexo to weasel out of their responsibilities when it comes to mass redundancy.
    The employer has announced cuts to their workforce of 96 jobs at Brighton & Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust, including those of cleaners, caterers, porters, grounds maintenance and linen workers. Having secured the contract for the work at the hospital just a fortnight ago.However, GMB argues that additional cuts to hours and wages for Sodexo staff at the hospital is sure to lead to more workers walking out of their jobs.
    "Sodexo know that by seeking to implement unreasonable contract changes, rotas and working practices this will lead to significant numbers of staff having no option but to leave," Gary Palmer, GMB Regional Organiser, commented.
    "There are also significant concerns as to patient safety over these job cuts.
    As major companies like Sodexo continue to find ways to escape their responsibilities to workers, you would think a responsible government would offer extra protection for employees - particularly when so many people are losing their jobs.Jo Swinson argued it is important to change the employment rights of workers according to the needs of businesses. And so, instead of labour laws being put in place to protect workers from the ruthlessness of the market, they are being taken away in order to encourage companies to consider their profits over their people.
    "Business change is an inevitable consequence of modern competitive markets," Ms Swinson said. "Commercial and economic opportunities and pressures means companies will need to reorganise, merge, expand or contract in response. Employers will want to implement change as swiftly and efficiently as possible to limit the impact on productivity and morale."
    She also argued that the rule changes are good for employees, saying they will now have more certainty over whether or not they are going to lose their livelihoods, so they will be able to start looking for a job earlier. We feel sure workers will not be thanking her, however, at a time when work is difficult to find - particularly full-time jobs at a high enough wage to support a family. With the government allowing employers to take away workers' rights in exchange for shares in their company, and salaries staying low as the Coalition ignores repeated calls for a living wage, those workers made redundant after only a 45-day consultation will simply find themselves unemployed sooner, leaving them with little or no time to retrain, reorganise mortgage or rent payments and settle bills. After all of that, they then face miserably low prospects of finding alternative work.
    Assistant General Secretary at UNISON Bronwyn McKenna described Ms Swinson's announcement as "a cruel blow for workers and their families".
    "Cutting the opportunity for employers and unions to realistically explore alternatives and ways to avoid large scale redundancies is a retrograde step," she argued.
    She also recognised the opportunity this affords companies like Sodexo to continue evading the law. "This process can also be used to cut pay and conditions through disreputable dismissal and re-engagement strategies.

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    1. However, high street vouchers as part of the settlement is pitiful and demeaning.

      http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/sodexo-brighton-deal-accepted

      Sodexo Brighton Deal Accepted
      Friday, February 1, 2013

      GMB members vote to accept Sodexo offer to settle dispute at Brighton and Sussex University hospitals NHS trust.

      GMB will work hard with Sodexo to ensure that a range of issues are dealt with in a fair and equitable manner and to maintain a high quality of service to patients.

      GMB members in Sussex have voted to accept the latest offer from Sodexo healthcare in settlement of the current dispute over compulsory redundancies and pay issues at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

      These members work as outsourced cleaners, caterers, housekeepers and porters on NHS contracts at Brighton and Haywards Heath Hospitals. See notes to editors for joint press release re ballot issued 10th Jan 2013

      The agreed settlement includes a commitment from the company to positively seek voluntary redundancies for the revised figure of in the region of 35-45 roles and that members of staff who endured issues with their pay over the Christmas period and several other occasions will receive high street vouchers to the amount of £75.

      Gary Palmer GMB organiser said, “We are pleased that our members, who's commitment to protect jobs has already brought about the saving of over 50 jobs in soft services, within the BSUH have along with their colleagues have both had the threat of compulsory redundancy's lifted from them and that the company has properly recognised through the compensation offer the real distress and hardship that failing to get their pay correct in the first place has caused for employees.

      Families who struggled over several weeks including the festive period can enjoy using these vouchers at a national supermarket chain or a list of other major retailers when they choose to do so.

      GMB will now be looking to work hard to ensure that going forward we work together with Sodexo to deal with a range of issues. We with want requests for voluntary redundancy dealt with in a fair and equitable manner. We will want to see that those who remain working for the company maintain both their current terms and conditions and pay together with working practices. We will want to ensure that services are maintained to the high standards that is appreciated both by other health care workers at the hospital and patients alike.”

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  8. " Speech

    What does a one nation justice policy look like?

    - The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP - The Legatum Institute - First published:
    23 June 2015

    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/what-does-a-one-nation-justice-policy-look-like "

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  9. Six weeks ago a good number of Northumbria CRC staff were interviewed for NPS posts. Still no news on any job offers following this. We are now in a situation were some people may take redundancy and then walk straight into an NPS job. How can this be fair? Can people shafted into NPS now claim they were also effectively made redundant at the time of the split? It's a complete mess.

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    1. BeNCH CRC staff have been advised that whether they volunteer for redundancy or are victim of any compulsory redundancies, the CRC cannot agree a leaving date prior to March 2016. This is because Sodexo require an additional 15% staffing over and above final end state staffing figures to facilitate the implementation of their new IT systems. In other words, we need your "ongoing commitment" just so long as it suits us.

      So any staff in the BeNCH area wouldn't be able to take redundancy and move on elsewhere unless the new role commences post April 2016.

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    2. Hope staff respond with FY

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  10. Man in the pub heard an interesting slant today that Sodexo HQ have already been in discussions about selling off the CRC companies to a third party...seems like there may be even more profit in crime than even we thought.....anyone out there from Petty France towers ready to spill the beans yet?

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    1. Doesn't surprise me. They didn't know what they were buying and what the challenges would be.

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    2. Would that be G4S or similar, even if covered by another name ?

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    3. Funny that, we also heard that today not the selling bit, but that Soxedo are in a complete mess and it's chaos. Rumour has it, don't pack your bags yet as there doesn't seem to be anywhere to go. Time will tell.

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  11. Are the other CRC's holding back on redundancies etc leaving, or perhaps having agreed with, Sodexo to do the ground work ?

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  12. Spent hours last week with our 'supply chain partners' Shelter helping two hard to place young men into accommodation. Two days into this week they've both abandoned their housing projects.

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    1. The clients or Shelter?

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    2. I've been dealing with Shelter. I've someone due for release in July and in March I rang Shelter in the prison to advise the guy would be nfa so needed helping - they told me to ring back closer to his release date. I therefore rang twice a week for about the last 3 weeks leaving messages and in the end wrote to the prisoner to tell him to go and tell them i'd been ringing and wanted to know what they were doing to help him - feckin ridiculous having to go through prisoners to get agencies to answer my flaming messages anyway next thing a phonecall off Shelter to say that they had referred my guy to a housing agency but cos they knew he and a member of staff were 'connected' (im unsure how) they couldn't help him and so all they could do was fill in a Mainstay form with him. Now this is the interesting bit they said that they will fill the form and send it off but wont be ringing around any hostels etc as they've not got the time etc to do that.

      If Shelter read this and want clarification of prison and people involved I am happy to give them. What a load a bull!!

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    3. I've got someone coming out in a few months and the prison tell me they have no resettlement support, absolutely nothing, they can offer him.

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    4. is that Shelter aswell? I am absolutely hopping mad at the way they have ignored me I feel quite angry an agency such as theirs are being paid a lot of public money to provide a service and to have the balls to actually tell me they'll do a mainstay form and that's it - worst of it is I knew this would happen and I was particular when I was fobbed off in March to make them accountable in June.

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    5. Hi as the National Contract Manager responsible for the mobilisation of the new Transforming Rehabilitation Through the Gate service, I am disturbed by the experiences outlined in the blogs above. Shelter takes all complaints about our service delivery seriously and with that in mind I would be grateful if you would contact me directly to discuss further - contact details John_Ryan@shelter.org.uk Mob: 07581785521

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    6. Are you serious Mr Ryan? Do you honestly think an employee of a privately-owned CRC, or a former publicly-run Trust would be stupid enough, let alone authorised, to make such a complaint? You are deluded if you think it possible!

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    7. The extent to which CRC staff know what Shelter are doing is that they'll do something on Delius, an NSI, which at the end of the day is what they'll be using to get paid.

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  13. What's the end game here? Is this scrabbling and squabbling what the Ideologues really wanted? Why? And if they didn't want this, why haven't they intervened? MoJ have always insisted they're in control of the contracts. Romeo & Brennan went to great lengths to insist they had learned lessons & contract management was tight as a drum. So why the chaos? Why isn't Brennan being nailed to the cross for overseeing yet another clusterfuck?

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  14. Once Sodexo have won the fight then the others will come forward.
    Wait until new finanical year

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  15. If your good at what you do then you got nowt to worry about. This always seems to be the message; but what is considered to be good?

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    1. If you're good at what you do but want redundancy you have plenty to worry about ... you won't be one of the successful VR/CR candidates!

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  16. meanwhile, in Brennan's World of Twitter: "Warm welcome for MoJ Permanent Secretary @mojubrennan as she visits us to meet CEO @neilm1805 and other colleagues"... & ...

    "#CSAwards celebrate all that is best in @UKCivilService; incredible diversity of talent and commitment. Nominations open now"

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