Latest From Napo 58

Posted today on Napo website:-

23 April 2015 

JOINT UNION ADVICE ON SODEXO PROPOSED JOB CUTS & REDUNDANCIES

This bulletin sets out the joint probation unions’ position on the job cuts announced in the 6 Sodexo owned CRCs, and gives advice to members who may be placed at risk of redundancy. 

WHAT IS THE JOINT UNION POSITION? 

Napo, UNISON and GMB are opposed to the 600 job cuts announced by Sodexo in early April to deliver on the proposed operating model for the 6 CRCs. We are also extremely concerned at reports that none of the 6 Sodexo-owned CRCs is planning to honour the terms of the national enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme (EVR), agreed as part of last year’s Staff Transfer and Protections Agreement, if voluntary redundancies are eventually declared. 

We intend to fight to ensure that Sodexo complies with the national agreement, and that EVR is the only route that is available for people to exit a CRC on redundancy grounds. Any other approach would leave our members at a disadvantage, and will be seen as unfair and unjust. 

Any other voluntary severance package, or early retirement scheme, is likely to be inferior to the nationally agreed package, and members should be wary of any offer that undercuts the terms of the national agreement. See advice to members below.

In response to the threat to members’ jobs, public safety concerns over the scale of the job losses and the possibility that the national agreement on EVR may be ignored, the three unions have: 

Written on 17 April to Ursula Brennan, the MOJ Permanent Secretary, to ask her to: 

• Confirm whether the Sodexo job cuts have been authorised by the Secretary of State as the ‘special shareholder’ in each of the CRCs. The unions doubt whether this has been done. 
• Instruct Sodexo to halt the timetable for the job cuts in order to allow proper scrutiny of the staffing and public safety issues after Ministers return to the MOJ after the general election 
• Confirm that each of the Sodexo-owned CRCs must abide by the terms of the contract that the company signed with the MOJ to honour the terms of the national enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme (EVR) if voluntary redundancies eventually take place, and that MOJ will enforce this contractual term if Sodexo refuses to abide by its provisions.

STOP PRESS: Michael Spurr in a letter to the trade unions dated 22 April has helpfully confirmed the following: 

‘We therefore confirm that your understanding (that the EVR terms set out in the National Agreement should apply to any voluntary redundancies offered by Sodexo CRCs to employees employed by a Probation Trust on 31 May 2014 for the lifetime of the Sodexo contracts) accords with the MOJ’s intention and understanding of the relevant terms of the National Agreement and the ARSA [contract between MOJ and Sodexo], subject to any amendments to such terms being negotiated with the relevant employee representatives and in accordance with applicable employment law’ 

• Lodged a national dispute at the National Negotiating Council (NNC) at the meeting on Friday 17 April, over the risk to the national agreement on EVR and asked for the Joint Secretaries of the NNC to also instruct the 6 Sodexo-owned CRCs to halt work on the proposed redundancies pending resolution of the potential dispute over redundancy terms. MOJ representatives at the NNC meeting confirmed that MOJ agreed with the unions that Sodexo must apply the terms of the EVR scheme. 

• Met with Sodexo on Monday 20 April to ask the company in the strongest possible terms to: 

• Reconsider the scale of redundancies, in light of our concerns over staffing pressures and public safety. We are awaiting information from Sodexo on their operating model so the proposals can be properly scrutinised. 
• Consult fully with trade unions locally over the company’s proposed operating model via the CRCs’ local negotiating machinery 
• Confirm that, if voluntary redundancies are eventually declared, Sodexo will comply with the NNC enhanced voluntary redundancy agreement 

As a result of the meeting, and the trade unions’ request to halt the redundancy process, Sodexo confirmed on 22 April that:

Following discussions with our colleague CRC CEOs earlier today, we have agreed, where these have commenced, to pause our current redundancy consultations. This is pending further clarification, refinement and consideration of staffing numbers and associated budgets during May.’

 • Met to consider our joint union strategy going forward, including the potential for industrial action if we cannot make progress on the above issues via negotiating channels

ADVICE TO MEMBERS 

If you are an employee of one of the 6 Sodexo-owned CRCs, and you find yourself at risk of redundancy as a result of the recently announced job cuts, you are advised: 

• Not to enter into any individual consultation or agreement with your CRC, or Sodexo, in relation to your job security or redundancy terms, until further advice from your union 

• To refer any approach from your CRC, or Sodexo, regarding your job security or redundancy terms to your local union representative/branch 

• To advise your CRC, or Sodexo, that you are not able to respond to any approach regarding job security or redundancy terms until you have received further advice from your trade union and refer your CRC, or Sodexo, to your trade union representative or branch 

It is particularly important that you do not commit to accept any redundancy terms that have not been approved by your trade union, as it is possible that Sodexo plans to offer inferior terms to those set out in the national agreement. If you agree to any such inferior terms you will have put yourself outside of the protection of the national agreement and your union will be unable to assist you to improve your severance deal. More information will be issued as soon as it becomes available.

Guest Blog 35

Is this the future?

We are a regional sized housing charity and I have watched and wondered what the split of to CRC and NPS will mean to us? We house a substantial number of ex-offenders and we have had a first taste of the new service from our local CRC.

One of our housed offenders is a MAPPA 1 case supervised by the CRC. He is on licence to early 2017. He lives in block of flats not far from the city centre. Over the weekend his flat was attacked and his door daubed with abuse. A number of our tenants contacted us concerned about what had been written on the flat door and walls and about their safety. Our maintenance team immediately cleaned the area and repainted the door.

We were informed that he had been arrested by the Police and to the best of our knowledge was being questioned about a serious offence.

What were our concerns? If he is released without charge do we need to move him to a safer location? If we do, when is he likely to be released so we can smoothly ensure that he is safe? We are also conscious about the safety of the other residents in the flats if he was released and went back to the flats. Would other residents be mistaken for him? Would he been vulnerable to attack from other residents? What were the CRC thoughts and views on this as they have him on licence?

On Monday morning we rang his CRC officer to explain our concerns, no one available to take the call. By 5pm no response from anyone and I rang the CRC to speak to the Senior Probation Officer, not available. I got their email address and emailed them highlighting our concerns and have waited for a response, nothing from the Probation Officer or the Senior Probation Officer.

We eventually heard today from the Police that he has now been remanded in custody accused of a serious sexual offence. We have secured his room and informed the other residents of the flats that he will not be returning.

I have still not even had an acknowledgement from the Senior Probation Officer concerning my email nothing but a terrible silence. Brand new future sounds like a nightmare. What if he had been released without charge and returned to his property?

Every child care or probation disaster enquiry always highlights poor communication as the key failure. Not a great start for the CRCs in terms of communications! I don’t blame the PO or SPO as we are already hearing nightmare stories about caseloads and new areas of responsibilities.

However the CRC have to understand a bad call or mistake is not someone losing benefits and it is not something that can be covered up in prison, this is out there in the community. 

If anyone thinks I have unrealistic expectations I did spent thirteen years as a Senior Probation Officer.

Latest From Napo 57

Latest blog from Ian Lawrence, Napo General Secretary:-

Job cuts paused as Sodexo and MoJ argue the toss over EVR

Yesterdays meeting between Sodexo bosses and the probation unions which was diplomatically described in the joint statement that followed as a 'full and frank' discussion, paved the way for an announcement that will be issued formally tomorrow morning by CRC Chiefs. This confirms our expectation that Sodexo have signalled a pause to the job cuts programme pending further considerations and their upcoming meeting with the MoJ contractor.

We made our position clear this week that the magnitude of the 600 job reductions are nothing short of madness and have posited some awkward questions that will need to be confirmed by someone about whether these plans were part of Sodexo's contract bid. If they were, then why would anyone who gave a jot about service provision and public safety sign them off as acceptable? And if they have been decided upon subsequently, why have the contractors not approached the Secretary of State for dispensation to make them?

Leaving aside the terms of the staff protections and the entitlements to Enhanced Voluntary Redundancy (and the size of the payouts to former Trust Chiefs which attracted some interest from the Sunday Times last weekend), the notion that within the Sodexo contract package area there were 600 pre-TR jobs that were effectively an unnecessary drain on the taxpayer is nothing short of outrageous. We heard much yesterday about the so called 'steady state' (of staffing) that Sodexo are seeking to achieve as information confirms our fears that the ICT platform to link up with N-Delius is not going to be ready until some time next year and that the desperate attempts to create a 'work around' are reckoned by the specialists who know about these things to be unreliable to say the least. Add to the mix the uncertainties around estate provision for creating new service locations and the backtracking we saw yesterday about exactly when biometric kiosks are actually going to be introduced and it all points to the disaster that we have long been predicting.

Given that these were key issues in our pre-TR campaign, one might reasonably expect that Sodexo would have exercised their due diligence a bit more diligently before their clumsy and morale sapping announcements with some quite appalling examples of communications that are either misleading or inaccurate and one which has caused us to register a dispute to the joint Secretary at last weeks NNC meeting.

That Data Room again

Not for the first time (and certainly not the last I am sure) we heard a great deal yesterday about the efficacy and content of the information made available to bidders before the contracts were signed in the pre-election haste that we all know was the real driver for TR.

So the blame game that we predicted has started; and the discussions between Sodexo and other bidders about the terms payable for EVR, and how they are going to bridge the gap between expected service provision and the failure of some of them to sign up the requisite second tier providers as 'Through The Gate' responsibilities loom large on the 1st May' ought to be very interesting.

As you would expect we have fully briefed politicians about these developments, and while it is difficult to secure as much media coverage as we would like during an election campaign that is focused on anything but law and justice, be sure that in the event of a different colour administration being returned, we will be knocking on doors very loudly.

What next?

The announcement by Sodexo certainly does not represent a victory, but we have been able to convince them of the need to signal a welcome respite in advance of the talks referred to above. Napo's position is that we do not believe the proposed job cuts are necessary or safe, but if some losses are unavoidable they must be on the terms agreed within the national agreements and replicated within the service level contracts. It is morally indefensible to offer staff lesser terms for leaving than those that their colleagues received in tranches 1 and 2 of the early departure schemes.

More news as soon as it becomes available.

A Wise Move?

This on the Napo website:-

Joint statement between Sodexo and the Probation Trade Unions

Today Sodexo and the Probation Trade Unions had a full and frank discussion covering a number of key issues including the consultation process around proposed job cuts. Sodexo will consult with their Executive and CRC Chief Executives and it is hoped that a further joint statement can be issued tomorrow.

This on the blog:-

Napo should not be involved in a joint statement regarding redundancies. Just maintain proper opposition. It just shows me that if Napo get involved in influencing a reduction process but still agree to some cuts and (like) staff sifting, they won't be able to object in the future and elsewhere. Napo got involved in the TR consultation which is why they failed to take proper JR process. Getting wrong grounds was a gift to TR - running in challenge too late another gift. The MoJ consultants team knew we could win but were astounded how foolish Napo were, naive and did nothing appropriately at the right time. This news is just the same for Napo. Here they go again, seeking to appear at the table but don't know what do.

Bleak Futures Week 16

Aside from the 'poison pill' clauses in the 10-year contracts which would incur penalties of £3-400m payable to the contractor for cancellation, there is no political will in the Labour Party to end the contracts early.

At a Progress conference in May last year, Lord Wood, a Miliband aide, said "more imagination" was required to improve public services when there was little spare money. He said politicians should not "fight ideological battles" over public sector services and there was a role for private companies.

*****
Probation staff might be interested in how the Prison Service is getting on with their annual pay review. Up to 5% for some staff. I have no objection to rising wages, but it seems we are playing Cinderella....again!

*****
I love the notion that prisoners' property can be confiscated on the governor's say-so, then sold and the proceeds given to Nacro. Maybe the payment formula for Sodexo's bed-fellows isn't that lucrative after all? Oh, hang on, might there be a case for Nacro being charged with receiving stolen goods if the prisoner wins their appeal? Or a conflict of interest, seeing as Nacro is now a private sector provider for the MoJ, who run the prisons yet is being handed the profits from a rather dodgy prison policy?

*****
It is a pity that the prisons cannot use all this energy and effort being spent on obsessive and overweening security and convert it into rehabilitative actions.

The use of a telephone in prison should not have a profit element. It has long been recognised that maintaining family and community ties assists in successful resettlement's. The language of 'privileges' towards what should be seen as necessities and the commonplace accoutrement's of life in the 21st century, really harks back to the 19th century when prisoners were virtually in solitary confinement from each other, when even conversations were forbidden and daily conditions were punitive and vengeful, and the only reading material was the bible.

*****
Am hearing stories regarding the training of TTG staff employed by some of these legendary VCS providers. Originally they were talking about 5 days training but this has apparently been reduced to 1. When the CRC trainers presented them with the list of things the training needed to contain, said providers balked at the depth and detail. They didn't realise how complicated it all was. Oops!!

*****
TTG in our area are training staff going into these positions for 6 full days. Not sure what other areas are training prison TTG staff but to only train staff for a day!!!! Some CRC's are standing up to their new providers and not letting them dictate to us and surprisingly they are actually allowing us to do this. Might not seem much, but the power balance is not all in their favour.

*****
TTG staff in a northern town are being trained to deliver programmes, with schedules already being drawn up for them to work alongside CRC PO & PSO staff.

*****
A woman arrived at the office this week accompanied by a CRC staff member. Apparently (again this is rumour and may not be totally accurate) she was from a US based "professional services firm" (one of the supposed big four) who, among other services, assess enterprise risk. Her company had been commissioned by the CRC, who shall remain nameless, to report back on the workings of the company in the brave new world. It was suggested that at the bidding stage, the Govt had not been fully up front about the complexities of what the CRC's were taking on and this one had bitten off more than it could chew. Now if this is true, I don't know how big business works, but would it have been wise to have employed said professional services firm before making the bid or did the Govt block this?

*****
We've been managing fine but are now beginning to creak under the volume of new cases. Not heard anything from our new owners PF - even their twitterfeed has stalled. Hand the poison chalice back I say!!

*****
It seems that a lot of Sodexo/Nacro staff are holding out for enhanced voluntary redundancy. I just don't know if they are going to get it. Even without it, nobody wants the NPS jobs out there, people have had enough and want out completely.

*****
A lot of Sodexo/Nacro staff ARE wanting out. And with the double-whammy bullshit of (1) being shafted to CRC in the first instance & (2) losing any chance of carrying T&C's across post 1 Feb'15, then why would they want to join NPS?

In our CRC office of 10 POs & 10 PSOs (Fte), 8 POs & 5 PSOs want out. And they are prepared to fight for it. No-one wants to be associated with the crass corporate shite. Those prepared to stay are either (a) financially hamstrung or (b) relatively new to the role, have no sadness about the historical stuff and are okay with simply being employed. Other CRCs must be in similar positions with staff?

*****
Yes. My CRC is similarly full of people who have no confidence in the operating model and are just waiting to see if they can get a package to ease their departure.

*****
It's all gone very, very quiet - lull before the storm? CRC mgmt have gone to ground; promised visits by CRC owners abandoned/postponed; middle managers' doors remain firmly shut; allocations by email only, no discussion.

*****
Cumbria & Lancs have effectively given notice of redundancies with consultations kicking off by end April/start of May. No doubt full email will be available to JB. (Not yet). Level of severance pay not available.

*****
Cumbria & Lancs, like BeNCH, have notified office managers and other corporate service staff of their imminent demise. Some grumbles have drifted down from up in Cumbria, saying that the Sodexo plan is to focus all admin in & around Salford (where they have an expensive fancy-pants IT centre in Media City) & Lancs, leaving Cumbrian staff high & dry. Who fancies commuting from Carlisle to Salford or Preston?

Still no news about how much redundancy payments will be. Rumours in our local boozer are that Sodexo (no other names mentioned as yet) are "Raging" & putting pressure on MoJ staff over the their claim that enhanced payments were NOT on the table for anyone post 1st Feb 2015, i.e. their modern 'clearances' program.

*****
Everything about TR is flawed massively. CRC CEOs are doing their best to minimise political embarrassment to remain in favour with NOMs and damage to operational staff is irrelevant.

*****
The robber barons have fallen out over the spoils. It's the oldest story in the book.

*****
Front line PSOs in Wales CRC being seconded to prison for TTG ready for 1st May. Who will take on their caseload?

*****
I thought CRC Staff wouldn't be working with high risk offenders?

'Dear Colleagues,

Delivery of Resettlement Services.
Earlier this week we wrote to you to explain how Wales Community Rehabilitation are preparing for the delivery of resettlement services for offenders from May 1st 2015. Under the new service, which forms part of our Through The Gate (TTG) plan, all offenders, including those with a prison sentence of 12 months or under, will be provided with support to address their resettlement needs prior to release from custody. To avoid any potential confusion, we would like to point out that Wales CRC will be responsible for providing these resettlement services for all prisoners, not just those at low to medium risk of causing harm.

Yours sincerely,
Liz Rijnenberg
Chief Executive'

*****
It was always the case that CRCs would provide TTG services to all prisoners in the prisons in their areas. This has been in the documents from the start. It doesn't mean that the CRCs will be doing offender supervision tasks for all prisoners, probably just delivering basic workshops on accommodation, employment etc.

*****
Not only in Wales. BeNCH CRC staff was advised that the Sodexo partnership contracted for TTG may not be able to recruit sufficient staff by 1st May to deliver. CRC staff was asked if they had current clearance and/or if they were interested in a temporary secondment for this purpose. A further notice indicated the enquiry was aimed at PSOs; tasks would include completion of the Basic Custody Screening. My understanding is that this would constitute an offender supervisor type role. No further news since.

*****
BCS was initially meant to be conducted by Band 4 officers in the prison but a couple of months in some prisons are missing targets because of staff shortages so guess what? The PSOs they decided they didn't want any more have now been told that they can do the interviews as well!

*****
TTG will consist of referrals to benefits, housing and job centre, nothing more or less. It will, However, be enough for CRC's to eventually claim they are as able of managing high risk as the NPS despite the fact the most experienced and qualifies staff could well be lost to them by then.

*****
Some Wales CRC Staff also have a secondment to TTG. 1 wk training next week then start in the prison on May 1st. Pretty intensive training! I think they may be filling in while the new St Giles staff await prison clearance.

*****
It felt like a breath of fresh air: the unions' threat to ballot for strike action. It's the only language the MoJ and the predators understand. They always prefer to 'consult', but they respect a threat. A threat: a capacity to do something and the means to carry it out. The membership of the unions could tick both these boxes.

*****
It's early days but there is potential here for probation staff nationally to support probation staff in local difficulties. I am thinking here of strike funds, tactical support to colleagues who are fighting on a particular front. The biggest worry for any striker is financial hardship and the more this can be militated the more those affected can focus on fighting their corner. The vanguard supported by national solidarity - and financial support. Because: but for the grace of God go I. Whatever, the threat of a ballot for strike action is a welcome step towards facing up to Sodexo.

*****
I am frustrated by today's joint statement. Unison all of a sudden are waking up and threatening strike action. They did this before and bottled it. NOW is the time for NAPO, UNISON and any other involved UNION to really stand shoulder to should. This time co-ordinate your ballots, co-ordinate your action and deliver together - if UNISON had taken strike action with NAPO before the sell off - I remain convinced this have been a total different situation. UNISON failed its members - don't fail them now.

*****
In response I can only talk for myself at this stage. I am in NPS and would stand and be counted in support of my colleagues in the CRC - we must remain united. I would vote to strike. You are right, the only language these people understand is direct action. As I see it none of us is "sitting pretty" far from it we are ALL in the target range. I went out on strike, lobbied parliament, walked the streets and distributed leaflets to the public in our area on the day of the strikes. It would make me personally feel a whole lot better to get up and do something about this. Be strong colleagues and stand together on this one - otherwise the future will be bleaker than we can imagine.

*****
If this does not include all CRCs we are on a hiding to nothing. While Sodexo are the only ones to have come out and announced these job losses - there is time for other providers to do so. Some areas may not have threatened job cuts but perhaps because staff are being spread so thinly, the overall same public safety concerns exist. What worries me is more and more staff are becoming subservient, and won't fight against what is not just morally wrong but dangerous.

*****
You will only be allowed to strike if it is your CRC as NPS and other CRCS are run by different companies/organisations. You may not agree but that is the law.

*****
Golden share is owned by MOJ and therefore technically still employed by MOJ and only managed by private sector provider. We should have right to strike against the job losses proposed and EVEN IF WE DON'T we should anyway. As NAPO and/or UNISON Members - WE SHOULD STAND TOGETHER.

*****
I will pay financial support if I am not allowed to strike as am NPS I suggest sharing the pain by donating half a days pay to a CRC colleague that way we are equal again both striker and the person unable to strike loses half a day pay. It could be done!

*****
I have been on this forum before and stated publicly (as possible being Anon) that I would pay money to NAPO legal fund to fight TR. I will now repeat this and state that I will pay money - up front - into a hardship fund or similar to assist my colleagues in Sodexo CRCs.
We must stand together whether we can strike (as NOMS/NPS) or not. The unions need to act stronger than they have ever done and stand up together NOW.

*****
I will support a hardship fund and strike action - if we fail to do this now - those of us who see the writing on the wall - may as well walk away now.

*****
Veiled threats from Seetec about losing jobs if targets not met. Lots of new staff in the CRCs who would not strike and will be enough to keep offices ticking over whilst people lose money. I'm not against striking but I think we lost our chance and are now even more split.

In Politics You Need to be Lucky

Time I think for another digression whilst we wait for confirmation that the CRC owners have at last cottoned-on that they have indeed bitten off more than they can comfortably chew.

'If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal' so the saying goes and of course here in the UK we have a particularly crap electoral system that hasn't a hope in hell of delivering representation that comes anywhere near the true wishes of the people. But then we have the Liberal Democrats to thank for screwing up our one-and-possibly-only chance of electoral reform when they chose the wrong system to hold a referendum on.

And whilst on the subject of the Lib Dems, I'm absolutely clear that they and odious Nick Clegg must be punished for facilitating the demolition of the Probation Service. Of course he doesn't look too worried about a possible 'meltdown', despite breaking numerous promises, because he knows full well that the system he was too inept to change will in all probability carry on propping-up his party's share of the seats, if not the share of the vote. 



Despite this, many of us may hope to see Clegg unseated in Sheffield, but smug bastard that he is, he knows full well that the anti-Clegg vote will be split between any number of hapless also-rans, thus ensuring he's quite likely to get returned. As I say, our system is crap and the unspoken but unpalatable truth is that for 90% of us, it's a complete waste of time putting a cross on a piece of paper.

Of course we can't speak of this for fear of frightening the horses and putting even more impressionable young people off from voting, but the reality is that most seats are 'safe' with not a cat in hell's chance of unseating some odious or uninspiring loyal party supporter, no matter how crap a job they do. 

For those who are unsure whether they reside in a constituency where voting is a waste of time or not, just count up how much party literature has been delivered along with the pizza menus. If the answer is close to zero, then your sitting MP and party has an important message for you 'I can happily do without your vote as shed loads of your neighbours vote me/us in every time'. 

The other parties have an important message for you as well 'It's a forgone conclusion round here and we're just going through the motions in order to provide a bit of training for our aspiring wannabees before we find them a safe seat'. But to add insult to injury and help bolster the illusion of a democratic process, one free leaflet from each party will be sent out, but paid for out of public not party funds. Our laughably-called Elected Representatives really do know how to take the piss.

Now I'm fortunate to live in a constituency where the sitting MP is likely to be unseated, but of course due to our crap electoral system and the rise of parties like the Greens and UKIP, they are just as likely to hang on because the opposition will be nicely split and thus pose no great threat at all. Labour is a close second as evidenced from the last general election, but could be robbed by a plethora of candidates with no hope of winning. 

I can't believe how 'tactical voting' is just never discussed nowadays, just like the Barnett Formula, because the big parties fear such loose talk would indeed scare the horses and upset the apple cart. It is completely unacceptable that Nicola Sturgeon feels she can hold the rest of the UK to ransom and just grins when Nigel Farage is the only politician who dares to mention that the free prescriptions and lack of university fees in Scotland is only possible because they are paid for by the rest of the UK under the Barnett Formula. 

Having said all this, the beauty of this election is that the outcome is pretty much unknown. Labour have all but given up on Scotland and will join the Tories in losing virtually all their seats to the SNP. We know there will be no party with overall control and deals will have to be struck between some unlikely bedfellows. We know politicians frequently break their promises and it's entirely possible that Barnett is revisited, no matter what was promised in order to swing the Independence Referendum in Scotland. 

I think we all know the Tory party is really the nasty party and the staggering numbers of people accessing Food Banks and suffering Benefit sanctions helps provide the evidence. Equally, the number of people forced to endure zero-hour contracts puts the recent 'glowing' emloyment figures into context, despite Iain Duncan Smith's valiant attempt to have them rebranded as 'flexible' contracts. And the Tories wonder why so many hate them and that the election isn't going well for them?  

Many commentators are beginning to notice that the Tories are getting worried that the message on the economy is not getting through, just as Ed Miliband is beginning to look more confident and possibly even Prime Ministerial. David Cameron is going to find it increasingly hard to shake off the charge that he dare not debate face-to-face with him and the signs are that, despite what buttons he pushes, nothing seems to be working in winning over the Electorate.



Which brings me on to the strange phenomenon of 'cross-dressing'. Whilst Ed has been ensuring that Labour can't be accused of making lots of unfunded spending promises, the Tories have suddenly started promising lots of goodies without explaining where the money is coming from. The assumption is that it's just old-fashioned election bribery, but dear readers, I think there's another explanation and they definitely don't want you to know about it! 

Politics is as much about luck as anything and there is a silver bullet that could potentially nail the austerity question, fund public services, cure the debt burden and in one fell swoop give a massive boost to Labour by proving there really is another way. The story broke only a few weeks ago, but quickly forgotten as the caravan moved on, and that's just the way the Tories want to keep it. But it explains the sudden talk of Tory largess, together with Ed's rather more relaxed look of late. 

What the hell is it Jim? 

Why, we've struck oil!!     

A small British oil company has found a bonanza of potentially billions of barrels of oil beneath a field near London’s Gatwick Airport. The only problem is how much of the oil is accessible.

UK Oil and Gas Investments (UKOG) said April 9 that 3,000 feet of exploratory drilling at Wytch Farm in the Weald Basin, a rural area just north of the airport, discovered a “world-class potential resource.” The area is now referred to as “Britain’s Dallas.” It was the deepest well dug in the region in three decades.
“We think we’ve found a very significant discovery here, probably the largest [onshore well in the UK] in the last 30 years, and we think it has national significance,” UKOG CEO Stephen Sanderson told the BBC.

UKOG said an analysis of the deposit, called Horse Hill-1, shows it may contain up to 158 million barrels of oil per square mile, indicating that the entire well may hold as much as 100 billion barrels of oil, 10 times larger than previous estimates. The Weald Basin rivals the entire oil reserves of Kuwait, which sits over 101.5 billion barrels of crude. And the site may prove to be more productive – and easier to work – than North Sea wells, from which Britain has produced about 42 million barrels in the past 40 years. The North Sea is a leading source of oil for Britain, but has become less productive in the past 15 years.

"The Weald Basin rivals the entire oil reserves of Kuwait" - blimey, I bet this news might even wipe the smile off Nicola Sturgeon's face!

Postscript

For those interested in following the oil story, believe in conspiracies or are just plain suspicious, amazingly, shortly after the initial statement from UKOG, another clarifying statement was issued and this story appeared in the Independent:-

Gatwick oil discovery: UKOG issues climbdown as black gold boom 'sounds too good to be true'

An oil boom may not be about to turn the area around Gatwick airport into the Dallas of southern England after all, despite excited announcements just last week that as many as 100 billion barrels of black gold may be lying beneath the fields of Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.

While experts were quick to cast doubt on the scale of the forecast, the small oil company involved was forced by the London Stock Exchange to make revised predictions.

The company said its estimate for the 3,500 square-mile Weald had been based upon limited exploration from a single well in a very small section of the overall basin – the 55 square mile Horse Hill licence that makes up a tiny fraction of the overall Weald basin. As a result, it was not in a position to make a forecast for the basin as a whole where the rock formations vary considerably depending on the area.

“The company has not undertaken work outside of its licence areas sufficient to comment on the possible oil in place [for] the weald basin,” the company said in a statement.

This is what John Ward of The Slog says:-

Although called the CEO of UKOG, Mr Sanderson is not on the Board, as such: in other words, he has no power. He’s got the title at UKOG, I’d imagine, because he has an outstanding record of both finding oil, and estimating what it’s worth.

With over three decades of experience under his belt, Sanderson can list several notable coups in his career: He was the key player in discovering the huge Norwegian Smørbukk-Midgard field complex for ARCO (now BP); and over time, he’s spearheaded and managed the successful appraisal of oil and gas fields in the North Sea, Netherlands and Algeria. He has an appraisal and exploration track record in excess of 170 fields with asset values of up to $7 Billion on average.

So Stephen Sanderson is no slouch. In fact, on hiring the bloke last January, David Lenigas, UKOG’s Chairman, commented: “Having been the author of the technical appraisal of our recent Horse Hill discovery in the Weald Basin, Stephen will add significant technical and commercial strength to the Company’s management team here in the UK.”

But on this occasion, he appears to have mispoken: when he said “world class find”, he meant to say “worthless find”.

To be exact, the Board on which he does not sit said that the company had “not undertaken work…sufficient to comment”. But Mr Sanderson, I have established, did not announce the revised estimate of the energy find to the media without the Board’s approval.

So why the sudden change of heart? Did Downing Street panic that the gaff might be about to blow on the destruction of its austerity and fracking rationales?

Unions Threaten Strike

Napo website this afternoon:-

Probation unions threaten strikes over job cuts

On 16th April, the Probation trade unions, Napo, Unison and GMB warned the permanent secretary Ursula Brennan that members may be forced to ballot for strike action if she did not intervene over plans by the French multinational Sodexo to axe up to 46% of its staff in the 6 Community Rehabilitation Companies it took over on the 1st February 2015. Sodexo announced recently that 500+ jobs are at risk across its contract as it plans to replace highly skilled staff with biometric machines and mass call centres to supervise offenders in the community.

The unions, who strongly oppose the massive job cuts have also warned the permanent secretary that unless Enhanced Voluntary Redundancy agreements reached with Ministers last year were honoured in full, their members would be looking to ballot for strike action. Napo said that the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and Ursula Brennan in particular had an obligation to intervene after they “signed off” the deal to privatise the probation service despite strong opposition and expert opinion which said it would not be safe to do so.

Ian Lawrence, General Secretary for Napo said “We warned the Permanent Secretary not to sign off the CRC contracts as we had real fears that Transforming Rehabilitation and the outsourcing programme were not fit for purpose. Sodexo’s operating model of replacing highly skilled staff with machines and call centres to supervise offenders is dangerous and will put the public at risk.”

All three unions have asked for the Permanent Secretary to clarify if the MOJ knew about the redundancies when Sodexo submitted their contract bid, or if Sodexo has sought approval from the Secretary of State for the job cuts since the contracts were signed.

They have made a direct appeal to Ms Brennan to instruct Sodexo to halt the planned job cuts until the public and staff can be assured that Sodexo’s plans have been fully scrutinised from both a staffing and a public safety point of view.

Lull Before the Storm

"There are no new topics for discussion because there are no new topics for discussion: CRCs have gone to ground and no new info forthcoming. The service that was is broken. Give us all a break. We'll be back on form soon enough."


"There's been mention today of 'no new news' and CRCs having 'gone to ground'. Information through from BeNCH CRC last week gives revised end state staffing of 276 rather than the 254 initially announced. This includes a 5% increase in the number of PSOs.

Unions were formally advised by BeNCH last week that it has commenced 'the redundancy process' and a 45 day consultation period declared. Those first to be considered are 'back office' staff; the 'grapevine' indicates that some staff have received letters indicating their post is at risk. The decision making process for compulsory redundancy is likely to be appraisal based.

Here's hoping the blog will get back on track sharing valuable information in respect of how all of those affected by this travesty are being affected."

"Catch 22 advertising for caseworkers and senior caseworkers for South West prisons but no mention of salary scales at all. Closing date 21st April, we've been told that the CRC is expected to start on May 1st! Good luck getting anyone in post by then. Does anyone remember Prison Service Plus by the way? Came in all guns blazing several years ago, offering through the gate support for accommodation, jobs and training, benefits, drug and alcohol referrals - they targeted those easiest to help and disappeared after a couple of years having pocketed as much as possible from the European funding on offer."

"Some areas have recruited internally for TTG which takes preference, leaving other areas very short staffed with no immediate solution in place. One community team halved."

"Anyhow, man down the pub is on fine form again, he says Addaction can't play nicely with Purple Futures anymore and have gone home to sulk ....falling out over the money....NOMS not too happy and putting a brave face on things but when Sec State made a BIG deal over "partnerships" I bet he was thinking longer term than months. 

This forum is still open for wiley correspondents to keep the home front informed - just get out there and scout about for the info and let Jim know."

Help Requested

I wonder if I could appeal for assistance in relation to these recent requests? The first concerns a contribution reposted this morning from a couple of days ago:-

"A solicitor has just successfully argued for a custodial sentence because due to his client currently being on remand, if he were to get a CO/SSO then he would not be eligible to the £46. Magistrates decided to sentence to 28 days custody saying the case was 'very interesting'. This is ridiculous - had he been given the CO/SSO he'd have still got exactly the same support as he will upon release - only thing missing would've been the £46 - oh and we would not have had to pay for his incarceration."

It would be enormously helpful if any person knowing the details of the case could contact me in confidence please. The second request is in relation to a young person interested in probation, as follows:- 

"I am 18 years old, and I am currently a careers coach for Future Frontiers.
Future Frontiers is an organisation that employs students to work with young disadvantaged children in secondary schools as careers coaches. The aim of Future Frontiers is to equip disadvantaged young people with the information, skills and mindsets to be able to realise their career aspirations and maintain the motivation to achieve their full potential. I was lucky enough to be paired with an amazing young girl in a school called Xxxx Xxxxxx in Xxxxxxxxxxx, London. After working with her over the past 4 weeks, she has decided to pursue a career in Probation and Law.

I have been looking for a professional probation officer or counsellor that has plenty of knowledge and love for their job, to speak to her. I was wondering if you would mind being involved in a brief interview with her over Skype? She would just like to ask you a few questions about the profession. The Skype interview should last only about 15-20 mins on the 27th April 15:05-15:45, or if that day is not possible, 11th May between 15:05-15:45."

The timings could prove problematic, but it just might prove possible for some enthusiastic colleague and I can put you in touch. In both cases, my contact details can be found on the profile page. Thanks.

Bleak Futures Week 15

They better hurry up & offer VR. There is not a single person who I know who wants to stay, everyone is talking about getting the hell out.

*****
I feel sick to the stomach as I read that Sodexo statement:

"We had planned on the basis that the majority of exit would be on compulsory terms, seven months after contract commencement, i.e. 1st September 2015, as per the National Agreement."

Says it all - couldn't be more explicit if they tried - it was planned. The slash & burn, the seven month wait to move to compulsory redundancy, the fact it was written into the agreement. IT WAS PLANNED. So come on Napo, Unison, MoJ, NOMS whoever else sat around that table - OWN UP!!! Who got paid what to put together this travesty of an arrangement whereby "the majority of exit would be on compulsory terms, seven months after contract... as per the National Agreement."

*****
NAPO and Unison have many questions to answer - but I doubt the membership will attempt to hold either to account.

*****
One NAPO branch has lodged a dispute but where is NAPO as a whole? Surely this should be taken up as a whole? Just because some CRC areas have not announced redundancies or biometric machines yet does not mean it won't happen in future. If as a union we fail to back our Sodexo led colleagues, then we may as well stop paying our sub's.

*****
Don't think anyone is being critical of reps my friend, more about Napo HQ. Why is there not a coordinated, across board condemnation of Sodexo's actions? NAPO as a whole should be lodging dispute and every branch member should be supporting action. But we know neither will happen. PS I am not in a CRC led by Sodexo but doubt my shareholder will be much different.

*****
Can only speak for myself but I am definitely suffering from post transformation stress disorder and that it is no laughing matter.

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I have seen some details of the pay offer which is an oxymoron: no wonder IL was tight-lipped and no wonder all the rhetoric is now on the Pay Ice Age, which gets the unions off the hook. How much have union officials seen their salaries grow in the past five years?

*****

Ian lawrence is not fit for purpose yet he still receives 70k a year and has achieved very little for members. After Napo paid off the last GS for his alleged antics in office and the current GS decisions, or lack, resulted in the JR fiasco and subsequent costs, I'm wondering why we still pay our subs?

*****
As a long serving PO not had am increment for 20 years and no payrise for many a year so let's remember, you get to the top of the scale by sticking around for decades and it used to be referred to as retention, preventing experience evaporating into the ether! We've all been shat on, so let's be sensitive towards each individual in the organisation!

*****
I think it's pretty pathetic to focusing on who gets what from this pay offer. In the round, it's an insult to everyone and that's where the fire should be directed, not on differentials. But there will be no fire because the leadership has given up on pay and the membership moans and groans but there is no groundswell of anger that demands action.

The decline in pay reflects the gender balance and deprofessionalisation of the workforce. Wages will continue to fall until the market rate is reached. At present I am not aware of any recruitment shortages. The calibre of probation is changing and the days of being reasonably well-paid are over, unless you are a sycophant doing well for yourself.

*****
15 years qualified and earning less than some of my peers. Lack of pay progression affects my pension. I will be retiring in 6 years time and at this rate I still won't have reached the top of my pay scale on my retirement. We should not let the pay offer divide us further but fight for fair and equal pay for all.

*****
I love how people are still debating the latest pay offer and bemoaning where they are on the various scales. This time next year those scales won't exist. It won't matter.

*****
I agree: pay scales and increments won't matter. Pay is going to plummet and then we will see what collective effort the disparate and divided probation workforce is capable of.

*****
Just because we face the bleak future you point to, does not mean we should just accept this. I will fight till the end of all this and will be voting no to acceptance. I am well aware it will make little difference.

*****
Good to hear of a 'new and angry mood developing'. The sooner the better...

*****
Letters due out this week for colleagues in the at risk pool going to offices with options regarding VR etc. In our Office, sickness is up and colleagues aren't waiting for their letter, they've put in their notice already. Wonder who will do the work until they sort out the estates and IT? Temping agencies could get busy again very shortly.

*****
South Yorks, letters received today delivered by hand. Those in the oversubscribed pool under 55 got their voluntary redundancy figure, those over 55 offered early retirement, not both.

*****
I've got a little temper on me - it is something I'd do - stuff em I'll just quit - sometimes it's not always about the money. I just hope they don't work their notice.

*****
Well I don't get any money as I don't have enough service and unless you have worked there for ever the redundancy package or early retirement isn't worth waiting for. If you need a job then you can't afford to wait for someone to make a decision about your future.

*****
Sodexo's responses are entirely plausible. It all looks ok on paper but so much of it will not work in the community (i.e. without enforced sobriety and locks), with chaotic offenders and with the expected increases in caseload. The devil is very much in the detail.

*****
"those that need less resources like housing, out of hours interventions will automatically be selected for the closest to change group. Those with greater needs will form the furthest from change groups, and although more needy, will get no assistance."

Spot on. "Closeness to change" is just a new buzzword way of avoiding allegations of "creaming" and "parking". Which is not to say that we haven't always worked in different ways, depending on how motivated someone was, but at least there was an attempt to deliver to the minimum standard of the order as required by the court. These new ideas - particularly with the RARs - will remove all of that.

*****
Nick Hall talks about meeting staff, giving details, managing the change. It's all framed in the emotion-free language of mangerialism. There can be no acknowledgement, that after all the upheavals and anxieties of the split and the struggles to maintain business as usual, he will now take a chainsaw to his loyal, hardworking workforce. He may try and communicate, some empathy off the record, but he can't go 'on message' with this miserable betrayal. But he is only following orders – and that's how they do it – through being conscientious puppets for unscrupulous puppeteers.

*****
A solicitor has just successfully argued for a custodial sentence because due to his client currently being on remand, if he were to get a CO/SSO then he would not be eligible to the £46. Magistrates decided to sentence to 28 days custody saying the case was 'very interesting'. This is ridiculous - had he been given the CO/SSO he'd have still got exactly the same support as he will upon release - only thing missing would've been the £46 - oh and we would not have had to pay for his incarceration.

*****
He might well get less support being an ORA/PSS case than if he were given a CO or SSO, because the requirements are very different. There's not even a pretence in my area that we can offer the same levels of contact. Hope that £46 is worth it.

*****
NAPO and UNISON need to start a clear campaign to re-nationalise the Probation Service. The need is clear to those in the know and the evidence will build week on week. Advise Assist and Befriend the whole caboodle, even bringing back the good old Fighting Fund. Back in the day the universities acted as the gatekeeper to the profession. Bring that system back or using technology we could Skype interviews and let the whole team make the appointment. The Unions second campaign should be to end managerialism and kill off the parasites.

*****
We have been told that Sodexo were meeting with the MoJ last week to discuss the issue of EVR, specifically in relation to onward redundancies. Sodexo say they can't afford this and were surprised to be told that our CRC terms and conditions, which they inherited, provided for EVR. They wanted MoJ view, I gather. Has anyone heard anything as to the outcome of these discussions?

*****
Recent Managers briefing gave the impression that successful bidders in our area (Sodexo) "misread" the EVR aspect, & are (as suggested above) whingeing to MoJ & trying to wriggle out. If true, Sodexo legal team are due a kicking. Wonder if they'll take high risk strategy of JR?

Sad, if true. So keen to trouser vast sums of taxpayer money that they miss a key element of the contract, and rather than act honourably they try to weasel out of the responsibility they bought into. Also it was thought they were trying to strongarm NOMS over the delays/impossibility/delay in IT compatibility, presumably trying to extort more cash from the UK public purse. Didn't they make a 'pledge' about their public duty? Hard to know what the truth is anymore.

*****
I think the 'lack of information', whilst frustrating, is linked to the fact that a lot of this is being made up as they go along. Much of the problem is a manifestation of the indecent haste we have talked about before on here. Mistakes were and are being made, mostly at the expense of staff. It is important to note that the Sodexo team at the heart of this is no more than a tiny handful of fallible human beings who are, themselves, being kettled down paths they barely comprehend. It is the blind leading the blind and, unsurprisingly, the 'expertise' is a lot more limited than they would like to admit.

*****
Bleak (Purple) Futures in Hampshire rewording policies on the database without any consultation. Introduced inferior pension arrangements without any consultation, refusing to say whether they are going to 'Sodexo' their workforce. They have a conference next week but refused the union a stall. Low morale amid disorganised working practices.

*****
A No Smoking Policy introduced in our PF area - service users and staff have to go beyond the perimeter of CRC premises for a whiff and this even goes for vapours!! Apparently it looks unprofessional. So the job's bloody stressful enough and we can't even use what helps take the edge off it. Also, we're not against chatting to service users but if we're having a quick smoke we don't really want to be getting into conversations with them if you know what I mean.

*****
Mr Nick has used a lot of words an tried to suggest he has offered answers, seems to me it's just more of the same. We'll do all we can to look good, but in reality, we cannot provide any answer, because we don't actually understand the questions!

We dreaded 1.6.2014, we dreaded 1.2.2015 and now 1.5.2015, and 1.10.2015 not too far off and it's a shambles! The good news, the privateers have underestimated our clients and their legal representatives, but then I guess, trying to understand the service you're currently trying to shaft, means you take your eye off the ball! Fuckwits!

*****
You are right. In fact the most demanding clients usually come in the lower risk groups. I think introducing private companies is not a bad thing in principle, but the problem here was that none of the companies had any understanding of the client group. They were bidding in the dark, which is high risk for them. For me the key will be the effectiveness of the auditors and compliance staff who hold the CRCs to account. If they are allowed to do a good job, then the prospect of private profit for companies who don't understand the sector disappears pretty fast.

*****
Wise words. Sodexo's only focus is money so I doubt if they've any 'small print' that's going to cost them pennies. My feeling is that if they are talking to the MOJ about EVR, it's because they are now in a position of considerable power and as a consequence of that position they're trying to 're-negotiate' terms to access a few bob more. Any disagreement regarding contract terms should also have union involvement. They're looking for MOJ backing for the action they want to take.

*****
Any news from the discredited charities? Shelter, NACRO? I wonder how one of my clients being sanctioned for 6 months sits with Shelter who are now co-responsible for managing him.

*****
Finally I am out!! Got a new job as a housing engagement officer today, 3k better money than my current 24k probation service officer post, and it seems a great job for a reputable not for profit company that is in growth. No caseload and lots of opportunities to progress. I'm told that I was up against 6 really strong candidates and that my personality and skills learnt whilst working for Probation secured me the role. Have a look into housing roles people, our skills to this role are very transferable and the money is decent. Probation Officers could go for senior housing officer posts which have a similar wage structure.....

*****
In our Sodexo owned area so many have expressed interest in leaving they could easily achieve 60% cuts to staff numbers. And most of those who say they'll stay seem flat and low in mood, citing mortgages, children or other financial commitments rather than any desire to do the job anymore. Its so very sad. To Grayling, Spurr, and all those who were involved in TR and privatisation;

I hope you're ashamed of the damage you've done to the probation service as an organisation, and to the professional lives of thousands of staff. In almost 40 years of my working life I have never before witnessed such blinkered, destructive, divisive behaviour towards a dedicated and successful workforce. It is a scandal.

*****
In the letter to Sodexo, Napo mentions that the bad news was broken just before Easter. This releasing of bad news on Fridays or before bank holidays, is a common tactic. They don't release it on Mondays because they don't want everyone talking about it in the workplace and potentially influencing each other. Better to let individuals stew in their own juices at home where they may be a little more vulnerable without the support of colleagues. They are cynical. I hope all union members will see this as an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity, as in these situations the only strength is that acquired through unity.

*****

All the above evidences that the problems being experienced by 'Probation' are entirely the consequence of poor procurement by the MoJ and a complete lack of knowledge and commitment on their part to the concepts around rehabilitation. They DO think Probation is a community prison and DO believe that everywhere is London.

*****
True. Rehabilitation never really took off within the Prison Service because it was always very low on their list of priorities. We are now seeing Prison Probation staff replaced by Prison Officers once more. This means that anyone allocated to Probation type work can now be called upon to do general Prison duties. Because they can, they inevitably will so almost NO rehabilitative work will take place IN prisons and, with Sodexo et al's approach, NO rehabilitative work will take place in the community. All because Carter couldn't see that zoo keepers were not the same as Vets.

*****
I don't think there is anything in the union's letter to Sodexo that is likely to lead to a turnaround. Important as they are, equality impact assessments, workload weighting tools and H&S may bark but they won't bite Sodexo and there are tiptoe routines for procrastinating on all these issues anyway. As for 'members' anger', this opinion piece will achieve only crocodile tears from Sodexo and business necessity mantras. In releasing this letter, I hope it's not just public relations, but that the unions will keep the membership fully informed of all developments, stay on the offensive, and not go quietly.

*****
My understanding is there will be national meetings between Napo and Sodexo. There will also be local JNC rep meetings with CRC and Sodexo with liaison between national and local Napo reps so Branch meetings ought to be means of getting updates.

*****
I suppose I am making a slightly different point to being updated through the usual channels. The Napo leadership have chosen to release a letter in advance of a meeting, which I think is good. However, this letter could have been disseminated through the branch structure for branches to update members. The letter is stridently angry and suggests Napo and the other unions will not be supine in the face of these proposed compulsory redundancies. It's not commonplace for Unions to release these shopping list letters in advance of a meeting and I read it as a kind of throwing down the gauntlet.

Maybe it's an opportunity for the union leaderships to stay loud on this issue, show there will be no appeasement with regard to these proposals and that more of this type of communication across the membership may have a mobilising effect and reach those who fail to engage at the branch level.

*****
"That loyalty and commitment now sees hundreds of them at risk of losing their livelihoods without the guarantee of the protections for Early Voluntary Redundancy as enshrined in the National Staff Transfer agreement that we are maintaining should be available for the life of the CRC contracts."

I'm afraid that I don't hold out much hope for EVR being upheld when the unions' strongest gambit is that its a scenario "which we are maintaining should be available". No sign of: "a position which is legally binding"; or, "which you signed up for"; or, "which you are responsible for upholding"...

Maybe I'm TR-war-weary, maybe I'm suffering from compassion-fatigue, but it does feel like the unions are waving dead flowers in the air, like there's no conviction in the argument. Akin to the JR scenario it feels we'll just get trampled on and made to pay the price, whilst the bullies get away with it yet again.

*****
Yes, the position is weak and that's reflected in the beseeching language. The only power is collective action to oppose compulsory redundancies, and maybe anger will be translated into industrial action. But it's a big maybe. More likely, it will be death by a thousand cuts. It will be interesting to see what line the unions champion.