SIGN NEW DEAL ...OR BE SACKED

Contract ultimatum to council staff slammed as ‘immoral’

STAFF at a local authority have been told to “sign a new employment contract or be sacked”.

One councillor has slammed the “immoral” dilemma handed to workers at Gwynedd council.

Cllr Sion Jones said staff are effectively being “threatened” to sign the ultimatum agreed by cabinet leaders and that it’s bringing morale down.

A letter was issued to all workers last week after negotiations with unions over the new deal had been ongoing since 2015.

It is understood advice is being sought about the legality of the move as the row escalates.

A council report claims the changes will save the authority between £300,000 and £450,000 per year.

In a copy of the letter seen by the Herald’s sister paper the Daily Post, staff are told if they do not “volunteer” to accept the new terms, the communication should be viewed as their formal notice.

It said: “If you decide not to volun- teer to accept the new contract of employment, or fail to respond to this letter, then it is important that you understand the consequences of your decision.

“A decision not to volunteer to accept the new contract, or a failure to respond to this letter, means you will be dismissed from the council’s employment, with last day employment being the 30th of June this year. In such a situation, you will not have the right to a redundancy payment.”

It goes on to say workers can appeal to their employer but it will not grant any appeals “based on rejecting the cabinet’s decision” to amend the contracts.

Cllr Jones, who represents Bethel ward, was more forthcoming about the decision: “It’s quite worrying staff are being threatened in this way.

“I understand some cuts are needed, but you can’t go into work feeling threatened if you don’t sign this contract. I think it’s immoral, absolutely. If they don’t agree they will lose their jobs.

“I understand there’s a lot of pressure on the council to perform financially and try and keep staff in place. But it’s bringing the morale down and we need to keep morale up and keep these people working for us.”

It is understood a joint announcement by Unite, the GMB and Unison unions is imminent.