Strike threat in union row
HUNDREDS of protesters rallied in Doncaster town centre after a union announced plans for a strike ballot over the suspension of a senior borough official.
Doncaster Council suspended Unison convener Jim Board last week for speaking to TV news crews reporting on the assaults on two boys in Edlington. The two attackers were boys in the authority's care.
The union has been further upset after efforts by Mayor Peter Davies to promote the Workers of England Union, which has links with his own English Democrats Party.
Union members from all over the Yorkshire region joined the rally in the town centre on Saturday and warned the council and Mayor Peter Davies they faced a huge fight and a possible mass walkout of council staff.
Unison regional organiser Robin Symonds said there was widespread anger among all the unions in the borough and the regional union office had now approved an official requested by the Doncaster branch committee for a strike ballot.
He described Mr Board's suspension as a smokescreen ahead of planned budget cuts which the authority expected he would oppose.
Placards at the event carried slogans including 'Speak the truth and you get suspended' and 'Jim Board for Mayor'.
Mr Board took to the platform to applause and read a prepared statement which said: "I want to say that I remain branch secretary of Doncaster Unison. Doncaster is an amazing place to work and I feel privileged to have worked here for the last nine years. I feel that I am being trained for a marathon effort, but I can't imagine any other people I would want standing next to me other than you."
Unison has 5,000 staff at the council, the largest membership on the authority.
Coun Mick Maye, runner-up in June's mayoral election, also attended the rally, and said the mayor had made a miscalculation by attacking the union.
He said: "You can't behave like this in the modern world."
Unison has also told the council it cannot sign a new agreement on pay while Mr Board is suspended because he has been its negotiator on the new Single Status Agreement, a reorganisation of pay and gradings.
Doncaster Council says it does not comment on individual staffing matters. Mayor Peter Davies was unavailable for comment.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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