B P Collins Solicitors: talk to the experts
Gerrards Cross: +44(0) 1753 889995
Beaconsfield: +44(0) 1494 675363
Related stories
New group created to boost equality
Flexible working consultation launched
Calls made for minimum wage to be controlled
Businesses urged to "intelligently" manage start-up costs
Council defends shared services deal
04 August 2008
Somerset county council has dismissed claims that it failed to consult a union over its decision to sign a shared services deal with a private sector corporation.
The agreement is expected to see 1,000 public sector employees moved to the new partnership with IBM.
However, Unison has now filed a tribunal claim against the local authority on the grounds that it did not open a consultation over the employment aspect of the agreement.
Speaking to Personnel Today, Richard Crouch, head of PR at Somerset county council, questioned the union's action.
"The council has had no complaints from any member of staff either before or after the deal was signed," he commented.
"Unison was involved throughout the process so I'm not sure of the reasoning behind the complaint."
The £400 million ten-year deal was also signed by Taunton Deane borough council and Avon and Somerset police.
Unison is the UK's largest public sector union boasting over 1.3 million members from a variety of sectors.
Last year it claimed to recruit 325 new members each day.
