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12 January 2011
Last updated at 03:06 ET
Unions have attacked plans by Rhondda Cynon Taf council to make thousands of staff accept lower deals on pay and conditions.
The GMB and Unison unions say the council should have considered more voluntary redundancies.
The council said it has to plug a £14m funding gap in its finances.
In an email to staff the council's chief executive said any delay in workers accepting the new deal would result in hundreds of job losses.
The changes proposed by the council include a new pay structure after a job evaluation exercise and changes to terms of employment.
Unions said the changes also involve reductions in allowances for people who use cars, changes in payments for weekend work and overtime and retainer payments.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
Dave Bezzina, the regional organiser for Unison, said the union was dismayed at the council's approach.
"We recognise that because of what's been stated as unprecedented attack on public services that local authorities like Rhondda Cynon Taf need to make big savings.
Mr Bezzina said he did not believe the council had considered all options.
"First of all, we believe that the council should be looking at the level of council tax increase.
"At the moment all the calculations are based on a 3% increase, we believe the council should be looking at a higher increase.
"We believe this is a debate that hasn't been had but needs to be had because the people of Rhondda Cynon Taf are very reliant on the council services.
Collective agreement
"Voluntary redundancies too, we believe that is something the council should look at more."
Mr Bezzina said the changes to staff contracts were "fairly dramatic" with some staff losing up to £9,500 a year.
He added: "Our concern is the approach being adopted by the council, of basically saying these are the new conditions of service, this is what you'll be paid, here is a new contract you are given a date by which you have to accept it.
"We have made it quite clear we are prepared to continue negotiating, they are the ones who terminated the negotiations.
"We want to make a collective agreement with the council but we cannot do that under the threat of them saying regardless of your consultation with members we are going to impose these conditions of service by dismissing and reengaging employees on the new contracts."
Rhondda Cynon Taf council said they have a £14m pound hole in their budget because of the public sector cuts by the UK government.
The council said they have received the worst financial settlement since the council was created in 1996.
Unions have been negotiating with the council about the new contracts since last November but on Monday council chief executive Keith Griffiths wrote to staff saying the time for talks had run out.
Mr Griffiths said that in order to plug the hole in their finances and avoid hundreds of job cuts and cutting some front line services they need the staff to accept these new terms and conditions.
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The GMB and Unison unions say the council should have considered more voluntary redundancies.
The council said it has to plug a £14m funding gap in its finances.
In an email to staff the council's chief executive said any delay in workers accepting the new deal would result in hundreds of job losses.
The changes proposed by the council include a new pay structure after a job evaluation exercise and changes to terms of employment.
Unions said the changes also involve reductions in allowances for people who use cars, changes in payments for weekend work and overtime and retainer payments.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
We have made it quite clear we are prepared to continue negotiating, they are the ones who terminated the negotiations”
End Quote
Dave Bezzina
Unison regional organiser
Dave Bezzina, the regional organiser for Unison, said the union was dismayed at the council's approach.
"We recognise that because of what's been stated as unprecedented attack on public services that local authorities like Rhondda Cynon Taf need to make big savings.
Mr Bezzina said he did not believe the council had considered all options.
"First of all, we believe that the council should be looking at the level of council tax increase.
"At the moment all the calculations are based on a 3% increase, we believe the council should be looking at a higher increase.
"We believe this is a debate that hasn't been had but needs to be had because the people of Rhondda Cynon Taf are very reliant on the council services.
Collective agreement
"Voluntary redundancies too, we believe that is something the council should look at more."
Mr Bezzina said the changes to staff contracts were "fairly dramatic" with some staff losing up to £9,500 a year.
He added: "Our concern is the approach being adopted by the council, of basically saying these are the new conditions of service, this is what you'll be paid, here is a new contract you are given a date by which you have to accept it.
"We have made it quite clear we are prepared to continue negotiating, they are the ones who terminated the negotiations.
"We want to make a collective agreement with the council but we cannot do that under the threat of them saying regardless of your consultation with members we are going to impose these conditions of service by dismissing and reengaging employees on the new contracts."
Rhondda Cynon Taf council said they have a £14m pound hole in their budget because of the public sector cuts by the UK government.
The council said they have received the worst financial settlement since the council was created in 1996.
Unions have been negotiating with the council about the new contracts since last November but on Monday council chief executive Keith Griffiths wrote to staff saying the time for talks had run out.
Mr Griffiths said that in order to plug the hole in their finances and avoid hundreds of job cuts and cutting some front line services they need the staff to accept these new terms and conditions.
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