Birmingham City Council denies 'redundancy threat'

Unison has called for Mr Hughes to resign from his post

Twenty-six thousand Birmingham City Council staff have been sent letters advising them of possible changes to their terms of employment.

The UK's largest local authority has posted letters to its non-school employees to consult them about accepting flexible working contracts.

The GMB union called a crisis meeting as it claimed staff had been told to accept the terms or face redundancy.

The council insisted the move would not result in anyone being made redundant.

It said its aim was to increase efficiency.

Councillor Alan Rudge, cabinet member for equality and human resources, said: "At the moment less than 200 people have been made redundant and we have reduced our workforce by 2,000 by other means.

"This isn't about reducing jobs, this is about more effective working and getting better value for money in view of the fact we are under very tight conditions over the next few years."

'Reduce redundancies'

The council announced on Friday it expected to make £230m worth of cuts by 2014.

The Section 188 notices refer to car allowances, staff parking and flexible working, which Mr Rudge said would mean the council was able to redeploy staff with similar skill sets between departments and use them where they were most needed.

He said: "Doing that would actually reduce redundancies, not increase them."

GMB's West Midlands officer Joe Morgan said: "The workers have been told if they don't accept new contracts they will be dismissed and re-engaged on worse conditions.

"The council's chief executive is acting like a school bully by saying that workers have to accept this or they will be sacked without compensation. Our members are in shock and are up in arms."

The council said Mr Hughes had refuted the claim and was committed to communicating better with his staff.

The Unison union said the notices meant the council had placed all 26,000 of its non-school staff under threat of redundancy and it called for the council's chief executive Stephen Hughes to resign.

'Unison incorrect'

"A chief executive should be there to inspire the trust and confidence of the workforce," a Unison spokesman said

"It is little wonder that a recent workforce survey showed that just 17% of staff had any confidence in Mr Hughes."

The council employs about 55,000 people, including school-based staff and casual workers.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "Unison is incorrectly stating that the entire council's non-schools workforce has been put under threat of redundancy.

"The section 188 notice issued last week was the start of a consultation over possible changes to the terms and conditions under which staff are employed.

"This section 188 notice will not result in anyone being made redundant."