Issue - meetings

Deputation from Unison in relation to Item 10

Unison, represented by Sean Fox, welcomed Item 10, the Award of Contract for Home Support and Reablement Bundled Hours, which would see care workers become recipients of the London Living Wage (LLW).

The deputation welcomed this report, which ended an historic campaign that began in 2016 when Unison became aware of the poor hourly rates paid to care workers. Unison had sought to challenge this matter through the legal system but recognised that the most effective way to achieve the desired outcome was to work with the Council in bringing about change. The deputation praised the report and noted it would benefit over 800 care workers. They  felt that the report dealt once and for all with zero-hour contracts and responded to the unacceptable treatment of care workers. The report would allow those who provided care, many working in the borough, with a better quality of life.

Unison was proud to have worked with the Council and Officers in achieving this milestone and looked forward to working with the Council, moving forward, to ensure that the care workers were paid the LLW.

The Leader thanked the deputation and invited the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health to provide a response.

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health thanked the deputation, paying special thanks to Sean Fox and other Unison colleagues for their positive approach in negotiating with the Council on this matter. Their constructive contributions allowed for the progress towards achieving payment of London Living Wage to those providing home support.

The Cabinet Member was delighted to be introducing London Living Wage for care workers in Haringey and recognised that this had been long overdue. This commitment was in the Labour Manifesto which stated the Council would achieve LLW for all care workers in Haringey by 2022. The Cabinet Member was pleased this was being progressed in 2020 and highlighted this decision would make a significant difference in quality of care, providing a more stable workforce.

Deputation in relation to item 11 - Climate Change Action Plan

The Leader invited representatives of Haringey Climate Forum, Helen Mayer and Ahmad from Woodside School to put forward their representations concerning item 11.

Ms Mayer began by acknowledging the proud history of the Council for responding to climate issues with early plans for reducing CO2 emissions, and the Pension’s Committee decisions on di-vesment in companies producing fossil fuels. Haringey Climate Forum would be discussing the actions contained in the attached plan more fully at their Forum meeting next week and would provide detailed comments to the Cabinet Members individually. The deputation emphasised  that the Council would need to amplify the messages in the action plan to the wider community and they  would,  as a group, support the report which needed  the commitment and support of every department and service in the whole Council for delivering the required actions.

Although some actions seemed controversial, to take these forward required winning support on local neighbourhood issues such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 188