Will Unison join Bury Cuts Protest Lobby?

IS BURY UNISON PLAYING BALL?

UNCERTAINTY REIGNS today over a Bury cuts protest set for tomorrow as Steve Morton, Secretary of Bury Unison, keeps his cards close to his chest. No-one knows if Steve will urge his members to support a lobby of the meeting of Bury MBC tomorrow to decide on how to apply a policy of cuts in local services. At present Bury Action Against the Cuts and Bury Unite the Union Branch are backing the lobby to protest the expected cuts.

A letter to members of Unite, circulated this morning to the binmen at the Bradley Fold Waste Depot before they set off on their roundsm was well received. Reference in the letter to the pay scale of the Chief Executive at between £147,822 and £160,284 in the current period created excitement and interest among the binmen. As did comments by the Unite Branch Secretary, Brian Bamford, to the allowances to Councillor Bibby the Tory leader of Bury Council. The binmen and members of the public are particularly concerned because of the threat of management to move from weekly to fortnightly collections of household rubbish; while at the same time the manager of the waste depot has sworn that he will not make any cuts in his office staff.

Earlier this morning Brian Bamford in his capacity as Unite Branch Secretary asked 'Ann', a spokeswoman for Bury Unison in Steve Morton's office, if Unison would be supporting the protest. He was asked to wait 'while I ask Steve', then she returned to say: 'I'm sorry but it's between Steve (Morton) and the branch'. Mr Bamford then asked: 'So can we say that you've not decided yet?' to which she replied: 'Yes!'

With the protest planned for 6pm tomorrow and the Council Meeting scheduled for 7pm, Steve Morton and Bury Unison are certainly cutting it fine. Makey mind-up time!!!