AS a Unison member and a life-long trade unionist I would like to know what Unison Bury branch are up to.

It is not their role to act in such an arrogant and patronising way towards the residents of Dicky Bird estate. If they have concerns about members' jobs they should take issue with the employer directly rather than use the residents of this estate to fight their battles for them.

I find these tactics cowardly and underhand.

Unison's role is to provide effective representation for their members, within the existing structures that have been jointly agreed between themselves and the local authority. Their real problem is that they are incompetent and unable to organise their members effectively to allow them to negotiate from a position of strength.

The council's workforce has taken quite a beating over recent years. Fewer and fewer staff trying to deliver quality services to the residents of Bury has taken its toll on many of us.

The effects are plain for all to see, with stress levels at an all-time high and sickness levels in some departments running at 17 per cent. Branch officers are seconded from their paid positions to act on behalf of members, and members pay their subs so that they have the resources at their disposal to do this, not to send insulting leaflets to the residents of Dicky Bird estate.

It looks as if all, or at least some, within the Bury branch are following their own personal or political agendas at the expense of the members and the council tax payers.

I personally am very unhappy at this situation as I would think are our employers, who have to answer to the public about how they spend their money.

Mr Stansfield claims that he took advice before he sent the leaflet. I can only hope that he is willing to take some more, and the best advice I can give him, and anyone else who thinks that this is how trade unions should act, is resign, go back to your jobs, and find out what it is like for the rest of us.

A LION LED BY DONKEYS

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