UNISON have registered a trade dispute due to concerns UNISON members have raised about the reorganisations at Lambeth Council in the Resident Services Directorate. This follows our members meeting in May 2025.

This dispute is in accordance with s218(1)(a) and (c) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (and also s244(1)(a), (c) and (g). It involves the following points:

1.          No compulsory redundancies (instead to offer voluntary redundancy and early retirement options)

2            Maintaining Safe and adequate staffing levels. There is serious concern in several teams currently being restructured that there are simply not enough staff to maintain the services.

3            No reduction in working conditions for any staff, no two-tier workforce. There is a proposal for taking staff in Active Lambeth off Green Book Terms and Conditions which we are opposed to.

4            No increase in workloads. The cutting of posts only with the promise of introducing AI or automation at some point in the future is leading to serious concerns that already excessive workloads, working long hours and stress will increase.

5            Full consultation with staff and unions on any introduction of AI which might have staffing implications.  We know that labour augmenting devices become labour replacing devices over time and there are concerns over the introduction of AI, where the platforms are trained on staffs work to eventually replace their work.

This notification is in contemplation or furtherance of the trade dispute. We reserve our position to take further action, up to and including industrial action. I hope that you will wish to resolve this dispute. In the event that this dispute is not resolved promptly, I have to inform you that UNISON members have indicated their willingness to be balloted for, and to take, industrial action. The members have asked me to initiate appropriate steps to give effect to this intention. I therefore hope to hear from you so that this escalation of the dispute can be averted.

S.244(1) of TULR(C)A sets out the list of specified matters:

(a) Terms and conditions of employment, or the physical conditions in which any workers are required to work;

(b) Engagement or non-engagement, or termination or suspension of employment or the duties of employment, of one or more workers;

(c) Allocation of work or the duties of employment between workers or groups of workers;

This requirement restricts industrial action to matters that are related to terms and conditions of employment. In this context, ‘terms of employment’ extends beyond those terms specifically incorporated in the contract of employment and can include terms accepted by both parties through custom and practice. This can include demarcation disputes, provided that the same employer employs the groups of workers concerned.

We hope to hear from Lambeth Council management about this trade dispute to resolve these issues.