COUNCIL WORKERS LOSE RIGHT OF APPEAL

1.42.00pm GMT Mon 30th Nov 2009

Hundreds of staff facing redundancy at Gloucestershire County Council have lost their right to appeal against redundancy and unfair dismissal to a committee of councillors .

At the November full council meeting the Conservatives voted to abandon the right of staff to have their case of unfair dismissal heard by the council's Appeals Committee.

However, this right remains for well-paid senior officers, the same people who are in charge of the frontline staff such as social workers, education and library staff who will be receiving redundancy notices.

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Liberal Democrat leader said: "The Tories plan to slash and burn council services and at least 500 jobs face the axe. In order to speed up this process the Tories have axed the right of appeal to a committee of councillors. Ordinary workers fighting against unfair dismissal will have their hands tied behind their backs, this is a disgrace. Council directors and senior officers however, will keep this privilege. It seems there is one rule for frontline workers and another for well paid managers. The Appeals Committee has over the years heard a number of appeals against unfair dismissal and on a few occasions upheld the appeal"

Cllr Ceri Jones, member of the Appeals Committee said: "We don't just have a duty to the people we represent but also to the council staff who provide the services those people need. The timing coincides with recent plans for job cuts. In the past the Appeals Committee has made sure that staff employed by this council have been able to appeal to this independent committee when they felt they were being unfairly dismissed. The administration has snatched away a basic right to natural justice, the Conservatives should feel ashamed"

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