Action for Children unveils trade union 'partnership' deal
Adam Offord
Monday, December 19, 2016
Children's charity Action for Children has announced a deal to work in partnership with two trade unions, just months after a planned strike over pay was averted, it has emerged.
Earlier this year, a ballot of staff at Action for Children, which runs around 200 children's centres, resulted in the majority of Unison and Unite members taking part voting to strike in protest against levels of pay for employees at the charity.
The strike was cancelled in March after talks with the arbitration body Acas resumed.
Now Action for Children and the two unions have confirmed that a new "partnership agreement" has been signed by the organisations.
The agreement, signed earlier this month, sets out a commitment to work collaboratively with the aim of creating a positive and engaging environment for Action for Children staff.
Recent examples of cooperation have included a pay and grading review with a one per cent pay award for 2016.
Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Action for Children, said: "I am proud of the commitment and hard work of Action for Children staff in ensuring a healthy and collaborative relationship with Unite and Unison.
"The objective of the partnership has always been to promote and support positive employee relations whilst building a sustainable, thriving and growing organisation.
"I believe that this new partnership agreement will help us to achieve this goal."
Siobhan Endean, Unite national officer for the not-for-profit sector, added that the union is "delighted" that members and representatives have endorsed the new approach to partnership working between the workforce and managers at the charity.
"Positive industrial relations between our unions with collective bargaining are important to delivering the best for employees on pay and conditions and resolving disputes in the work place at Action for Children," she said.
Paul Swain, joint union organiser of Action for Children, said: "This is a wonderful milestone in the journey of employee relations within Action for Children and follows a long period of intense discussions by all three partners to the agreement.
"Everyone involved in this process is focused on the goal of continuous dialogue to face both current and future challenges to our great charity."
