UNISON Connexions members to hold second half day stike

UNISON Connexions members will stage a second half day of industrial action to fight the threatened compulsory redundancies with 36 jobs at risk in Connexions in Birmingham. A widely supported first day of action on 6th April closed all Connexions centres and they will again be closed on this second day of action as UNISON members make a committed and firm stand.
Union members will protest against cuts outside Northfield, Kings Heath and Broad Street offices from 1pm when the strike starts.
UNISON will hold a Rally and People’s Debate about the cuts to Connexions and to many other support and education services for young people in Victoria Square outside the council house from 2.15pm.
Young people, union members and MPs and Councillors will debate the issues behind the cuts in an open air debate the day before the local elections. Labour MP for Erdington Jack Dromey is expected to take part.


UNISON Connexions Convenor John Grifffin saids: “We need to remember that young people and Connexions workers are now paying with their jobs and future prospects for the debts of bankers earning massive bonuses. Birmingham City Council has set a budget which puts these jobs at risk. Another solution needs to be found for the sake of the young people threatened with a lifetime of joblessness.”


UNISON Head of Local Government, Tony Rabaiotti commented: “The Connexions campaign has been running for months and the support we have had from the people of Birmingham has been magnificent. People have been telling us how much they value Connexions, that cutting support for young people at a time of high unemployment is economic insanity and that they will continue to speak up for our Connexions service. I am sure this day of action will once again be well supported and am sure that the people of Birmingham will show their displeasure at these cuts at the ballot box on Thursday in the local elections”
- Connexions provides careers advice and information advice and guidance to young people 13-19 and is available to all of Birmingham’s schools.
- Connexions drop in centres for young unemployed in Aston, Handsworth and Erdington closed in October and November. In April Birmingham City Council approved a 30% budget cut for Connexions that means 36 jobs including front line advisers are at risk.
- The Conservative-led government has axed Connexions from April 2012 and has told schools to provide Careers advice without any funds for them to provide trained advisers

UNISON Connexions members to take industrial action on Thursday 6th January

180 UNISON members in Birmingham Connexions will stage a half day Industrial Action from 1pm on Thursday 6th January to fight the planned 24% job cuts- the first industrial action in the biggest local authority in the country directly against spending cuts in public services.
UNISON members make up around 70% of the Connexions Birmingham workforce so union leaders are expecting a significant impact. Managers have yet to announce whether Connexions Advice Centres in Broad Street, Kings Heath and Northfield will close.
UNISON members will protest outside these Connexions Centres from 12.30pm on Thursday and then move onto a Rally in the BMI, 9 Margaret Street, B3 3BS at 3pm. Shabana Mahmood MP for Ladywood and Roger McKenzie UNISON West Midlands Regional Secretary will speak at the Rally of members and supporters.