Union is '˜saving hundreds of thousands of pounds for Peterborough City Council' with paid time-off for employees

Jo Rust, a regional director for UNISON in Peterborough, said its members are “worth their weight in gold” because they can save hundreds of hours being wasted and prevent the need for industrial action.

She was responding to a report from the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group which said Peterborough City Council spent nearly £78,000 in 2015/16 on paid time-off for trade union representatives to carry out union duties.

She said: “One of the really important things our trade union representatives who are getting paid time off do is negotiate with the employer to resolve issues at a low level and avoid the need for industrial action.

“The council and public sector employers are not legally entitled to just bring about change without talking to employees about it.

“Rather than talking to each individual employee, if they go to the staff representatives they can talk with, for example, 10 people and get agreement from the staff body.

“It cuts out the need to talk to thousands of employees.

“We save hundreds of hours of management time in resolving things at a low level.

“Rather than costing £78,000 a year, by allowing trade union representatives time off to undertake trade union duties saves Peterborough City Council over £100,000 a year.”

MP for Peterborough Stewart Jackson holds a different view, though.

He tweeted: “Shocking misuse of public money. Why don’t trades unions fund their own activities with own cash?”