Protest at “pernicious attack” on youth service

MEMBERS of TUSC – the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition – are planning a demonstration outside Warrington Town Hall on Monday in protest at what they describe as a “pernicious attack” on the council’s youth service.
TUSC members, led by former Labour councillor Kevin Bennett (pictured) , will be lobbying councillors arriving to attend a special meeting of the borough council to consider a review of polling districts and polling places.
Cllr Bennett said they would be supporting youth and community members who are members of Unite the Union.
He said: “The youth service is already struggling. We need more funding for it – not less.
“My own ward, Fairfield and Howley, is crying out for a service like this, but unfortunately we don’t have a youth worker presence anymore.
“”Warrington Borough Council is using ‘dismiss and re-engage’ to attack our youth services.
“ I  believe the council are behaving like rogue employers by trying to impose new contracts onto our youth workers.
“While £0.85m is being drawn from reserves to balance the budget, why is Corporate Financing increasing its budget, when the youth service is facing cuts!
“A mere £80,000 would save the youth service in its present form.
“Don’t forget that this Labour administration was willing to give £3 million to a private company to open a Youth Zone, but is now cutting the youth service funding, it doesn’t make sense.”
Cllr Bennett said a spokesman for Unite had told him the council was threatening to impose changes to their terms and conditions using a “dismiss and re-engage” approach.  This would result in poorer outcomes for the most vulnerable young people and the council as a whole.
The youth workers had endured a four-year pay freeze and then been offered a mere one per cent rise and at the same time there had been a restructure that resulted in 50 per cent staff but no readjustment of targets.
Cllr Bennett said he hoped councillors would oppose moves which amounted to an attack on young people.