Unite appeals to the Royal Horticultural Society to weed out
waste, not your workers
24th July 2009
One of the country's most popular charities, the Royal
Horticultural Society (RHS), is being urged to step back from a
programme of cuts so severe they risk ploughing up the good name of
the gardening charity.
Unite the union, which represents workers at the RHS, is
mounting a campaign to get the charity to think again over
deep-cutting changes which would see jobs lost, the provision of
tied homes to workers hit, the loss of pensions entitlements and
imposed changes to working patterns which would bring in an
exhausting schedule of five days heavy manual work in every
seven.
Chris Kaufman, Unite's national officer for food and
agriculture, appealed to the RHS to work with the union to find a
better way forward: "Our members strongly suspect that the RHS is
attempting to railroad these changes through without providing
adequate information to them, with little consultation and before
anyone has had a chance to offer an alternative proposal.
"The millions of visitors to the RHS gardens across the UK know
that behind their splendour is a team of hard-working, dedicated
craftsmen and women. It is their skill and dedication which
has made the RHS so popular and so profitable. These workers are
not well-paid to begin with, but now they are terrified that their
employer will take a scythe to their jobs, pensions, homes and
working week.
"There is immense good will for the RHS and its important work
but the public, like us, will be very puzzled about a business plan
which seeks swingeing cuts to staff and services at a time of
increasing visitors and a £3.1 million surplus.
"All we ask is that the RHS work with us on a way forward, one
which weeds out waste, keeps the RHS's good name intact and the
workers safe from the axe."
Unite has written to the RHS director general, Inga Grimsey,
seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the business plan.
The RHS is seeking to force the changes through as part of its
2009 Change Programme. As part of this it is seeking to cut
between 80-100 jobs from its 720 workforce.
ENDS
For further information contact Chris Kaufman on 07976 842 307
or Mark Di-Toro on 07918 640 579
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