Homeless boss’ American royal ‘jaunt’ as staff face swingeing
pay cuts
3 August 2011
While some staff at homeless charity Centrepoint faced annual
pay cuts of up to £10,000, the chief executive was paying court to
the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in sunny Los Angeles.
Now possible industrial action looms at the troubled London
charity for vulnerable young people, following what Unite, the
largest union in the country, described as chief executive Seyi
Obakin’s ‘unnecessary sycophantic jaunt’ with the royal couple on
their recent trip to America.
In the middle of delicate negotiations with staff – with some
employees facing up to £10,000 pay cuts - Mr Obakin
disappeared.
Unite regional officer Matt Smith said: ”It was later discovered
that while frontline staff were trying to bargain for a fairer deal
Mr Obakin has been busy ingratiating himself as a member of William
and Kate’s Los Angeles entourage. At the best, this was
insensitive; at worst, this smacks of being an unnecessary
sycophantic jaunt for no apparent good reason.”
Unite research into Centrepoint’s 2010 public accounts has
revealed that the organisation pays six of its senior executives
over £60,000-a-year, with one being paid £110,000.
The Unite Housing Workers’ branch has announced Centrepoint
members are to be balloted later this month on possible industrial
action over proposals to cut posts and salaries, following an
overwhelming vote in a consultative ballot for action.
Unite said that more than 100 staff at Centrepoint delivering
frontline services have been singled out to face severe wage cuts,
demotion and redundancy.
Centrepoint’s original proposal was to impose potential cuts of
up to 36 per cent to frontline staff wages, while simultaneously
increasing their hours, with the longest serving staff being the
worst hit.
Matt Smith said: ”Staff fear that by continuing to work for this
iconic homelessness charity, they will render themselves homeless,
as they won’t have enough money for their mortgages and rent.
”There are major concerns that these cuts will lead to
Centrepoint losing its most experienced, dedicated and skilled
staff. As a result, the quality of services it delivers to
vulnerable young people will be significantly damaged.“
Unite has raised concerns that the proposals discriminate
against Centrepoint’s black and minority ethnic staff, who are
disproportionately represented in the targeted group. Managers have
been unable to either deny or verify this, as it has been unable to
locate its records on equal opportunities monitoring.
Matt Smith said: ”Instead Centrepoint’s executive team has now
ended all negotiations with Unite, and wants to bulldoze these
vicious and unfair cuts through. In order to resist this attack
Unite is balloting its members.’
ENDS
Note to news editors:
For further information, please contact Matt Smith on 07918 640
587 and/or Unite communications officer, Shaun Noble on 07768
693940
Mr Obakin with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in America:
http://www.komonews.com/news/entertainment/125306318.html?tab=gallery#img26.
In the consultative ballot 82 per cent voted to be balloted for
industrial action. This was on a turn out of over 65 per cent. The
result was of 88 members balloted, 48 (83 per cent) voted in favour
of being balloted and 10 (17 per cent) against.
