Sign contract — or lose your job

NEARLY 2,700 Oldham Council workers were sent a festive message by bosses: sign up to new terms or you will be dismissed.

The letters, dated December 23, outline new temporary contracts for staff that will save £1.5 million. They include a three-year freeze on incremental pay increases from March 31. Staff will still receive any nationally-agreed annual pay rises.Changes will also be made to mileage payments for car users for three years.

Temporary cuts to overtime payments, and the requirement to take three days’ unpaid leave, will continue.

The council says it has improved its original proposals, which were rejected by the trade unions.

The changes include scrapping changes to sick pay and the original car allowance proposals.

Staff have until March 28 to accept the new contracts or “stand as dismissed”.

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, cabinet member for finance, said: “We had intended to issue the letter earlier but following negotiations with the trade unions, we made a number of changes to take into account feedback from staff.

“Given the scale of the financial challenges the council is facing there are no easy decisions left. We must find an estimated £60 million in savings for the two years 2015 to 2017, having already found £140 million in the previous six years.

“Like all other local authorities, staffing costs are a major spend for Oldham Council.”