Thought for today 31.07.20

TOWER HAMLETS COUNCILLORS: what are they like? The hot topic in the Borough is the decision of Executive Mayor John Biggs to impose new contracts (“Tower Rewards”) on the Council workforce.  Do Labour Councillors back him or not? Ten councillors have signed an open letter asking him to think again.  Thirty-one have not.  It’s time we got to know our councillors a bit better, so this month we’ll be sharing some quotes from Labour’s public representatives.

To close the month, we shall take a quick look at the Executive Mayor John Biggs himself. We’ve already written a great deal about how he has given Council officers the green light to change the employment contracts of Council workers – and, when agreement with the unions could not be reached, impose the contracts. We therefore went back over Labour’s 2018 manifesto, to see what it promised voters about the Council workforce. Sadly, there is little mention of Council staff in that lengthy document: just one comment on how things will be great for social workers (below). There are plenty of promises about how Labour will make Tower Hamlets better, but virtually nothing about how these promises are going to be delivered – who will do the work, and on what basis. Says it all, really, doesn’t it?

“[We] will make Tower Hamlets one of the best places in the country to be a social worker, attracting the very best professionals to keep our young people safe.”
Executive Mayor John Biggs, Labour’s 2018 Manifesto, pre-Tower Rewards

●To put your views on Tower Rewards to the Executive Mayor direct, contact him on:
mayor@towerhamlets.gov.uk

●Read more about Tower Rewards:
Tower Rewards

●Read more about the Biggs Administration:
Executive Mayor John Biggs

●Read more Thoughts for today:
Thought for today