Barnet’s Future Shape

ESSU has worked closely with UNISON Barnet in responding to Barnet Council’s Future Shape proposals. This has included responding to the October 2009 Cabinet report, production of a draft Corporate Procurement Strategy and a two-day commissioning and procurement training course. A detailed response to the Council’s latest proposals on the ‘personalisation’ of services is being produced.

Tyne & Wear Metro

Nexus, the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority, has been required to seek tenders for an operational contract, a government imposed condition of £300m public investment. ESSU Director, Dexter Whitfield, has been the trade union observer, on behalf of the Northern TUC, UNISON and UNITE, in the three week moderation stage of the bid evaluation process.

UCU Guides on Challenging the Market

The ESSU worked with the University and College Union on their guide for branch activists on fighting privatisation. ESSU also produced a Commissioning and Procurement Guide on the marketisation and privatisation of tertiary education for the union’s internal use.