Election turn-around in Tower hoover Labour celebrates. Right: Defeated BNP nazis. CAMDEN'S re-elected Labour council is going to celebrate its victory by sacking all its staff - most of whom probably voted Labour.
Years of accommodating to Tory attacks on local government are now being topped off by a ruthless attack on working conditions and an attempt to undermine union power.
Camden will dismiss its workers and re-employ them on new contracts, scrapping some holiday entitlements, sickness leave and other rights such as a 35hour week.
Under the new contract staff will return to a 36-hour week for the same pay. This will mean a three percent pay cut for part time workers.
This move comes after nearly two years of utilising a 'two-tier' system, where new members of staff were forced to sign contracts with much worse conditions than those already negotiated with local unions. Camden will also continue its 'restructuring' process - in other words carry through more compulsory redundancies.
The logic behind Camden's move is instructive. Without fewer staff and worse working conditions the council cannot compete with its in-house services during compulsory competitive tendering exercises.
Camden may be at the cutting edge of this new attack on the working conditions of local authority staff; but with stronger right-wing contingents in many Labour councils, other local authorities in London and beyond seem set to tollow suit.