PUBLIC service union UNISON has hit back at claims by Doncaster Mayor Martin Winter that the libraries' reorganisation fiasco was out of his hands.
And the union's local branch has now challenged Mr Winter to a public debate, to expand on the Mayor
's extraordinary claims that the council's professional officers have stifled his political career and delivery of his manifesto.
Mr Winter spoke out at a Bawtry Town Council meeting, saying he was not responsible for the handling of initiatives such as the libraries' restructuring, and that library staff had run scared of the power of the unions.
Jim Board of UNISON told the Newsletter: "For Martin Winter, an elected Mayor, to refuse to accept any responsibility for a council he is at the head of, is nonsensical. The whole idea of the mayoral system is that it places power in the hands of of one person and his cabinet.
"It beggars belief that Martin Winter would claim high level officers such as the Corporate Director of Customer Services, Stuart Hall, would act without the tacit agreement of his Mayor.
"It is a blatant attempt to avoid criticism attached to him, but he cannot sidestep his accountability."
At no time were staff running scared of the unions, he added.
A high representation of library staff attended meetings and voting was
unanimous for dispute.
At the end of the process, however, it was felt that dispute would not work.
Agency staff are being used currently in libraries left unstaffed due to the shelved reorganisation process.
Over recent months, the Newsletter revealed how library and customer service staff left in droves after being told they would have to re-apply for their positions in a move that would also see customer
service centres closed.
When the whole operation was then scrapped, up to 39 workers who had retired or taken voluntary redundancy were invited back as relief staff.
Mr Board added: "Library staff have received the most insulting comments from Stuart Hall, when in fact they do an absolutely
fantastic job on low pay, and do far more within their role than people realise, such as projects to reduce social exclusion.
"The pieces of what's left of children's services are still being put together, and many staff are now forced into lone working, which is a
big health and safety issue."
