I would like to explain why the council is asking its staff to sign new contracts ('Sign Or You're Sacked', October 21).

It follows from a national 'single status' agreement which brought substantial benefits to over 2,000 local blue collar staff (moving from a 39 to a 37 hour week without any loss in pay) at a cost to York's Council Tax payers - and I - of nearly £800,000 per year.

To avoid this increase in local taxation we have negotiated for over a year with the trades unions.

At the end of the day the local UNISON branch refused to accept an arbitration agreement which had been accepted by the union at regional and national level.

Therefore, having exhausted negotiations we were left with no alternative, if we were to save you and I from paying £800,000 more, but to issue new contracts to council staff.

In reality most staff will not be affected.

Because of the intransigence of the local UNISON branch York is only one of very few councils in England where agreement has not been reached - we negotiated in good faith and accepted arbitration. It is about time that UNISON in York followed suit.

Councillor Rodney Hills,

Leader of City of York Council.

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