Llais Christmas 2017 by Dysgu Bro Ceredigion

Llais Ceredigion Issue 44

December 2017

http://www.ceredigionunison.org.uk

Branch Chair’s Christmas Message 2018 Happy Christmas and season’s greetings to you all from your Branch Chair, for those of you who don’t know me my name is Alison Boshier and in addition to Chairing the UNISON Branch I also work as a Teaching Assistant within a special needs unit, and one of my other roles in the Branch is the Schools Convenor, which means that I deal with a lot of individual casework across many of the schools in Ceredigion. As you can imagine then I am quite aware of the current challenges facing Teaching Assistants in Wales, and I view my main role in UNISON as supporting our members both individually and collectively in meeting those challenges.

the Women’s Committee in Wales.

My first year as Chairperson has been enjoyable for me but I have been kept really busy with representing members and attending and chairing various meetings throughout the year. In addition to being the Ceredigion Chairperson I am also one of your representatives from Wales on the UNISON Service Group Executive which makes decisions for the Local Government part of UNISON for the whole of Britain; a Welsh representative on the NJC Committee (a joint trade union committee that negotiates on pay across England and Wales); and a member of

So I’m sure you can appreciate it when I say the last year has been busy, but working for and with the trade union has its benefits too, one of which is getting to know our members in lots of different workplaces, and I’d like to say here that the work you, our members, are doing really is making a positive difference to the local community and its clear to me that our members really are the nuts and bolts of their workplaces, keeping our schools and the Council going. I’d like to pay tribute here too, to one of our UNISON Branch Stewards, Peter Harper, who sadly passed away this year. Peter is fondly remembered by all of us on the Branch Committee and sorely missed. My trade union duties, whether representing the Branch or Wales, has also meant that I have got to visit some places I might otherwise not have seen, and over the last year I’ve had meetings in London, Cardiff, Brighton, Wrexham and Belfast. One of the highlights for me was the annual conference in Brighton, where I was really inspired by some of the speakers and the variety of work and causes that our trade union is involved with, including helping the campaign against forced child marriage. But perhaps the best event of the year was the recent rally in November in Barry, South Wales, which was organised by UNISON and was calling for fair pay for all public sector workers. The sun was out, the speakers (if not the PR system) were excellent and entertaining, as was the marching pipe band, but at a time when the public sector and public sector workers seem to be up against it, it was a real moment of solidarity and togetherness, which is what our trade union is all about. I hope to be as busy with my union work in 2018 as I have been this year and I wish you all a very festive Christmas break and peace and prosperity in the new year. Your branch Chair, Alison Boshier Tel: 07514 969509 Email: alison.boshier@ceredigion.gov.uk 1

Merry Christmas

BRANCH AGM’S Monday 26th February 2018 Wednesday 28th February 2018 Wednesday 7th March 2018 Dear Unison Member, This year the Branch will be staggering its AGM over 3 meetings to make it easier for members to attend. In addition to the evening meeting, which will be held on the 7th of March in Aberaeron, we will also have two lunchtime meetings in each of the main Council offices (Canolfan Rheidol and Penmorfa). The full details are as follows:

Monday 26th February 2018, 12.30pm, Rms 5 – 7 Canolfan Rheidol, Aberystwyth Wednesday 28th February 2018, 12.30pm, Ystwyth Room, Penmorfa, Aberaeron Wednesday 7th March 2018, 6pm, Ystwyth Room, Penmorfa, Aberaeron Food and refreshments will be provided at each of the meetings, so if you can let Owain Davies (Owain.davies@ceredigion.gov.uk or 01545 572106) know beforehand which meeting you will be attending it will help to ensure there is enough food for everyone. Everyone who attends the AGM will also be entered into a raffle, to be drawn on the 7th March, and have the chance of winning a selection of prizes. So put the date in your diary, come along, have a sandwich, meet your branch officials and reps, and have your say in what you want your union to do in the coming year. Branch Officers and Stewards are elected at this meeting and any member can propose a motion for the AGM, motions and nominations must be received by the Branch Secretary (Owain Davies) by 5pm on the 8th January 2018. The branch is run by its members, and is only as good as the members who are prepared to give their time and energy to running it, so please do make an effort to attend the AGM this year and show your support for the union, and reps, that support you. I look forward to seeing you there. Owain Davies, Branch Secretary

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Branch Secretary’s Message It’s been another difficult year for your Branch, as I know it will have been for many of you as well, as we go into an eighth year of shrinking Local Authority budgets; austerity, pay restraint, reductions in staff, and uncertainty over the future delivery of services that we consider to be essential, continue apace and now seem like the new ‘normal’. Just this year we have seen many more posts lost through voluntary redundancy and early retirement (posts that have not been replaced), the merger of Coleg Ceredigion with Trinity St Davids with a resulting loss of local jobs, and the closure of Bodlondeb residential home again accompanied by job losses. All of these are a direct result of the reduction of central government funding to our Council and decisions made in Westminster to cut back on the provision of public services in order to give tax cuts to corporations and to the most wealthy. If it is not the intention of the current government to run down public services to a bare minimum and increase inequality and hardship, then they are clearly failing, as that is what is happening. If that is their intention then God help us, as their ‘success’ so far will have only encouraged them. I may be being a little presumptuous in trying to guess the real intentions of the current government, but what they don’t seem to have properly understood is that public services (such as our schools, social care, roads, libraries, housing, environmental health and planning services, etc) don’t just make a huge and positive contribution to our society and the safety and cohesiveness of our communities, they also make a significant and crucial contribution to the overall economy. Which is why it’s not coincidental that the running down of public services has been matched by a stagnation in the general economy. What appears to be missing from the governments perception as well, is that ‘rich’ countries are considered to be ‘rich’ not based upon the wealth of the very richest people in those countries, but by how wealth and well-being is distributed between and amongst all of a country’s citizens. Now, it might seem that big economic and political decisions are outside our ability to influence, but if we do want to improve our communities, our job security, our terms and conditions, and our pay, then we have to be clear about from where our current difficulties are coming from, and if we shrug our shoulders and say that we can’t influence or change things then our perceived powerlessness to do so becomes self-fulfilling. I’m not saying that 3

as individuals influencing or changing the direction of the government is easy, but that is where the collective voice of your trade union can help. Our trade union has been consistent and persistent over the last 7 years in arguing against the economics and politics of ‘austerity’, okay, you might say that we haven’t got very far over those last 7 years but, as public sector cuts are starting to bite into essential services and the economy continues to flat-line, the terms of the debate are changing in our favour, and we now have a credible political opposition in Westminster which is also arguing strongly against ‘austerity’ and in favour of investment in public services. To be honest though the clout or strength of our union’s campaigners, negotiators and lobbyists comes from the strength of feeling, and willingness to engage, of our general membership, so if you think it is the fault of Unison activists and paid staff that we haven’t broken the pay freeze yet, then I’d say it’s worth reflecting on the number of members who couldn’t go to the effort of returning their ballot paper when they were asked to vote on whether or not to take industrial action on our recent pay claims. The government clearly has reflected on that, and responded to it by not budging on pay. So whether or not you support industrial action or not on pay, if we do have another ballot, then at least show that you stand with your union by taking an interest in our pay claim, and encourage your colleagues to return their ballots too, and if they are not members encourage them to join. Some of our NJC pay negotiators have become increasingly jaded about the whole pay negotiation frameworks due to the lack of progress, but the NJC is the mechanism that we have got to negotiate with the employers on pay and terms and conditions, and if it is going to be re-invigorated then that will need to come from the bottom up, with members supporting our negotiators, speaking with their colleagues in the workplace about the pay claim and encouraging them to vote if there is a ballot. Coming back to Ceredigion, it is a similar story here, whereby your Branch reps ability to negotiate collectively on your behalf is influenced by the level of support shown by members and our visibility in the workplace.

Your reps and branch officials are doing their very best to make sure that the views of staff are heard and taken on board by management, but like many parts of the Council, the Branch Committee has lost experienced reps over the last few years, partly due to retirements and voluntary redundancies, and partly due to increased workloads and pressures of work meaning that people feel unwilling or unable to take time to help with the work of the committee. I don’t want to sound alarmist about this, but the committee does need new members and the existing members also need to see that they have the support and backing of the wider membership. Which is why this year we have tried to make it easier for you to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting by holding two lunchtime meetings at Penmorfa and Canolfan Rheidol, in addition to our usual evening meeting (which will be held this year in Penmorfa, Aberaeron). If these lunchtime meetings are successful then we will look to extend them to other workplaces such as the schools and depots in coming years.

union that is recognised and respected by the employer, and it is from that key benefit that many of the other benefits which we enjoy and take for granted flow (if you don’t believe me then you should speak with some of your colleagues in the private care sector, who this branch also represents, to get an idea of terms and conditions in a workplace with no union recognition). So if you want to ensure that this continues, then make a small effort (it won’t take much) to attend the forthcoming AGM. With a new Chief Executive, and on-going departmental re-structures afoot, there will be plenty to talk about, and plenty of sandwiches, snacks and drinks. Most importantly though it will be a chance for you to show your support for your trade union and ensure that we continue to have a strong voice on behalf of you, and all our members.

And in despite of all the doom and gloom (see above) surrounding ‘austerity’ and budget cuts it’s important to remember that one of the key benefits of working for Ceredigion Council is that it is a workplace where we have an independent trade

And I look forward to seeing you at the AGM,

Peter Harper

Which only leaves me to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a successful new year.

Owain

(1959 – 2017)

It was with great shock and sadness that the Unison branch committee heard the news of Peters passing away this September. Peter had been a Unison steward and member of the committee for some years now and had taken on the role with great commitment, energy and enthusiasm. Peter worked in the Canolfan Padarn day centre in Llanbadarn Fawr, working with adults with learning difficulties, providing the service users there with activities, learning opportunities, community and friendship. He was committed to his job and helping people less fortunate than himself. He took on the role as a shop steward as a way to help his colleagues at work and to campaign for the continued provision of high quality services for local people that the day centre provides. He knew first hand of the essential, life changing, and life enhancing, work that is carried out by the centre and its staff for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our community, and was very proud of the work that he and his colleagues did there. Peter was also a very warm and funny man, with a strong sense of fair play and justice, and he brought those qualities with him to his work on the Branch Executive Committee where he made many friends with his straight forward, no nonsense, Yorkshire approach to life. He will be sorely missed by all his friends and colleagues both in Canolfan Padarn and on the Branch Committee and our condolences go out to all his friends and family.

Do you want a Pay Rise?

won’t come as a surprise to many people to note that MP’s pay has risen by 15.6% since 2010 either, so really it is a question of priorities, and it appears that funding local services and maintaining public sector pay in line with inflation is not a priority, and if it is, it comes a long way after providing tax cuts for the richest members of our community.

After 7 years of a pay-freeze or a below inflation 1% pay cap I would hope that everyone employed on NJC terms and conditions would answer that with a resounding “YES”.

The other reason that the government has given for ‘being forced’ to push pay cuts on public sector workers, is that it is necessary in order to get government debt and borrowing under control, but this obviously hasn’t worked as since the pay cap was introduced government net debt has risen by £496Billion (perhaps due to those huge cuts to corporation tax?). In fact, the public sector pay freeze has acted as a break on the economy and on economic recovery. The public sector makes up 17% of all UK employment, and a significant decline in the spending power of that 17% means there is less money being spent in the economy. The public sector pay cap has also acted as a break or downward force on wages in the private sector, as private employers see public sector pay as a benchmark, and if the government doesn’t believe the wages for its own employees should keep up with inflation why should they. If money isn’t spread out throughout the economy, then not only does this impact the financial health of individual employees, but it also has a knock on effect in the wider economy, as less money is spent, less money is being earned, and less money is being collected in taxes.

In real terms, median public sector pay has fallen by £3,875 since 2010. A significant sum,

and a significant drop in spending power that is mirrored across all wage bands. That money would cover the cost of unexpected car repairs, the heating oil bill, an occasional meal out, a bit of extra spending at Christmas, and perhaps even a sorely needed holiday. Everyone employed in Local Government over that time will have felt the pinch imposed by year on year pay cuts and how this has affected their ability to theirs and their families living costs. For some this has caused real hardship and led to escalating debts, but for all of us it is impossible to escape the feeling that public sector workers are not valued or respected by the government, and are being treated accordingly. This significant decline in our wages has also been matched by an increase in the demands placed upon us, as thousands of jobs have been lost

in Local Government (over 20,000 in Wales alone over this period). The message from

Central Government is simple and clear: “work more for less money”. Does that show any respect for the people caring for the elderly, maintaining our roads and highways, educating our children, ensuring the safety of our food, providing school dinners, collecting refuse, and all the other jobs we do looking after our communities? Central Government has pled poverty, it says it can’t afford to properly fund local services or maintain pay in line with inflation, yet

corporation tax since 2010 has fallen from 28% to 19% (making it one of the lowest rates in Europe) and it is planned to reduce it still further to 17% by 2022. The HMRC itself estimates that every 1% increase in corporation tax would raise £2.6Billion, so it is perhaps no surprise to see that

shareholder dividends have risen since 2010 by 56.6%, company profits by 26%, and Chief Executives pay by 9.7%. It probably 5

So the on-going public sector pay cuts are not helping the economy and are certainly not fair to public sector workers. So how did we get to this point and how are we going to get out of it?

services and who value the public services that we receive as tax-payers, and if these trends continue (and continue at speed) then the only destination can be the loss of essential services delivered by Local Authorities and the impoverishment of those people still working in local government. As Local Government workers we have a key role to play, not just in trying to do the best we can to minimise the impact of the cuts on local residents, but also in fighting our corner and lobbying for more money to keep the essential services that we provide running and on a sustainable footing. UNISON, including the Ceredigion Branch has been very active in campaigning and lobbying for fair funding for Local Government services, but it would be fair to say that it has been an uphill battle with a lot of our energy spent on rearguard actions to defend the services that we have which are under immediate threat. The rules governing trade union actions and disputes however has limited our ability to broaden our campaigning on fair funding into the workplace more generally, but the one thing that unites most of the Local Government sector is our pay bargaining.

The way the NJC works is that every year the joint trade unions (representing the employees) put in a claim for a pay rise to address rising living costs and to maintain the real value of our wages, the Local Government Association (representing the employers) then responds with a pay offer, based on how realistic our claim is and how affordable it is. In the past Local Authority budgets would be increased automatically to meet inflation, and then some more to meet growing demands and expansion of services. It was therefore relatively easy for the LGA to agree a fair settlement with the unions as they had the money to do so from central government. ‘Austerity’ has changed that as there has been a dramatic and consistent push to reduce Local Government budgets and spending (in Ceredigion this has seen around 1/3 of the total budget cut since 2009/10), so Local Authorities have not had enough money even to maintain services let alone meet inflationary costs, including wage increases. Trade union negotiators have been told to accept pay cuts so as to avoid even greater job losses – but neither of these things can be acceptable to those of us who work in public

The reason why we haven’t been getting fair pay rises in line with inflation is because local authorities haven’t been receiving fair or adequate funding settlements from central government. Cuts to pay and cuts to services (including job losses) have the same cause, so we need to be clear that the campaign for a

fair pay rise and end to the pay cap is part of the wider campaign for fair funding and the protection of local government services. We are not asking for a bigger slice

of a smaller pie, but a bigger pie so that our slice is not constantly diminishing whilst the services that we provide are also diminishing. It is within the gift of Central Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give this and it is simply a question of priorities – should tax loopholes be overlooked and Corporation tax continue to be reduced, or should that money be spent on public services and ensuring that those people on the frontline delivering them are not receiving year on year pay cuts?

Everybody is entitled to their own view on whether or not it is appropriate or helpful to take strike action, and the ballot is your chance to have your view heard and counted, but if your main concern is not being able to afford to strike, and the loss of wages that will incur – do the maths – you have already lost one fifth of your spending power over the last 10 years, and if you are in the pension scheme that will have financial consequences for you for the rest of your life, which far outweighs what you would lose through a co-ordinated and concerted strike effort. Nobody wants to go

For the 2018/19 pay claim the trade unions have submitted a claim of a 5% rise on all pay points, which given the amounts we have

on strike and lose wages, the question is when and where do you draw the line and say ‘enough is enough’. Wages are on

lost over the last 7 years, and the fact that inflation is running at over 3%, is not an unrealistic request and is affordable. We are due to hear back from the employers side on our claim on the 13th of December, as they have quite rightly been waiting to hear from the Chancellor to see how much money they will have, but if the Conservative party remains true to form then there can be a high expectation that our claim will not be met in full. If this is the case, then it is likely that we will be

a downward trajectory as is funding for Local Government and public services in the round. Industrial action is a tool of last resort, but it can be an effective tool, and we need to do something to turn this situation around. So the first thing is to use your ballot to tell your union and your fellow union members if you think we need to use that tool now – and the next thing is, if we as members decide to take action, is to make that action as effective as possible, because if we take a collective stand, we will need to be united and show a strong collective effort if we are to win, and the alternative to taking a stand and winning is more of the same I’m afraid – no one is going to fight our battles for us if we are not prepared to fight them ourselves.

balloting our members on industrial action.

The public sector pay cap is affecting all areas of the public sector, not just Local Government, and the trade unions will be looking to work together across the different sectors to maximise the impact of any industrial action, however if we are to have an impact the first thing we need to do is to ensure a high turnout. So if it comes to a ballot you need to:

Return your ballot paper with your decision whether to accept or reject the pay offer marked on it.

Speak to your colleagues in work aboutthe ballot and ask them to return their ballot as well. At the time of writing we don’t know what the pay offer will be and the Branch will be advising members on how we think you should vote at that point, but it is clear now, that if you want to see an end to year on year pay cuts and the continued decline and threat to the services we provide, then we, as employees and trade union members need to do something collectively about it. 7

How did it come to this? My journey to becoming a union steward. By John Curran

So, how did I become a union steward? Good question, if the thought had occurred to me before, it had certainly buried itself beneath layers of scantily clad ladies, cats that play the piano and bacon butties or steak for tea! I knew at work there were murmurs of needing a new one, as the previous one had been tarred and feathered for failing to negotiate a water supply for the kettle he had fought so hard to provide the week before, but it was a total surprise when one of the chaps shattered my daydream with a poke in the ribs and said “ Oi Baldy, reckon you’d be good at that” and before I knew it I found myself with a bunch of nominations, a fan club and a participant in a ballot that I subsequently won. With a bit of time for it all to sink in, I thought to myself, well, the guys are a decent bunch of guys who have put their trust in me, and, although I had pledged to tread water until I retired and not have any more great plans or ambitions, I found myself really getting the taste for things, and realised that I had all the necessary negotiating and people skills acquired from my previous roles in sales to actually be able to make a difference and help to improve things as much as I possibly could. So, with my heart now fully in the task, I enrolled on the new steward’s course in Cardiff, where I met and became friends with 15 diverse and really amazing people, all wanting to learn and improve things as much as they possibly could, it was very interesting to see all the different approaches to things, and we had really good laugh over the 5 days, and learnt loads of union stuff too, mostly by accident, but hey, learnt is learnt, however you get there! In addition, and as an added bonus, I got to stay in Cardiff for a few nights, compliments of the union, and the 8th floor of the big sleep is not as bad as it sounds, plus Cardiff is a great place to see, though I did mess up paying for the car park resulting in a £90 fine, that took me about 2 days of total anguish and hell to sort out, thumbs up N.C.P 8

In conclusion, so far my journey has been an interesting one, I have met lots of good people, and I am making lots of progress with my aims, I hope all my fellow course mates are also doing well and will catch up as soon as I get round to putting all the email addresses in my phone, and if anyone reading my ramblings has any interest in the union but has put it off, my advice would be go for it, get involved, it’s worth it just for the people you will meet. John

Interview with Ben Lake MP When the snap election was called back in May, an unexpected result did seem to be a possibility as the campaigns developed, and Ceredigion provided one of those unexpected results. “To be honest it was a big shock for me winning the election in May, I obviously was hoping to get a good result in the election, but I certainly wasn’t sure beforehand that I would win it” said Ben Lake when I met with him in October and since then he has been getting used to his new high profile role and the demands of his job. As part of our campaign to put pressure on the Chancellor to release funds to ensure that all public sector workers are given a fair pay rise, and that the artificial ‘pay cap’ comes to an end, I travelled up to London as part of a national lobby to meet with our new MP for Ceredigion to seek his support for the campaign. Mr Lake was clear in his support for achieving a fair pay rise for public sector workers “I’m 100% behind this campaign and happy to add my name as Ceredigion’s MP to it, the public sector pay cap has been going on to long now and I know the effects that it is having on many residents and families in Ceredigion working in our public services. I’ve always been aware of the important contribution that public sector workers make to our communities, whether it be keeping our streets safe and clean, caring for the sick and infirm, or ensuring that there is efficient and just administration in our public services. It’s about time that this government recognised that important contribution, and ends its arbitrary pay cap, which has seen in effect consistent wage cuts for public sector workers for the last 7 years.” UNISON had contacted all of the MP’s in Wales to attend our lobby, and whilst we did get a majority of Welsh MP’s to sign up to our campaign, it is to Mr Lakes credit that he was the only MP in Wales outside of the Labour Party to attend and show his support. Back home in Ceredigion Ben took the time to meet up with me again to share his insights and experiences of his new job and to discuss how it felt to be the Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, and I asked him how it felt to have a day job in the Palace of Westminster. “You’re right to call it the Palace of Westminster, as that is its correct name, and it really is a palace and looks like one. The architecture of the building really is fantastic, and I believe it was the intention of the architects to provoke 9

a sense of awe and respect for the work that goes on in there, with lots of high ceilings, intricate details and quality materials, but one of the things that struck me when I first arrived was the size of the debating chamber, which is much smaller and intimate than it appears on the television. There’s not enough seats for all of the 650 MP’s even, which is why you see everyone crowded in and standing up at Prime Ministers questions, and sometimes it is very difficult to hear what is being said when there is a large crowd in there. That’s another thing that doesn’t really come across when you watch the debates on television, as there are microphones to pick up the speakers for the broadcasters and Hansard, but there is no amplification from the microphones back to the MP’s in the chamber, so that was one thing that took me by surprise when I first arrived, just how noisy it can be sometimes, and to be honest that is a bit frustrating when you can’t actually hear what is being said in the debate.” I suppose that Prime Ministers questions is the image that most people associate with Westminster politics and it can appear sometimes that the debates in the House of Commons are very partisan and more about political point-scoring than reasoned argument, so I asked Ben whether he thought that this was an accurate reflection of what goes on there. “Well it’s true that when it comes to the Conservatives and Labour there is very much two distinct ‘tribes’ as it were, there is generally respect shown between all MP’s, but there is a clear ‘party political’ culture, so you don’t often see much socialising between people in the two main

parties, some of the older more longstanding Members of the house are perhaps an exception to this, and I suppose that it is natural that when you have worked in the same building and sat on the same committees with your colleagues for over twenty years, a trust and respect (even friendship) will occur despite party or political differences.” “Being in one of the smaller parties in Westminster has its advantages and disadvantages in this respect, as a new Member of Parliament, there is obviously not such a large support network when you first arrive, and there are some quaint rules and practices in Parliament that you don’t necessarily get told about, like having to bow your head when you leave the chamber, which took me a bit of getting used to. Colleagues both in Plaid Cymru and the SNP have been very helpful though, and in general it’s like any other large workplace where you get to know people over time. I try and take a friendly approach with everyone I meet and work with there though, and one thing that I have learnt is that it’s a good idea to keep on good terms with the Speaker of the House and his team. As the chair of the debating chamber the speakers get to choose which, and in what order, MP’s get to speak on debates, sometimes it can be just a matter of catching their eye, but as a new MP it doesn’t hurt to have a friendly smile when you are putting your name down with the Speakers team before the debate.” “Overall the quality of some of the debates is good, and whilst the question time sessions are mainly about pointscoring or trying to trip up a Minister, when it comes to the debates on legislation you can have some really good and knowledgeable contributions. With 650 different MP’s, all with different backgrounds, there is usually someone with specific expertise on a subject, so outside of the question time sessions the debates can be very good and can, sometimes, sway a Minister into making a change in a specific area.” “I’m really enjoying my work there at the moment, government can seem like a big machine sometimes and so difficult for an individual MP to influence, my analogy is that the government is like a huge ocean liner, and my role as a constituency MP is that of a small tug-boat pulling on it to influence its direction and really trying to steer it so that its focus is on serving the public and our communities.” Finally I asked Ben what is it like on the day to day level being MP for Ceredigion and living as a young man up in London. “Well, in terms of the distractions and entertainments of London, I don’t really have enough time to go out much when I’m there. I’m conscious that I won’t be an MP forever, and my focus is on doing a good job and doing the role justice. When I’m in London my day will usually start by catching up with messages 10

and e-mails, as parliamentary sessions don’t usually start until 11 or 12 o clock, but they often stretch on to the evenings, so I may not finish there until around 9pm. For me, as a single man, that is not so difficult, but for MP’s with young children and other commitments it can be very demanding both for them and their families.” “My time is split between London and Ceredigion, and whilst it is a great privilege to do an MP’s work in Parliament, my favourite part of the week is when I am travelling back to Ceredigion. I usually do constituency work on a Friday, helping constituents with their specific issues, and that is the part of the job that I get the most satisfaction from, because you can really see the difference that you can make for people as an MP on an individual level. I’m usually out and about most Saturdays too, and that is when I am able to get involved with and visit some of the many community groups and community events that are going on locally, and that is a really nice part of the job as well.” And with that Ben Lake MP was back off to London to take part in another debate and vote in parliament. It appears to me that Ceredigion is very fortunate to have such an approachable, honest, and straightforward MP as Ben Lake, and the UNISON Branch can look forward to working with him in the future as someone who will help get our voices heard in those palatial corridors of power up in London.

SAVE OUR SERVICES – ALL WALES DEMO KINGS SQUARE, BARRY – NOVEMBER 4TH

The 4th of November saw myself and Alison Boshier, branch Chair, heading down south, Thelma and Louise style, to the ‘All Wales Save our Services Demonstration’ in Barry, on what turned out to be a sunny, if a little breezy, blue sky Saturday. Owain Davies, our branch secretary met us there. As we arrived in the square, we were greeted by fellow union activists, and other partners of the Trade Unions Council for Wales. It was good to see so many people from the local community also waiting for the start of the march and interested in what the various speakers had to say about the reasons for it. The demonstration was a call on the Westminster Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns to listen to the people of Wales, who he is supposed to represent, and provide fair funding for Wales in order that public services can still be provided for its citizens. It was a call to end Austerity and for public sector workers to be treated equally and be given a long overdue pay rise! The various speakers on the day were introduced by

Paul James, comedian, who provided some light relief, along with performance poet Atilla the Stockbroker and local anti-austerity poet Patrick Jones. Local Labour Assembly Member Jane Hutt addressed the crowd along with the women from the WASPI (Women Against State Pension Equality) group, Vale of Glamorgan Unison Branch Secretary Glen Pappas, Margaret Thomas, Unison Cymru/Wales regional secretary, Mike James Wales TUC President and ex-wales footballer turned care worker Neville Southall. The enthusiastic crowd, led by the Pipes and drums of Newport, marched down the main street, placards and banners aloft and chanting ‘’They say cut back – we say Fight back”, coming to a halt outside Alun Cairns constituency office, just to make the point, then carried on to the civic centre. The Pipe and drum band played a medley of Welsh anthems including the National anthem. The crowd then dispersed or made their way back up to the square to hand in their placards. It had been a good afternoon and it is hoped that Alun Cairns was made to feel more than a little uncomfortable by the strength of feeling against his treatment of his constituents. Helen Doughty

Farewell to Coleg Ceredigion UNISON Members By Daniel Titley As I’m sure many of you know, UNISON’s Ceredigion County Branch doesn’t just represent the staff of Ceredigion County Council. Amongst others, it also represents me and the other staff at Coleg Ceredigion, our local further education college. But that is going to come to an end soon. Let me explain: Back in 2014 Coleg Ceredigion merged with the University of Wales: Trinity Saint David, a Dual Sector university group which also includes university campuses in Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea; plus Coleg Sir Gar, the further education college in Carmarthenshire. Since merger, Coleg Ceredigion has had significant financial challenges due to a reduction in further education funding, cost increases, a demographic decline in the number of 16 to 18 year olds in Ceredigion and increased competition for students from schools and other training providers. This meant that Coleg Ceredigion has reported significant financial losses every year since 2014. So in March this year the staff were told that “in order to ensure the sustainability of further education provision in the county of Ceredigion” Trinity Saint David had decided to integrate Coleg Ceredigion and Coleg Sir Gar. In particular, the management, administrative and shared services of the two colleges would be integrated. The integration process is still ongoing, but there have been significant changes already: The principal of Coleg Ceredigion has been reassigned to a different role within the university group and the principal of Coleg Sir Gar has taken over as joint principal of both colleges, and Coleg Ceredigion has had a new logo. More importantly, the integration and subsequent restructure has already meant eight redundancies amongst the managers and admin staff. Unfortunately, I am one of those redundancies, but happily my redundancy has been delayed for a few months. Unlike Coleg Ceredigion, Coleg Sir Gar is big enough for their staff to have their own UNISON branch. The integrated management structure and joint principal covering both colleges means it makes sense for UNISON members both colleges to be represented by a single branch, so the UNISON members in Coleg Ceredigion will transfer from the Ceredigion County Branch to the Coleg Sir Gar Branch. The transfer is likely to take place after our next AGM, so I can finish my term as branch treasurer (and do the music quiz one last time).

Please come, have a look and ask to join the branch Facebook page group: UNISON CEREDIGION COUNTY. It’s a great way of seeing what’s going on in branch, across the Cymru/Wales region and nationally. We can get information out to you quicker too. 12

Well where to begin? My name’s Denise Owen, I work in Learning Services at Dysgu Bro providing adult learning classes in Ceredigion. I have worked for the Council for nearly 20 years (must be mad I know!) I have 2 bearded collies (my children ) and am an ardent Swansea City fan, I’m a season ticket holder and I travel to many away games. Ooh and I went to my first ever rugby international last month to see us against Australia, got to keep life interesting . I have recently discovered the gym, I used to avoid exercise like the plague but have been bitten by the bug now (can’t believe I have even written that, I must be possessed!!!). So, why did I become a Rep? I had been a member of Unison for many years before deciding to become more active. I could see the benefits of being a member and wanted to become more involved, so when I was asked to stand as the Union Learning Rep I wasn’t sure what it entailed but as it had Learning in the title and I have always worked in education within the Council I thought why not help out. I went on training to find out more about the role and since then I have been able to get funding to put on Digital Skills training for Waste Management staff and Care home workers. There are funds out there to help you get on a course of your choice, one member of staff has been successful in getting funding towards their Open University course. If there are any learning needs you require please get in touch and let’s see what we can do together. I have also taken on the role of Welfare Officer, this role is vast and ranges from help with school uniform fees to helping individuals in a financial crisis. Unison is there to help so please don’t be afraid to ask. Take a look at the web page to find out more http://www.ceredigionunison.org.uk/?page_id=77 I am also the Steward for Learning Services, I went on the same training as John Curran and really benefitted from that course. Was a great time, really nice people and learnt so much. Have I piqued your interest? Would you like to become a Rep or a Steward? The Union is only as strong as its membership and we really could do with the help! Please feel free to contact any of us for an informal chat, what have you got to lose?

CONTACT Denise Owen on 01970 633541 or Denise.Owen@ceredigion.gov.uk Welfare Officer for Ceredigion County Council Branch If you are struggling through an unexpected crisis, or if the pressures of every day life are getting to you, There for You can help. We offer a unique confidential advice and support service just for members of UNISON and their dependants. Whether it’s just a chat and a sympathetic ear, or more concrete help you need, we may be able to help. We offer: • Financial assistance • Debt advice • Wellbeing breaks • Support and information UNISON is the only trade union to offer a confidential advice and support service to its members and their families in the form of a registered charity. There for You: supporting UNISON members when life gets tough. 13

supporting UNISON members when life gets tough

Get help staying warm this winter With rising fuel costs and another cold winter many members are worried about how they’re going to pay this year’s winter fuel bills. Help is on hand “There for You” has set up a limited fund to help UNISON members on low income by way of a one-off payment of up to £50. To apply and download the application form visit unison.org.uk/thereforyou or simply contact your UNISON branch office.

There for you is the working name of UNISON Welfare, a registered charity supported by UNISON the trade union. Registered charity no.1023552/SCO38305

to provide reports on the financial position of the branch, to help set branch budgets and to advise the branch officers on financial matters. Again, OLBA has reports and templates to help with this. The role of treasurer is absolutely vital to the branch and UNISON’s rules insist that we must have one, which is why we’re asking for a volunteer. Any member of the branch can be treasurer, except retired members or the Branch Secretary. You don’t need to have any bookkeeping qualifications or experience, you just need an eye for detail, a familiarity with using a computer and a basic understanding of budgets.

I’ve been the treasurer of UNISON’s Ceredigion County Branch for almost two years, since taking over from Ann Jones. But, as you’ll know if you read my other article in this edition of Llais, I will be leaving the branch soon; which means the branch will need a new treasurer soon. UNISON’s Rule Book says that a Branch Treasurer shall “conduct the branch’s financial business and keep accounts in accordance with the rules”, but what does that mean? My biggest job is to pay the branch’s bills and the branch officer’s expenses. I receive the invoice or expenses form, check that there are no irregularities, and then either write a cheque or set up an online payment. This responsibility is shared with other branch officers because all cheques must have two signatures and all online payments must be authorised by another officer before they’re paid. All payments and income must be recorded on UNISON’s Online Branch Accounting (OLBA) system and regularly reconciled with our bank statements. I’ll admit that this is the most time-consuming part of the role, because OLBA demands quite a lot of information about every transaction. On the other hand, OLBA makes it fairly easy to track our expenditure and to see the branch’s financial position. OLBA also makes the annual audit a lot easier. Another major role of the treasurer is to attend the monthly branch executive meetings and the AGM 15

I know being treasurer sounds like a lot of work, but for most of the year I only spend about an hour a week on my treasurer duties. You should be allowed time off to attend meetings and, just like any other branch officer, the treasurer can reclaim any out-of-pocket expenses. UNISON also offers plenty of training and guidance for treasurers, especially training on the OLBA system. The other officers of the branch will support you; and I won’t just vanish when I leave the branch, and I’ll offer what advice I can. If you’re interested in becoming treasurer, please contact Owain the branch secretary.

Rhan o raglen Cartrefi Clyd Llywodraeth Cymru Part of the Welsh Government Warm Homes programme

Name Add 1 Add 2 Name Add 3 Add 1Freephone 0808 808 2244 Postcode Add 2 (Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm) Add 3 www.nestwales.org.uk Postcode Dear

Freephone 0808 808 2244 (Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm)

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(Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm) Do you worry about your energy bills? ms to make homes warmer and more www.nestwales.org.uk Dear The Welsh Government ergy efficiency improvements like Warm a new Homes Nest scheme aims to make homes warmer and more energy-efficient places your to live.energy We provide free home energy efficiency improvements like a new Do you worry about bills? boiler, central heating system, or insulation. The Government Warm Homes Nest scheme aims to make homes warmer and more provements Welsh if: You could be eligible free We home energy efficiency improvements energy-efficient places for to live. provide free home energy efficiencyif:improvements like a new boiler,orcentral heating system, or insulation. (not Council Housing Association)  You own your home or rent from a private landlord (not Council or Housing Association) ested Benefit You could be eligible for free home energy efficiency improvements if:  You or someone you live with receives a Means Tested Benefit e of home energy efficiency If you You own your we home orrecommend rent from aaprivate landlord (not or Housing Association) eligible, willon tailored package of Council home energy efficiency me warmer andare save you money at no cost will make yourTested home warmer improvements You or someone you to liveyou. withThey receives a Means Benefit and save you money on your energy bills. youlast aresix eligible, recommend a tailored package of home energy efficiency Wales inIfthe years we andwill helped We’ve installed improvements overwill 29,000 in Wales in the last six you years and helped improvements at no cost to you. in They makehomes your home warmer and save money on thousands of families to reduce their energy bills. your energy bills. gement, energy tariffs and benefit We also provide advice on saving energy, energy tariffs and benefit We’ve installed improvements in over 29,000money homesmanagement, in Wales in the last six years and helped 244. entitlement, so give us a call on Freephone 0808 808 2244. thousands of families to reduce their energy bills. ales.org.uk – including a ‘call back There’s lots of information on ourenergy, websitemoney – www.nestwales.org.uk – including a ‘call back We also provide advice on saving management, energy tariffs and benefit request form’. Fill in details and we’ll call you808 back. entitlement, so give usthe a call on Freephone 0808 2244. operty and the benefit that you receive. Our advisors will when ask you some your property and– the benefitathat receive. There’s lots information on our questions website – about www.nestwales.org.uk including ‘callyou back d landlord details to of hand you Pleaseform’. makeFill sure you details have your award letter and landlord details to hand when you request in the and benefit we’ll call you back. make the call. Our advisors will ask you some questions about your property and the benefit that you receive. We look forward hearing frombenefit you. award letter and landlord details to hand when you Please make sure to you have your make the call. Yours sincerely We look forward to hearing from you.

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Yours sincerely

visit www.nestwales.org.uk The Nest Team Call us on Freephone 0808 808 2244 or visit www.nestwales.org.uk Call us on Freephone 0808 808 2244 or visit www.nestwales.org.uk 16

Stars in our school day was on November 24th. Throughout the week Alison Boshier, Gemma Moroney and Huw McDyer visited all our local schools around the county in order to show appreciation of the great work done. Pictured are some of the staff in local schools receiving goody bags and sweets in recognition of the great work they do in our schools. Our learning support staff, cooks, cleaners and caretakers do a great job behind the scenes and are our unsung heroes. (Staff pictured are from Comins Coch Primary School (above) and Penglais Compehensive School (below).

petition - £25.00 for the WINNER m o C m a r g a n A Christmas themed anagrams for you to solve

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To enter please send your answer to Helen Doughty, UNISON Publicity Team, Reprographics, Unit 1B, Llanbadarn Depot, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3RJ or e-mail: helen.doughty@ceredigion. gov. uk Please include your name, address, daytime contact number and workplace location. First correct entry out of the hat wins £25.00. Closing date 15th February 2018. Our last competition winner was Anwen thomas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Unison Ceredigion County Branch 18