Autumn 2012 Free
the magazine of Bolton UNISON HOMELESS HORRORS Cuts hit welfare service Location! Location! Location! Office cull to drive workers up the wall
Out To Lunch
The best school meals in the country right here, right now
Getting The Butterflies Everyone does – except the Council?
IN A STU
Panto time with a crushed poison apple!
OCTOBER 20TH!!!
March For A Future That Works!
PROTEST AGAINST THE CUTS! Hundreds demonstrate against Bolton Council budget axe
Plus…News, Views, Reports, UNISON life and brainteasing puzzles…
Dear Bolton UNISON Members Autumn 2012 Free
W elcome
the magazine of Bolton UNISON HOMELESS HORRORS Cuts hit welfare service
to the first edition of the new Bolton UNISON newsletter, re-named and in a format that I hope you will find informative and interesting as well as
n! Location! Location! Locatio the wall Office cull to drive workers up
Out To Lunch meals in the The best school country right here, right now
Getting The Butterflies Everyone does – except the Council?
IN A STU
Panto time with a crushed poison
apple!
TH !!! OCTOBER 20 That Works!
March For A Future
TS! EST AGAINST THE CU PROT Hundreds demonstrate against Bolton Council budget axe
Plus…News, Views, Reports, UNISON
life and brainteasing puzzles…
encouraging you to get involved in branch activities. I would like to thank the Communications Officer, Martin Challender and the Branch Chair, Matt Kilsby for their hard work in helping with the production. As one of the largest branches in the North West, Bolton UNISON members are privileged to be part of a well resourced and efficient organisation. Whilst many members are happy just to be part of their union, dipping in as they need to, for others there are a range of activities for you to become more involved. This edition gives a flavour of some of those activities and events ranging from good news stories, like the saving of Animal World and the excellent schools meals service, to the devastating Branch Officers Branch Chair: Branch Secretary: Branch Treasurer: Vice Chair: Assistant Branch Secretary: Equalities Officer: Health and Safety Officer: Education Officer: Welfare Officer: Life Long Learning Officer: New Technology Officer: Membership Officer: Young Members Officers: Communications Officer: Community Organiser/: Labour Link Officer
news that there are to be a further potential 500 jobs lost as the Council seeks to make £35m cuts. This will clearly pose a challenge for all workers across the council as they attempt to deliver front line services with reduced resources. Featured on page 8 are UNISON members in the Homeless Welfare section of Bolton Council who will have a particularly difficult task as more and more people are unable to pay their rent or mortgage and cannot find affordable accommodation. In order to fight these cuts it is important that we involve service users and the wider community in our campaign. All members need to do their bit, no matter how small, to defend public services from the ravages of this coalition government. It is important that an alternative economic model is promoted and adopted before it is too late. White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, said in 2008 “Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is; it’s an opportunity to do things you couldn’t do before”. We have a job to do, to educate people that this crisis is being used as an excuse for privatisation and attacks on terms and conditions in the pursuit of private greed… Bernie Gallagher, Bolton UNISON Branch Secretary
Matt Kilsby (01204 336044) Bernie Gallagher (07969 511622) Janet Bryan (07876 146245) John Vickers Andrea Egan (01204 338901) John McSwiggan (01204 334481) David Milne (01204 338016) Joan Pritchard-Jones (07775 642640) Julie Tudor (01204 362166) Sue Vickers (01204 334447) Eddie Pilling (01204 395450) Matt Kilsby (01204 336044) Andrew Thomas (01204 334201) Kieran Grogan (01204 335974) Martin Challender (01204 337715) Steve Rigby (01204 334600)
Convenors Adult Services: Joan Pritchard-Jones (07775 642640) Corporate Resources: Cecilia Costello (01204 338901) Bolton at Home: Janet Bryan (07876 146245) Children Services: Phil Travers (07917 260711) Environmental Services: Jackie Peploe (01204 334379) Chief Executive Dept: Jeanette Pemberton-Billing (01204 331039) Development and Regeneration: Matt Kilsby (01204 336044) Bolton Community College: Liz Orr
Contact Bolton UNISON Ground Floor, Howell Croft House Howell Croft North, Bolton. BL1 1QY 01204 338901 admin@unisonbolton.org
matthew.kilsby@bolton.gov.uk branch.secretary@unisonbolton.org janet.bryan@boltonathome.org.uk john.vickers@boltonathome.org.uk admin@unisonbolton.org john.mcswiggan@bolton.gov.uk david.milne@bolton.gov.uk joanpj@unisonbolton.org admin@unisonbolton.org sue.vickers@bolton.gov.uk eddiepilling@hotmail.com membership@unisonbolton.org andrewthomas@bolton.gov.uk Kieran.grogan@boltonathome.org.uk martin.challender@bolton.gov.uk steve.rigby@boltonathome.org
joanpj@unisonbolton.org cecilia@unisonbolton.org janet.bryan@boltonathome.org.uk philt@unisonbolton.org jackie.peploe@bolton.gov.uk jeanette.billing@bolton.gov.uk matthew.kilsby@bolton.gov.uk liz.orr@boltoncc.ac.uk
Moved house? Changed Job? New Name? Please help make sure that your union membership details are up to date. Contact the branch office with any changes. admin@boltonunison.org tel: 01204 338901
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BATTLING FOR BOLTON The magazine of Bolton UNISON CONTENTS: Battle for Bolton – `Which side are you on?’ Report and photos from the Town Hall demo plus reactions to the cuts… Homeless Horrors – will cuts to the homeless welfare service see families on the Town Hall steps? Location! Location! Location! – the cull of office space is set to drive workers up the wall Out To Lunch – Bolton’s award winning school meals put quality on a plate
Campaigning for Butterflies – the community in a flutter
Anti-Academies – keep out of Bolton! Crush A Poison Apple! – it’s UNISON
panto time with Stu Francis and Snow White
UNISON LIFE – what’s it like to speak at
a national conference? (p20)… What’s it like to be a convenor? (p18) All is revealed!
UNISON NEWS – five pages of
happenings, from Robin Hood to Ricky Tomlinson, to the New NH$!
March For A Future That Works! – Oct
20th beckons to battle the Tories… Printed by: Caric Press Ltd, 525 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AQ Tel: 01202 871766 www.caricpress.co.uk
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HUNDREDS AGAINST T Sirens went off, drums were banged and anti-cuts chants echoed around the entrance to the Town Hall as hundreds of noisy, angry people gathered to protest against Bolton Council setting a budget containing £35million cuts and the loss of around 500 jobs.
A
fter the lobby, campaigners against the cuts went into the Council meeting to hear how councillors justified taking the axe to jobs and services – but they walked out in disgust after just half an hour… “The councillors looked very, very uncomfortable” one of the
protesters told us “We staged a mass walk out after 30 minutes because we were annoyed with the rubbish they were coming out with. There is an unbelievable consensus across all the parties. I don’t think that any of those Labour politicians will ever make a stand against cuts”...
Here we speak to UNISON members to hear why they attended the Council lobby… “We are here because we want to protect the services that we all provide to the public. We’re all very proud of those services and we don’t see any reason why they should be withdrawn. Why should the public have to suffer? We don’t agree with it at all.” David Milne, UNISON Branch Health and Safety Officer
“I’m here to support the lobby against the cuts try to raise the profile of exactly what is happening. This is going to impact on everyday life for ordinary people and the people who are doing their best to supply the services that are being cut month by month. If I had a message for Bolton Council it would be `Stop doing the Tory Party’s dirty work for them – you’re a Labour Council which is supposed to be looking after working people…Look after the people who voted you in!” Sue Vickers, Chief Execs
“I’m here because I want the Council to protect our jobs and all the other people who are going to be affected by these cuts. They deserve to have the best and they are going to lose that.” 4 Katherine Taylor, Planning
S PROTEST THE CUTS! CONNEXIONS STAFF COME OUT FIGHTING
“They’re looking at reducing Connexions or getting rid of it altogether. We’re in a recession where there’s no jobs anywhere, and they’re cutting the very service which supports young people and gets them into employment, education and training.” Nicola Devine, Connexions What you don’t want to do is rubber stamp ConDem cuts, it’s time you stood up and represented the people who elected you. There’s a famous song called Whose Side Are You On? Are you on the side of the super rich, the bankers, the tax avoiders, the Tory Government? Support the people who put you there in the first place and depend on you. Show your support and reject this budget… Megaphone speech to councillors outside the Town Hall
Joint Trade Unions Submit Formal Grievance Over Cuts UNISON Convenors and officers met with councillors and management to hear first hand the proposed cuts and the potential impact on jobs and services.
we did attend the meeting but left in silence after 45 minutes. After the meeting the joint Trade Unions agreed to submit a formal grievance, protesting at the lack of consultation and dialogue over the proposed cuts and service reviews that are soon to kick-off across the Council. We are also really concerned about our resources, in terms of Facility Time, that will be severely stretched to breaking-point over the coming months with so many reviews and `consultation’ meetings.
“I don’t think a lot of parents in Bolton realise the impact that the reduction in Connexions is going to have on young people and their future, especially when there’s so much unemployment. It’s a time when there should be more support and more advice. We’re in this round of cuts, there’s 29 staff at the moment and we were told 18 months ago that the majority of jobs are going to go. The service is going to be taken out of schools and there’ll only be a reduced service for the post 16s. Unless they go online they won’t get a service but everyone deserves face-to-face guidance if they need it.” Catrina Berwick, Connexions “I’m just here to offer support. We know the cuts are going to happen but we also know that there’s a service the public is entitled to, and feel very strongly that the young people will miss out. We think that the Council here don’t care about that, and it won’t be until after the cuts are made that there will be a big gap in provision. But it’s too late by then, so we need to do something now!” Katherine Garner, Connexions
Prior to the meeting, there was some debate amongst UNISON and the joint Trade Unions (including GMB and the teaching unions) as to whether we should even enter the meeting as we have grave concerns regarding the attitude “We’re trying to get our point over that management and and to get the people who are going councillors have towards to sign these proposals off to listen the recognised Trade to what the issues are – because Unions. The same Trade they are lay people who haven’t got UNISON Branch Chair Unions that they are a clue.” meant to negotiate and Matt Kilsby 5 Barry Dobbins, Connexions consult with. In the end
WHEN WILL LABOUR COUNCILLORS SAY `ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!’? Bernie Gallagher Bolton UNISON Branch Secretary asks what is the line in the sand for Labour councillors?
We often hear our Labour councillors say ‘I didn’t become a councillor to make cuts but...’. We are all aware that the cuts are a result of the coalition Government and their ideological attack on public services.
Local Government is an easy target and doesn’t always command the same respect as the NHS for example. But the work we do covers a whole range of front line service delivery to vulnerable people, as well as important environmental and regeneration projects that have a direct benefit to the citizens of Bolton. The question UNISON members want answering is at what stage do Labour councillors say `Enough is enough’? What is that line in the sand? For two Labour councillors in Southampton it was the closing of the local swimming pool. However their stance of defending a vital public facility has resulted in the Labour Group whips investigating them for voting against the cuts. In these difficult times workers are now watching the Labour Council more closely and it raises the question of whether the Labour Party works in their interest? At the very least we expect Labour councillors to be pushing the economic alternative... UNISON’s Economic Alternative The Cuts Aren’t Working The Government’s austerity measures are not working. We are now in a double dip recession and the human scale of the cuts is stark: * Unemployment is now at a 17 year high and predicted to rise to more than 3 million. * Most current job losses are in the public services. * Women are disproportionately affected * Living standards are being squeezed as wages do not keep pace with inflation * Changes to tax credits will result in hundreds of thousands of parents who work part-time losing thousands of pounds a year. False Economy The Governor of the Bank of England has announced that the economy has officially ‘flat lined’, this means the economy is not growing. This is because most spending cuts are a false economy. Redundancy costs and knockon effects on employment, growth and tax revenue and consumer confidence will make the situation worse.
* On average every redundancy creates £29,400 in additional costs to the public sector as well as undermining morale and productivity * Most of the cost of employing a public service worker is recouped by the state through increased tax revenues and reduced benefit payments. * Economic research shows that for every pound spent on local public services, 64 pence is re-spent in local economies, supporting jobs and businesses. * Already £111bn has been added to projected borrowing over the next five years, as a result of lower growth expectations following the Coalition’s cuts UNISON’s Alternative Approach Where should the money come from? Making tax fair! Significant sums could be raised without affecting the incomes of the majority if we made sure the financial sector and the super-rich paid a fairer share… * Between £35bn and £70bn could be raised each year by tackling tax evasion by individuals, companies and other organisations * £23bn could be raised every year by introducing a Major Financial Transactions Tax (or ‘Robin Hood Tax’) on UK financial institutions (see News Items) * £4.5bn could be saved every year by reversing the Government’s cut in corporation tax * £3.6bn could be generated by restricting tax relief on pensions to 20% for incomes over £100,000 a year * £3.5bn could be raised every year with a permanent tax of 50% on bankers’ bonuses in excess of £25,000 * £2.3bn could be raised every year by a extending the 50% tax rate to incomes over £100,000 * £1.7bn could be generated by introducing an annual 1% tax on domestic property values above £2m . Cutting real waste There are also ways we can make sure public money is used effectively. For example… * £76bn could be saved over 40 years by cancelling Trident * £15bn could be saved each year if we brought military spending closer to the EU * £6bn could be saved in reduced tax credits and improved tax revenues every year if private companies paid all their staff a living wage * £3bn could be saved in user fees and interest charges every year if PFI schemes were replaced with conventional public procurement * £1bn could be saved every year by halving the local government agency bill
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£35,000,000 CUTS!
500 JOBS TO GO!
THEY SAY `CUT BACK!’ WE SAY `FIGHT BACK!’
THE CUTS ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
£3.5million 5.6% of budget
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
£5.5million
11% of budget
As Bolton Council chiefs declare “Everything is on the table” for the cuts, Bernie Gallagher Bolton UNISON Branch Secretary, implores trade unionists to stand together and fight together…
DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATION
£1.7million 23% of budget ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
£3.9million
B
olton Council has announced that it intends to make a further £35million worth of savings between 2012-13, with the loss of approximately 500 jobs. This follows recent cuts of £60m or 25% of the budget resulting in 833 job losses. There is even a predication that a further £32 million will need to be found beyond 2015!
20% of budget CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S
£4million
Every single council worker is at risk The Bolton News reported that Council chiefs said “Everything is on the table” As this goes to print the trades unions have not been informed what this means in detail but everyone knows we are down to the bone. The promise to protect vulnerable adults and children and avoid compulsory redundancies must surely be in doubt.
24% of budget
Waste Service Cuts
Tony added that his main concern was the affect on jobs, and cuts on this scale could mean big job losses.
housing advice and advocacy. Lisa Catlow, UNISON steward at Housing Advice, said “There are currently 276 homeless households in the borough, and given the recent prediction that Bolton’s homeless population could rocket tenfold next year, higher than the North West average, this is a scary situation for workers and service users.”
Is it the end of fortnightly bin collection? Councillor We are on a slippery slope to obliteration Morris has said he can’t unless workers stand up to defend jobs rule it out. Tony Cowell, and services. Every single council worker UNISON senior steward is at risk; therefore it is down to all of us to for waste, said: “There Housing Services do our bit. Not everyone feels comfortable is no doubt everyone to Face 25% cuts going to lobbies, some might prefer to is getting better at ree-mail their councillor. Some workers may cycling but as we know This division provides have involvement in voluntary associations from 2004 when the Lib a range of services to which are also facing cuts and can use Dem council introduced the most vulnerable their influence in other ways. What is clear fortnightly collection in the town including is the need to stand together. Though a bit it lost them the next homelessness and clichéd “Together we stand divided we fall” election.” has never been more relevant.
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HOMELESS HORRORS IN BOLTON As the amount of homeless families rises, those in the front line of Homeless Welfare fear Council cuts will make help even harder to find…
P
rospects for Bolton’s homeless families are looking more frightening every day. This year there are more households under threat. Homeless prevention cases are on the increase with possession claims by landlords showing signs of doubling in the private and social housing sector. Meanwhile, families living in temporary accommodation have increased by over a quarter since 2009. And throughout that time, Bolton’s housing register has kept rising – to 26,223 at the last count. The Government’s so-called `welfare reforms’, which will make things worse, don’t even kick in until next year.
They can review it ‘til the cows come home but our homeless figures aren’t going down At the centre of the homes horror is Bolton’s under fire Homeless Welfare team, already struggling to cope with the current recession and angry that Council cuts will undermine its efforts to maintain their crucial front line service. “Everyone we see is in dire need and has either lost accommodation or are about to be evicted” says Louise Jackson, a Homeless Welfare Officer and UNISON steward “We also assist with domestic abuse cases. These clients, in some instances, are brought directly to our service via the police. These are some of the most vulnerable households and need a place of safety at the first point of contact.
“We have battles every day” she adds “On top of which my service is due to be reviewed and this will probably mean job cuts. They can review it ‘til the cows come home but our homeless figures aren’t going down and it won’t stop people coming through the door.” The team is already depleted due to a recruitment freeze and staff taking voluntary severance, while the service is under more pressure than ever with overflowing family refuges and mounting numbers being put into bed and breakfast accommodation. Even Bolton’s women’s refuge has eight families waiting for a place. “We can’t say `We’ll only open every other Wednesday’; we can’t. The door has to stay open, otherwise what happens?” Louise explains “We’re highly skilled and highly committed to what we do. Our team is second to none. I’m a glass is half full girl me, but somebody keeps trying to knock it over…” The people trying to knock it over are both the Government with its vicious cuts and uncaring social policies, and Bolton Council with its bottom line budget blindness.
...it’s madness and it’s frightening... but it seems to me like they’re not thinking about the implications. “Our managers are fully committed and so are we
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SNESS
as workers but the people higher up don’t appear to have any detailed understanding of the work we do. They need to do a back-to-the-floor exercise and have a look what we do” says Louise “As well as dealing with homeless issues, we also do a lot of joined up preventative work with probation and mental health services. We’re hoping that when they do the review someone might see sense and think `Who’s going to do this?’” . Bolton’s `office accommodation review’ also underlines the lack of understanding, with a proposed move for the service from its current community base to the Town Hall. “You wouldn’t really want our clients in a town hall setting because they are quite chaotic” says Louise “For instance, if we get a family fleeing domestic violence and they turn up as we’re about to close we won’t say `Come back in the morning’, we’ll keep them with us until they have some accommodation, be that bed and breakfast or hostel. It’s that level of commitment that is sorely being tested now.” It’s going to be tested even more over the coming twelve
months as the ConDem Government’s `universal credits’ come in, complete with bedroom taxes, welfare cuts and lots more homeless horrors on the horizon.
...the people higher up don’t appear to have any detailed understanding of the work we do “I don’t even want to go there yet, it’s madness and it’s frightening” says Louise “We need to be verbal about it and tell elected members what we feel but it seems to me like they’re not thinking about the implications. “Behind every rent arrears case and every eviction is a family and a whole lot of complex issues and circumstances” she concludes “Homeless welfare is very much a reactive service, a duty of care and a service that has to be provided. And I just hope that Bolton Council don’t forget that.”
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LOCATION, LOCAT Bolton Council is selling off its buildings and expecting staff to squeeze into the ones that are left. Here, UNISON steward Cecilia Costello gets the cramps…
Bolton Council is now embarking on the next phase of the
Accommodation Rationalisation Review. This review was instigated by the Authority to establish whether savings could be made by closing and selling off some of the buildings which the Council own. The second stage is in its early stages and involves the refurbishment of Bolton Town Hall in order to accommodate more staff than it does at present, enabling the Authority to vacate and/or sell off a number of other town centre office accommodation buildings. UNISON is not convinced that the chosen option will realise the anticipated savings. As the contract to carry out the work is commercially sensitive only a handful of people have been involved in that decision. What is clear, however, is that this option involves the most work, most cost and most disruption to staff and customers. This phase of the Accommodation Rationalisation Review will make it possible for the Authority to accommodate approximately 900 staff within the Town Hall building and will enable the disposal of three town centre buildings.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL Is the plan good for staff? At present the Town Hall is the workplace for approximately 400 members of staff. The refurbishment will see a 125% increase in the number of people housed within the building, and this comes at a cost. In order to achieve this significant increase in numbers the Authority plans to employ a hot desking policy in all areas. There will be an average ratio of eight desks to ten members of staff, but this is an ‘average’ and in some areas the number of desks spaces available will be lower. Although the plan is to have approximately 900 staff residing in the Town Hall, the maximum number of desks the building will be able to hold is approximately 740. The vast majority of staff currently working in the Town Hall will have to be moved out whilst the work is ongoing. The intention is for staff to be ‘temporarily’ housed within the Wellsprings building. Wellsprings is one of the buildings earmarked for disposal and therefore the Authority do not want to spend money on it, consequently staff will have to endure up to two years of cramped conditions and inadequate facilities. If it proves impossible for all staff to be located at Wellsprings the excess numbers will have to relocate to Castle Hill, which may be difficult or impossible for some.
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TION, LOCATION Some staff will have to endure working within a building site as the One Stop Shop and Albert Halls and catering staff will be remaining in the Town Hall whilst the work is ongoing. For these staff their working lives will be one of constant noise, dust and disruption for many months. A situation which may have health implications for many and which may also have revenue implications as it is unlikely that many members of the public will choose to eat, be entertained or attend functions in what is bound to be a less than relaxed setting. A true valuation? The question remains as to whether all the work and upheaval is worth it? The authority tells us that the refurbishment and subsequent disposal of three town centre buildings will raise approximately £1.4 million. However, unhappy, unhealthy and undervalued staff all come at a cost which must be deducted from any savings. Hotdesking is a particular area which staff have indicated they are uncomfortable with. Where hotdesking is already employed within the Council, staff have to be provided with one locker per person in which to keep their personal work effects. This is due to the fact that for hotdesking to operate, all staff must work using the ‘clear desk policy’ so that once their shift is finished the desk is kept clear for whoever may use it next. The question therefore must be asked that, if two deskspaces are saved using hotdesking, but ten lockers must be provided, where is the ‘real’ saving in terms of space? And is it really worth the stress and unhappiness which is caused to staff, who may have to vie for deskspaces with their colleagues and deal with the possibility of not knowing where or whether a desk will be available when they arrive at work?
Because you’re worth it!
What can you do now if you have concerns or questions or are unhappy about the decisions being taken by the employer? UNISON is consulting with the Authority regarding the Accommodation Rationalisation Review. We want to get the best outcome for our members, but we need your participation to do that. Members need to take time to think about what the plans for the Town Hall really mean for them. Once they have considered all the information, we need members to contact UNISON to let us know their feelings. It’s no use waiting for someone else to raise issues for you. You must speak up now and have your say. You can make your feelings known by getting in touch with your local UNISON steward or contact Cecilia Costello who is the UNISON lead for this review. Cecilia can be contacted on 01204 338901 or you can e-mail her at cecilia@unisonbolton.org Stewards in affected areas can also put themselves forward for the Accommodation Focus Group, which will be meeting with management to discuss the ongoing situation and day to day difficulties which will be part of this operation. Contact cecilia@unisonbolton.org if you wish to join this group.
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OUT TO L Bolton’s award winning school meals service provides the best value in the country – but will the cuts take a bite out of the success?
A
t SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School, kitchen staff are preparing some of the estimated three million meals served in Bolton schools every year. Chicken in sauce, an array of pastry dishes and fresh melon are just some of the menu options for today’s lunch. But it’s not just the food that’s mouthwatering… Bolton has had staggering success in providing the most affordable primary school lunches in the country. At a current discounted price of £1.25 a day, 68% of pupils are staying for school meals, while the national average is around 42%. That’s the highest rate in the country, due to the consistently lowest school meal costs in the country. Sinead Barnes has worked in school canteens around Bolton for twenty years, and at SS Osmund and Andrew’s Primary for four years. She says Bolton Council’s school meal policy is benefitting staff as well as pupils with the huge increase in take up, that has seen an extra half a million meals being served every year. “This promotion has done really well for us because it’s kept an income in so we can keep our hours, while the children really do benefit from getting a good meal every day” she explains “It should definitely continue.” Karen Hitchen works alongside Sinead in the SS Osmund and Andrew’s kitchen, and her daughter also attends the school. “As a mum it’s value for money for me” she says “And the pupils love it, they eat all their dinners and like the choices. I also get a lot of job satisfaction from it.” It’s a point underlined by Catering Officer Karen Bird: “The morale in the kitchens is absolutely fantastic at the minute, our staff get so much satisfaction feeding so many children” she explains “And, because most children are having a proper lunch time meal, schools have told us that whereas learning normally dips in the afternoon, they’ve seen that fetch back up.”
The positives of Bolton Council’s award winning school meals policy go on and on. To cope with the surge in demand for school meals, ten extra people have had the opportunity of work, there’s extra casual relief staff and the vast proportion of staff in kitchens are doing additional hours too. And, with Bolton’s policy of sourcing produce locally where possible, other jobs are also being created within North West companies. The scheme was originally brought in to increase the access of children to healthy school meals. Not only has there been a 30% rise in overall business since it was started, the numbers of pupils claiming free school meals rose by 6%, before the recession kicked in. The main thrust is very much about alleviating deprivation. “It is excellent that Bolton Council has invested heavily in its award winning meals service” says Bernadette Gallagher, Bolton UNISON branch secretary “In many areas of Bolton there are high levels of deprivation. In Breightmet, which covers SS Osmond and Andrew’s school, child poverty is estimated at 31%, in other parts of the town it is as high as 38%. The policy of £1.25 school meals, alongside the availability of free meals to those who qualify, helps to ensure that young children have access to an affordable and nutritional meal at school.” Bolton’s pioneering school meals discounts have also influenced government policy, with the Education Act now modified to allow schools all over the country to discount meals for specific promotions. And amidst all the price cutting, there’s been no change in the quality or quantity of the food being served across the borough. “We’re not allowed to reduce the quality and because more children are having meals the unit cost is less so we can afford to retain the standards” says Elaine Long, Bolton’s Head of Service for school meals. Elaine is incredibly proud of the service, which she says is
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LUNCH…
WHAT THE HEAD TEACHERS SAY… John Thorpe, SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School, Breightmet “The most valuable resource I have in the school is the staff and it doesn’t matter if it’s a Year 6 teacher, a cleaner or one of these ladies working in the kitchen. They all play a significant part in the functioning of this school as an outstanding school. And what they provide as a mid morning snack or a lunch is outstanding. I don’t think they could actually get a better menu.” Sally Magill, St John’s C.E. Primary School, Kearsley.
“fantastic news for head teachers, parents and children”, and rails at the negative publicity surrounding Jamie Oliver’s expose of school meals… “That was private sector catering which Jamie Oliver featured not council catering” she seethes “It was an absolute travesty because it was nothing to do with the North West and nothing to do with council catering.”
“I have to applaud Bolton’s school meals promotion, which has seen our numbers taking school meals go up to around 70%. It shows Bolton’s commitment to providing healthy, enjoyable meals for its pupils. Quality and quantity has been maintained. Our cook, Karen Riley, is fantastic and she is always thinking of ways to present and serve food and different ideas to excite the children. We especially like the theme days that she prepares for us.”
Indeed, the superiority of council catering has managed, by and large, to keep private sector catering out of Bolton schools, and even the academies are using Bolton’s services. Council catering is super competitive because it doesn’t have to make a profit. But the private companies are still sniffing around for opportunities. “Big catering companies are very interested in picking up clusters of schools and that’s our biggest risk” says Elaine. The other big risk is if Bolton Council cuts its support for the discounted school meals. “I think it would be naïve of me to say there’s no risk” Elaine explains “I don’t think any public sector service is protected, and our difficulty is that if we pull away support from centre that keeps the price at £1.25 we’ve got a very significant job to see what the outcome is. “Do we charge a lot higher for the meals and see numbers drop? And does that in turn mean we have to cut hours and cut staff?” she asks “I believe our staff are aware of that risk and, of course, we have to make savings anyway. Cuts will affect us in near future but for the time being we’re covering ourselves.” The £1.25 school meal price is guaranteed until December when it will be reviewed. And in the meantime, children like Alex at SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School can continue to eat a healthy, affordable lunch. “I think the school meals are brilliant” he says “All children should be able to stay for school meals every day…”
WHAT THE PUPILS SAY… Michelle: School meals are great and we get different things every day, it’s better than bringing packed lunch. My favourite is cheese wrap. Talia: I’ve always had school meals and my favourite is also cheese wrap. The dinner ladies are really nice. Alex: I think the school meals are brilliant. All children should be able to stay for school meals every day. My favourite is cheese roll. Liam: My favourite is fish and chips. The dinner ladies are really friendly. All from SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School
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NATURE STI A CROWD
A fantastic fight by UNISON and the local community has won Bolton’s Animal World and Butterfly House a reprieve, saving jobs and one of the borough’s top attractions. But the campaign goes on…
It’s Tuesday morning in the warmth of Moss Bank Park’s
Butterfly House and mums and dads with tiny toddlers and prams are wandering through the tropical foliage. It’s hard to see who is most in awe, the kids or the adults, as huge stunning coloured butterflies appear from every leaf, landing on bags, hoods and heads… ...A few minutes later and a whole bus full of pupils arrive from St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Ordsall in Salford. The awe within the Butterfly House gets turned up to the max. “Bolton doesn’t realise how blessed it is having such facilities for its people” says retired school governor, Ken Hogg “We’ve been coming here for 18 years and it’s the big day out. I see children who are grown up now and they always talk about coming to Bolton and the Butterfly House. If you think of the inner city where these pupils come from, this is a different world; it’s lovely. It’s a wicked world when they close things like this down.”
Fortunately, Moss Bank Park’s Butterfly House and Animal World was re-opened this spring, thanks in part to pupils from St Joseph’s who sent letters, photos and drawings to Bolton Council urging it not to shut the nature palace. They, along with thousands of Bolton residents, also signed the UNISON petition which forced the Council to think again. Now, until next spring at least, Animal World is being funded by Bolton Council, while a new residents group, Animal World Conservation Action Project, or AWCAP, has raised Lottery funds and donations to put the Butterfly House back in business. The Council is also supporting most of the maintenance costs, and the jobs of the two Animal World workers, Mark Lightowler and Graham Wharton, have been saved for twelve months, with a review due this autumn. “We wouldn’t be stood here now if it wasn’t for the residents and UNISON, which has supported us all the way” says Mark, who’s
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ILL DRAWS
dedicated 18 years of work and love at Animal World “With the cuts and a new Chief Executive at Bolton Council, it’s hard to know our future, so this is an ongoing campaign.” It’s also a campaign to get the fifty or so schools that stopped going to Butterfly House after it originally closed to come back to the tropical paradise on visits. The butterflies aren’t just pretty to look at, there’s an education room and, behind the scenes, a BIG conservation project going on that’s benefitting the whole of Bolton and beyond. The Butterfly House is unique for the region, in that it’s breeding local species of butterflies and releasing them around Bolton… “This is not just about the House, it’s an eco project to save the British butterfly too” explains Mark, who has been breeding butterflies and moths for over thirty years “Some of our butterflies will be seen in gardens in Bolton - the tortoiseshell and peacock - and we have endangered ones that we keep here for breeding stock. The tropical butterflies we have are just for public display because they’re very pretty.”
a fundraising group and a volunteer group which now helps to look after the site. AWCAP’s Peter Blunsdon helps out mainly at Animal World, working amongst the goats, chipmunks and tropical birds, sweeping paths, pruning, clearing out pens and basically doing anything else that needs doing. “You feel that you’re doing something worthwhile, just to see the smiles on the children’s faces” he says “The campaign is ongoing and I think it’s very important for Bolton because this place is a gem for a town like this. “You’ve got to be fair to Bolton Council, in that they’ve given us this grace period and they are funding some things” he adds “And I think we’ve proved to them that we can keep it running at a relatively small cost. They’ve only got to come round and see what we’ve achieved, and talk to some of the people themselves to see that it’s worthwhile and that it needs to be kept going as an attraction.”
Bolton Council’s review of Animal World and the Butterfly House is due in September and we When the Butterfly House and Animal World was on the verge would urge all UNISON members to support the of extinction, local residents formed AWCAP, a campaign group, campaign and to visit the gem in Moss Bank15Park with their family.
AND WHAT DO THE KIDS THINK OF THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE? Brandon: I like it, there’s lots of colourful butterflies. Yeah I’d come again. I’d be really sad if they closed it down. Jakub: It’s great! The big butterflies are the best and I’d love to come again. I’ve learned lots. If they shut it down I’d be very sad. Maria: I think it’s a
beautiful place, I’ve never been anywhere like this before. I like how the butterflies land on you without you knowing. I’d be very sad if it closes.
Denise: There’s all kinds
of butterflies and they go on you without you knowing and you don’t feel a thing, they’re so light. It’s a treat. I think it would just be ridiculous to shut this down because it’s fun for everybody.
ANIMAL WORLD and the BUTTERFLY HOUSE are open Monday - Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4.30pm; Thursday and Friday 10am3.30pm (last wristband issued 30 mins before closing). Butterfly House shuts down for the winter but Animal World remains open. Call 01204 334050 for further details.
Wristbands are available from the paybox near the children’s rides. Cost 50p per person (children age 2 and under free). All monies received go towards 16 the upkeep of Animal World.
KEEP ACADEMIES OUT OF BOLTON! When Bolton Muslim Girls School attempted to become an academy, there was an outcry amongst staff, pupils and parents. But the ConDem Government is encouraging more schools to convert. UNISON Assistant Branch Secretary, Andrea Egan, looks at the history and urges everyone to get involved in the Anti Academies Campaign…
In Bolton our battle began in 2008. Under a Labour
Government, our Labour controlled Council announced the intentions of three secondary schools to apply for academy status. Under this Labour initiative, the vision was to bring private sponsors to what they deemed were ‘failing schools’, usually in areas of deprivation. The joint trade unions launched an anti academies campaign, and members in two of the secondary schools took industrial action. It was the first of its kind in the country. Whilst we did not stop the conversions, we did delay the start date for one of the schools by a term, and we secured three of the best Facility Agreements in the country. These academies to date still participate in ensuring that we continue to keep good industrial relations and an open dialogue through Joint Consultative meetings. When the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition came to power in 2010, we saw a different attack on the school education system from Michael Gove, Minister for Education. Whilst I believe that the concept of academies was a misguided Labour policy, at least they had tried to bring money to deprived areas. Gove’s approach was for schools which excelled, trying to encourage them to voluntarily convert to academy schools. But very few took this up, and why would they? If a school was achieving and doing well, why change it?
wrong with a good local authority school? Parents are being hoodwinked because this government is trying to sell the theory that academies are how good education should be delivered, especially as we see schools in special measure’ being ‘forced’ into academy status. But the evidence is there in black and white – there are as high a percentage of academies in special measures, as there are in local authorities. Parents have to be given the full facts. Parents trust head teachers who say that `in the interest of the school’, they are applying for academy status. Well these heads can continue to deliver good education as they have already demonstrated, and under the safety of the ‘Bolton Family Local Authority’ umbrella. If head teachers truly believe academy status is the answer, why the rush and secrecy in converting? Open a debate with the communities and parents, delivered alongside the trade unions’ views. Let’s put our arguments forward and let the real stakeholders decide - the parents and the community! Head teachers come and go, communities live through generations. In Bolton we have seen seven local primary schools voluntarily convert to academy status, one academy being ‘forced’ to convert and an application for one ‘free primary school’ to open, which has been agreed.
There were no incentives to become academies, no additional monies other than a £25,000 set-up fund. Gove changed tact again, and said that any school could become an academy, but any school falling below into special measures would be ‘forced’ to become an academy with a sponsor.
Interestingly, when the Bolton Muslim Girls School’s governing body placed academy conversion onto their agenda there was a massive backlash from parents, pupils and staff, with lobbies of the Governing Body and public meetings. It has gone quiet, but we are forever mindful of the issue raising its head again.
The joint trade unions argue that academies are no more than privatised units that have little to do with the education of pupils or the welfare of staff but are interested in the grabbing of resources from local authority funds to be controlled by business sponsors or the governing body.
Locally the joint trade unions have launched their Anti Academies Campaign. It is our belief that we have to ensure schools are accountable; we need to raise the profile of opposition to the academies. We have already attended two local secondary schools and spoke with staff. It is our intention to continue this programme at the start of the new academic year. We need school staff talking to other school staff, family members, parents and council employees to keep academies away from Bolton.
Currently, if a school is causing the authority concern, and is not able to bring around acceptable changes, the LEA have the power to discharge the responsibility of the governing body and place local authority officers in the school. Not so with academies. Academies are, in short, privatisation of our state schools. We only have to look at the railways to see who profits most from these privatisations, and it is those at the top. What is
Watch this space To get involved in the Bolton Anti Academies Campaign contact branch office.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A UNISON CONVENOR Anyone who thinks that UNISON reps sit in cosy meetings all day, gently dunking their digestives into freshly percolated coffee seriously needs to think again. Here, Jackie Peploe, a convenor in Environmental Services, gives an honest outline of her emotionally charged days – and nights…
The work I do as convenor can be interesting but it is hard work,
and I feel that I am constantly in conflict with someone. I sometimes wonder if it is all worth it because it is very stressful. Members’ issues can be quite demanding and sometimes emotional, and I find that I worry a lot about ensuring that I am doing right for them. I am very conscious of the responsibility that goes with the role and at the end of each day I am really tired. I am quite a new convenor, being nominated into the role in February 2012. I also work as an area action officer. Before getting into work I will deal with the usual family stuff and then I normally get into work around 8.15am. My working day can usually start before I hit the office with my mobile phone ringing with enquiries for assistance and advice from stewards and members. The job becomes a major part of your life and an understanding family is needed when I have to leave for work extra early or finish late, attend meetings and support lobbies after work to defend terms and conditions. I frequently attend member meetings which usually start around 7.00am, and some take place after my finish time, but this is normal for my service as I have to work around the times that my members work. In Environmental Services our members work varied shift patterns and around various locations in the borough. As I get into the office I will check my diary to see what I have planned for the day and get together all the necessary paperwork for cases or meetings. I receive around twenty to thirty emails per day, usually relating to ongoing issues as well as new enquiries from our members. Some are easy to reply to, others require a more detailed response and as such take much longer to deal with but I try to reply to as many as possible, especially the most urgent enquiries. Meanwhile, on some days, the phone never stops ringing. Somewhere around lunchtime I down a brew and scoff a butty. If I am lucky I get to chew it. It is important to establish a good rapport with managers within the services, as on a daily basis I attend meetings with them to discuss ongoing issues to negotiate local agreements around terms and conditions, some issues are around grievances, sickness, bullying, re grades etc. Some of these meetings can have successful outcomes some not so successful. I also work closely with the GMB Convenor and stewards, speaking to them on a daily basis, and we provide each other with support and advice where appropriate for
the betterment of our members in a joint issue. It would be unusual for me not to have an ongoing appeal regarding a disciplinary or sickness issue, therefore I am constantly putting together `packs’ to exchange with management for the upcoming hearing. The casework involves speaking with the members, speaking to witnesses, gathering evidence and statements, and putting all this together to make a case. I am quite fortunate in this area as I receive a lot of support from our officers and admin staff at Branch. I have made some really good friends within Bolton UNISON and with Bolton at Home reps and know that I can always ask for help. I also speak every morning, afternoon and by email at the end of the day to my Deputy Convenor, Tony Cowell, who is a fantastic support for me; I couldn’t manage without him. It is a lot of work but my mind always switches back to the help I was able to give to a member when I first qualified as a steward… This member had hurt her knee, outside of work, and due to the injury was unable to carry out her duties as a General Assistant in a school kitchen. She was on sickness absence leave and when she first contacted me had been off work for twelve months and had been invited to a case conference with a view to being dismissed due to medical incapacity. I went to through all the details and paperwork with her and discovered that whilst she had been off work she had had little contact with her management team or the HR department. The only contact she had had was with an OHU officer. The member was desperate not to lose her job as, like the rest of us, she needed the money! I represented her at the medical incapacity hearing, stating that her condition had improved since the accident had occurred, that she was swimming to strengthen the knee, and that she had absolutely no support from her management team or HR which was against the Managing Absence Guidelines. The panel took on board my case and all I asked for was implemented. I kept in touch with her for a while to check all was okay. A few months later I saw her out shopping and she gave me a huge hug and thanked me for saving her job. The job doesn’t end when I get home, as I do take with me a lot of `baggage’ and find it hard to switch off. The day never seems to end. And I find myself thinking about what I have to do next...
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CRUSH A POISON APPLE…
As Bolton UNISON Branch gears up for its annual panto night at The Albert Halls, Stu Francis is gearing up to get himself in a right muddle for Snow White…
I t’s easier crushing grapes than poison apples but when Stu
Francis gets on stage for the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs panto we’re sure he’ll be doing his best to mess up Queen Cruella’s plans for the fairy tale princess. Or maybe not… “I’m playing Muddles” says Stu “Muddles by name and Muddles by nature. The name is what he’s about because he’s just a spanner in the works.”
“Bolton people make a good panto crowd because they get stuck in and become part of it
return of the Magnificent Seven as the dwarfs, plus Duggie Brown as Sarah the Cook and Kristina Castellina as Snow White. And, of course, Stu Francis, who’s still seen as the face of Bolton as more local celebrities come on tap every year. “There does seem to be a lot of them now and that makes me feel very old” he laughs “You’ve got the comics like Peter Kay, Danny out of McFly, Badly Drawn Boy… the Bolton flag is flying at the moment. I just hope Bolton Wanderers can do the same this season…” If Wanderers do manage to get back in the Premier League we’re sure Stu will, er `crush a…’…Does he ever get fed up with those catch phrases?
The more he muddles about, the more kids, and older `kids’, love it as Bolton will play host to another packed season of panto for which UNISON has block booked nearly six hundred reduced priced tickets.
“No not at all, it comes with the territory” he explains “For the panto we pack them all into a song at the beginning and get the audience to join in to get everyone going. It also stops the audience shouting them out all the way through…”
“UNISON took the place over last year too and it was brilliant, families come hell bent on having a good time” Stu recalls “Bolton people make a good panto crowd because they get stuck in and become part of it, as well as supporting the theatre.”
He hopes!
Snow White sees a top cast take to the stage, including the
The special UNISON night for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is on 9th December at 1:30pm. Tickets are £5 each for members, available only from the Bolton UNISON office at Howell Croft House from Monday 29th October. For further details phone the office on 01204 338901
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IMAGINE THEM ALL NAKED! Julie Tudor made her first ever speech at the UNISON conference in June. Scared? You bet! But then someone said `Imagine them all naked’. Hmm. Here Julie describes the hairy experience…
I
t seemed like millions of people were watching but it was probably just a lot. The Bournemouth International Centre has a massive stage, they have Status Quo playing there and things like that. It was huge. And knowing that when you make your speech you’ve got all these people in front of you - but behind you there’s also Dave Prentis and the President of the union sat in a line. It’s scary. But you just don’t look at them. Someone said `Imagine them naked’ but I just looked at the words. My speech was in favour of a motion about women and the cuts. It was about the ways in which women are affected because they take time out for family care, for having children, looking after relatives and a million other things which cuts down their national insurance contributions. All of which means they suffer at the end. My speech was well received and the motion was passed unanimously.
What I learnt from conference is `Never give up’ This was not only my first time making a speech it was also the first conference I’d been to and I didn’t know much about it. I’d just heard people talking about it and thought it sounded interesting. I didn’t know there were two conferences going on in Bournemouth, both local and national and I ended up going to both over a full week back in June. It wasn’t boring for a second. I thought it would be, especially when I first got there and saw the extent of the itinerary and everything but it just flew by. Every single subject was covered cuts, pay, racism, abuse, domestic violence and pensions. There was a big debate on the Government’s new pension offer and Dave Prentis announced that the members’ vote would take place right in the middle of the school holidays which was really bad timing. Lots of branches campaigned to say it wasn’t right but the motion failed, and it went ahead in the summer holidays which is really bad.
In Bolton, after meetings with members, our branch is totally against the new offer but nationally UNISON is recommending accepting it. They keep saying that your working average is better than your final salary – well, if it’s better, how come MPs and UNISON’s own employees are still going for final salary? I enjoyed the guest speakers, and the one who stuck out most was Stephen Lawrence’s dad, Neville. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. He was so proud and dignified but got his message across. And he’s behind us now for this campaign against privatising the police because he said that if they privatise the police they are not answerable to anybody - not us, not Parliament, and it’s not good. What I learnt from conference is `Never give up’. Sometimes at work you get a bit low and people say `Oh what’s the point, they’re going to do what they want?’…but when you get to conference and see that all those people are going to fight, you can’t give up. Okay, if you’re sat in your little office by yourself you might feel a bit abandoned but when you get out there and see how many people have got the same frame of mind it strengthens you. Socially, I was surprised because some people I’d been with had gone before and they knew everybody. But you could just walk into a fringe meeting or anything and everyone was dead friendly. Whatever you talked about people knew about it and you could discuss it. The networking was just brilliant Going to conference is a learning curve. When you’re sitting in branch committee and things like that, and people talk about motions and the president and the NEC it gets a bit jumbled up if you don’t really know how it works. But conference makes things a lot clearer. Anyone who is a steward can go to conference. You just put your name down if you are interested and if there’s too many they have a vote. I’d definitely recommend it.
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The message coming out of this year’s four day UNISON National Delegate Conference was to fight the cuts – and Bolton UNISON was well involved. Check this report by Jackie Peploe
T
he keynote speech at Conference, given by UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis, was centred around unity being required within UNISON to stand up against Cameron protecting his class of millionaires and selling off the NHS. Prentis added that he expects more from Labour, and explained that Labour will not get UNISON support if the party does not promise to do more for the unions. While the sentiments were clear and well received, his overall speech didn’t receive a standing ovation. From Bolton, Joan Pritchard-Jones spoke in support of a motion which called for UNISON to recognise the failings in current legislation to protect the elderly, and to highlight these failings to government. It was passed unanimously. And I gave a speech in support of a motion on Women and the Cuts, using the speech given by Julie Tudor at the Local Government Conference (see feature). Steve Rigby, a Bolton at Home employee and Labour Link officer, gave a passionate speech on Housing, highlighting the housing crisis brought about by the cuts in benefits, the introduction of the bedroom tax and the lack of affordable housing. His motion, passed by Conference, called for National Labour Link to affiliate with the Labour Housing Group to help promote housing issues during the next general election. Guest speaker Paul Kenny, TUC president, gave a powerful speech, emphasising the special relationship between UNISON and GMB, indicating that the two unions could combine bringing together around two million members. His speech was well received and achieved the standing ovation which was not afforded to Dave Prentis. Meanwhile, Bolton UNISON won a victory in a long running
battle around the indefinite length of time a member can be suspended from the union. Bolton Branch had put Rule amendments forward to previous conferences, that the limit of a suspension should not exceed 24 months, but each time the motion has been narrowly defeated. This year Haringey Branch put in a similar motion for 36 months and we decided to support it, although we also wanted our own motion debated, which wasn’t allowed. In order not to split the vote, the 24 month motion was withdrawn and the Haringey motion was passed unanimously. Bolton UNISON also had a motion carried on Rule Amendment 8.6, supported by the NEC, on Democratically Electing Representatives to Service Groups which was moved by Andrea Egan. International trade union activity, oppression and campaigning was also a feature of the conference, with speakers from Cuba and Columbia, and lively debates on Palestine and the Tamil Solidarity campaign. From the start of Conference to the end the distinct message coming through from speakers in this country was how the austerity measures impacted adversely on the disabled, low paid workers, women workers, LGBT, disabled LGBT, and on young people, particularly on black and young black people. Although Conference was an intense experience, it was very enjoyable and interesting for first time delegates. Out of the six Bolton delegates, five spoke on motions/rule amendments, with Kieran Grogan, our young member delegate from Bolton at Home, only being prevented from speaking due to lack of time. It was a very successful conference for Bolton Branch. Excerpts from Dave Prentis’ speech can be viewed on You Tube or the UNISON website.
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Conference photos by Marcus Rose & Steve Forrest
FIGHT THE TORIES URGES UNISON CONFERENCE
BOLTON U NEWS
Campaign For the Living Wage Brings Results in Bolton Bolton’s biggest landlord, Bolton at Home, has become the first employer in town to become an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means that, not only will they guarantee to pay their workers at least £7.20 an hour, they will also ask that their partners and contractors do the same.
“UNISON is committed to tackling low pay and the Campaign for the Living Wage” says Janet Bryan, Convenor for Bolton at Home “We are really pleased to see that Bolton at Home is the first local employer to be accredited as paying a minimum of £7.20 an hour. We are now hoping that other employees across Bolton will follow this example”.
Back: Pete Eccles (Craft Union Joint Convenor) John Vickers (Unison Steward & Board Member). Front: Janet Bryan (Unison Convenor), Councillor Noel Spencer MBE (Chair of Bolton at Home Board), Jon Lord OBE (Chief Executive of Bolton at Home).
For further information see www. livingwage.org.uk.
BOLTON WELFARE Sue Browne, Bolton’s Principal Officer for Welfare Rights, shows how welfare changes brought in by the ConDem Government this year might affect UNISON members…
Bolton Welfare Rights Service has seen increasing numbers of people seeking help with benefits problems. Many of those are part of the working age population or who have partners in work. The team are being kept very busy with people who have had their Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance awards reassessed and need help to appeal. Unfortunately this means that waiting times for an appointment for cases at appeal are currently at least six weeks.
In addition to this, changes in April which retrospectively limited payment of contribution based Employment Support Allowance to 12 months meant that some people with working partners or savings lost £99.15 a week on the 1st May. This also coincided with changes to Working Tax Credits, couples with children now need to work at least 24 hours between them (but one of the couple must work at least 16 hours) to qualify for help. Couples who have a 16 hours job now need to find extra hours or an additional job, which may not be easy in the current climate. The extra help for workers over 50 was also abolished, and new rules mean that if family income drops by up to £2,500 during the tax year the award will not be
reassessed to reflect this until the renewal claim. Families are also further affected because additional ‘baby elements’ in Child Tax credits have been abolished and Child Benefit rates were frozen for three years in 2011 reducing the value of the benefit over time. More changes are planned including the replacement of Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payments and the introduction of Universal Credit. These changes will start to impact in 2013. More information is available on www. direct.gov.uk website and the Welfare Rights Service can help with appeal issues. Contact Access Bolton 01204 333820.
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UNISON Community Organiser Role For Steve… Bolton UNISON has taken action to improve union representation and organisation in the community and voluntary sector within the town. Steve Rigby, a housing officer with Bolton at Home, has been seconded on a part time basis to support UNISON members working in community and voluntary organisations outside of Bolton Council, including Bolton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), Citizens Advice Bureau, Fujitsu, Mencap and Community Care Options.
“Many of the employers we will be dealing with don’t have basic policies and procedures in place, and workers can feel very vulnerable and unsure of their rights, especially when there are problems at work” he explains “In the current climate I believe that union organisation is essential in every workplace”. Steve will cover union members working for Bolton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), Citizens Advice Bureau, Fujitsu, Mencap, Community Care Options, Serco, Lifeways Community Care, Birtenshaw Hall School, Addiction Dependency Solutions, Creative Support, Abbey Health Care Homes Limited, Manchester Methodist Housing and others. Contact Steve Rigby through the UNISON office 01204 338901 or email admin@unisonbolton.org
Photo by Eddie Pilling
“The number of external employers has increased in Bolton over recent years, as services have been outsourced, and increasing numbers of workers with private care agencies, private care homes and housing associations are turning to UNISON for support” says Bernie Gallagher, Bolton UNISON branch secretary.
Steve knows the job will be a big challenge but is looking forward to it…
NHS WORKERS JOIN BOLTON UNISON Under new government provisions, responsibility for Public Health is being transferred nationally from the NHS to local government from 1st April 2013. This means that staff employed by Bolton Primary Care Trust will become employees of Bolton Council from that date, and will join our Bolton branch.
public services. We welcome any support and are happy to give any support, and look forward to joining the branch next year.” Many are already UNISON members, and, welcoming them to the branch, Bolton convenor Joan Pritchard Jones, added “For any workers the prospect of transfer between employers can be quite stressful. We aim to minimise this stress as much as we possibly can.”
DISCOUNT SCOFF Former Bolton Unison member, Jim Halliday, has recently opened a café in Halliwell. Scoff “n” Off café is on the corner of Raphael Street and Shepherds Cross Street (near Darley Court and St Joseph’s Primary School). He is offering 10% discount to Bolton Unison members on proof of membership…
“These are difficult times and nobody really wanted these changes in the health service” says health workers union rep, The health workers are now Phil Ramsell “We understand based at Le Mans Crescent the problems with the local council but we’re happy to be and Phil Ramsell can be here, all working together in contacted on 01204 337456
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PENSIONS FIGHT BALLOT
Bolton UNISON Branch Secretary, Bernie Gallagher, says the spirited fight for decent pensions can strengthen the fight against the cuts on our doorstep…
However members in Bolton UNISON felt these improvements, the result of successful industrial action on 30th November last year, do not go far enough. In particular we felt the ending of the final salary scheme and having to work longer together with pensions being linked to CPI and not RPI were still worth fighting for.
By the time you read this, the result of the ballot on the new look Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) 2014 will be known. Given the recommendation by the Service Group Executive is to vote yes then it is highly likely members will accept the offer as the best that can be negotiated without further sustained industrial action.
I am heartened by the fact that 90% of Bolton UNISON members in a secret ballot voted to reject the offer, many of whom will have voted the same in the national ballot. This will without doubt stand us in good stead when we come to fight the cuts faced by workers in Bolton Council.
Bolton UNISON acknowledges that there have been some improvements to the LGPS negotiated by UNISON, such as a 1/49th accrual rate, and pensionable pay to include non contractual hours with a significant number of part time workers paying less.
It is a fact that involvement and participation of rank and file union members strengthens our organisation and builds a confidence that cannot be achieved by any other means.
MERRY MEN AND WOMEN UNITE! Calls for a Robin Hood Tax are growing every day and celebs, religious groups, charities, trade unions and millions of people have signed up to support the campaign.
The campaign calls for a 0.05% tax on all the financial sector’s transactions which would very easily solve a lot of the world’s problems – no Council cuts in Bolton, for example. The UK already taxes some bank transactions but if the Government takes it a bit further it could raise £20billion in this country alone…
Hood Tax campaign “That is why huge public pressure is needed to convince the Government it is more costly to ignore the people than to ignore the banks.” Everyone knows that the banks and big business got us into this mess. Everyone knows that we’re expected to pay for their greed. The Robin Hood Tax campaign allows everyone to say `No more…We’re all Robin Hood now…’ And campaigners get to wear a really cool hat too!!!
Bolton UNISON has arranged for its National Pensions Officer to hold an appointment only pensions advice surgery on Monday 24th September 12-7pm at the Loyals Lounge in Bolton Town Hall. If you have any pensions related issues you would like to discuss please make an appointment through the Branch Office. To book a time phone 01204 338901.
WWW.UNISONBOLTON.ORG For all the latest news, hit Bolton UNISON’s website… All Bolton UNISON info is on the branch website which is updated as news happens. “The website has become an essential means of communication with our members” says branch web guru Eddie Pilling, who’s a senior steward in Adult Services and works for Bolton Council as a community support worker “With the increase of mobile internet access it is also good for reaching members who may not be office based.” The site is not only the crucial link between members, it also reduces the amount of material the branch has to print and post, making it cost effective and green. Online membership now accounts for almost half of new members and the website is a quick and easy way to join UNISON. Check the site for instant info www.unisonbolton.org
If there’s anything that you would like to Check out the Robin Hood Tax “One of the reasons the put on the site contact Bolton UNISON New video to be totally convinced at Government has not done more is Technology Officer Eddie Pilling on 01204 http://robinhoodtax.org.uk and the immense power of the City of 338901 or email admin@unisonbolton.org London in lobbying and influencing find the campaign on Facebook. 24 politicians” states the Robin
PRIVATISE THE POLICE? `WE’RE ONLY DOING OUR JOB’ SAY TORIES GREATER MANCHESTER POLCE COMMISSIONER ELECTIONS On 15th November, for the first time, the public will be able to elect a Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner. And UNISON is demanding to know whether candidates intend to privatise the police, if elected. “Bringing in private companies to run policing services is a dangerous experiment with public safety and taxpayers’ money” says Ben Priestley, UNISON’s National Officer for Police and Justice.
The Government wants police forces to sell contracts to the private sector to run services like crime investigation, forensics, 999 call handling, custody and detention. UNISON is opposed to this planned privatisation as the union believes it will change the face of policing and have serious implications for public safety. This privatisation is being pushed by the coalition government on purely ideological and cost-cutting grounds. And it will be the community that will suffer from the consequences of poorer services, as private companies cut back to increase profit. A recent poll by ComRes for UNISON showed that almost two thirds (62%) of
the public oppose privatisation of police services, and 50% said that they would trust the police less if a private company ran their local services. More than half (53%) reported that they would feel less safe if a private company were answering 999 calls in their area, while nearly half (46) thought that accountability of the police force to the British public would get worse. Indeed, one of the main campaigners against police privatisation is Neville Lawrence, father of murdered teenager Stephen, who told this year’s UNISON Conference that future challenges against injustice by the police may well be impossible under a privatised and unaccountable police force.
Steve Rigby, Bolton UNISON’s Labour Link officer argues that a low turn out may hand an advantage to smaller parties or individuals… “Imagine a racist, bigoted, Tory or BNP candidate with the power over local community policing?” he says “We must maximise the vote to secure a Labour win.” The Labour candidate in Greater Manchester is current Manchester Central MP Tony Lloyd. During a fringe meeting at UNISON Conference this year Lloyd told candidates that he would work with UNISON members in the police service rather than against them… “I am not a policeman I am a politician” he said “I will work with the Police Federation and UNISON, who represent over 50% of all staff on the civilian side. I will work hard to bring unity and safety to the streets of Greater Manchester.” The election for Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner takes place on Thursday 15th November.
SUPPORT THE SHREWSBURY 24 CAMPAIGN Bolton branch has passed a motion to support the campaign to get the truth behind 24 trade union members charged with offences allegedly arising from picketing in Shrewsbury, and jailed in 1972. The pickets were in support of the first ever building workers’ national strike for decent pay and health and safety at work, and amongst those jailed for `conspiracy’ was current tv star Ricky Tomlinson. The campaign seeks to force the government to release files relating to the strike that have been withheld from the National Archives, even though
more than 30 years have passed. The UNISON motion includes the statement “Branch committee notes that the case of the Shrewsbury 24 is one that has always had wide reaching implications for all trade unionists and the ongoing fight to defend workers right to organise. The fight of the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign is our fight.” We urge all members to sign the e-petition set up by Ricky Tomlinson at http:// epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/35394 and to contact Bolton’s three MPs to help the campaign
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LONDON HERE WE COME!!! MARCH FOR A FUTURE THAT WORKS – 20TH OCTOBER LONDON
On October 20th tens of thousands of UNISON members will be joining a TUC protest march through London to show the Government huge opposition to its cuts. The Government’s austerity agenda is standing in the way of delivering jobs and growth, and UNISON believes that investing in good public services that save, protect and enrich lives will boost our economy and strengthen our communities. Bolton UNISON will be well represented on the march and the branch is urging as many members
as possible to join us, sending message to Cameron, Clegg and co that cuts are not the way to deliver the future that this country needs. “I am definitely going to London” says Bolton UNISON Education Officer, Joan Pritchard-Jones “The Government is cutting £130million from Bolton Council’s budget. These cuts are being implemented by the Town Hall but decided in Whitehall. We need to go down there and say `Enough is enough!’” Bolton UNISON is currently taking bookings for transport from Bolton to London. Just phone the UNISON office for prices and further details 01204 338901
UNISON - THERE FOR YOU While many UNISON members help Bolton’s community through their jobs, sometimes our members themselves need support… Unison Welfare has undergone a complete makeover and is now known as There For You. Although the name has changed the help and support we offer is still the same. If you are struggling financially, as many of us are in this recession, There For You has its own debt line, and we will help to arrange payment plans, debt consolidation…all the things offered by the glossy ads on tv, but the difference is that if you are a UNISON member our service is totally free. Last year, UNISON also gave out £750,000 in grants to over two thousand members, helping with household bills, home adaptations, essential `white good’ like washing machines and lots more. We can help with everything from financial assistance to wellbeing breaks and, if necessary, just a sympathetic ear. We even have our own hotel in Devon for cut price holidays. And the services aren’t just 26
for members. We will also support your family with their problems, because their problems affect you and we are `there for you’. UNISON is the only union to offer this service. There has been an increase in people approaching us for help recently, understandably due to the current financial climate, so don’t be nervous about asking. Ring our branch and ask to speak to me, Julie Tudor, your welfare officer, and let us do the rest. All information given to me is totally confidential and will not be shared by anyone else in Bolton. Make an appointment to see me and let’s get the ball rolling. Phone Julie on 01204 362166 or e-mail admin@ boltonunison.org
UNISON TV
UNISON now has its own tv channel on You Tube, and amongst the informative and campaigning mini videos are some absolute gems, like New NH$, which is a top spoof on Tory health policies… “Here at the new NH$ we offer a fast track service in our priority booking programme. A quick swipe of a major credit card and away you go. All we need from you is a cash payment and you can jump in front of anyone else, no matter what their medical need…” At one point in the hilarious video the receptionist, done up
like a glamorous airline hostess, tells a `customer’… “If it’s tonsils it’s £1,999, if it’s cancer we can set up a low interest payment plan for you…” And the patient trundles off to the `waiting lounge’ awaiting his financial fate. Elsewhere on UNISON TV you can find comedian/film maker Michael Moore urging support for the NHS, plus Conference speeches and loads of members telling the cameras why they are marching on October 20th. Find UNISON TV by searching You Tube or there’s a direct link from www.unison.org.uk
THE BREAK TIME BRAIN TEASER WICKED WORDSEARCH Can you find these words? They’re things you might find in and around the Town Hall… COUNCILLORS CUTBACKS PROTEST DEMO LIONS CLOCK RELOCATION BOLTON PANTOMIME UNION UNISON
Can You Name The Year? 1)Amir’s Beijing Silver Medal 2)Bolton Town Hall Fire 3)Octagon Theatre Opened 4)Bolton Wanderers Reebok Move 5)Phoenix Nights TV Debut 6)Bolton Institute Becomes University
Anagrams… Can you re-juggle these letters to find nine local celebs? 1) Ian F Crusts 2) Mona Alica 3) Rik Haman 4) Lenny Daboy 5) Kevan Rony 6) Sid Keypave 7) Al Banall 8) Mick Allenan 9) Bea Hydalker
Answers 1)2008 2) 1981 3) 1967 4) 1997 5) 2001 6) 2004 Answers 1)Stu Francis 2) Monica Ali 3) Amir Khan 4) Danny Boyle 5) Vernon Kay 6) Dave Spikey 7) Alan Ball 8) Ian McKellan 9) Hylda Baker
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