the magazine for UNISON members Autumn 2015 Issue 7 Free
Tories attack union rights Plus...News, Views, Conference Reports and UNISON around Bolton...
CONTACT BOLTON UNISON Bolton UNISON, Second Floor The Bolton HUB, Bold Street Bolton BL1 1LS Phone: 01204 338901 admin@unisonbolton.org www.unisonbolton.org
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Cover photo by: Garry Pritchard
Contents
More Reviews for Bolton Workers Union Rights Under Attack Access To Work Under Review October 4th Protest Against Tories Why I’m Voting for Jeremy Corbyn Report from UNISON Conference Difficult Behaviour in Schools Sanctuary `No Trident!’ says Malcolm Pittock 1% Pay Insult UNISON sponsors Teaching Assistant Award Bolton Women Take NEC FIFA Play Fair! No To TTIP! Plus Panto, BFG!, Blackpool Trip, Wigan Diggers Fest, Fishing comp, and the hardest Wordsearch ever!!!
Bolton UNISON Branch Office Moves to The Hub Our branch office is moving to The Hub. The new address will be... Bolton UNISON Second floor The Hub Bold Street Bolton BL1 1LS The telephone number and email addresses will stay the same: 01204 338901 admin@unisonbolton.org The move is due to take place Monday 14th September, so the office will be closed for a couple of days. During this time if you need urgent assistance and can’t contact the office or your steward or convenor please ring UNISON direct on 0800 0 857 857
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Welcome to your UNISON magazine, Battling for Bolton, I hope that you enjoy it... Demonstrate Against Austerity – Manchester 4th October May saw the election of a Conservative Government, followed by an `emergency’ budget in July. Chancellor George Osborne’s carrot of a `Living wage’ for those over 25, which will rise to £9 per hour by the end of the Parliament, will do little to compensate for the Welfare Reform Bill will hurt working people receiving Tax Credits. The announcement of 40% cuts in all Whitehall departments other than Education, NHS and Defence will be catastrophic for jobs and services in Local Government. More recently we have seen Government threats to the union’s right to organise, with plans to outlaw the right to have union fees deducted from wages. On Saturday 4th October the branch will be organising transport to Manchester in order to demonstrate against austerity and the Conservative conference, please look out for details. Grievance Issues Given the scale of the current attacks and those to come, inevitably there is a feeling that within Bolton Council major decisions are being made without the level of strategic direction and attention to detail necessary. UNISON has registered disputes in Children’s Services relating to failure to consult in a meaningful manner, a formal grievance alleging breach of the 2010 Equality Duty on disability access in the Town Hall and an informal dispute on proposals to reduce the consultation period from 30 days to 90 days where more than 100 workers are affected.
Branch Office – Change of Location The lease for Howell Croft expired in August and the branch has been seeking alternative accommodation for some time. The decision to have independent accommodation was agreed last year and since then we have been looking for suitable properties in the town centre. It was originally anticipated that we would purchase a property but unfortunately we have not found anywhere suitable in our
price range. An important issue for us as a trade union is to have disability access. It has therefore been agreed to move on a rental basis to The Hub on Bold Street which is run by Bolton CVS. We will lose the benefit of our own reception but on balance this accommodation provides good value for money as well as access to training and meeting rooms at reduced cost. The Hub will be the main point of contact for members and stewards but we will also have additional office accommodation for Bolton Council convenors at Ashburner Street Market. Further Education Pay Meetings have taken place between the six college unions and the Association of Colleges (AoC) on 24 June. The `offer’ is 0% and local pay bargaining. This is a watershed moment for collective bargaining in Further Education, with an outright attack on national pay bargaining. The national further education and 6th form colleges joint unions have agreed to recommend rejection of the offer which is, in effect, no offer. Member meetings will be held when people return from their annual summer break. Jeremy Corbyn 4 Leader Campaign Whatever the outcome of the Labour Leadership election I was delighted to see that nationally and locally, UNISON’s Labour Link has given its support to someone who has a proven track record of standing up for public services and public service workers. After the disastrous military intervention in Iraq, under Tony Blair’s leadership, and a growing sense of disillusionment with politics in general during the Labour Leadership campaign it has been inspiring to see thousands of people queuing to hear a positive political message based on hope rather than austerity. Bernadette Gallagher, Branch Secretary
Changes, Cuts, Revie Grievances at Bolton Here, Andrea Egan, Assistant Branch Secretary, gives a round-up of all the machinations swirling around the Town Hall at the moment... Industrial relations have been put to the test over the last six months with the Council... Accommodation The trade unions submitted a joint grievance in respect of the refurbishment of the Town Hall staffing accommodation. They raised concerns about intended clear desk policies, health and safety issues and lack of disability access within the workplace. Following drawn out discussions most of the concerns raised have been resolved with mutual agreements on how the issues are to be overcome. What is left outstanding is the issue of anticipatory responsibilities under the Equality Act - if they had been followed would we be in the position we were in when the staff moved in? We are now underway with the reviews, and these have been fraught with difficulties, in the main Cease and Diminish (work that the Council will no longer do, or intends to reduce what it does). Adults 360/Health & Wellbeing TUPE - The Council has a bid for the tender however they are currently in a legal freeze period. Once the tender has been officially agreed, management will meet with the unions and the new employee to discuss the TUPE of staff, Terms & Conditions and a union recognition agreement. UNISON will be arranging meetings to support members. Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) A report went to Cabinet which proposes the structure of the LATC as well as the terms and conditions of the new company and
mechanisms for staff to either leave (VER/ VS), TUPE or have their terms and conditions bought out. The joint trade unions have not been involved in the planning or content of the report and feel the proposed changes are an unprecedented attack on the years of hard work the unions and their members have put into the current terms and conditions as well as representing a devastating loss for members. At the point of writing we are at a stand still position with the authority, as we need to ballot members in the section to get a steer on where we go from here. It is the joint unions position that any consultation needs to be delayed and strategic discussions need to be held on the proposals before moving forward to engage with staff. Chief Executive Legal Review - A consultation is ongoing, with issues mostly around job descriptions covering more than one area of work, i.e. a bit generic, which has created some anxiety and uncertainty for staff. Revenue & Benefits Review - A final consultation meeting has taken place with issues around groups of staff providing housing benefit service at UCAN centres, being downgraded and brought back into the centre, and a lack of consultation with Bolton at Home and the public. Letters are going out to councillors, affected Bolton at Home staff and MPs.
ews and n Council Children’s Youth Offending Team/Targeted Youth Support - This was put on hold by us on 17th July as no Cease and Diminish information was provided. We were informed that the work of two of the deleted posts was being passed to other post holders (one of which was outside the scope of the review). UNISON pressed pause on the review, but following intense discussions with management and the information being provided (Cease and Diminish list) we are now back in the review process. Alongside this an agreement that the Youth and Play review would run alongside this review. Sport & Active Living/Outdoor Learning & Adventure - Again no Cease and Diminish information was provided; so after a short pause this review is now underway. There are very few members in SAL/OLA and this limits our collective bargaining powers. We are however endeavouring to support those who are members. Multi Agency Safeguarding and Screening Service - Detailed information about this new service (some of which was inaccurate) was unfortunately shared prematurely with staff before proper consultation with the unions. After several phone calls from members having been advised that they would be moving to Castle Hill and the organisation would be changing, UNISON lodged a dispute with management. Management has apologised for this and is investigating to see what went wrong. The MASSS report will go to Exec Members in September and staff will be briefed. Under collective bargaining the unions will be consulted on the proposals.
D&R Housing review - Again a shaky start, no cease and diminish list, management propose to disestablish all the vacant post to use as savings – yes you’ve guessed it no cease and diminish list. After discussions this is now on track with the unions being given the list. The Bolton Wigan Partnership - The joint working venture took a bit of a knock when the ‘blame the council’ programme was aired on TV. The unions placed on record our anger at how the programme portrayed council workers, and we would be tarred with the same brush. Much work has taken place since the programme and discussions feel quite positive. However as I have always said, `the devil is in the detail’. Watch this space. In the quarter timeline it does state a review of corporate property services is the next review we should expect to be consulted on. It’s all change within the Council at the moment with some key officers leaving, and this has contributed to some of the industrial relationship issues as corporate responsibilities are realigned. Management and the trade unions continue at this point to be committed to engage with each other as we move forward. UNISON branch remains strong in the face of all recent attacks and issues. We continue to grow in strength and in numbers. A strong active union.
UNISON Confere In June delegates from Bolton attended UNISON’s Local Government and National Delegates Conference in Glasgow at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC)
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he conference was upbeat and defiant in the face of the pending Tory attacks, and the five Bolton delegates, Bernie Gallagher, Andrea Egan, Jayne Clarke, Garry Pritchard and Kieran Grogan, all worked hard and took an active part. There were many fringe meetings to attend, speaking to motions and moving amendments, plus a showing of With Banners Held High at an event remembering the 1984-85 miners strike We also attended a rally in Glasgow city centre in support of the homeless case workers who have been on strike for twelve weeks. It was a fantastic turn out with many conference delegates lending support. Meanwhile, Rob O’Donnell, the UNISON H&S rep who has recently been unfairly dismissed by SECC, addressed conference. Unbelievably the SECC is 91% owned
by Glasgow City Council, which refuses to give trade union recognition to UNISON. An emergency motion was passed instructing UNISON not to use the centre again until recognition is achieved and to ask the TUC to follow suit. Jayne Clarke, first time delegate for Bolton UNISON, spoke passionately in front of 3,000 delegates about the need to `fight and defend public services’. She talked about the impact of austerity on women workers, highlighting a recent TUC report which shows that there are now 3.4million people working part time and wanting more hours. She said this had increased by more than a million since the start of the recession. Jayne also highlighted social care as “an area where women workers often face unpaid travel time and zero hours
contracts, with workers vulnerable to exploitation without basic employment rights”. Bolton delegates backed calls to campaign on a range of issues to address fairness in the workplace, including increasing minimum wage enforcement action by HM Revenue and Customs and an end to employment tribunal fees. Delegates agreed unanimously to campaign for a Living Wage of £10 per hour, and Bolton
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ence Report...
UNISON’s Kieran Grogan told conference, “As trade unionists in Bolton we very much back plans by Bolton Council to apply the Living Wage to its own workforce as an important first step to tackle low pay. However we firmly believe that local councils need to go much further. As a union organiser for members working in the private sector I believe it is crucial that councils become accredited Living Wage employers. This would require them to include the
Living Wage when they tender for contracts”. Kieran informed the conference there are now more than five million workers falling below the official low pay threshold. He added “we are now seeing the longest and most severe decline in workers’ real earnings since Victorian times. Falling pay not only directly affects the workers themselves but also has a detrimental impact on the wider economy. With
less spending power the country is forced to pay out £900 million more on tax credits”. Branch secretary, Bernie Gallagher, also addressed conference on cuts, devolution and local government, while Andrea Egan spoke on Workloads in Schools and Garry Pritchard spoke on Outsourcing and Pay. Next year’s conference will be in Brighton – let’s hope it’s as good as this one!
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Devo Manc!
The Other Referendum? L
ast year, George Osborne visited Manchester to co-sign a deal with all ten leaders of Greater Manchester Councils (eight Labour, one Conservative and one LibDem in no overall control), devolving £1 billion from central government. According to Osborne, devolution will turn Manchester into a `northern powerhouse’ of economic growth. But the reality is completely different. Over the last five years, the Conservative Government has set out to destroy all the gains in health, education and social welfare conceded to the working class after the last World War, and has found willing accomplices in numerous Labour councils. There has been no debate on the biggest overhaul in the provision of healthcare and welfare since the foundation of the welfare state either in Manchester or nationally. Yet it is being sold as an exercise to improve local democracy and accountability. In 2012, Manchester voted `No’ by 53% to 47% in a referendum on whether or not to have an elected mayor. Most of the other councils have refused to allow a referendum on the subject. Eventually, an elected and extremely well-paid mayor, with power over the devolved budget, will be part of the new package regardless. Should there be a referendum on an elected mayor, or even devolution itself? You decide... ...and if you decide people need a referendum on devolution sign the petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ people-must-have-right-to-vote-on-devomanc John VIckers
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Result for Bolton women in union ballot T
hree Bolton women have been elected to the National Executive of UNISON which has over 1.3 million members across the UK Karen Reissmann, Bernadette Gallagher and Janet Bryan. Karen Reissman is a mental health nurse and NHS campaigner who works for the health service. Bernadette Gallagher, is branch secretary of Bolton Local Government UNISON and Janet Bryan is UNISON Convenor for Bolton at Home.
“I am absolutely delighted and proud to be part of a strong group of women from Bolton to
serve on the UNISON National Executive” says Bernadette “We are 100% committed to being a strong voice on behalf of rank and file union members”. Karen Reissmann, added; “We are facing enormous challenges as a union. We need to ensure that UNISON is at the forefront of campaigns to defend our public services. Being on the union’s Executive means that we can be involved in discussions nationally with colleagues from around the country.” The Bolton trio will be in office until June 2017.
What does an NEC member do? An NEC member’s job is to ensure that the union is run efficiently but also has a strong voice in the wider political community. There are 68 members on the NEC representing 12 Regions and all the Service Groups, and they are responsible for the development and implementation of a union-wide strategy. They are accountable to the union as a whole and conference. The NEC has wide-ranging powers to ensure that the union’s income, property and funds are safe-guarded and the objectives of the union achieved.
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Bolton Goes To The End Austerity Peoples’ Assembly Demo London At 6.30am on Saturday 20th June representatives from UNISON Bolton, Bolton Trades Council, and Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax set out to represent the people of our town on a national stage, led by UNISON Assistant Branch Secretary Andrea Egan The aim was to make our voices heard as part of the national demonstration against austerity organised by the Peoples’ Assembly as a response to the Tory cuts programme that has decimated public services across the UK. Further demonstrations were held across the country, in Glasgow and Liverpool, but the main event was in London, where over 250,000 people marched from the Bank of England to Parliament Square The planning for the day relied on the precision organisation of Andrea Egan and Suzi Boardman, who thought of everything, making the day run smoothly for all. Two coaches took 77 bleary-eyed campaigners down to London to join the demo, which started at 1pm. After a two hour march, there was just time for UNISON Bolton to entrench themselves outside Downing Street for the obligatory ‘selfie’ before moving into Parliament Square to listen to a round of speakers from across the country, and from all walks of life, give passionate support to the
campaign against the devastation that the imposed austerity measures have caused Noted speakers included Jeremy Corbyn (Labour Leader contender), Mark Serwotka (PCS General Secretary), Russell Brand (comedian and activist), Julie Hesmonhalgh (actress), Martin McGuiness (Irish Deputy First Minister), Francesca Martinez (comedienne), Charlotte Church (singer), Len McCluskey (General Secretary Unite) and Caroline Lucas (Green MP), as well as Sam Fairbain (National Secretary of The Peoples’ Assembly). All day there was an electric, almost festival style atmosphere which was both inspiring and energising; this was reflected in zero arrests and most marchers agreeing that it was the best demonstration in years. The tag line ‘this is only the beginning’, whilst a bit Hollywood, caught the mood of the event. And while serious issues of poverty, injustice, inequality, and immigration were raised, everyone who attended knew that those in power must be shown that the campaign will not go away... See Jeremy Corbyn’s speech at the Demo www.youtube.com/ watch?v=DK36ps3L-aU Words and photos by Garry Pritchard
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e Bank of England
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The Great AntiFormer lecturer, park runner and constant anti-war activist, 85 year old Malcolm Pittock is still vehemently against Trident and military spending...
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s a young man, Malcolm Pittock was thrown in jail for what he calls his `extreme pacifist’ views. Registered as a conscientious objector in 1949, he was offered exemption from conscription in the early 50s but refused, preferring to spend time, firstly in Strangeways and then in a prison in Rochdale, to be true to his views... “My mother was puzzled but I told her that if somebody said to me `Shoot Mr Dawson’, our neighbour, I wouldn’t say `I won’t do that but I’ll do something else’” Malcolm recalls “I don’t believe we will get anywhere until we realise that it’s people, not countries and states, who are the most important. People talk about our duty to the state but I believe that it’s our duty not to kill other people.” Now 85, Malcolm says prison was an experience he wouldn’t have missed “because I met people at close quarters who I wouldn’t have otherwise met”. Since those days, Malcolm has become almost a legendary figure in Bolton, marching against injustice wherever it is found, as well as being well known as a former lecturer at what is now Bolton University, and massive supporter and participant in park runs. He still tries to run at least ten miles a week, and still very definitely takes part in
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-War Survivor
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the local and national activist movement, recently attending the Anti-Austerity March in London and the Stop The War conference. Which war? All wars! Hiroshima “I remember the BBC report of Hiroshima on the wireless” he recalls, seventy years on from the slaughter “It was horrific. I think nuclear weapons have had a dreadful effect, quite apart from the actual question of war, because it makes you think of people in the wrong way. If you threaten to use nuclear weapons in any country they are massacring people in some way; it does something to the way you look at other people “If you look at the Allied atrocities that took place at the end of the war, the bombing of Dresden, Cologne and other places, it was firestorms and people were burned alive” he adds “They included the disabled, the ill, the aged and the children of all ages, and the whole point about it was that it’s all mixed up with lies.” Malcolm cites a book by right wing Daily Mail columnist, Andrew Alexander, called America and the Imperialism of Ignorance: US Foreign Policy since 1945... “He was a Thatcher supporter and yet he wrote
this book saying the Cold War was all nonsense that there wasn’t a Russian threat” he says “The whole business of so-called nuclear threat was based on something that had no substance. Of course the Soviets wanted to hang onto the countries they’d overrun in the defeat of Germany but that didn’t mean that they wanted to overrun Western Europe. “You’re told lies all the time” he adds “Even Goebbels said that if you tell a lie often enough people will believe it...” Which brings Malcolm to Trident... Trident “I think the whole General Election was disgraceful because they were talking about cuts, cuts, cuts and here they were spending £3billion a year sustaining Trident and going on about having a new class of submarine costing £25billion and the whole life project of £100billion; you’d think if they were talking about cuts one of the things that would be up for discussion would be Trident, it’s obvious!” he scoffs “I would spend the money, firstly making sure that employers pay the living wage, and then increase spending on the NHS, Education, Overseas Aid...The point is to get it all this into the public domain and Jeremy Corbyn is introducing these issues. I’m particularly
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Forecasts for spending on large equipment projects by the MoD
7 Astute attack submarines
£9.475bn
A400M Large transport aircraft
What could we do with £100bn? Scrap student tuition fees for the next 30 years Employ 150,000 new nurses and teachers every year for over 30 years Fully fund all A&E services in hospitals for over 40 years
£2.75bn
Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
£11.4bn
Lightning II Fighter aircraft
£5bn
Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft carrier
£6.1bn
Typhoon Fighter aircraft
£17.5b
Source: MoD report
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pleased he is getting support. The idea that you have shift around all the time and respond to focus groups...you can’t get anywhere that way” As well as the abolition of Trident, Malcolm also believes that the left should be campaigning to leave the EU, without getting mixed up with UKIP type policies... NATO “The EU is a capitalist organisation and it actually serves American purposes, as new members of the EU have to sign up NATO too” he explains “The left should mount a combined `Out of EU, Out of NATO’ stance and this would differentiate it from UKIP.” He argues that what is happening to Greece at the moment and TTIP negotiations underline the arguments about serving the banks and the yanks...
“The edict is that you have to change the way you do things so it conforms to a capitalist model; that’s what’s happening in the EU” he insists “TTIP is awful too and it’s already happening with the tobacco companies. They want to make as much money as they can, but governments are concerned about the public health issues. So if they pass legislation limiting tobacco they can be sued for loss of profits.” Over Malcolm’s lifetime, nothing seems to have changed much. Weapons and wars and rampant capitalism, that gets more rampant every year. But he still believes that communities and unions can make a difference. They just need to get involved in the movement and shout louder!
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UNISON Condemns Tory Social Housing Policy D
escribing Housing Associations as “the last orange to be squeezed”, the Government continues in its bid to destroy social housing and channel struggling tenants towards private landlords. Social Landlords such as Bolton at Home are briefing staff and unions on the likely effects of the new legislation on the business and tenants. The biggest local landlord with 18,000 homes, Bolton at Home will, like many others, see its business plan and income significantly affected by imposed rent and benefit cuts.
Council, will see the new policies as an opportunity to continue their policy of privatization, driving tenants from their estates in a move described by UNISON as “social cleansing”… Janet Bryan
Acknowledging Bolton at Home’s commitment to engage with the trade unions UNISON’s Stewards Committee condemned the Government’s actions and reiterated their policy of opposition to any compulsory redundancies amongst members. While responsible social landlords will look to reduce the negative impact of the Tory housing policy others, such as Barnet
UNISON General Secretary Election 2015 T
he union’s National Executive has agreed a timetable for the election of the post of General Secretary. Full details, including procedures and nomination forms, are available on the General Secretary election page of the UNISON website. www.unison.org.uk/about/ourorganisation/lay-structure-democracyand-elections/general-secretaryelection-2015
Voting Any ballot will run from 9 November to 4 December 2015. Any results will be issued on 17 December
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OCTOBER 4th...
Protest Outside the Tory Party Conference in Manchester
No To Austerity! Defend Our Unions! After the election of a Tory majority government in May, albeit after only 24% of the entire electorate voted for them, it’s vital that the trade union movement gets back to doing what it does best: organising, agitating in our workplaces and demonstrating. On 4th October, the Tory
Party conference is coming to Manchester. Again! One would have hoped that they got the message the last time they came in 2013, when more than 50,000 of us took to the streets to tell them that they weren’t welcome. Bolton branch will again be arranging transport to the
October demonstration to say to the Tories: `No To Cuts! No To Austerity!’. Just like the Greeks, we’ve had enough of their austerity and we’re going to make sure they know about it... Contact the branch office for transport details Matt Kilsby
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“Direct action is the only way to stem the constant ruthless attacks on our society by this arrogant and vicious system. If we don’t stand up we will lose our most precious assets. Assets that have been fought so long and hard for. The NHS, our public services, legal aid, the list goes on...We don’t have to take it, so we do have to stand up...Now is our time to say `We can see though your lies, stop your mindless bullying, no more!’” Maxine Peake
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Glasgow Homelessness Caseworkers Win! After an all out strike the Glasgow homelessess caseworkers have now settled their dispute...
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he striking Glasgow homelessness caseworkers are celebrating victory, after they voted by a clear majority to accept a new offer from the employer after a 17-week, all-out strike. The offer secures the central demand of the dispute – parity on grade six with other frontline social care staff. 68 new grade six posts will be created and the three temporary caseworkers whose substantive posts are grade four will be given permanent grade five posts elsewhere in the homeless service. There will be a reduction in management posts through voluntary early retirement. Glasgow Council has insisted on an assessment process for the new grade 6 posts and will not make any backdated payment. These were the reasons why those who voted to stay out did so. However, the union will be consulted on the nature of the assessment process and workers will receive a one-off payment of £350 while that process is completed. 22
“The strike has been successful in winning a £1,000 increase following the assessment process, rising to £5,000 by 2018” says branch secretary Brian Smith “In addition, the Council has been forced to concede an acceptable number of grade six posts. The assessment process and the lack of any backdated money are a disappointment. In a climate of huge cuts to local government and against a hard-nosed management who tried to undermine the action by using other agencies, then the overall outcome of the strike should be celebrated. “The seventy strikers conducted themselves magnificently” he adds “The UNISON Glasgow branch is so proud of them – we know that many others across the trade union movement feel the same. Well done to the Glasgow homeless strikers!” Brian Smith also thanks all those who donated to the strike fund, invited the strikers to speak at meetings and sent messages of support.
Bolton Costa Austerity
To emphasise Tory austerity, Bolton People’s Assembly held a special event at Victoria Square.
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n 8th August Bolton People’s Assembly organised a successful Costa Austerity event in Bolton’s Victoria Square in recognition of the plight of thousands of people across the Bolton community who, due to the savage austerity cuts imposed by this Government, are left with little or no disposable income. These residents of Bolton, many of whom are union members, have been unable to take their families on holiday since 2008’s financial crisis and so it was felt that the holiday should be brought to them! Representatives from Bolton People’s Assembly, UNISON Bolton, Bolton Trades Council, anti-fracking campaigners, Bolton Diggers, Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax and many other groups set out to give the people of Bolton a voice.
Backed by the People’s Assembly both regionally and nationally, the day started with a number of guest speakers, followed by a march through Bolton and then a family-friendly event held in the Town Hall square. First up was Ramona McCartney from the national People’s Assembly offices in London, who thanked the 200-300 people who had come out for the event and set the scene for the day. This was followed by an impassioned speech on the ‘terrorism’ of the destruction of Hiroshima on the 70th anniversary of the bomb that destroyed so many lives at the end of the Second World War... Words and photo by Garry Pritchard
TTIP – A Battle Be Business and Eve Opposition is growing to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with UNISON and the North West MEP joining the fray...
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NISON has confirmed its opposition to the secret trade agreements being forged between the European Union and the United States, which could have a ‘chilling’ effect on public services, with delegates at both the Local Government and Water, Environment and Transport (WET) conferences in Glasgow passing motions. The WET delegates agreed a motion that “opposes, as a matter of principle, the deregulation and privatisation agenda which so clearly lies at its heart.” Ruth Davies, chair of the WET service group executive, said: “Anything that talks about international trade agreements between the EU and the US is not something that’s going to benefit our members. This will drag public services into the private sector.” She added that
there would be “wideranging implications” for environmental legislation and the protection of public services and workers’ rights. Although most of the details of TTIP remain secret, it’s thought to include a mechanism that will allow private investors to submit tribunal complaints against governments and public bodies which corporations believe to be unfairly interfering with their commercial activities. This could have a direct impact on democratic decisionmaking in the running of public services and utilities. Introducing a second motion at the WET conference, Rosealene Ballan of Yorkshire Water told delegates that “TTIP only works in one direction - towards the US multinationals.” Its motion
also stated that “there is a real risk that terms and conditions, regulations and environmental standards will be reduced to American levels should the multinationals have their way”. At the Local Government conference, War on Want’s executive director John Hilary gave a special presentation on TTIP, saying that the agreement was aiming to remove regulatory ‘barriers’ that restrict the potential profits to be made by transnational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic. “Yet these ‘barriers’ are in reality some of our most prized social standards and environmental regulations” he added “such as labour rights, food safety rules, regulations on the use of toxic chemicals, digital privacy laws and even
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etween Big eryone Else! new banking safeguards introduced to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis.”
Hilary noted that coverage of TTIP often focused on healthcare but its impact elsewhere would be huge. For example, food hygiene would be at risk as it would become illegal to inspect meat that entered the country... “All government procurement contracts are fully open to market forces” he explained “Any provisions you might want to put in will be swept away as barriers to trade. We need to see TTIP for what it is - a battle between big business and everybody else.” Meanwhile, in July, Theresa Griffin, Labour MEP for the North West, joined other like-minded MEPs in voting against ISDS, Investor-State Dispute Settlement, which enables companies to sue governments, although this did not get the support of a majority of MEPs. Jude Kirton-Darling MEP, Labour’s European Parliament spokesperson on TTIP, said: “If done right, this deal between Europe and America has huge potential to grow our economy by several billion pounds a year. However, global
trade has to be properly regulated and must not lead to a race to the bottom on standards. “We have worked hard to ensure public concerns are reflected and that our public services – especially the NHS – and our environmental, food and labour standards, and workers’ rights, are protected” she added “Labour MEPs have worked to ensure TTIP can have a positive impact on people’s lives. We have been able to secure notable victories in this process and will keep up the pressure to get the right kind of trade deal.”
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A Budget For On Budget Day, UNISON members joined people from the community in Manchester city centre to say `No’ to austerity and `Yes’ to solidarity with the Greek people who gave a resounding `Oxi’, or `No’, to further austerity in their country.
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or one day only, the budget was strangely welcomed by the mainstream media, but UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis immediately slated the budget’s affect on public sector workers and the low paid... “Capping wages at a miserly one per cent for four more years for public sector workers will hasten the reluctant exit of many dedicated staff from our hospitals, schools and local councils” he said “The economy is growing, yet public servants remain shut out of the recovery. Despite bearing the brunt of austerity, they are to keep paying the price for the reckless behaviour of the banks. “Britain won’t have public services fit for 21st century needs, unless wages for public servants are high enough to attract the best recruits” he added “Pay austerity might be over for MPs but it’s set to continue for many more years for everyone else in the public sector. “An hourly rate of £7.20 is not a living wage” he explained “George Osborne’s announcement might look attractive at first glance but as tax credits are cruelly snatched away – leaving many workers £1,200 worse off – he’s simply giving to the low-paid with one hand and taking away with the other. An independently set living wage already exists, and its higher rate assumes the full take up of in-work benefits. Renaming the minimum wage will mean fewer employers will feel obliged to pay staff any more than the law requires them to.” One banner being carried in Manchester said it all `Stick Your Budget’...
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Austerity...
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Access To Work Fun The Government fund that ensures people with disabilities can work is under threat. Here we see how it could hinder one Bolton Council worker from doing her job...
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f all the nasty Tory Government cuts, the `review’ of Access to Work, or AtW, funding would easily be up there under the heading `Most Cruel’. AtW is a national Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) scheme which helps fund vital support to many thousands of deaf, deaf blind and disabled people in the workplace. It covers things like equipment and transport costs, as well as extra support like personal assistants or sign language interpreters. It’s almost the cornerstone of equality rights which allows those with disabilities to go to work, earn a wage, support their families, pay taxes and make a positive contribution to society. Indeed, an independent report by consultant Liz Sayce concluded that for every £1 spent on AtW, the exchequer gets a return of £1.48.
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nding Under Threat...
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Any cuts to AtW funding would have a negative impact on many deaf and disabled people and their ability to go out to work rather than rely on state benefits. So what did the Tories do? Within hours of getting elected they announced plans to review AtW. Abigail Dickinson has been a social worker for Bolton Council’s North Active Case Management Team for eleven years. She is deaf and relies on an interpreter, funded through AtW... “If it gets cut it will affect my ability to do my job, to go out and meet members of the public” she says “I won’t be able to go out of the office. Most of my interpreter’s income comes through Access to Work as well so it will affect both of us. Another Bolton Council worker, Peter, is a visually impaired social worker and he gets AtW to pay for taxis to go to work.” If the DWP review actually stops or puts caps on the level of funding, it will be up to employers, like Bolton Council, to pick up the tab – and the union is worried that cash strapped local authorities could ration the support ... “As the union rep I asked HR what would happen” says Bolton UNISON’s Martin Challender “They’d never even heard of the funding but said if it was cut they would look at it on an individual basis under the Disability Discrimination Act. They are not saying they wouldn’t fund deaf and disabled workers but in current climate it’s going to be a difficult battle I
think. “It leaves everybody in a difficult position at Bolton Council” he adds “They might say `We’ll pay for it but that will be at the expense of something else’ or ration it. Under Access To Work it’s agreed that if you need that support it’s provided – but the culture under local government is that every penny has to be scrutinised.” When Abigail informed her team of the review, they immediately got behind her, signed the petition* and created a motion that’s going to branch committee resolving to support the campaign against cuts to AtW support. “The Council would have to find support through Equality and Discrimination laws as it’s part of my contract to meet people in public” says Abigail “I’m quite lucky because I work for the Council but other people who work for smaller companies might lose their jobs. Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised if the hours I get support for are cut back. We will see what happens.” Of all the cruel Tory cuts, the review of AtW is right up there amongst the cruellest. Will Bolton Council support its own deaf, deaf blind and disabled workers? Watch this space... In the meantime, support the branch motion and please sign the 38 Degrees petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/ petitions/stop-changes-to-access-towork
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Call for Bolton University to be ‘Ethical’...
On 7th July, a lobby of Bolton University governors launched a campaign for Bolton University to be an `Ethical University’ with full financial accountability and transparency, following allegations reported in the national press about its financial mismanagement.
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here has also this year been a huge campaign for the reinstatement of Damien and Jenny Markey, sacked by the University at short notice in an alleged case of victimisation which has led to demonstrations, lobbies and petitions by trade unionists, Bolton students and the community.
Jennifer Markey’s claim is proceeding to an Employment Tribunal and is fully supported by UNISON. We will report the outcome in due course... Meanwhile, read the blog for the Campaign for an Ethical University of Bolton: http://campaignforethicaluob. blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/issue-2.html
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UNISON Blackpool Illuminations Trip
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n Saturday 26th September, the branch is planning another day out to Blackpool following enjoyable trips in previous years. The coach leaves at 1:30pm from the Old Police Station (our old office), and once we get to Blackpool there is a free afternoon to do as you wish before re-boarding the bus and returning via the incredible illuminations. The coach
should return home around 11pm. Tickets cost £4 for adults and £3 for children and are available from the branch office.
Panto Time! Oh Yes It Is!
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ith the Albert Halls out of order, the branch has managed to secure tickets for the ace Jack and the Beanstalk panto at Bolton Little Theatre for Saturday 19th December at 2pm. Jack climbs up the beanstalk to try and get the giant’s treasure and live happily ever after – but along the way there are frolics aplenty with lots of laughs and songs and `it’s behind yous’…
Tickets are £5 each, on sale from noon on 16th November, to Bolton UNISON members only, restricted to four per person and sold on a first come first served basis. They can only be bought by coming into the union office with either cash or a
cheque made payable to Bolton UNISON. *We are very sorry but this arena only has wheelchair access for one wheelchair, so we have two seats utilised for a wheelchair user and their carer. If you require a wheelchair space please contact the office by 26th October so we can try to allocate you an appropriate space.
Bolton UNISON Fishing Competition
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n 11th September Bolton UNISON is holding a fishing competition with an engraved trophy as the prize. It’s happening at Shore Lodge, Dunscar, between 10am and 3pm and costs £5 for a peg with all monies going towards the prize. For further details contact the branch office 01204 338901
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Tribute to Bertie Lewis
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assionate peace campaigner, Bertie Lewis, was remembered in a special ceremony at the beginning of August as a flagstone was laid in Victoria Square near where he used to stand, making a stand against war. “Bertie, a former crew member of Bomber Command, devoted his post-war life to the promotion of world peace” recalls Neil McAlister, Chair of Bolton CND and Stop War Coalition “He faced down much initial opposition to make the laying a wreath of white peace poppies an integral part of the ceremonies on Remembrance Sunday, a tradition continued by Bolton CND/Stop the War. “In his eighties Bertie was a familiar figure on Victoria Square holding up a placard opposing the wars in which Britain was increasingly involved” he adds “He didn’t hector passers-by; he just waited for them to speak to him. He waged peace peaceably. He is much missed.”
Bertie died in 2010 but his spirit lives on, and the laying of the flagstone in his memory was attended by members of Bolton CND, Stop The War Coalition, Bolton Trades Council, Bolton UNISON and the Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Carole Swarbrick. Bertie’s son, Roger Lewis, said: “Even though he is now dead, when momentous things happen in the world we know exactly how he would feel and how he would react to them. What he would always say is ‘We cannot stand idly by and do nothing’. “That is why he stood here in this Square come rain or shine – or even snow” he added “He would always be here, because he would not stand by and do nothing. He would do what he believed was right.”
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The Wigan Digger
Last year’s incredibly popular free admission Wigan Diggers Festival drew over 2,000 people to commemorate Gerrard Winstanley and the Diggers Movement with a full day of beer, open air events and concerts...
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his year’s 5th Festival looks even better with a line up including talks,
poetry, a puppet show, food and book stalls, arts and crafts and the Astral Circus Performers. There’s also loads of music including headliners Headsticks, Big Foot, Bug, John The Baptist and the 2nd Coming and Merry Hell. This year will include a special ceremony to re-name the area of the Festival site Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, after the famous 17th Century
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rs Festival reformer who sought equality before the law, the right to vote, the abolition of private property and common ownership of the land… “The earth was made to be a common treasury for all”, he said with words that still ring true today. Meanwhile, this year’s presentation of the Winstanley Spade Award, previously given to Tony Benn and Maxine Peake, will be handed to film maker Jimmy McGovern. The 5th Wigan Diggers Festival takes place on Saturday 12th September 11am-9:30pm in the gardens adjacent to The Wiend, containing the ‘Face of Wigan’ statue. UNISON sports and social will pay for train fare, plus a drink and a burger for every UNISON member who goes. Contact the UNISON Bolton office on 01204 338901 to book your place so we have an idea of numbers. Meet at Bolton Train station 11.30am. For further information see www.wigandiggersfestival. org
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Tory Trade Union Attacks Workers’
The Government’s Trade Union Bill is both unfair and undemocratic. Here we examine what effects it will have on working people in Britain.
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he Government has published the Trade Union Reform Bill which is now set to go through its stages in Parliament. The Bill is one of the biggest attacks on trade union organisation and goes even further than Thatcher did in the Eighties. The proposals are an attack on civil liberties, as well as prescriptive ballot thresholds and facility time. The TUC has agreed that the demonstration in Manchester on 4th October will now be a national TUC demonstration against the Bill. The TUC will also be organising a mass lobby of parliament in London on 2nd November. “This Bill is an unnecessary attack on
workers’ rights and civil liberties that will shift the balance of power in the workplace” says TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady “Getting a pay rise or defending terms and conditions will become far harder for working people. Even when ballots meet the Government’s new thresholds, employers will soon be able to break strikes by bringing in agency workers. “If ministers were really interested in improving workplace democracy they would commit to online balloting” she adds “However, they would rather silence protests against their cuts to children’s centres, libraries and social care services.
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Bill Rights… “These new restrictions on facility time will make it much more difficult for trade unions to solve problems at work before they escalate into disputes” she explains “Making it a criminal offence for seven people to be on a picket line is a waste of police time and not something you would expect in a country with a proud tradition of liberty.” Meanwhile, the Tory Government has announced plans to end the right of public sector workers to have union fees deducted from wages, after the Tax Payers’ Alliance stated that public money should not be used for this purpose... “I would like to make it clear that Bolton UNISON pays Bolton Council for this service” UNISON branch secretary Bernadette Gallagher responds “Whilst it is income generating for the Council it is unlikely to stop the Government imposing this restriction on all public sector employers. “Trade unions nationally and locally will continue to resist attacks on the unions right to organise” she adds “Our shop stewards and members are currently being asked to help with the exercise of preparing to switch subscription payments from payroll deduction to payment via direct debit.”
The Trade Union Bill… Would impose a minimum 50% turnout in ballots and public sector strikes would need the backing of at least 40% of those eligible to vote. Would give the Government the power to interfere in individuals’ contracts of employment and collective agreements which provide for facility time, even though these are voluntarily agreed by public sector employers. Would extend the role and powers of the Certification Officer (CO), who is responsible for regulating trade unions, including providing the CO with a new power to impose financial penalties on unions. Would require unions to report annually to the CO about levels of industrial action and on how political funds have been used. Would require union members to optin every five years to any payments into a union political fund. Would require employers to report on resources allocated for facility time in the public sector, and in organisations providing public services. The Government is also taking powers to impose a cap on the amount of facility time paid in each public and local authority. Would impose further restrictions on the right to picket Would remove the ban on the use of agency workers to replace striking workers.
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School Support St Difficult Behaviour
UNISON represents around 250,000 school support staff in the UK, including cooks, cleaners and caretakers as well as learning support staff. Now the union has produced a guide for all those who have to manage pupils’ difficult behaviour...
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on Richards, Head of Education at UNISON, states quite clearly in his introduction to the union’s new practical guide to Managing Difficult Behaviour in Schools that the issue “is one of the main areas that our members raise as a cause for concern...
‘A lot of support staff don’t think they are part of the school in a certain way’ “Unfortunately, school support staff are often overlooked when behaviour management strategies or training programmes are designed and it is too often assumed that only teachers need support or training on behaviour management” he explains “UNISON has commissioned this guidance to give support staff more confidence and practical help when dealing with challenging behaviour.”
‘...if the head sits in the office thinking they are god this guide will come in useful.’ The guide has been produced by exteacher and behaviour consultant, Tom Bennett, who, amongst advice in the 12 page brochure, gives his Top 10 Behaviour Tips...
1. Understand the school behaviour policy 2. Calmly explain what you need students to do, using non-aggressive, neutral language and tone 3. Repeat the instruction more firmly, but still calmly 4. Repeat the instruction once more, reminding then that they are at risk of breaking a school rule, which will have consequences for them 5. Summon help/record the incident/escalate 6. Take away the audience 7. Know their names 8. Follow up 9. Don’t walk alone 10. Don’t freak out. All these tips have a paragraph with explanations giving more detail of what he means, while the rest of the brochure goes into even more detail under headings like What to do if the school system isn’t working for you’, `Dealing with `He said, she said’’ and `Things to avoid when addressing a pupil’...including sense of humour, sarcasm, fury and being their best mate... “Even if you are a riot at the staff party, don’t assume that your sense of humour
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taff Get UNISON r Guide will have pupils in stitches” Tom writes “Teenagers especially have an almost mutant superpower to resist the cultural cues and comedy of the generation prior to them, and, for many, it is an act of conscious rebellion to disagree with your sense of humour...” We asked Bolton UNISON Schools Convenor, Jackie Winstanley, which tips and advice she thought would be most useful to support staff... “A lot of support staff don’t think they are part of the school in a certain way that accesses school structures and policies” she says “They think it doesn’t mean them, so the advice on how they should use the policies in school to their benefit to help with managing the children is good. Another good one is to use parents as friends not enemies, and to cultivate talking to parents when children are good not just when they are in trouble.
can expect teachers and head teachers to back them up” she adds “If you’re in a good school where you are included you won’t need this - but if the head sits in the office thinking they are god or if the teachers have the wrong attitude this guide will come in useful.”
“It will also be useful for some people if it gives them impetus to understand that they are part of the school, they can use the school structures and policy, and
Download the full brouchure at https://www.unison.org.uk/ upload/sharepoint/On%20line%20 Catalogue/22970.pdf
Final word to Tom Bennett... “Behaviour management is both simple and hard; surprisingly simple in its basic application, heart-breakingly slow in its execution.”
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Why I’m Voting Corbyn As Labo
Here Labour Link Officer, Martin Challender, explains why there’s only one choice for him in the Labour Party leadership race...
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n 1997, after the Labour election landslide, there was a sense that, after 18 years of the Tories and to quote the song, ‘things could only get better’. I think that every single person in my office voted Labour and it was very much an anti-Tory vote. That was the mood across the country...
There is no doubt in my mind that under Labour some things did improve... investment in public services increased and the Government introduced things like the minimum wage, the Human Rights Act, equality legislation and family tax credits. To some extent Labour benefitted from a 38
growing economy. Under both the Blair and Brown we saw privatisation continue, despite the public popularity of public services. Home Care services were increasingly transferred from being provided in-house to private companies and charitable organisations, which generally pay lower wages and work in direct competition with each other to win contracts and drive down costs. We also saw organisations like Bolton at Home being set up as council housing was subject to stock transfer. Pay and
For Jeremy our Leader
who genuinely want to represent the interests of the town. The problem nationally and locally is that Labour has become seen as a party implementing austerity rather than opposing it. What has been lacking is a clear sense of political direction within the Labour Party. I supported Ed Miliband but his greatest difficulty was that he could not give a clear sense that he was instinctively on the side of ordinary working class people.
conditions of council workers faced a series of threats and attacks, as did local government pensions. Collectively our strength as a union meant we were able to defend some of this but for council workers there was a feeling of disappointment and betrayal. To top this off we had Tony Blair taking us into an unpopular and illegal war in Iraq, followed by the expenses scandal. We then had the global banking crisis... No wonder people’s confidence in politics has been at an all-time low. I have stuck with Labour because I want to oppose the Tories but also because I want my union to be able to lobby and help shape the political agenda. We cannot do that from the side-lines. Locally we have had three good Labour MPs, all to the left of New Labour. Now we only have two. We have some good local councillors
The media tries to make everything about image and personalities when everything is really about ideas and politics. What I believe Labour needs and what the country needs is a return to a clear sense of socialist values based on a welfare state and public services. We need a society that works for everyone, not just millionaires and the directors of big banks or corporations. Jeremy Corbyn in my view represents those fundamental values. Unless Labour reestablishes itself as a party with those basic values I don’t see any immediate prospect that it can regain the mass support of ordinary people that it has enjoyed in the past.
Town Hall Developments... While some proposals for Bolton Town Hall have been dropped, Sue Vickers assesses the impact on staff...
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veryone knows that some of the controversial plans for Bolton Town Hall and Le Mans Crescent were shelved following an outcry about potential damage to the town’s heritage. People are much less aware of changes inside the Town Hall which will affect the Council workforce. The refurbishment of the Town Hall is part of a strategy to save £1m per year through reducing office space elsewhere. Estimates suggest that building costs could be anything between £3.5 and £8.5 million. There is concern about whether penalty clauses will apply following failures by ISG contractors to complete building work on time. UNISON has always criticised Bolton
Council’s `hot-desking’ and `clear desk’ policies which have been implemented elsewhere and are now being applied to Town Hall workers. From 2011 UNISON was involved in meetings with senior management to discuss accommodation and rationalisation. A joint Health & Safety inspection revealed that key UNISON recommendations had not been implemented and we withdrew in May 2014. UNISON representation for members remains unaffected as the union continues to monitor the situation via stewards and safety reps. UNISON and GMB trade unions submitted a joint grievance to raise numerous staff concerns in June. Look out for further details.
Bolton UNISON Sp Assistant of the Ye
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ponsors Teaching ear Award UNISON has sponsored the Teaching Assistant of the Year category in the Bolton News School Awards 2015...
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olton News has launched its School Awards 2015 to recognise those outstanding individuals involved in education. And our branch has sponsored the category for Teaching Assistant of the Year. “It’s the first time we’ve done something like this and, while there are different categories you can sponsor, for us it had to be for the Teaching Assistants” says Jayne Clarke, Bolton UNISON’s Local Government Convenor “We wanted to promote UNISON in schools because that’s one of our priorities and thought it was a good idea. Anyone can nominate any TA and all you have to do is say why that person deserves the award.” UNISON’s regional office has put up the money to sponsor the award and, in
return, UNISON gets its logo on all publicity, plus two half page adverts in the Awards supplements of the Bolton News. It’s a profile raising exercise for the union, as well as, obviously, rewarding one very special Teaching Assistant. Bolton UNISON’s Schools Convenor, Jackie Winstanley, will be a judge for the award and she’s looking for a very special entry... “Obviously I’m looking for dedication but it’s also about going beyond that as the normal everyday role is about dedication and caring, and you get that from 99% of all TAs, so it’s going to have to be that extra something” she says “When I start seeing
the nominations I will get a hint. I’m really looking forward to it.” Nominations close on 25th September and anyone who wishes to nominate a TA for the Award can fill in the form opposite or download one from the Bolton News website www.theboltonnews. co.uk/resources/ files/34660 The prize winner will be invited to a special presentation evening at the Holiday Inn in Bolton town centre in November.
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LABOUR LINK
Five more years of the Tories‌ UNISON members up and down the country reacted with despair and disbelief at the result of the General Election. David Cameron and his Conservative Cabinet have made it clear that they intend to step up their attacks on public services, trade unions and the most vulnerable in our society.
Party nationally and locally to pursue the collective goals and objectives of our union on behalf of our members. Every UNISON member has the option to decide whether or not a small part of their union contributions pays into what is known as the Affiliated Political Fund (or APF) to support this work.
Despite inevitable feelings of dread regarding the Tory Government, the fight goes on. It is worth remembering that the Conservatives have won a parliamentary majority based on support from around 25% of the electorate. There is likely to be huge public opposition to many of their plans. As trade unionists we cannot sit back and wait for the next General Election in five years and hope for a different result. We have to continue to campaign against the austerity agenda.
Within a big union branch it is inevitable that people hold different views about how best to defend public services in a climate of austerity. Bolton Labour Link is committed to the principles of solidarity and recognises the need for debate about the kind of world we want for ourselves and future generations. This is the debate that we take to the Labour Party.
UNISON Labour Link operates within the rules of the union as agreed and determined nationally. In Bolton we have an active Labour Link committee committed to working within the Labour
To get involved or find out more about Labour Link please get in touch with Martin Challender, Labour Link Officer 01204 338901 twitter hash tag #unisonlabourlink www.unisonnw.org/about-us-unisonlabour-link/
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1% Pay Rise Insult! F
or the last four years, Local Government workers have suffered pay restraint, whilst our pay is now worth 10% less than it was in 1997. The Tory Government’s budget capped public sector wages at a miserly 1% for four more years. Branch activists are still pushing to ensure that the decisions made by the Special LG Conference are carried out and an additional pay claim for 2015/16 is lodged and fought for properly, by taking industrial action if necessary. The joint trade unions nationally have also submitted a pay claim for 2016/17, which is demanding a £1 per hour increase and deletion of all the national pay points that fall below the UK Living Wage. Bolton branch is fully supportive of this pay claim; however we recognise that it will take industrial action in order to achieve an offer that tackles our members’ low pay.
Any industrial action that we do take must be coordinated with other trade unions, with the aim of pressurising the TUC to call a 24 hour General Strike against the Tories, their austerity and their assaults on workers. Words by Matt Kilsby
Claim Tax Relief on Uniforms, Work Clothes and Tools U
NISON members might be eligible to claim tax relief for uniforms, work clothes and tools used in doing a job. You get claim a flat rate of tax relief on £60 which for most equated to £20.
see https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/income-tax-tax-relief-forexpenses-of-employment-p87
For more information see: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relieffor-employees/uniforms-workclothing-and-tools And for an application form
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The Human Toll of FIFA’s Corruption... T
he decision to award the 2022 World Cup to the rich Gulf state of Qatar, which has a terrible human rights record, was controversial. There have been extensive allegations of bribery: why else, award the World Cup to a tiny country with sweltering summer heat and no soccer culture to speak of?
Now, as Qatar begins building the infrastructure to host the Cup, reports of migrant worker deaths start to pile up. A report put the total Qatar death toll of workers from Nepal, India and Bangladesh at 964 in 2012 and 2013. It is hard to know how many of those are specifically World Cup associated. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers come to Qatar each year. But the numbers could also be worse: a report by the International Trade Union Confederation has estimated 1,200 deaths so far, with up to 4,000 additional worker deaths by 2022. Conditions for migrant workers there are so bad that the International Trade Union Confederation has called the state “a country without a conscience.” There are over half a dozen petitions against the World Cup being held in Qatar. Google `Qatar Petition’ or sign this one to `end the slavery of Nepal migrant workers’... https://www.change.org/p/endslavery-of-nepalese-migrant-workers-inqatar John Vickers
Send A Selfie Bolton Fans! The campaign group Playfair Qatar is asking for people to take a photo of themselves holding up a Playfair Qatar sign, preferably wearing a footy shirt or scarf, and to either Tweet it or send it to the group, with the best photos being displayed on its website. So come on Bolton Wanderers fans! Print the signs here: http://playfairqatar.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2014/09/PlayFair_Qatar_printat-home-signs.pdf Send photos to: photos@playfairqatar. org or Tweet with the hashtag #playfairqatar For more information about the campaign and to see some of the photos see http://playfairqatar.org. uk/#section-about
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Big Friendly Ch Due to ongoing development at Bolton Town Hall there will be no pantomime at that venue this year – but Bolton UNISON has secured sixty cheap tickets for our members for the Christmas performance of Roald Dahl’s The BFG! at the Octagon Theatre on Saturday 19th December 2pm.
...Unable to fall asleep in her bedroom in the village orphanage, Sophie spies a huge and mysterious figure blowing something into bedroom windows down the street. Before she has a chance to hide, the giant snatches up the little girl and whisks her away to his home in Giant Country. But this giant is unlike the others Sophie comes across in this exhilarating tale...The BFG is funny, friendly and full of surprises, and it’s not long before he and Sophie embark upon all sorts of exciting adventures, becoming best friends in the process! The BFG! Is suitable for all ages over nine, and subsidised tickets will be sold to UNISON Bolton Branch members only on a first come first served basis. Tickets will be available from Monday 2nd November at 12noon and are £6 each, restricted to four per person. Buy them only from the branch office: The Hub, Bold St, Bolton BL1 1LS and pay either by cash or a cheque made payable to Bolton UNISON. For further details call 01204 338901
hristmas Giant!
UNISON Wordsearch
Bolton UNISON contacts list 2015
Branch Officers
Branch Chairperson: Branch Secretary: Branch Treasurer: Vice Chair: Assistant Branch Secretary: Equalities Officer: Education Officer: Welfare Officer: Life Long Learning Officer: New Technology Officer: Membership Officer: Young Members Officer: Communications Officer: Community Organiser Labour Link Officer: International Officer:
Convenors
mattk@unisonbolton.org Matt Kilsby (01204 338901) Bernie Gallagher (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org janet.bryan@unisonbolton.org Janet Bryan (01204 338903) admin@unisonbolton.org John Vickers (01204 338901) andreae@unisonbolton.org Andrea Egan (01204 338905) Garry Pritchard (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org admin@unisonbolton.org Sue Vickers (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org Julie Tudor (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org Sue Vickers (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org Eddie Pilling (01204 338901) jaynec@unisonbolton.org Jayne Clarke (01204 338901) Vacant Martin Challender (07949 194723) martinc@unisonbolton.org jaynec@unisonbolton.org Jayne Clarke (01204 338901) Martin Challender (01204 338901) admin@unisonbolton.org admin@unisonbolton.org Sean Warren (01204 338901)
Garry Pritchard (01204 333914) garryp@unisonbolton.org Adult Services: Cecilia Costello (01204 333915) cecilia@unisonbolton.org Chief Executives: janet.bryan@boltonathome.org.uk Janet Bryan (01204 329850) Bolton at Home: Jackie Winstanley Children Services: (Schools): jackie.winstanley@unisonbolton.org (01204 338906) ll -Middlefe Boardman i ools): Suz (Non-Sch Services: Children suzib@unisonbolton.org (01204 338907) tonyc@unisonbolton.org 338906) (01204 Cowell Tony Environmental Services: matthew.kilsby@bolton.gov.uk Development and Regeneration: Matt Kilsby (01204 336044) Walmsley Graham Bolton Community College: graham.walmsley@boltoncc.ac.uk (01204 482138)
OCTOBER 4th No To Austerity! Defend Our Unions! No To Racism! Join Bolton UNISON to protest at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester Tories not welcome here!