Stand up for Salford Issue 6 by Salford Star

the magazine of Salford UNISON Summer 2015 Issue 6 Free

Tories Not Welcome Here!

Protest at Conservative Party Conference October 4th M/cr

Dear UNISON Member (or future member)

elcome to our latest edition of Stand up for Salford. It’s been a while since the last one, which is a case of being too busy doing stuff to actually talk about what we’re doing. However, I do hope members appreciate the regular email updates and the posts on our (finally functioning) website. We do really try to keep you informed in what we’re up to, but there’s always room for improvement… We’ve had some big national events since the last edition. On the down-side we’ve had the election of a Conservative Government and with it the expectation of further massive cuts to the services we deliver. As well as enhanced austerity, the Tories

CONTACT SALFORD CITY UNISON: Branch Office 434 Chorley Road, Swinton 0161 794 7425/793 3126 office@salfordcityunison.org.uk Printed by: Caric Press Ltd 525 Ringwood Road, Ferndown Dorset, BH22 9AQ 01202 871 766 www.caricpress.co.uk

are intending to attack the unions because (quite rightly) they see us as a force confronting their plans to drag us back to Victorian times. As well as resisting attacks on jobs and services, we now have to resist attacks on our right to organise and defend ourselves. Our branch believes that the only way unions can do all of this is by going on to the offensive. The recent demo in London on June 20th was the latest fantastic display of solidarity by working people of all ages and backgrounds…we now need to follow it up with some coordinated strike action and a lesson from the Greek people (who at the time I am writing this have just rejected continued austerity in a national referendum). More locally, our branch has been dealing with attacks on health improvement, proposals to move adult care staff to an Integrated Care Origination, reorganisations in Children’s Services, more

schools attempting to become academies and massive cuts being proposed at Salford College…oh and the transfer of hundreds of our members to Salix Homes and Aspire. You can see now why the magazine has taken a while. It continues to be difficult times for local government workers (for workers generally) and that only makes our job more important. We need to remember that this Government only has the support of 24% of the population. It isn’t strong and if we work with other unions, anti-austerity politicians, service users and the public we can stop it in its tracks. That might sounds fanciful… but, again, I would draw your attention to Greece. Change is approaching. It won’t be too long before it leaves the sunny Mediterranean and reaches our shores. Steven North Branch Secretary Salford City UNISON

Contents Tories Not Welcome Here! Protest at Conservative Party Conference October 4th M/cr ÂŁ5,000+ Off Your Pay? Nowt is secure at Barton Moss Secure Unit! Bank Holiday Hell Coming soon to SCL How UNISON members stood up to the cuts An extraordinary improvement in Health Improvement Salford City College on the edge Why We Must Fight Over Pay! Salford moves towards integrated care The UNISON view Curious Cuba! A member cycles around the island for a good cause School Support Staff News UNISON Conference Reports Where are we heading under the Tories? Green Wheels Go Flat? UNISON Groups Women, LGBT and Black Workers Exposing UKIP Lies Plus news, views and reviews

How UNISON Members Cuts In Health Improv Salford City UNISON B

At the start of the year, all seemed bleak for workers and service users in Health Improvement. Now, after union members flexed some muscle, an `extraordinary outcomeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is on the cards, writes a Health Improvement steward...

alfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Improvement Service has not traditionally been thought of as a dissident hotbed for extreme union activities. On the contrary, it could be said that members have erred on the side of apathy in past conflicts. Many feel that the job they do is not for their own personal gain but to serve those at most need in the community that they work and often live in. However, earlier this year Salford Council bosses announced ÂŁ32.5m worth of cuts, with the promise of more to come in the future. Many frontline services would be affected and one of those would be the Health Improvement Service, with threats of over 50% of funding being moved away from its intended use and used to

shore up other services. At the time the Mayor said that the shortfall would be picked up by voluntary services and community groups. Not surprisingly, this came as a shock to many of the community groups and voluntary organisations as they had not been consulted on the notion of picking up council services. Then a movement began to take shape. With the support of the branch the first step was to encourage our fellow workers to join the union. Then we talked to community groups and community activists and encourage them to protest against the cuts via an online and paper protest. With the likely decommissioning

s Stood Up To vement... Branch

of the service and the threat of large scale compulsory redundancies and pay cuts, the resolve to fight this began to spread within the workforce.

`The only proposed changes in the new structure are positive ones...â&#x20AC;&#x2122; For the first time, Health Improvement had a large presence at the Unison AGM, and several members of the team stood and talked passionately about the service they work and care for, and about how the cuts could have devastating impacts on some of the most vulnerable people in society. At the end of the meeting most of the Team stayed behind and looked to devise a strategy to fight and raise awareness of the loss of services. The first opportunity to do this was to lobby the next Council meeting. Turnout was excellent and it was very

well supported by the community and staff from all areas including senior management, many being just as disgusted at the scale and potential impact of the cuts as the frontline workers and service users. The lobby was also a great opportunity to confront the councillors who were to make the decision on the proposed cuts and request that they change their minds. This turned out to be interesting, to say the least. Some stopped to talk and even seemed sympathetic to the cause. Some ignored us, while others argued that it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t them that was making the cuts but the Tory Government, and that they had no choice. Others seemed to be almost aggressive because we had dared to talk to them. We did not let this stop us, in fact it had the opposite effect as it angered people to such an extent that many people became more determined to fight the cuts.

The protest was gathering momentum, and more and more community activists were becoming involved, while local newspapers had started to take an interest, publishing several stories. One of these articles led to an unprecedented attack on UNISON representatives, management taking the view that steward time would be removed for a period. The feeling behind the whole movement was now beginning to alter. It was beginning to feel like a battle now, lines drawn in the sand and an `us versus themâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mentality was prevailing. It was out of this and a feeling that the consultation process was nothing more than an obligatory exercise that UNISON decided to test the water with a consultative ballot. The ballot took place with a very high number of people being prepared to take action against the cuts and this gave UNISON an extremely powerful stance at future meetings. 82% of members voted and, of those, 83% said they would be willing to take action if action to avoid compulsory redundancies. 97% stated

that they would be willing to take action to avoid detrimental changes to terms and conditions. Following this ballot, senior officers met with union representatives, as they recognised they needed to find another way. The consultation period was extended and further meaningful talks began to take place. As we go to press, all cuts have been put on hold, and it seems that it could be the case that no compulsory redundancies are needed and no pay cuts will be taking place whilst members terms and conditions will also be protected. In fact the only proposed changes in the new structure are positive ones where a small number of staff will be receiving pay rises. This seems an extraordinary outcome from one that at the beginning of the year seemed so bleak. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not over yet. However we have turned our membership around, more people have joined the union and more people are prepared to stand up for their beliefs.

A Voice From The Frontline… Salford City Council Children’s Safeguarding Services...ARE GOOD!!!

fsted have been and gone. They have left behind their impressions, and they were “good”. Understandably our City Directorship is happy. However, the exultancy must be tempered.... Since 2010 the budget for Children’s Safeguarding has been ring-fenced. The proposal from the City Mayor’s Office is to save £1.5m from that very budget in this financial year. That represents sixty social work posts, or the entire child protection team. Where is this money to be saved from? The City Mayor’s Office remained quiet on the matter, obviously awaiting the outcome of the inspection. Had Salford `required improvement’ it would have been very difficult to justify cutting services. The positive outcome for Salford City Council is that Ofsted rate services “good”. Ofsted will now stay away for four years, and our Directorship can cut, chop and slash without interference. The axes are being sharpened, and public opinion will soon be massaged so that social care staff are seen as `whingers’, to ensure smooth slices are made with the minimum resistance. And at the heart of the decisions is the compromise to the safety of the children of Salford. Social care staff have continued to shore up the system for a long time. Currently the stressrelated absence figures show alarming strain on services. Instead of recognising that managing the protection of children needs sympathetic

management, the response to the (City Council’s own) audit of staff sickness is to impose an oppressive attendance management process. The release of the audit was carefully manipulated to ensure public sympathy sat with the Council, and not the people who are stressed. It is never implied that Ofsted found the Safeguarding service “good” because social workers and support staff work hours and hours extra to ensure cases are meeting performance management targets. It is never implied that Ofsted found the Safeguarding service “good” because of the goodwill of staff, and not as a result of appropriate staffing. When the axe falls, those same social workers (or the ones left) will be asked to provide the same safeguarding guarantees for the children of Salford, with less resources, less colleagues and the laughter of the current Directorship as they negotiate their own contracts with other authorities and leave the ship as it begins to flood… You heard it here first. Keep this copy of this magazine and refer to it in 2017…

Salford Moves Towar the UNISON view... Salford is currently in the process of integrating health and social care and, while UNISON supports the principal of integrated health and social care, the union has a number of concerns about the way Salford is proposing to do it…

he first thing we should make absolutely clear is that UNISON supports the concept integrated health and social care. Our union represents workers in both sectors and their experiences inform our view that patients, carers, advocates, the community and staff can suffer in terms of personal experience and lack of optimal service from barriers between the two. The second thing to make clear is that any points of concern about the transferring of staff from the local authority to an external body are not due to fears of diminished terms and conditions or pay. Local Government and NHS terms and conditions are broadly comparable – in fact in some regards, NHS terms and conditions are better. However, we do have concerns about the fact that members transferring could lose their right to any nationally determined pay rises. At sessions with Salford Council, UNISON highlighted an array of issues which we are trying to resolve, including the clash of cultures between the NHS, which essentially `treats’ people, and the Council’s `care’, which covers factors that contribute to health and well being , like housing, employment, education and environment.

We have concerns about the understanding of the difference between a medical and social work model and the effect on people from the community using the services – a person centred approach is integral to adult social care when assessments and decisions are made; will this change? Hospitals do not do home visits before patients are discharged; how will this fit with social care? How will the change affect reviews of domiciliary and care homes? For our members, will the ability to challenge health professionals diminish? How will seven day working affect contracts, working conditions and staffing levels? How will the positive risk taking culture of social work fit with the risk averse culture in Salford Royal Foundation Trust? On governance, we understand that the Council is exploring the legal implications of outsourcing a number of statutory services and functions. It may be the case that those legal requirements can be met, but does there not still remain the issue of basic democracy? The people of Salford who use these services get to vote for who they want to run the Council – they don’t with the Health Trust. As a result of these concerns, UNISON has asked the Council to consider

rds Integrated Care whether it would be better for the proposed Integrated Care Organisation to be hosted by the Council.

current and singularly proposed direction of travel is maintained as a one-way option.

An ICO hosted by Salford City Council would ensure local democratic oversight over social care and also place key aspects of healthcare under the stewardship of a body democratically elected by the people of Salford and best placed to take the ‘holistic’ view of what is meant by `care’ as opposed to `treatment’.

At the very least we believe that the starting point for discussing and assessing where an ICO should best be hosted and led, if it is to proceed at all, is to look at all the pros and cons offered by each partner. We feel strongly that an options appraisal approach to this question is a basic necessity and is in fact the usual practice adopted by the City Council.

We also struggle to see how an ICO – a body designed to reduce hospital admissions and minimise hospital stays – is better hosted by a Hospital Trust than by a local authority with its much wider duties, powers and influences over everything that constructs the health and wellbeing of a locality. Local authorities have expertise in areas like care in the community, early years, supporting employment and education; as well as public health, which recently returned from the health service to local authorities. Meanwhile, at a Greater Manchester level, health and social care are being devolved from national government. The timescales for an ICO in Salford could mean that we will be `doing our own thing’, outside a hugely significant strategic (and constitutional) development within our sub-region that will inevitably encompass a much broader range of service areas and responsibilities. We run a genuine risk of integrating the kitchen with the dining room but fragmenting the house.

As things stand, the staff who participated in those sessions and whose views represent a broad range of services do not know whether the measures they see as vital to protect social care in the proposed ICO can be honoured. Until a response is provided to the staff and that response is discussed with them, we do not feel that Salford City Council could consider its own Community, Health and Social Care staff as fully able to engage with these proposals from an informed base.

We are concerned that as things currently appear, our members concerns may not be properly addressed and that ultimately the best of social work and the supportive social care model may be lost if the

Conference Report... Salford UNISON’s branch treasurer, Ameen Hadi, reflects on the Conference debate on the union’s Political Strategy `The UK is not a right-wing country, but a divided country’

NISON outlined its ‘comprehensive’ political campaign strategy in response to the ‘dangerous situation’ created by the shock General Election result. One delegate declared it the “most important strategy document in UNISON’s history”... With the Tory majority, the UK faces a dismal future that will involve increased privatisation and dismantling of public services, massive job losses, continuing pay restraint and a concerted assault on trade union rights. The country also faces a continuing drive to privatise, notably in the NHS and probation, alongside an increase in the number of free schools and academies in England. Yet the strategy, proposed by the National Executive Council and five branches including Salford City Branch, notes that “in this moment of Conservative triumphalism, we must keep in mind that their permanent austerity agenda is not as widely shared by the public as it might appear. “The UK is not a right-wing country, but a divided country” it adds “Only a quarter of the electorate and fewer than 4 in 10 voters supported the Conservatives, and their victory has been met with more dismay than joy.” UNISON “would not be silenced” by the Tory assault on trade unions. The continuing danger posed by UKIP is also evident, especially after the four

million votes the right-wing party won in the election, and which one delegate described as “the living, racist scar across the country”. All parts of the union should have the opportunity to feed into and shape UNISON’s political messages, including branches, regions, self-organised groups, national young members’ forum and retired members, together “building unity and cohesion for the period ahead”.

“Only a quarter of the electorate and fewer than 4 in 10 voters supported the Conservatives, and their victory has been met with more dismay than joy.” The central aims of the union remain to protect members’ jobs, defend quality public services, protect and enhance pay, living standards and gender equality, and to defend the rights of

trade unions to take action, including industrial action. Beyond these aims, the political campaign strategy will: • build stronger links with anti-poverty organisations; • convene and seek TUC support for a national demonstration against austerity and racism at the Tory party conference in Manchester in October; • work with other trade unions, campaign groups and the TUC to organise the biggest possible campaign of meetings, rallies and action to defend the right to strike; • work to ensure that the union is supporting and training the new generation of trade union activists.

Barnet, Bromley, Glasgow and other branches were “fighting back”, demonstrating the possibility of turning the tide. Coordination between regions and branches was “pivotal” to the strategy, as was fighting the Government’s attempts to limit trade union effectiveness. And John McLoughlin, of Tower Hamlets, said that a rally during the conference in support of striking homeless caseworkers showed why there was hope for the future. He said: “The spirit in George Square demonstrated just how strong we can be, when we are united.” I was honoured to speak in this debate on behalf of the Branch. I am proud that Salford City Unison branch contributed to this strategy and will continue to campaign for the leadership to put this fighting spirit into action.

UNISON Conference 2015

Lisa Millar attended UNISON’s National Delegate Conference this year for the first time. Here are her thoughts...

was surprised at how big an event it was and how well it was organised. The paperwork was comprehensive and easy to follow, and there were lots of great speakers, including UNISON’s Ameen Hadi and Magda Sachs who did Salford proud. There is one thing I specifically want to share. A guy named Robert O’Donnell had been employed at the SECC (conference venue) for the past twelve years as a gardener. During the past two years he had become actively involved with the union as predominantly a health and safety rep. During this period he had noticed that his managers had shifted their attitude towards him in a negative way. In April this year Robert was suspended from work following an un-witnessed incident with a supervisor. He was taken through the disciplinary procedure and eventually dismissed in May. On the first day of conference pro-

ceedings were halted slightly early so delegates could hold a protest outside the SECC. This was attended by all delegates, the branch sec from Glasgow and Robert himself. Later on in the week delegates marched from the SECC to Glasgow City Hall and attended a rally there. UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, spoke directly to city hall and warned that if Robert was not reinstated the SECC would be taken off the list of approved conference venues. The SECC is 91% owned by Glasgow city council. This, more than conference itself, showed me the power of being in a union. The strength of injustice felt and the support given to Robert was inspiring, to say the least. You can follow Robert’s story on shop stewards.net. In conclusion, national conference was informative and interesting, and I would definitely do it again.

News For Schoo School workload, cuts, surveys and UNISON guidance and campaigns. Here, Diane Ogg, Assistant Branch Secretary, rounds up all the schools news...

here is lots of new and current information relating to School Support Staff and I have picked out what I feel is most in the ‘spotlight’ and likely to be of interest to you. First of all, at UNISON’s National Delegates Conference a motion was carried titled ‘Workload In Schools’, stating that increases in workload are causing severe problems for many SSS across the UK. UNISON’s survey of over 15,000 SSS members showed that: 1) 80.4% (10,804 respondents) said they were concerned about workload. 2) 74.0% said they regularly worked unpaid overtime 3) 81.0% of those working unpaid overtime said they were forced to do so as a result of increasing workloads. The Conference also noted that the schools workforce is dominated by women, particularly those in the lower paid jobs - TAs, clerical and catering staff, escorts and cleaners. Many of these women also work in multiple jobs to make a living wage and/or have caring responsibilities. For these women the additional pressure to work unpaid overtime has a severe impact on both their homes and working lives. Following an intervention from UNISON, the DfE entered discussions with SSS unions to do a similar exercise for SS.

Meanwhile, a recent analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies of the main political parties public spending pledges suggested that funding per pupil could fall in real terms by at least 7%, and up to 12%, resulting in substantial job losses among both teaching and support staff with huge implications for remaining workers amidst generally rising pupil numbers. Indeed, the Leeds Schools Forum has projected that schools could be compelled to save some £1bn by 2020, equivalent to the loss of 20,000 full-time teaching posts. Conference noted that SSS often bear the brunt of cuts in schools funding through job losses, increased workloads and attacks on terms and conditions, and called on the LGSG Executive to:a) continue to campaign for a reduction in support staff workload; b) Work with UK governments on strategies to reduce workload problems; c) campaign to the maximum extent feasible alongside the main teaching unions, in particular the NUT, over the increasingly critical issue of schools funding; d) Make it clear to governments that strategies for reducing workload for teachers should not negatively impact on support staff. Secondly, UNISON is currently advertising their ‘Learning Together In

ol Support Staff

Schools’ Guide which introduces and offers courses and learning resources for TAs and SSS. If you are keen to know more please do not hesitate to contact me. A topic that crops up regularly amongst some school based staff is Managing Difficult Behaviour In Schools, and UNISON has launched its new guidance that could provide useful information for SSS, especially when working in a school environment where challenging behaviour is on the increase. You can

download it here... https://www.unison. org.uk/upload/sharepoint/On%20line%20 Catalogue/22970.pdf Last but not least I do have some revised guidance on Medicine Management. If anyone is interested please contact me at the Salford UNISON Branch office on 0161 794 7425

School Support Staff Seminar Hears Of Common Issues... UNISON steward Debbie Tongue represented Salford at a support staff seminar in Cardiff and found common problems across the board – recognition, pay, support and redundancies...

n a very packed day we heard about the changes to education and the effects this will have on all support staff in Britain...redundancies, staff issues, not enough recognition, money (lack of it for support staff in schools), no effective CPD, safety of support staff, and a ‘them and us’ teacher support atmosphere was still very apparent, right across the board. Here’s a summary of the main issues discussed... • In effect there will be a 7.4% cut to schools budgets. In Manchester another 1,500 jobs are to be cut in schools and Salford is having to make another £17million of cutbacks. * The new Government is to introduce more academies and more free schools (500 in total!) in England, more testing, EBac, and a new Education Bill (another!) * The challenge for the DfES at the moment is more pupils, but more places are

needed. * Term time contracts – these are not transparent enough, and the law is not clear when it comes to bank holidays etc. The basic right of the support worker are important but not clarified. Brett Pugh, director for Education and Skills in the Welsh Government, made a speech about his country’s plans - no academies or free schools, as they do not believe the academy or free school system is working and don’t want it.

Action Mesothelioma Day 2015 S

alford UNISON was one of many organisations supporting Action Mesothelioma Day earlier this month, which raises awareness of mesothelioma, remembers and honour the victims, and promotes an Action Mesothelioma Charter. Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The Charter includes a call for speedy and accurate diagnosis for sufferers, good quality treatment, funding of research into mesothelioma and for employers to provide safe working environments. Salford Quays was previously one of the busiest ports in Britain where deadly bags of asbestos were regularly handled by dock workers. Victims of mesothelioma include former dock workers and workers from other local industries who were exposed to asbestos dust at work. “Each year Action Mesothelioma Day is a very moving and poignant event” says Salford solicitor Helen Bradley who attended this year’s event “Asbestos exposure continues to have devastating consequences which often manifest several decades after exposure to asbestos. It is a unique opportunity for loved ones and their legal representatives to raise concerns to the MPs attending and fight for justice for victims of this devastating disease”. If you believe you have an asbestos related condition or would like further information about Action Mesothelioma Day please contact Birchall Blackburn Law on 0800 614 722 or Helen directly on 0161 238 5637.

London March Ag On June 20th the Salford City UNISON banner was carried proudly through London as 250,000 people marched against austerity. Here’s some reflections...

rom the start of the march from the Bank of England to Westminster we had our branch banner held high and those around us said they were using it as a land mark. The atmosphere was electric with bands playing in the background and one just in front of us. Many people were taking pictures of our banner. There were babes in arms and elderly people and everyone in between. Helicopters circled overhead whilst hooters and sound systems blared out and there was perpetual chanting. There were a huge variety of protesters participating in the march, all with their own condemnation of Tory cuts, coming together to let the Government know just how they feel.

When we arrived at Westminster it took over an hour for the rest of the march to reach us there were so many people. It went without saying that the mass crowd would fight back and not give up demonstrating against austerity! Yvonne Donlon, Elaine Clapham and Simon Tomkinson

gainst Austerity

OCTOBER 4th Protest Outside the Tory Party Conference in Manchester No To Austerity! Defend Our Unions! No To Racism!

The Conservative Party is coming to Manchester this October for its annual conference. This is our chance to give them a northern welcome and demonstrate what we think about their policies. The TUC has organised a national demonstration against the Government’s austerity agenda and attacks on trade unions. It will take place on Sunday 4th October and will begin with a march through central Manchester, culminating in a rally close to the Conservative Party Conference. UNISON is also calling for the demand to oppose racism as part of this protest “This October’s march and rally will allow thousands of ordinary people to show the Government exactly what they think of their policies” says TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady “The Conservative’s planned attack on trade unions and extreme cuts are an assault on working people.” At the UNISON conferences in June, a number of debates highlighted the concerns UNISON members have about what has already happened in the services they work for and their jobs, and changes that the Government has announced.

These include: *Changes to benefits including Universal Credit replacing a number of previous benefits *The Bedroom Tax *Cuts to payments to local councils resulting in locally made decisions to close services *A fall in public sector pay, with local government workers 20% poorer in real terms *Concern for the future of the NHS. If you feel that the Government is going in the wrong direction... if you want to show your support for public services and citizens... join Salford City UNISON on 4th October. We will be giving more information about when and where nearer the time. The People’s Assembly is also planning a series of protests and events during the Conservative Party conference. To find out what is planned, visit: http://www. thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/ calendar You can read more about this in the UNISON Austerity Audit https://www.unison.org. uk/upload/sharepoint/On%20 line%20Catalogue/23139.pdf

h...

UNISON Supports In June a branch delegation went to the Homeless Camp to meet with the `residents’, hear their concerns and find out what practical help members could give.

he Camp is essentially a protest against rising homelessness in Manchester and Salford, as well as a safe place for those who have been sleeping rough on the streets. It’s moved around various sites in Manchester, from Albert Square to St Peter’s Square, to St Ann’s Square and now to Castlefield, where members met some of the young people who told of their plight. “Part of the reason I’ve come down here is that my job involves working with young people who have left care, and a lot of them who live in Salford are finding it much more difficult getting accommodation, dealing with the benefit system and just can’t cope, so they’re ending up homeless and roofless” explained UNISON steward Dave Gorton “These people are showing everyone that there is an increase in homeless young people because of austerity cuts, a lack of social housing and also because of the benefit system” he added “I also wanted to listen to the young people and bring that back to our team. I’m seeing that things are getting worse and worse and worse. It’s important that trade unionists support this.” Our branch has recently passed a motion to Support the Homeless Camp and Support Salford Homeless Hostels. It expressed `disappointment that Manchester City Council is using the courts to try and break up the homeless protesters’ and `extreme concern about the threat to homeless hostels in Salford:

Abbotts Lodge, Project 34, Liberty House and Salford Foyer’. The motion added that `The Homeless should be treated with dignity and respect’, and supported the protesters `What we stand for and what we want’ statement... • Individual/shared permanent housing • Prevention of homelessness • Effective challenge of the process whereby people are described as ‘intentionally homeless’ • Protection of our human rights • Stop the cuts The branch agreed to give a donation of £100 to the Camp, which is currently buying items that the Camp needs. While visiting Castlefield the branch delegation also met with the human rights organisation, RAPAR, which has been helping the Camp with legal advice and more... “As trade unionists they’ve decided that what is happening with regards to the homeless crisis is relevant for them” said RAPAR’s Rhetta Moran “Their approach is very important, which is `Can we some down and listen, and talk about what they need’. I hope that all trade unionists take a leaf out of Salford UNISON’s book and do it from the bottom up - because the solution lies with the homeless people themselves in concert with everyone else around them, not by having solutions imposed upon them.”

s Homeless Camp

Barton Moss Sta Over £5,000 From Night residential workers at Barton Moss Secure Centre for young people are set to lose over £5,000 from their annual wages thanks to a re-evaluation of their jobs which changes the description slightly but hammers their pay packets...

“N

obody’s actually spoken to the night staff but someone has just decided that they’re worth less; at least £5,000 less” explains Beverley Fahy, steward at Barton Moss Secure Centre which houses some of the most vulnerable and volatile young people in Salford. Following a reorganisation, staff are no longer being called `night residential workers’, they are being called `night care workers’, and, apart from the job title change, there’s very little difference in role, other than toilet duties. The new block at Barton Moss now has en suite bathroom facilities which management argues will lead to less contact at night with the young people – but the amount of times staff spent actually escorting them to toilets was very little. Indeed, staff experience and examples show that the en suites is only a side issue. There has been an increase in young people living at Barton Moss and they are more troubled than in the past and require greater support.

A union survey over the last twelve months shows that there were 240 nights extra of high observations carried out every five to eight minutes due to risks of self harm, and there were 204 nights of high observations due to first night alerts. Meanwhile, staff have been continually involved in the restraint of young people, one incident lasting over three hours, and extra support has been required on nights before court appearances or for late admissions. The need for contact has actually increased, not decreased, while the role has become more onerous – just at the time that management wants to downgrade the incredibly stressful job. There are also inherent dangers and risks within the proposals, with cuts to senior staff on the night team. “At the moment we’ve only got four night staff on duty so when the young people need assistance it leaves one of the other units with no night staff; it is dangerous”

aff Set To Lose m Wages Beverley explains “They are saying that at 2am most young people are asleep so you can leave them but a lot of the young people are on high observation and there are possible risks – risks of complaints because staff they work on their own, and if a young person is on high observation because of threats of suicide how would staff cope if something happened? It’s up to us to make sure those young people stay safe. “If there’s no management on, who takes responsibility?” she asks “They say it’s the on-call duty managers but it’s going to be a bigger problem if they don’t have anyone. It gets a bit rowdy at bed times and you need experienced staff who are trained to deal with any issues. Staff just feel devalued by the management team and the Council by what they are proposing to do.” Night staff, who helped the Unit get an `outstanding’ OFSTED report, aren’t just feeling devalued, they are also feeling angry, and on a recent show of hands said they would go into dispute. They are angry because of the prospect of losing thousands of pounds a year from their pay, on top of losing money in real terms from lack of inflation linked wage rises over the years. There are also angry at issues around pay and grading... “Our job description states there’s scope to progress but it’s being blocked, even though we’re doing everything that’s asked” Beverly explains “Instead they are looking at re-evaluating and downgrading our roles. The consultation period has

now ended and they want to rubber stamp it as soon as possible. They just want to hear any queries on the new job description but and are not interested in talking about the old one. There’s not much difference apart from thousands of pounds in salary.” Now the union has been seeking the views of day staff at Barton Moss to see if they would support night staff, and the majority are saying they would not cover shifts if the night staff went on strike. The potential dispute is also of interest to other open units... “It’s not affecting us at the moment but we do have night staff and it could affect them in the future” says Lisa Millar, UNISON steward for children’s homes “I will be asking our members to support the night staff at Barton Moss. I wouldn’t work there for £1,000 a week! It’s a very tough job. We admire the staff at Barton Moss because not many people can do it.” For Beverly, the Council’s proposals are storing up trouble, both on the industrial relations front and for the staff and young people involved. “They’ll re-advertise the jobs at the lesser rate and then people will come in untrained and will not know how to deal with young people” she predicts “It will put a lot more strain on the day staff, the night staff and the whole system. The residential workers of the children’s homes and Barton Moss are like the foundation of a building. Without them the places will crumble...”

Why We Must Fight What happened last year Last July, Local Government workers took one day of strike action to demand £1 pay increase on the hourly rate and at least the Living Wage for all council staff on Green Book terms and conditions. We were promised further action in the autumn with our colleagues in Health. Unfortunately, for a deal that was no better than the original offer, the strike was cancelled at the last minute. Taking on the leadership Salford Branch supported the call for a special conference, initiated by Manchester, to challenge how the Union leadership had in effect abandoned the dispute undemocratically. Branches representing over 25% of affected members supported this call, forcing the Union to hold a special conference in March. This is only the second time this has occurred in the Union’s history. A very special conference At this one day special Local Government conference branches overwhelming voted, not only for more democratic accountability to stop deals being done without proper member involvement and consultation, but for our pay claim for a £1 extra per hour to be resubmitted this year to employers. The Employer has subsequently refused to

North West and Greater London Regions recommended that our members to reject this offer and to take further action but in the rest of the country UNISON branches - under pressure from the national leadership - accepted defeat and their pessimism translated into acceptance of a terrible deal.

reopen negotiations on this year’s pay claim. The fight goes on At this year’s National Local government conference in June, Salford branch submitted an emergency motion on pay to commit the Union to industrial action if the employer was unwilling to make a reasonable offer. On the eve of Conference our branch organised a fringe meeting to discuss this proposal and 90 delegates attended. Unfortunately the motion was never discussed on Conference floor but motions committing the union to fight on pay and to have a programme of escalating strike action were passed. There was no doubt on Conference floor that we expected those words to be turned into action. Why is pay so important?

work in Local Government in England and Wales, approximately one million workers, get paid less than £21,000. Half of them earn less than £15,000 basic pay. All Local Government workers have lost 20% in real terms in their pay over the last five years. This has happened on top of loss of terms and conditions, down grading and privatisation of our jobs and services. This has got to stop! Why now? It seems clear that another five years of Tory rule will leave little left of public services and jobs. The Government also wishes to bring in new draconian anti trade union laws which will make legal disputes virtually impossible. If the Union is to make a stand against this it should do so now before their planned misery is implemented.

Two thirds of those who

Over Pay Now! We do have the power In the past five years we have taken national strike action twice. On both occasions we were joined by other unions and they were the biggest strikes since 1926. After each time, Union leaders backed down from escalation despite the strikes massive impact. Union leaders last year, at the behest of the Labour Party, withdrew from disputes supposedly to aid their election efforts. The failure to continue the action, along with Labour unwilling to oppose further austerity, has left us with a Tory Government that believes 25% of the electorate backing them is a mandate to introduce massive welfare cuts and dismantling of public services that will take us back to the 1930s! We have a duty on behalf of public services, our families and our future to organise resistance that can stop this Government in its tracks. Our members, together with other workers who have similar grievances, can take coordinated action to make this happen. Think what impact a strike will have during Tory Party conference or when Parliament meets to discuss the Trade Union Bill! A clear strategyof escalation with other unions can win!

New UNISON Stewa As challenges grow in local government and its related companies, encompassing cuts, antiunion laws, redundancies, and attacks on terms and conditions, trade unions are needed now more than ever. But unions are nothing without representation from what used to be called the `shop floorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Here we ask some new Salford City UNISON stewards why they got involved, what it entails and how good it feels to represent their fellow workers...

ards For Salford... Rob Sharpe – Steward, Salford Community Leisure “I became a steward about two months ago. We’ve got two unions in our place, the GMB and UNISON, but while GMB have always had one or two, UNISON hasn’t. Then the problems over Bank Holiday working came up so I took it from there. I got nominated but it was quite easy because there was only me from leisure centres and no-one had done it before. I represent around fifty members, who range from managers, to gym floor workers, to lifeguards and active lifestyle teams. The mangers in our workplace are quite amenable. Although we’ve got this Bank Holiday working issue, management has said they’re not going to hold it against me or anything, and the chief executive of staff wants us to be involved. I’d definitely encourage other people to become stewards because you need people to link up between the branch, whose people really know what they are doing, and the staff members, especially those who don’t understand employment contracts and obligations in the workplace. I’d certainly encourage everyone to join a union. Being a steward, you get facility time off and time off for training. I’ve looked into a few things already to try and help some people. It’s good. It’s about getting stuck in.”

Dave Bradley Steward, Health Improvement “I became a new steward earlier this year, after saying that we needed more in our department. I put in for it and went along to the training which I found really interesting and insightful. I was expecting, I suppose, a lot of dissatisfied, disgruntled employees but actually they were just people like me who wanted to support their colleagues, do the right thing and see their particular service improve in a collaborative way. The training was six weeks, focussing on different aspects of being a steward; so there was stuff around supporting individuals, building campaigns, employment legalities and health and safety. It covered everything you could think of and was really engaging. It makes a difference when you’ve got someone teaching you who is really passionate, it adds so much value to the course. We’ve just gone through a lot of disruption within our own service and so my role as a steward has been more around organising and getting people to stand up for what they believe in, and to encourage the Council to reinvest money into our service. I’ve spoken up in consultations on behalf of people I work with and challenged certain aspects of things, and I suppose that can be quite daunting but I’m a community worker so I’m used to standing up and shouting sometimes. I’ve enjoy being a steward; it’s a valuable role and something I can get my teeth into. I think the more we get involved the better, especially with everything that’s going on around us, not just locally but nationally. It’s really important that workers have an input into how services run because they are the people on the coalface whereas management have a more strategic view. I’ve always had an interest in unions and everything connected with them. I love the art, the music and I’ve got a strong belief in the need for them; as much today in modern society as when they first originated, when there were lots of manipulative employers. And I still think that’s true today.”

New

UNISON

Stewards

New

Dave Gorton – Steward, Children’s Services “I’m one of these people who, over the years, has been complaining about things that have been happening to public services that have been cut. And then I started going to different meetings and getting involved in campaigns and I became quite passionate.

UNISON

Stewards

“I thought that if the Tory Government gets in we’re really going to need lots and lots of stewards to be out there to support people because they are going to try and annihilate them. I’m not exactly sure what I’m doing but I’m passionate and I want to support public services and support our services in Salford because I’m really worrid that the local authority and the Government are going to try to cut the power of the unions and everything, and I think it’s now that we need the unions to support the most vulnerable people and public sector jobs. I’ve been a steward for just over two months and I’m expecting over the next year or so to really do the best that I can to campaign and support people who are going to have their jobs cut.”

Race Equality In The Workplace T

his conference took place at Congress House in April and opened with the statement: “Conference calls on TUC to stand firm in defence of black workers and resist further erosion of legal rights, ensure that current and future governments maintain progress towards race equality, and renew our commitment to race equality”. “It’s time to change the way we talk about immigration” said TUC General Secretary, Frances O’ Grady, in her opening speech “Let’s start talking about the exploitative bosses, let’s hear it for all the overseas doctors and care workers, rather than scapegoating newcomers for an existing crisis in social housing, and let’s stop selling off the stock”. The conference launched the TUC report, Living On The Margins: Black workers and casualisation*; while motions fell largely into five categories - Jobs growth and a new economy; fair pay and the living wage; goods and services; decent welfare and strong unions. The Decent Work For All workshop noted the following key points -1.2 million people in Great Britain suffer from work related illness. 1 in 12 workers are in insecure work. 6 out of 10 public sector workers have been bullied or witnessed bullying at work. And that 60,000 women were forced out of work while pregnant or when new mothers in 2014. Key debates were on race equality in the workplace and society; zero hours

contracts; support for black members; austerity, education and mental health. *To read this report see: https://www. tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/Livingon the Margins.pdf Salford Black Members Group We have been in regular discussions regarding retention and recruitment of black workers with Salford City Council. For those who work for other employers and wish to explore similar discussions get in touch through the branch office 0161 794 7425. Meanwhile there will be stalls at the Caribbean Carnival 25th/26th July; Mega Mela 8th/9th August; Dishwari Mela 17th October; during Black History Month in October and during the Eid Celebration. If you are able to attend and assist for even a short time at a stall your contribution would be greatly appreciated. The next Regional Meeting/AGM is on Thursday 22nd October 1.30pm -3.30pm at Arena Point, next to Victoria Station.

LGBT Group Gets Organised... If you identify as LGBT you can get your voice heard through the branchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own group as Hassan Ortega explains...

lause 28, the Equal Age of Consent, Equal Marriage, the Human Rights Act, the Equality Act, equality in pensions, tenancy succession rights, challenging Bi-phobia, appropriate treatment of LGBT asylum seekers/ refugees, LGBT Fostering and Adoption rights, homophobic bullying in schools,

appropriate terms and conditions for Trans workers - the list goes on and on.... Since 1993 UNISON has been vocal on all these issues and played a major part in influencing the debate nationally, successfully changing both the working lives of LGBT people and the legislative

framework that influences how our civil and human rights are enshrined in law and operate in practice. Much of this would not have happened without the lobbying of Self Organised Groups (SOGs in UNISON-speak). They are integral to our trade union structure and consequently, LGBT members have been able to influence the national bargaining agenda to ensure that the issues which affect us are taken account of and acted upon. Our issues are `bread and butter’ trade union issues. Having our own structure within UNISON enables us to influence this bargaining agenda at branch, regional, national and levels. But just when we see gains in one area we are frequently confronted with threats in another. The prospect of another five years of austerity measures and the attendant rolling back of our fundamental rights as workers feels like we are about to re-live the 1980s all over again - which makes it more important than ever that we ensure that we maintain a strong voice within our union at all levels. That’s why getting involved in the work of the branch is important for our LGBT members. We can’t rely on or influence what happens at a regional and national level if we are not active in our own locality. It is vital that LGBT members become stewards, workplace reps, Health and Safety reps and get involved with day-to-day work of the branch. Branch Self-Organisation gives us the opportunity to come together to raise issues of concern, share good practice, network with other LGBT members and to ensure that our issues are incorporated into the working life of Salford City Branch. We’ve all got enough going on already, what with

fighting the cuts, changes to our working practices, threats to our terms and conditions, and fighting to keep our jobs. But it’s not just about meetings, reports and formal agendas – there’s lots of ways you can get involved. In addition to holding branch meetings, we are currently in the process of setting up an email list through which we can keep in contact and feed in views about branch developments from an LGBT perspective. In August we will begin preparing for National LGBT Conference in November by considering the submission of motions and the issues we wish to raise. We are also seeking volunteers to come and join us on the UNISON LGBT stall at the Peel Park Pink Picnic on July 26th. Manchester Pride also offers us the opportunity for visibility, both on UNISON’s regional float and marching in the parade: volunteers to help represent Salford City UNISON greatly welcome! So, if you identify as LGBT and want to get involved, want to get your voice heard and want to tell us about what’s going on in your workplace and how it affects you, then join us! LGBT Group meetings take place at Branch Office, 445 Chorley Road, Swinton M27 9UQ. The next one is on July 21st . For more information and if you have any access needs please contact the Branch on 0161 794 7425 or email office@salfordcityunison. org.uk Also check out UNISON LGBT webpages at www.unison.org.uk/ out - they’re updated regularly and include lots of information on LGBT workplace issues

Why Salford UNISON Organised Women’s G Magda Sachs reports…

id you know we have a women’s group for Salford City Unison members? Are you wondering why? About three quarters of Salford City Council workforce and Salford City UNISON are women. But the further you go up the organisational structures, the fewer women you will see. We know there are many reasons for this, but one of the results is that women’s voices may not be heard and women may not feel comfortable voicing some issues that are vital but specific to us. UNISON supports equalities, but in order to make this real we need to get our voices into discussions of workplace issues, at branch level for Salford City Council, and in UNISON committees at regional and national level. Meeting together as women UNSION members allows us to speak openly about personal issues that may be causing us concern in the workplace; for example, sexual harassment, the adverse impact of sickness monitoring on women going through the menopause or domestic abuse. As well as support from other women, issues can then be taken forward through the branch. What have we been doing? In January, we took a motion to UNISON Branch Committee about Domestic Abuse. This was supported by the branch and we expect to be involved in discussions with HR. In February, four delegates from Salford

went to the UNISON National Women’s Conference which was attended by over 700 delegates. About thirty motions were discussed, ranging from the impact of zero hours contracts on women, to equal pay, the impact of austerity on women in work and in their lives, to a number of women’s health issues and why these are a trade union concern: fibroids, endometriosis and female genital mutilation. One of the motions chosen to go forward to national delegate conference was around modernising our union through the recruitment of young members, and young women in particular.

N Has A Self Group

There were several motions on domestic violence. This was clearly presented as a very personal issue for many of the women in the conference hall, but also as a real barrier to participation at work and in union activity. A composite motion on

this issue was the second motion selected to go forward to national conference. We heard concerns of women working in the public sector at this moment of cuts and austerity. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal

lives are affected by the cuts, and their working lives are increasingly overshadowed by the cuts and the impact they are seeing on the users of their services. A strong sense of positive energy was expressed in a determination to oppose the situation. In March, Salford City UNISON Self Organised Women’s Group, or WSOG, had a stall in Unity House over lunchtime. We had UNISON membership packs to hand out, as well as information from UNISON on women’s health and wellbeing issues (menopause, domestic violence, pregnancy, mental health), along with leaflets about the legal cover membership provides. We invited Being Well (health trainer service) to join us, and also Salford Credit Union. Members seemed to appreciate the reminder that union membership is also about wider welfare and workplace wellbeing. What next? We are working on a survey which we will be sending to all women members. We want to include all women members in our work, welcome them to meetings and ask them what they would like to see us doing. Watch out for the survey and please fill it in. Better yet, come to one of our meetings. Meeting Dates: 27th July 4pm-5pm; 24th August 12pm-1pm; 21st Sept 4pm-5pm; 19th Oct 12pm- 1pm; 16th Nov 4pm-5pm; 7th Dec 12pm-1pm – all at the Salford City UNISON branch office 445 Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 9UQ Phone: 0161 794 7425. All women members welcome

Motion on Domestic Abuse UNISON has produced a guide to domestic violence and abuse which outlines why the matter is an issue for trade unions and also contains a model agreement that branches can submit to employers in order to ensure there is appropriate support and work accommodation for employees experiencing domestic violence. It also covers the employer in relation to perpetrators. https://www.unison.org.uk/upload/ sharepoint/On%20line%20Catalogue/22666.pdf Did you know one in four women will be subject to domestic abuse in her lifetime? And one in 7 men? Domestic abuse occurs in same-sex relationships and also in teen relationships. Children who are exposed to domestic abuse suffer consequences. The impact may be overwhelming and is likely to affect working life. Salford City Unison WSOG requests the branch committee to consider the UNISON document and to support branch officers in opening discussion with HR with a view to agreeing a workplace policy on this issue.

Books For Syria

here’s a project underway to build an autonomous university in the liberated areas of northern Syria known as Rojava. The university is soliciting donations of social science and history books, but the only place to drop them off at the moment is at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. New drop-off points will be announced shortly, but the branch’s Anthony Schofield is happy to take

books in lieu of this. Phone him on 0161 281 7338. There’s also a Twitter account for more details: @DonateMSSA

Pop Up Rainbow Flower Beds Brighten Up The City...

embers of Salford UNISON LGBT Group recently helped to create a Rainbow Flower Bed at the front of Victoria Park in Swinton, to raise awareness and visibility of Salford’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. They joined members of Out In Salford, the Community Network, the LGBT youth group and community volunteers to plant the flowers in the colours of the rainbow flag... “It’s a great way to demonstrate LGBT visibility during the Pride season whilst giving pleasure to the other citizens of Salford who use Victoria Park” explained Hassan Ortega of Salford City UNISON’s LGBT group. “To be honest, when I was planting my flowers I was thinking of all the LGBT colleagues in the trade union and labour movement who have fought over the years for our rights at work and in wider society” he added “I have friends and colleagues

who have been tortured and are in prison abroad for being both LGBT and labour movement activists – so for me it’s a visible reminder that I can’t forget them or their contribution. When I pass by on the bus each day the Rainbow Garden will remind me how fortunate I am to be free and not living in fear for who I am and what I believe in.” It’s hoped that more Rainbow Flower Beds will pop up across the city over the summer months. If anyone wants to suggest a site for a pop up Rainbow Flower Bed contact Gemma.Pagett@ salford.gov.uk

Exposing U Salford City UNISON Treasurer, Ameen Hadi, explains why it is crucial to Stand Up To UKIP...

rade union and anti-racist activists will be heartened by the failure of Farage to win a seat in South Thanet. However, UKIP has continued to spread fear and division which unfortunately has been echoed by other parties. With UKIP registering just under four million votes we must challenge their lies... UKIP is a racist party whose one clear, unwavering principle is its hostility towards immigrants. Nigel Farage has relentlessly attacked Romanians ,east Europeans and Muslims. He is hostile to multiculturalism and to hearing foreign languages spoken on trains. A host of UKIP members have flaunted their racism, even as Farage repeatedly insisted that UKIP was “not a racist party”.

Andre Lampitt, UKIP’s poster boy for their 2014 television campaign, had to be suspended from the party for numerous racist tweets which included the assertion that “most Nigerians are bad people”. Former UKIP councillor Rozanne Duncan lost her place in the party for declaring “I really do have a problem with people with negroid features”, while Anna-Marie Crampton embarrassed the party by posting that “The Second World War was engineered by the Zionist Jews”. But UKIP’s reaction doesn’t stop at racism... Julia Gasper was propelled out of the party following her assertion that “Some homosexuals prefer sex with animals” and her insistence on the so-

UKIP Lies called “links between homosexuality and paedophilia”. She is far from the only UKIP member to express these warped ideas. UKIP is also a party of misogyny. It accepts substantial funds from Demetri Marchessini, a man who wants to ban women wearing trousers so their “essentially sexy” legs are on permanent display. Farage’s own outburst against “ostentatious” breastfeeding is also well known. But how has a party with electoral candidates of the calibre of John Rees-Evans, who claimed a “Gay donkey tried to rape my horse”, grown so quickly? UKIP has benefited from a general disillusion with mainstream politics. The expenses scandal, the cash-forquestions disgrace and the general sleaze associated with mainstream politics have sent people looking for an alternative. In addition the Labour Party’s capitulation to free market economics means it can offer its core voters little beyond a ‘nicer’ version of Tory austerity. The fact that UKIP is tainted by the same political scandals that have rocked Westminster in recent years has not prevented it building out of political disillusionment. UKIP’s MEPs claimed an average of £35,635 in ‘general expenditure’ allowances in 2012, and Farage estimates his own expenses as an MEP to be over £2million. The paradox is that UKIP is picking up

votes from people who have been hurt by austerity despite being a party that supports policies that will deliver still more austerity. Farage has called for “shock and awe” public spending cuts and for the privatisation of the NHS. He promised us that UKIP would create a political earthquake after the European Elections. This has certainly not been the case precisely because many working class people have seen through UKIP’s lies. We are proud to support Stand Up To UKIP that has been able to galvanise anti-UKIP support up and down the country. The campaign involved delivering hundreds of thousands of leaflets across Britain, ensuring that UKIP did not win any additional MPs. Nevertheless, it is now crucial we are not complacent. It is essential that we continue to support and build a broad campaign to challenge UKIP’s racism, bigotry and anti-working class agenda so that legitimate anger around the effects of austerity is not misguided. We cannot fall for the old trick of divide and rule. We need unity against this Tory austerity. Black and white and fight, together we are dynamite!

Bank Holiday Hell at Salf Salford Community Leisure is on course for a weighty confrontation if it tries to force staff to work bank holidays with no extra pay or time off in lieu...

“T

hey’re saying everyone’s got to work Bank Holidays and it will be in our contracts” says UNISON SCL steward Rob Sharpe “If staff don’t agree with it they’ll change the terms and conditions in the contract and it will be flat rate, just like a normal day.” UNISON, jointly with the GMB, has canvassed the views of members and along with the vast majority of attendees at three consultation events have been opposed to the proposals. Furthermore, many stated that they will consider industrial action to maintain their current terms and conditions. What’s more, there doesn’t even appear to be a demand from the public that leisure centres open on Bank Holidays. When SCL last made attempts to open in Eccles, members reported that, even though the service was advertised with a discount price and special kids’ activities available, only ten people attended throughout the whole day. Staff were offered time and half for working voluntarily that day but SCL still struggled to get enough people who were able or willing to work. Subsequently staff were then told it was not possible to pay the rates that had been agreed... “We only got flat rate in the end so that’s an issue we’re still trying to deal with” says Rob.

Members are very concerned that they will struggle to find affordable childcare available for a Bank Holiday and that it will impact the work life balance. Management is offering no guarantees about how many staff will be forced to work on Bank Holidays. The only potential support is the promise to increase the amount of casuals but there is no evidence of SCL recruiting such casuals that would be able to assist on these days. In fact, SCL has been attempting to reduce the use of casuals, which has already caused considerable

ford Community Leisure

stress on the organisation and staff. The trade unions completely oppose the proposal. Management has failed to provide any evidence that such a service is required on Bank Holidays, beyond conjecture, which is clearly not enough for our members to consider such a radical change to their terms and conditions of employment. SCL is supposed to be a mutual and therefore we have asked that staff views opposing this proposal be respected.

We have also asked management to consider the negative impact it will have on the reputation of SCL to pursue this proposal. As we go to press it is uncertain whether SCL Management team will submit the proposal to the SCL Board but they have promised that we will be informed prior to any such meeting to allow further representations. Unions wish to avoid any dispute but will not accept this change to our members’ terms and conditions.

Tracking The G

Environmentally friendly pooled Council cars sounds like a great idea - but what about the missed appointments, unavailable cars and mountains of bureaucracy?

n May 1st this year, Salford Council stopped mileage payments for 400 staff who were previously given a small payment to compensate them for journeys carried out during the working day. The staff affected included workers from the Adult Learning Disabilities Team, Fostering and Adoption and Planning amongst others. The justification given for the removal of this allowance was that, as of 1st May, those workers would have access to a fleet of environmentally-friendly, pooled cars and would therefore no longer need to use their own vehicles for work. This all sounds like an innovative way to bring down the carbon footprint, support workers in having more responsible green ways to travel, and saving vital money in a time of hard cuts for local councils. Unfortunately, for many workers this hasn’t been the reality. UNISON is constantly being made aware of missed appointments, unavailable cars and mountains of bureaucracy. This isn’t to say it isn’t working and won’t work for some people (and on that basis we are not opposing the scheme outright) but it is becoming increasingly clear that some key services are really struggling as a result of this change. That’s why with your support UNISON has successfully argued that all teams

affected should have the opportunity to send a representative to put their case to the Employers Forum in August. Employers Forum is a panel of elected councillors and they will have the final say on how far the scheme operates. It is really important that people who do not feel the scheme is working for them take that chance and prepare evidenced arguments of where the scheme isn’t working. We can and want to support members with this and have even set up a working party to evaluate the situation every fortnight in preparation. What we cannot do though is put forward any evidence, unless affected members are themselves collating it and sharing it

Green Wheels

with us. In the meantime we have negotiated some flexibility for managers to continue mileage payments where the scheme is felt to be inappropriate for a particular journey and have supported some members with health conditions to secure exemptions.

We hope that what comes out of this is a pooled car scheme for those who can benefit from it and a retention of car user allowance for those staff and services that need it. This way, the Council can save some money and we can hopefully reduce the carbon footprint, while protecting vital frontline services.

On the Malecon

Cycling to the Salsa Be

Anthony Schofield cycled around Cuba with other trade unionists to raise money for blind and partially sighted children in Havana. Here’s his account and stunning photos...

t was just over a year ago that I embarked, along with 14 other members of various UK trade unions, on the Cuba Cycle Challenge - a 315 km bike ride round Cuba to raise much needed funds for the Abel Santamaria School for Blind and Partially Sighted Children in Havana. The first task was to raise almost £3,000 sponsorship money required to take part in the event - no small effort in itself. Then the training commenced. Most of this I did in the Pennines, a smaller and less daunting set of slopes than the Escambray Mountains that were waiting for us in Cuba. The main reason for the ride - which has been an annual event for over a decade now - is to raise funds so the school can get vitally needed supplies such as braille paper, which it can’t buy directly from manufacturers because of the trade and financial blockade that has been cruelly imposed on the island nation by the United States ever since the Cuban people overthrew the US-backed dictator

Fulgencio Batista in 1959. This blockade also restricts Cuba’s access to life-saving medicines and has resulted in immense suffering for the Cuban people. We cycled the 315 km through some of the most amazing scenery over a five day period. On the last day we visited the school to present them with a cheque for the money we had raised. This was quite a moving experience as the children showed us round the school, put on a musical performance for us and gave us gifts as a measure of their appreciation. To find out more about the Cuba Cycle Challenge visit the Cuba Solidarity Campaign website http:// www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/tours/tour. asp?tourid=2 If you fancy signing up yourself you will not only be raising money for a great cause, you’ll also get to see one of the most beautiful countries on the planet and learn about its remarkable history. And the music’s not bad either.

At the Che Guevara mausoleum

eat

Hasta siempre

Photos by Anthony Schofield

The crew on Mayday

Mayday in Ceinfeugos

Classroom at la escuela

Welcoming gifts from the children

Salford City C On The Edge O

n 5th June, UNISON – along with our colleagues representing the various teaching unions – was told that Salford City College intended to carry out a huge restructure of the services it offered. The proposals involved 57 job losses from both teaching and support staff.

Our first task was to put everything we could in place to avoid compulsory redundancies and as such we requested that the College advertise voluntary severance, not only to those at risk but to all college staff – in the hope of creating vacant posts for those who wanted to stay. This was agreed to. At the same time, however we felt we had to challenge the proposals because of the impact we felt they would have on the College, learners, remaining staff and the people of Salford. We asked the College to carry out a broad consultation with all of those groups (including the Council and local MPs) to get their views on plans to replace teaching hours with e-learning facilities, to cut mentoring and counselling posts that have been proven to help learners (particularly those from challenging backgrounds) to remain in education, and to introduce new charges for learners to merely register. We also requested a meeting with the College’s Board of Governors. The College refused to allow the latter

request and, while it did speak to some learners and schools, it never felt as though it was committed to giving them the information and letting them have a real say on whether money should be spent on human contact with learners, or equipment. Therefore, the unions decided to contact newly elected Salford and Eccles MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey. After listening to our concerns she has agreed to contact the College Principal/CEO to ask him to explain why he intends to move forward with these proposals, despite the impact they will have on the wider community. At the time of writing, the formal consultation has just finished and the College is telling us that it is ready to implement many of the proposals. We do have agreement that no notices of redundancy will be served until at least 18th August to allow for opportunities to try and find other jobs for affected staff. The College knows that redundancy notices are likely to mean industrial action ballots. The College should wait until it is on a firmer financial footing before experimenting with e-learning and appointing into highly paid new roles. It should instead use the money it planned to invest to retain staff whose jobs are of proven benefit to students. It should also ensure that the whole community has a say on its future – not just those directly

College

affected in the first instance. Salford City College has a duty to serve the people of Salford and we want it to remember that. On 9th July, over 200 staff across four sites, with support from students (past and present), councillors, anti-cuts activists, Socialist Students, Salford Against the Cuts and councillors protested against the measures, many carrying placards reading `Salford City

College Mattersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - because the point of this is not to undermine the reputation of the College. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great college and we are doing this because we want it to stay that way... You can sign the petition to support the staff here: https://www.change. org/p/salford-city-college-stop-thecutsâ&#x20AC;Ś

Salford and Manchester

On Budget Day, UNISON members joined people from the community in Salford and Manchester 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.

“Y

ou only have to look at Greece to realise that austerity isn’t working, that it’s wrecking Greece as it will wreck the UK” said Paul Gerrard of Salford Against The Cuts at a small rally outside the Civic Centre. Although the budget was strangely welcomed by the mainstream media, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis 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 inwork 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’...

Say No To Austerity

UNISON OFFICERS AND CONTACT DETAILS Branch Secretary Steven North (07557281475 or steven.north@salfordcityunison.org.uk) Assistant Branch Secretary

Diane Ogg

(07557281472 or diane.ogg@salfordcityunison.org.uk)

Branch Treasurer Ameen Hadi

(07557281471 or ameen.hadi@salfordcityunison.org.uk)

Branch Chair Cath Connors

(0161 794 7425 or Catherine.connors@salford.gov.uk

Welfare Officer Paula Lawless (07809085203 or Paula.Lawless@salford.gov.uk) Communications Officer Richard Nelson (0161 794 7425 or richard.nelson@salford.gov.uk) Joint Health and Safety Alex Gillespie/ (0161 794 7425 or office Officers Neil Redford @salfordcityunison.org.uk) Membership Officer Kevin Corran (07971495597 or Kevin.Corran@salford.gov.uk) Equalities Officers

Sue Wray

07557281476 or sue.wray@salfordcityunison.org.uk) Bora Oktas (07748054446 or bora.oktas@salixhomes.org) Education Coordinator Daren Wright Labour Link Officer Olu Ayodele

(07415151891 or daren.wright@salixhomes.org) (0161 794 7425 or office@salfordcityunison.org.uk)

OCTOBER 4th No To Austerity! Defend Our Unions! No To Racism! Join Salford City UNISON to protest at the Conseravtive Party Conference in Manchester Tories not welcome here!