Inside
EQUAL PAY: breaking agreements
USE YOUR VOTE: branch, local & national elections
BEATING THE BIGOTS: demonstrate against UKIP's Welsh Conference
City and County of Swansea
Review We still need to fight At the time of going to press, the results of the national pay ballot were not yet known. Unfortunately the local result was to accept by 1045 votes, to 408 to reject. It is expected the national results may also be to accept. The branch urged members to reject but it is not surprising that the combination of weak national leadership, a lack of a 'no' campaign nationally, the action being called off just days before the next strike and continued austerity meant many voted to accept. The branch believed that the decision taken by UNISON’s NJC committee to suspend strike action on 14 October and consult on new
“proposals” is a profound mistake. It now our pay claim and we are nowhere near to leaves Local Government workers facing even covering the current inflation rate and further real cuts in pay and undermines the that expected next year: battle against government imposed pay restraint. ♦ 2.2% increase payable from 1/1/2015, covering pay years 2014/15 and 2015/2016. The proposal, of a 2.2% increase for most ♦ Larger increases for the very lowest paid on workers over two years with more for the very Spinal Column Points 5 – 10 (from 8.56% to lowest paid, delivers no more than the 1% 2.32%) already offered for most workers in 2014/2015 ♦ No back pay but unconsolidated payments and slightly less than 1.2% for 2015/16. of £100 for most workers, £150 for Spinal Column Point 8-10 and £325 for Spinal The likely settlement effectively accepts pay Column Point 5-7 restraint not only this year but through the ♦ Further small unconsolidated payments in first year of the next government. The offer April 2015 to bring the amount paid up to the does not come anywhere near to addressing equivalent of 1% for 2014/15
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100,000 people marched against austerity and pay-cuts on the TUC march in London in October
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Public Service Not Private Profit
November 2014
continued from front page The proposal fails to deliver the Living Wage for the lowest paid – and indeed in those few authorities where it has already been achieved the lowest paid could get no increase at all. Many Unison branches (http:// vote2fightonlgpay.wordpress. com/) also campaigning to reject the appalling ‘offer’. If the national outcome is surprisingly - to reject then strikes will be back on. If it is unfortunately to accept we will still need a fight to defend jobs, services and to resist the continued impact of austerity.
Holiday Pay - Additional Payment Important – to all members who work on commission, work overtime, receive a bonus, shift premium or any other payment that is not paid for holiday periods. The European Court has recently ruled in a UNISON case that workers ought not to suffer financially when they take annual leave. This means that if you receive any of the abovementioned payments, or any other additional payments when you are at work (other than expenses), but do not receive them for periods when you are on holiday, you may be able to claim back pay in respect of non-payment of these additional sums. Please contact the Branch immediately if the above applies to you and complete a case form. It is also important that you contact the Branch and complete a case form if your employer has recently started to include any additional payments in your pay that are referred to in your payslip or if you have just noticed
AGM dates for 2015 3.3.15 Council Chamber Guildhall at 12.30pm 4.3.15 Pipehouse Wharf 6.30am Council Chamber Civic Centre 12.30pm 5.3.15 Clydach Depot 6.30am Penllergaer Council Chamber 12.30pm
that your pay has increased without explanation. You must act quickly. Most tribunal claims must be submitted within three months less one day of the date of the act complained of. In these circumstances, the act complained of is the failure to pay the additional sums for annual leave. Therefore, if the payments are now being made, time started to run from the date on which you were most recently paid holiday pay that did not include any additional sums. Upon receipt of your case form, your claim will be considered and you will be contacted and advised as to whether your claim has reasonable prospects of success.
Support in-house services and in-house jobs! The catering department at The Guildhall Kiosk is now able to offer a service providing a made to order sandwich or baguette (enabling the customer to choose the bread and filling of their choice). They are still providing breakfast break as usual and hot favourites at lunchtime as an alternative to the sandwich bar. Please go and have a look at what they have to offer. If the kiosk is unsuccessful some Unison members may be at risk of redundancy. Opening times: 9am - 11am & 11.30am until 2pm
City & County of Swansea Council breaks agreement on Equal Pay UNISON at the end of 2013, together with the other unions, signed an agreement with City & County of Swansea Council that all employees who had made an Equal Pay claim could be paid a maximum of 60% of their potential equal pay claim and this was paid to several thousand employees in April and May 2014. However, in the agreement it was also stated that those employees who were recognised as having potential equal pay claims but who had not registered a claim would be paid a maximum of 35%. To date, despite protestations from UNISON the Council has not honoured this agreement. This has led to thousands of employees who had not made an equal pay claim prior to April, now making a claim and UNISON solicitors are in the process of merit assessing these claims.
UNISON is also aware there are potentially many employees and members who have not registered an equal pay claim and therefore we are asking you to consider submitting a claim as a matter of urgency so that your claim can be fully merit assessed by the union’s solicitors. We would also urge those who may have had an equal pay claim previously turned down by UNISON prior to April 2014 to resubmit a claim for further assessment.
claims for unfair dismissal or discrimination, the Tribunal is unable to grant an extension of time if your claim is lodged outside the strict time limits. The time limits are also very short. Action needs to be taken to protect an equal pay claim within six months less a day. It is therefore crucial that you are aware of whether or not the clock has started ticking in respect of your potential claim. Time begins to run from the date your employment comes to an end for any reason, such as resigning or retiring.
If you are not currently a member or you know of anyone who is not a member and wish to submit a claim please complete the UNISON Membership Application Form Time also runs from the date of a change overleaf and submit it together with a of job with the same employer. completed Equal Pay Claim Form. Time may also run where you continue in the same job but your job is transferred to There are very strict time limits which a new employer (sometimes known as apply to starting ACAS early conciliation TUPE transfer). and lodging equal pay claims at the To request an Equal Pay Claim Form Employment Tribunal. If these are not met, contact UNISON on 01792 483911. claims will fail as being out of time. Unlike
City & County of Swansea UNISON - Branch Officer Nominations 2015 - 16 Branch Officer posts run from April to March each year. Swansea branch members can nominate a branch steward for any branch officer post in 2015 - please complete and return it to the branch office in the Guildhall. Incorrectly completed forms will not be accepted. Nominations must be returned by midday on Friday 9th January 2015. With the exception of the Treasurer and Sports & Social Officer, all Branch Officers will be expected to represent members as and when required.
Officer Post and Job Description
Name of Candidate
Chairperson – acts as leader of delegations to meet employers, chairs meetings of branch, or committees, leads representations at UNISON meetings where branch is represented, acts as signatory on branch accounts. Branch Secretary – receives all correspondence to branch, signatory to all correspondence sent in branch name. Manages affairs of branch on behalf of membership and their committees. Ensures all functions of branch are carried out and timetables for election of stewards, officers and delegates are adhered to. Acts as main representative in collective bargaining meetings Assistant Secretary - to assist the branch secretary in the role above Terms & Conditions Officer - to represent members at appropriate forums eg grievance, disciplinary. Good knowledge of ICT is essential. Ability to undertake casework. Must be ERA trained. Convenor - To coordinate and lead the City and County of Swansea UNISON representatives and to develop and support those stewards and other appropriate representatives Treasurer – acts as custodian of branch accounts, ensures prudent financial management of the branch, prepares regular statements of income and expenditure; prepares annual state- ment of income/ expenditure. Mandatory signatory to all branch accounts. Minutes Secretary – ensures accurate minutes of all officially convened meetings are kept, recorded and collated. Lifelong Learning Coordinator - Co - ordination of Union Learning Reps in the Branch with a view to the provision of learning opportunities for Branch members. Health & Safety Officer – co-ordinates the Health & Safety function of all stewards, represents the branch at any meeting with employers about H&S, and is first choice representative on any UNISON H&S committee. Reports any H&S concerns. Education Coordinator – co-ordinates trades union education of all stewards and officers. Arranges branch courses on Trade Union education, liaises with TUC education and UNISON education services to promote education of all representatives. Publicity Officer – prepares and distributes any branch publicity regarding meetings, information or advice; produces a regular newsletter. To prepare press releases and to maintain a directory of members and their locations to assist in the distribution of information. Membership Officer - To organise recruitment amongst stewards and members and monitor recruitment and retention of Unison members within the Branch. Benefits Officer – assists any member needing advice or representation when claiming state benefits, to act as advocate at benefit tribunals. Welfare Officer – assists in administration of National welfare scheme and administers branch welfare function. Equality Officer – assists promotion of equal opportunities; ensures policies of branch and employer are in line with equal opportunity legislation; ensures branch involvement in self organised group conferences and acts as representative on any UNISON equalities committee; help promote fair representation and proportionality in UNISON. International Secretary – acts as point of liaison on matters of international interest. Young Members Officer – encourages recruitment, promotes involvement of young members. Sports & Social Secretary – co-ordinates and arranges branch sporting activities, manages the promotion of a range of branch social activities.
Proposed By................................ Tel. No ....................Seconded By...................................Tel. No............................... Address...................................................................Address............................................................................................ Please give a telephone number or email address where you can be contacted in case any points need to be clarified PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE THE AGREEMENT OF THE PERSON YOU ARE PROPOSING BEFORE YOU NOMINATE THEM.
Unison & Elections
Stand Up To UKIP Say No To Racism
UNISON Branches 'Labour Link' sections (members who choose to donate a small amount of their subscriptions to the Labour Party) affiliated to the Swansea East Constituency Labour Party (City and County of Swansea, ABM Health and Swansea University) have voted to endorse Councillor Andrea Lewis (centre above) as the potential parliamentary candidate for the Swansea East constituency. Councillor Lewis has been a UNISON member for the last 18 years, but was not accepted as the candidate
YOUR UNION
Ronnie Job (right), who is Senior Unison Steward Gower College, is standing in a personal capacity for the Trades Unionist & Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in the byelection in Uplands Ward. Ronnie said: "I’m standing because I value council services. I sat in the public gallery earlier this year as the Council passed a budget for £26 million of cuts to services this year. Not one Labour councillor voted against these cuts or the proposal to make £45 million cuts over 3 years. That figure has now risen to £70 million"
Contact us:
UKIP made a major breakthrough in the European Parliamentary Elections in May 2014, coming first in the election polling 27.5% of the vote.
stand is the old divide and rule tactic of the bankers, business and politicians. A leaflet put out by the UKIP Swansea West candidate made a blatant appeal for the racist vote.
UKIP is a rightwing populist party. It is racist and anti working class and is dragging the political scene further to the right. It postures as 'anti-‐‑‒ establishment' whilst being financed by millionaire ex-‐‑‒Tory donors and is led by a public-‐‑‒ school educated, City of London business man. Its policies are fully in support of austerity measures against workers and giving bosses a free hand. Its anti-‐‑‒migrant, anti-‐‑‒Muslim
Long-‐‑‒standing anti-‐‑‒racism campaigner and MP for Neath Peter Hain, said: “Condemning diversity and attacking multiculturalism shows just how dangerously out of touch Ukip are with modern Wales. The language used on Martyn Fordʼ’s official Ukip leaflet is completely unacceptable...Ukip have opted for poisonous rhetoric aimed at immigrants. The content of Mr Fordʼ’s leaflet would not look out of place on something produced by the BNP or National Front."
Demonstrate Against UKIP's Welsh Conference 11.00 a.m. -‐‑‒ Saturday 6th December The Orangery, Margam Park Port Talbot SA13 2TJ Supported by Unison and other trade unions standuptoukip.org
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standuptoukipwales@gmail.com
Unison Office, Rm 153-G, The Guildhall, Swansea 01792 635271
unison@swansea.gov.uk
Branch Secretary: Mike Davies / Asst. Secretary: Ian Alexander Unison has over 100 trained union reps throughout the council, schools and FE colleges. We will advise, support and represent you collectively and individually on issues from sickness, disciplinaries to legal matters inside and outside the workplace. If you need advice or representation please contact the Senior Steward(s) for your department below or go to your workplace steward. Alternatively please contact the branch office. Social Services Alison O'Kane - 07856 641234 Alison Davies - 07941 757853 Martin Chapman - 01792 635271 Education Pat Lopez - 07557 560097 Mark Otten - 07789 485009 Eve Morse - 07532 232873 (after 3.30 pm) Chris Bell - 07967 551025
Sports & Social website: www.suss.me.uk
Regeneration/Housing John Llewellyn - 07557 560093 Roger Owen - 07847 942458 Gower College Ron Job - 07963 454041 Resources Rhydian Prismick - 01792 635803 Housing Sallyanne Taylor - 07825 401711
www.unison.co.uk
This newsletter is produced by the City and County of Swansea Unison Branch. Any letters, comments or suggestions for articles should be posted to the branch address or emailed to Unison@swansea.gov.uk. Correspondence is not guaranteed to be published and contents may not necessarily reflect Unison policy.