UNISON Bradford Newsletter - Dec 2018

news NISON U

Bradford

www.unison-bradford.org.uk

The Newsletter for Bradford UNISON

December 2018

Unions join forces to fight pay and conditions cuts at Bradford Diocese Academies Trust

Ashley Harper A Bradford Academy chain is planning to move away from nationally agreed terms and conditions for staff and reduce pay and conditions.

The Bradford Diocese Academies Trust, which manages 15 schools, wants to cut the cost of national agreements on pay awards and sickness allowances.

They have said they will keep the national agreements for this year and next but want to end the agreement after that.

UNISON held a joint meeting with the teaching unions, including the head teachers’ union to set up a campaign to retain national pay and conditions.

Regional Organiser Ashley Harper said: “There have been a number of meetings with the Academy where we have made it clear that we do not want any changes to national working conditions.

“We don’t see why, when every other trust and the Council are not proposing such a damaging and divisive change, this one wants to go down that route.

“We are campaigning against this plan. The Government isn’t putting enough money into schools but we believe that schools should be campaigning alongside us to demand the investment our education system needs.

“Cutting pay and conditions will make it much harder to recruit and retain staff and it will impact negatively on the children.

“They are picking a fight with the support staff for no good reason.”

AGM 2019

Wednesday 20th March 2019 Bradford City Hall, The Banqueting Suite, Council Chambers, BD1 1HY 12.00 - 12.30 for lunch (free) AGM to start at 12.30 and not to last longer than an hour APF Meeting follows at 1:30pm (only Affiliated Political Fund payers may attend)

inside this edition...

The importance of education

AGM details and election timetable

Check your holiday pay

340 job losses at Council

Prize wordsearch competition

Page 2

Pages 4 & 5

Page 6

Page 7

Page 8

Seasons’s greetings and a happy new year to all our members!

2

Bradford UNISON

Members urged to report assaults as number of incidents rises Legal advice from Thompsons says it vital it is for members to formally report assaults while at work.

They say that while the number of assaults in public services is rising, it is becoming harder to bring successful claims against employers for injuries and losses suffered at work.

More and more members are becoming victims of assault, whether by children in schools, patients in hospitals and secure units, or parking enforcement officers by enraged motorists.

For a claim to succeed, a claimant has to show that the assault was reasonably predictable – that an employer knew, or ought to have known, that there was a risk of assault by that person.

Employers will often be able to escape liability in the absence of formal reports of incidents.

While there is a duty on employers to produce and review care plans and risk assessments, they are often reliant on staff reports to highlight an issue.

It is therefore vital that members formally report concerns. Regular reporting of incidents and near misses can make a difference between a member receiving compensation or not.

Employers often say that being assaulted is part of the job. It isn’t and it shouldn’t be.

While it is unlikely that any work place will ever be 100 per cent safe, employers have a duty to consider the safety of staff as well as the child

Bradford College steward Jane says future depends on further education She decided to go on UNISON’s stewards’ training course because she Jane Milne wanted to support colleagues who were going through difficulties at work.

Further education had borne its share of central government austerity and Jane has seen the results.

She said: “Further education is our future and there are lots of people out there – young and older – who want to learn while they are working.

“They are very committed to gaining new skills and qualifications and that is a resource which will definitely benefit the district’s economy

in the years ahead.

“But budgets continue to be cut and we all need to understand the importance of education as a whole, and to support Further Education.”

Jane wants colleagues to seriously consider going on the stewards’ course because it equips them to support colleagues and protect them when under threat.

Jane said: “UNISON Regional Organiser Ashley Harper ran the course and it was fascinating and really stimulating.

“It makes you aware of how little you know and encourages you to learn alongside really friendly and experienced colleagues, so we all learn from and support each other.

“I really hope people consider becoming a steward.

There is a lot of work to do!”

patient in their care.

Formal reporting, either by completing incident near miss forms or e-mails to supervisors and line managers is vital evidence that can be relied upon to prove a member’s case.

Not only can it help with a claim, it should encourage managers to re-consider the safety of staff to ensure others do not suffer further, unnecessary injury in the future.

Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said: “We are seeing more and more assaults, including children attacking teachers and support staff.

“There is a lot of anger out there. Staffing levels are not

as they should be and there is a high level of poverty and deprivation because of the Government’s austerity policy.

“This has caused massive cuts and support services for victims of domestic violence and education programmes to tackle drug and alcohol problems have been slashed.

“Our members must make sure they report all incidents of violence and assault to their managers.”

UNISON Newsletter

3

A word from the Branch Secretary

Linda Crowther As the Council leader Susan Hinchliffe has said, the government must take responsibility for the irreparable damage their savage cuts are doing to Bradford and other towns and cities across the country.

UNISON has actively campaigned against austerity and continues to fight against it in every way available.

At the same time, we must do all we can to protect our members from redundancy and to ensure they have access to the best help and support when faced with problems at work.

As you will see in the newsletter, I also make no apologies for once again warning members of the dangers to their jobs posed by social media.

I honestly think some of

Sadly we have more bad news on the Council’s proposed cuts as massive cuts to central government funding continue. The cuts will have a devastating effect on our members and on the essential services they provide. our members simply forget the strong advice we give them, possibly in the heat of the moment, and end up in trouble because of what they have posted.

So please, once again, remember you can easily lose your job for what you write on social media. You are publishing in the same way as a newspaper does and the consequences of doing that are often very serious.

I also hope some of you will hear Jane Milne’s call for you to go on UNISON’s stewards’ course and learn how to effectively support and protect your colleagues.

Looking at the near future, we are going to need more activists to survive the cuts imposed on our employer.

Recruiting new members is vital to our success and I hope all of us are spreading

the word about UNISON in their place of work.

We have enclosed the agenda for our AGM and I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend so we have a strong turnout.

We have a very important voice in how the Council deals with the cuts and it is important that we show our strength and solidarity at the meeting.

So thanks for reading the newsletter and for all your efforts throughout the year.

We know there are even greater challenges ahead but I am confident we have the commitment, unity and courage to tackle them all.

I wish everyone the season’s greetings and a healthy and happy new year.

Best wishes Linda

AGM 2019

Annual General Meeting Wednesday 20th March 2019 Bradford City Hall, The Banqueting Suite, Council Chambers, BD1 1HY 12.00 - 12.30 for lunch (free) AGM to start at 12.30 and not to last longer than an hour APF Meeting follows at 1:30pm

(only Affiliated Political Fund payers may attend)

The AGM is open to all members and its function is to allow an opportunity for members to receive reports from Branch Officers on the performance of the branch in the previous year, including the campaigns that we have been involved with, our services to members, the branch accounts and our performance on recruitment.

Members have an opportunity to ask questions about reports that are submitted including the financial accounts of the branch.

Motions / Amendments to Branch Rules As a member you are entitled to submit motions and amendments to branch rules to the AGM so that they can be debated. For a motion to be competent the subject must be relevant to the functions of the branch and be submitted in time for its inclusion on the agenda of the AGM. The final date for motions or rule amendments to be submitted is noon on Friday 28th December 2018.

Motions and rule amendments must be received on the appropriate form, a copy of which can be obtained from the branch office. Motions received by Friday 28th December 2018 on the appropriate form will be posted on the branch website (www.unison-bradford.org.uk). Any member then wishing to submit amendments to motions will need to do so in writing to the branch office with details of the proposer and seconder by noon Friday 18th January 2019.

Election of Branch Officers/Stewards/Health and Safety Reps/ ULR’s/Equality Reps This AGM also endorses the election of Branch Officers, Stewards, Health & Safety Reps, ULR’s and Equality Reps for the forthcoming year 2019/20. You will find a list of Branch Officers and further details of the roles and responsibilities can be found in the branch rules that are posted on the branch website. You will also find a description of the duties and responsibilities of workplace stewards. Nomination forms can be requested from Branch Office.

Any full member of the union can stand for election to any of the Branch Officer positions subject to obtaining the appropriate number of members to support the nomination.

Nominations should be received at the Branch Office by no later than noon on Friday 28th December 2018. All Officer nomination forms should be accompanied by an election address of no more than 200 words in the event that a ballot is required for the post.

AGM2019

Bradford

Branch AGM and Election Timetable 1. Motions, Rule Amendments, Branch Officer Nominations, Steward Nominations, Convenor Nominations to be received by noon on Friday 28th December 2018. (12 weeks prior to AGM) 2. Ballot Forms for Branch Officer/Convenor/Steward Elections distributed Friday 11th January 2019 (if required) 3. Close of election period Noon on Friday 25th January 2019 4. Amendments to motions/Rule Changes to be submitted by Noon Friday 18th January 2019 5. Final Agenda distributed Friday 9th March 2019. (2 weeks prior to AGM) 6. AGM Wednesday 20th March 2019

Branch elections: Branch Officer Posts • • • • • • •

Branch Chair Branch Vice Chair Branch Secretary Branch Treasurer Membership Officer Equality Officer Health & Safety Officer

• • • • • •

Education Co-ordinator International Officer Welfare Officer Young Members Officer Sports & Social Officer Labour Link Officer

• Lifelong Learning Co-ordinator • Communications Officer • Retired Members Secretary • Womens Officer

Get active in YOUR union Finally, just to remind you that our union is a democratic organisation that is member led and the AGM and election processes are important in ensuring that the union is and remains accountable to its members. Not just for its policies and its activities but also in determining those members who will go on and speak for the union and our members. I therefore encourage you to play a full part in the process.

Please note: All AGM documents are available from the branch website – www.unison-bradford.org.uk

Raffle Prizes 1st prize – £150 2nd prize – £50 3rd prize – £25 4th prize – £25 Plus additional prizes!

6

Bradford UNISON

Make sure you are receiving correct amount of holiday pay As we have reported in previous editions of UNISON news, some members may not be receiving all the holiday pay they are entitled to.

UNISON now has a collective agreement with the Council to deal with situations where people have not been receiving their full holiday pay.

Members who routinely work overtime and sleep-in shifts should have all their stand-by payments included in their holiday pay.

Some members have had their holiday pay calculated just on their basic wage without including the extra duties they perform.

Regional Organiser Ashley Harper said: “If you work for Bradford Council and you have regular additional earnings and your holiday pay does not reflect that, we will contact the Council on your behalf.

“Anyone who thinks they are in this position should contact the Branch on 01274 513170 and we will take the matter further.”

Use of social media is putting jobs at risk – keep in mind the dangers For some time the Branch has regularly warned members that they risk losing their jobs because of what they post on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

But there are still too many members who have heard the warnings but seem to forget them soon afterwards and end up being disciplined or sacked.

As we reported in the last edition of UNISON news, the Branch is dealing with at least three cases a week on average where Management have seen social media posts and disciplined the members who wrote them.

Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said one member had received her branch newsletter pointing out the dangers of social media on the very day she was told she would be disciplined for writing on it.

Linda said: “The member was aware of previous advice from the Branch about not putting herself at risk in this way but said she had forgotten about it when she wrote the comments.

“That is what I am afraid of, that some members don’t keep it in mind and get carried away and end up in trouble.

“That is why we constantly remind members to be careful and

make no apologies for doing so.

“Members must realise that what they discuss in their private time on social media will find its way back to the employer.

“Any reference to their job, their employers or work colleagues can all be used against them and it is very difficult to defend members in such cases.”

Linda urged all members to remember the risk they are taking using social media – and to remind colleagues of the possible dire consequences for them if their employer gets access to their posts.

It is one of the simplest ways an employer can get rid of workers they do not favour, and with continuing cuts to central government funding, they have a strong incentive to do so.

“So once again the message to members is think before you write anything on any site which could get you the sack,” said Linda.

“It is a simple thing to avoid posting comments but too many members are forgetting the warnings until it is too late.

“So please, stay alert and spread the word to friends and colleagues that, as far as their employment is concerned, social media is a dangerous minefield.”

Council and NHS plan to integrate services

David Wright

Bradford Council and the Bradford NHS Trust are planning to jointly set up one service to provide health and social care throughout the district.

They intend to introduce the new service in the next two years. Convenor David Wright said parts of the Council’s Health and WellBeing directorate will be

integrated with the NHS to provide all health and social care in the district.

David said: “We welcome this integrated approach and for our members it will offer wider opportunities for choice in their careers.

“Under the new arrangements, a member could, for example, begin as a health care assistant and,

with training opportunities, end up as a care manager in social care. It will give people more opportunities for training and career development.

“It is a couple of years away but the Council is in preliminary talks with the NHS and if all goes to plan the new system will go ahead.”

UNISON Newsletter

7

Savage central government cuts will cause 340 job losses in Bradford Council

Private sector failures mean care services will return to Council control

Bradford Council has announced that 340 more jobs will go and Council Tax bills will rise by three per cent over the next two years.

The budget statement says the Council will use its reserves to balance the books, but expects to see a funding gap of £28.8 million by the end of 2021.

Job losses in the next year were previously expected to be around 68 but an extra 168 jobs are now likely to be cut by April 2021.

The report says that government cuts will see libraries being handed over from Council control to community groups and cuts to street cleansing.

Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said the cuts would have a devastating effect on individuals and communities.

And she said Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe was absolutely right to point the finger at the government’s continuing austerity cuts for the drastic damage being done to the district.

“As the Council points out, in real terms the Council’s budget in 2020 will be half of what it was in 2010,” said Linda.

“The government has forced the Council to cut £262 million from its overall budget, including from

Long term homecare in Keighley and the Aire Valley is set to be brought back “in-house” after private sector companies struggle to run them.

All long-term homecare was transferred to the private sector three years ago.

But they are finding it difficult to recruit staff because the pay on offer is too low.

Convenor David Wright said: “This situation is causing a backlog and is costing the Council money.

“That is why pay and travel time are vital to recruiting enough staff to deliver the service.

“We have said from the beginning that it is better to have these services inhouse because it gives the Council more control.

“So it seems they are finally seeing sense. We welcome this because it will be of clear benefit to the wider community to have a properly funder and organised service.”

welfare advice and customer service, school nursing and health and substance misuse services.

“Youth services and sexual health services will also be cut. It is easy to see how damaging this is to the social fabric of Bradford and the problems it lays down for the future.”

The major pressure the Council faces is in providing social care the children and adults with demand growing and an extra £5.5 million has had to be put into the service after it was judged inadequate by Ofsted in November.

Linda said: “UNISON is constantly in contact with the Council leadership to protect jobs and services and we will continue to do so.

“But there is no doubt that these cuts are doing irreparable damage to people’s lives and the future prospects for the whole of Bradford.

“We will be involved in every way available to us to force the government to change course and give local authorities the funds they need to provide a decent life for the people they exist to serve.”

8

Bradford UNISON

Big thanks to generous members for donating to Gambia appeal Branch members have donated a wide range of clothes, pens, pencils and notebooks to help people in Gambia who struggle to afford the basics.

Convenor Dawn Myers, who is making her third trip to the country in November, thanked members for their generosity.

She said: “The clothes and classroom equipment have now been sent out and I will be doing another collection in the New Year.

“Our members have

been very generous as always and I want to thank them very much for their kindness.

“The children have to provide their own notebooks and pens and it makes a huge difference to their education to have these things sent out to them.

“I also collected secondhand bras and kids’ football boots and kits. People have very little money and these donations will make a huge positive impact in their lives.”

Former Regional Organiser Jim Bell is in charge of UNISON’s Gambia Project which has been operating for three years and has sent over medical equipment and ambulances and helped to build a school.

d Search: Season’s Greetings

£20 gift card for the winner!

Words can run horizontally, vertically, diagonally and backwards! Letters can be used more than once. Send your entry with name, membership number and contact details to the branch office. The winner will be selected at random from correct entries.

ANGEL BELLS BETHLEHEM CANDLES CANDY CANE CAROLS DECORATIONS EGGNOG FAMILY FRANKINCENSE FRIENDS FRUITCAKE GABRIEL GIFTS GOLD GREETING CARDS HOLLY ICICLES JESUS JOSEPH Name:

Membership No:

Email:

Tel No:

LIGHTS MANGER MARY MISTLETOE MYRRH ORNAMENTS POINSETTIA SANTA SHEPHERDS SKATES SLEIGH SNOWFLAKES SNOWMAN STABLE STAR STOCKING THREE WISE MEN TOBOGGAN TOYS TREE WREATH