UNISON Bradford LG Branch Newsletter July 2018

news NISON U

Bradford

www.unison-bradford.org.uk

The Newsletter for Bradford UNISON

August 2018

Members still risking the sack for what they write on social media At least three members a week are being questioned and disciplined for comments they have posted on social media like Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter.

employer into disrepute they could dismiss them.

The Branch have warned members for many years of the dangers of posting comments on these sites but still some of them have not got the message.

“It doesn’t matter that people are writing posts in their own time if the employer believes their comments break the rules of their contract.”

Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said there were now at least three cases every week where management have seen social media posts and disciplined the members who wrote them.

“It is very difficult to defend members in these situations because the evidence is there for all to see.

In one case, a member had become involved in a conversation with someone they didn’t know on what she thought was a closed site.

The exchange became angry and abusive and the member ended the contact.

Linda said: “People must realise that what they post is not private correspondence and is likely to be seen by their employer.

But the other party forwarded the correspondence to the employer and the member was dismissed.

“If they believe the comments posted have brought the

Linda said: “It seems some members are a bit naïve and

don’t realise that what they discuss in their private time on social media will find its way back to the employer.

“So the advice to members is clear – do not refer to your work, your employer or colleagues on any social media.

“It is simply not worth risking your job for the sake of broadcasting opinions which the employer can use as a justification to sack them”.

inside this edition...

Ethical Care Charter Victory

Compensation for assaults at work

Fleet Cars safety concerns

Support UNISON’s Gambia Project

Blackpool trip and pantomime: book now!

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Bradford UNISON

New steward Josh urges others to “get involved” to help members Josh Moore, who works in Bradford Council’s Cleansing Department, has recently completed his UNISON Josh Moore stewards’ training and is keen for others to do the same.

Josh realised that the only steward in the department, Terry Ramsden, needed support to help him with the demands of representing members.

He said: “With central Government cuts to Council budgets for so many years, more and more members need our advice and support in the workplace and I thought I had better see what I could do to help.”

Josh is currently shadowing Terry Ramsden at investigation and disciplinary hearings and is learning more every day about how to support members.

And he urges others to take the training courses because he thinks they will benefit from it in all aspects of their lives.

Josh said: “It has opened my eyes to the fact that UNISON does so much more for members than some people realise.

“And I have had so much help from colleagues in the Branch before and after the training.

“It is a really important thing for us to have enough trained stewards in the workplace to represent members properly and I would say to my fellow UNISON members – get involved and be a steward!”

Compensation for assaults As I’m sure a lot of you can relate to, more and more members are becoming the victims of assault at work, be that by children in schools, by patients in hospitals and secure units or parking enforcement officers by enraged motorists, to give just a few examples.

However, compensation claims for injuries and losses suffered as a result are also becoming harder to succeed following the introduction of the Enterprise Act in October 2013.

In order to succeed, a claimant has to show that the assault was reasonably foreseeable, i.e. 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 on the grounds of a lack of such knowledge.

While there is a duty on employers to produce, and review, care plans and risk assessments they are often

reliant on staff reporting to highlight an issue. It is therefore vital that you and your colleagues formally report concerns that you have.

Regular reporting of incidents and near misses can make the difference between a member recovering 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 any workplace will ever be 100% safe, employers have a duty to consider the safety of you, their staff, as well as the child/ patient in their care.

Formal reporting, either by completing incident/near miss forms or e-mails to supervisors or line managers, is vital evidence that we can rely on to help prove your case. Not only can it help with a claim, it should encourage managers to re-consider the safety of staff to ensure that other people do not suffer further, unnecessary injury in the future.

Suffered from an accident at work?

Here’s a useful checklist from Thompson’s Solicitors to help you make a successful claim.

I f you are worried about a risk, complain to your employer before an incident happens. This helps prove the employer knew about the risk beforehand Ask colleagues to complain Put the complaints in writing Tell your GP and the doctor in A&E about the accident Make sure you mention it was ‘at work’ Fill in an accident form at

the earliest opportunity Obtain the names of any witnesses Take photographs of your injury Ask for a copy of your statement Fill in union claim form as early as possible

UNISON Newsletter

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A word from the Branch Secretary

Linda Crowther Bradford has the youngest population in the country and suffers from profound levels of poverty and inequality.

The government’s cuts will directly damage the lives, and the future lives, of thousands of children – and severely damage the long-term ability of the district to recover from its economic and social troubles.

We are urging people who have not yet joined UNISON to do so as soon as possible so we can help and support them as the cuts continue.

And despite all the job losses, we are still holding our own in recruitment terms.

But we must step up our recruitment drive and I ask all members to make the effort to encourage colleagues to join – and to get active as stewards so we are stronger in the workplace.

As we have also reported, the use of social media is still leading to disciplinary action and the dismissal of members for bringing their employer into disrepute.

I know I have often warned in the newsletter of the dangers

There is no doubt that the Council is now in a financial crisis caused by endless cuts in central Government funding. It is particularly shocking, as we reveal in this edition of UNISON News, that 500 jobs in Children’s Services are to be axed by the end of the year.

of going onto social media, but we are now averaging three of these cases every week.

So I make no apologies for urging members once again not to post anything about their employer, their work or their colleagues – even if they think they are doing so privately.

Comments regularly get picked up by or reported to the employer so please think very carefully before posting anything whatsoever on social media.

are still winning victories for our members and fighting for their welfare at every level of the organisation.

So thanks to all of you who are working so hard to achieve changes for the better for our members.

The more members we have, the stronger we are, so let’s keep up the recruitment drive and work for a better, fairer future for us all.

Best wishes Linda

Meanwhile, UNISON has succeeded in ensuring staff using fleet cars are protected by having electronic locking on the vehicles they use.

Also, management have responded positively to our call to adopt the Ethical Care Charter and end the practice of employing staff on zero hours contracts.

We have agreed with employers in the housing and social care sector to implement UNISON’s violence at work charter which puts employee safety as a top priority.

Despite the financial crisis, we

Bradford Contact the branch Bradford UNISON, 21-23 Neal Street, Bradford, BD5 0BX

Tel: 01274 513170 Email: office.admin@unisonbradford.org.uk www.unison-bradford.org.uk

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Bradford UNISON

UNISON wins major victory with Ethical Care Charter Three years ago Bradford Council agreed to adopt UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter which encourages employers to stop using zero hours contracts.

The charter also calls for all staff to be properly trained and to ensure staff who use their own cars for work are paid mileage and travelling time.

It urges employers to work quickly towards introducing the real living wage for staff of £8.75p an hour.

Convenor David Wright said: “Unfortunately some of the care providers continued with unethical employment practices, paying the minimum wage on zero hours contracts.

“We have taken the Ethical Care Charter (and the Residential Ethical Care Charter which applies to staff working in care homes) back to the Council’s senior management.

“We have had a good, positive response from management who said they intend to implement the charters in full when awarding contracts in future.

“When existing contracts expire in September this year they will be able to put that promise into action.

“This is a major victory for UNISON and we are delighted that the Council has made this decision.”

Council accepts UNISON’s concerns over health and safety fears about fleet cars Bradford Council has dropped plans to introduce manual locking cars for the council’s Enablement Service Team.

The service has a fleet of vehicles used by staff who enable people to live as independently as possible.

The vehicles have central locking systems which means staff can lock and unlock vehicles from a distance which gives them more protection against robberies and assaults.

Convenor David Wright said the Council bought some vehicles for the fleet which were manual locking in a bid to save money.

David said: “We argued that this was a health and safety issue as many of the care workers are working alone.

“The Council has listened to us

and in future will make sure new vehicles have central locking.

“They have also sent the existing manual locking cars to be re-fitted with central locking systems.

“We always promote any measures which will minimise any risk to our members as they go about their vital work in our communities.

“We welcome their decision to listen to our concerns and take the necessary steps to make sure our members’ health and safety are a priority.”

Council Golf Competition

Mark Snaith from the Council’s Waste Service won this year’s Council golf competition, the Watson Roger trophy, for past and present Council employees held at Northcliffe Golf Club on 11th June. Well done Mark!

Mark is seen here being presented with the trophy by last year’s winner Barrie Topham.

All participating would like to thank UNISON for generously supporting this long running event.

UNISON Newsletter

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Hundreds of jobs in Children’s Services will be lost by Christmas Bradford Council is pressing ahead with re-structures in Children’s Services which it is feared will see up to 500 jobs axed by the end of the year.

UNISON have been campaigning against the cuts but the Council say that massive cuts in central Government funding are forcing them into cutting jobs.

Convenor Julie Horbury said re-structures in Children’s Services were proceeding and feared that compulsory redundancies were likely.

She said: “The cuts and job losses will mean that Children’s Services in the

district will be run with 50% fewer staff in future.

“This is at a time when we face rising poverty in Bradford.

We have the youngest population in the country but get less funding than many places in the South.

“These young people will suffer now and in the future because of this Government’s heartless and brutal destruction of local government and the vital services it provides.

“We are doing everything we can to protect jobs and services but we desperately need central government to reverse these socially and

UNISON Bradford Branch invite you to join them at

economically disastrous effects of austerity.

“Young families and single parents will become increasingly isolated as centres close or cut their hours.

“The government has wilfully created a crisis for Bradford’s young people which we will be dealing with for years to come.”

Julie said that members would be fully supported through any restructures to make sure they are dealt with fairly.

She also urged members to encourage colleagues who have not yet joined UNISON to do so as soon as possible.

Round-up Rita elected to National Service Group Executive to represent low paid workers

KEIGHLEY COUGARS v NORTH WALES CRUSADERS Sunday 23rd September 2018 3pm–6pm at Cougar Park, Keighley Discounted tickets available to UNISON members – Adults: £15 Concessions: £9 Under 17s: Free Family ticket, 2 adults 2 children: £20

Steward Rita Mistry has been elected to the Yorkshire and Humberside low paid seat on the Service Group Executive.

She was elected following a ballot in June and Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said she will bring a powerful voice for the low

paid at national level.

Linda said: “I am delighted for her and I would like to thank all our members who took part in the ballot.

“It means our region will be even more strongly represented in UNISON’s policy making structures in the future.”

Join fellow UNISON members for a great afternoon’s entertainment.

Wordsearch winner

Contact Bradford UNISON on 01274 513170 to book your tickets

The winner of the word search from the last newsletter was Majelia McColgan – who won a £20 gift voucher. Well done Majelia!

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Bradford UNISON

Know your rights – Redundancy Pay Over the past few years, there have been increasing numbers of redundancies across local government and other employers such as schools, colleges and those within the voluntary and community sector.

Whilst UNISON remains committed to challenging redundancies, it is also important that you are aware of your rights if the worst happens and you are made redundant.

It has recently come to the branch’s attention that some employers may be calculating redundancy payments incorrectly in that it has now been established in law that the statutory definition of a “week’s pay” should include

not only those monies paid to you directly but also any contributions made by your employer to your pension fund.

very limited circumstances in which employees have a contractual right to have the pension contributions included over this amount.

As UNISON does not receive individual redundancy pay figures from employers (even when we are being consulted on the redundancies), if you are at risk of redundancy you should check any proposed figures carefully to ensure that pension contributions have been included and contact the branch if you need any assistance.

The law applies equally to voluntary and compulsory redundancies. Any employee who believes that their redundancy pay is incorrect would have 6 months (less one day) from the date of termination of employment in which to make a claim to the Employment Tribunal if their employer refused to settle the matter. Any contractual claims would have to be brought no later than three months (less one day) from the termination.

Although the law only obliges employers to include the contributions up to the maximum of the statutory cap on a week’s pay (currently £508), there may be some

If in any doubt, give us a call!

Incommunities signs up to Violence at Work Charter Management at Incommunities recently signed up to UNISON’s Violence at Work Charter which says employee safety is a top priority. Also signing up at the same time were Touchstone and Wakefield District Housing.

UNISON received shock research by the “Inside Housing” magazine which revealed that half of all community and voluntary sector staff have experienced incidents of violence and aggression at work.

Incidents include housing

association staff being punched, pushed and kicked.

Workers have also been threatened with weapons and even held against their will during the working day.

The charter calls for employers to put in place a basic level of monitoring, support, safeguards and training for staff who are at risk of violence.

Incommunities steward Ian Willoughby said: “We are very pleased that the charter has been accepted by Incommunities and other major employers because violence towards our members is on the

rise across the sector.

“We are determined to tackle this problem and we must all work together to stamp out this menace and provide staff with the necessary training and support so they can stay safe at work.

“Any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted is violence at work.

“Organisations founded on the principles of care and social responsibility must have employee safety as a top priority and we want to make sure employers in this sector realise their responsibilities.”

UNISON Newsletter

Branch is holding its own on recruitment despite job cuts The Bradford Branch has 6,900 full-time members and 1,230 retired members.

So despite all the jobs we have lost through central Government austerity cuts, we are holding our own.

Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said: “I am pleased we are recruiting members at such a difficult time when yet more jobs are threatened by relentless budget cuts.

“Thanks to the hard work of our stewards and convenors we are getting our message across to people that they need to protect themselves and join UNISON. “But we still need more members to sign up for the stewards’ training so we can be really effective in the workplace.

“The more active members we have, the more we can recruit and so the stronger we will be.”

Dawn is off to Gambia – and is asking for your help to improve life for the country’s poor children Convenor Dawn Myers is making her third trip to Gambia in November and is asking members for their help.

She is collecting bras to help Gambian women who struggle to afford them, and pens, pencils and stationery to help the youngsters with their education.

Dawn said: “When I first visited last year it was a real eye-opener to see how things we take for granted are not available to the Gambians.

The children have to provide their own notebooks, pens and pencils so I am packing up a crate with those school materials.

“I am also trying to collect second hand bras because they are hard to come by for women over there.

“And I hope to take some kids’ football boots and football kits because they are

very expensive and the people have very little money.”

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

Dawn wants to help out as well and has asked if anyone wants to leave donations at the Branch Office by the second week in August when they will be sent out to Gambia.

She said: “Compared to many, the people have nothing but everyone smiles and treats you with real warmth. They are lovely people.

“I just want to help in a small way to improve things for them, especially the children. I hope colleagues in UNISON can help me do that”.

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Members advised to use their right to representation when dealing with their employer The Branch is aware that in a number of recent cases members facing potential disciplinary action have not contacted their UNISON representative early enough.

In some cases, members have actually been advised by their managers that they do not need to have UNISON representation at “informal” meetings.

But Branch Secretary Linda Crowther said: “We have come across examples where these informal meetings have turned into formal meetings and members have not had the confidence to stop them so they can contact the Branch for proper support.

“If we are not involved until procedures are already underway it can make it very difficult to provide the support which members are entitled to.

“It is always better if we are involved from the beginning so, if in doubt, members should speak to their steward or pick up the phone to the Branch.

“We also have the UNISON Direct service which opens at 8 a.m. until midnight so help is always at hand.

“Members should not put themselves at risk in these situations so we urge them not to leave it to the last minute to get the help and support they deserve.”

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Bradford UNISON

Blackpool Application Form Members Name(s): Membership No(s): Names of Non Members

Email address: (see below) No. Adults:

Blackpool Day Trip Sunday 14th October 2018 Pick up time 9.30am Leaving Blackpool at 6.00pm UNISON Members go FREE Partners and Children over 12: £10 per seat Children under 12: £7.50 per seat

No. Children: Over 12

Under 12

Total Amount enclosed: Closing Date: Friday 24th August 2018. All cheques or Postal Orders to be made payable to Bradford UNISON. First come first served.

Please post form and payment to: Bradford UNISON, 21-23 Neal Street, Bradford, BD5 0BX. Communications regarding the trip will be by email only, however, should you not have an email address please include a SAE with your payment in order that confirmation and final arrangements can be sent to you.

Pantomime Application Form Members Name Membership No Names of those attending with member (max 4 seats per member)

Alhambra Theatre Bradford Presents

Aladdin Tuesday 11th December 2018 – 7.15pm Tickets: £21.00 (which includes booking fees) Make your wishes come true and fly to the Box Office to secure your tickets for this year’s must-see Alhambra Theatre pantomime, Aladdin. The unmissable annual production is packed full of laughter, music, special effects, audience participation and magical storytelling suitable for all ages.

Starring the undisputed King of Bradford Panto Billy Pearce, who celebrates 20 years of Alhambra Theatre pantomime magic this year. Billy will be joined by the one-and-only Christopher Biggins as Widow Twankey alongside Blue sensation Simon Webbe as Aladdin. Featuring a wish-granting genie, an evil sorcerer and the timeless tale of the Twankey family, Aladdin will transport you to Old Peking on an adventure of a lifetime this festive season!

E-mail Address Home Address Amount Enclosed Places are limited to 4 per member and requests we will not be considered unless they are accompanied with a SAE and appropriate monies.

Closing Date: Friday 31st August 2018. All cheques or Postal Orders to be made payable to Bradford UNISON. First come first served.

Please post form and payment to: Bradford UNISON, 21-23 Neal Street, Bradford, BD5 0BX.