S.T.U.N SOUTH TYNESIDE UNISON NEWS Issue: Winter
www.unison-southtyneside.org.uk
12 December 2018
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE BRANCH SECRETARY JANET GREEN I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each and everyone of you for the generosity you have shown throughout 2018. Each time we have asked for your help you have excelled all expectations. I would like to wish all of our members a Merry Christmas on behalf of everyone at UNISON South Tyneside Local Government Branch. We hope you and your families enjoy a relaxing Christmas holiday and wish you all the best for 2019.
SAVE THE DATE!!! Tuesday 12th February 2019 at South Shields Town Hall. This is our Annual General Meeting and is open to all members including retired members. This year we are giving away a £30 gift voucher to one lucky attendee picked at random from the signed in members on the night. We are also providing a buffet for attendees this will give everyone the opportunity to come together and chat in a less formal setting. We will be bringing members up to date with ongoing issues and setting out our plans for the coming year (2019/2020). We have invited Dame Vera Baird to speak to members. She is the Police & Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and has rewritten the Police and Crime Plan in co-operation with local residents which the police are now delivering.
Hospitality and Hope The work continues at Hospitality and Hope to not only feed the hungry but also at this time of year to try to bring a smile to the people who require their support. In Branch we ask a lot of our members and we cannot stress enough how much we appreciate the donations you make. It is through your generosity that the volunteers can Spread a little Christmas joy. With this in mind we are always happy to accept any donations and will make sure they are passed along in time for them to be distributed before Christmas.
Shoe Box Appeal Again this year we are hoping to fill shoe boxes with treats and essentials to be handed out to the homeless. We are still happy to receive any items for the shoe boxes in Branch.
South Shields Women’s Refuge This time of year is not a joyous time for everyone and the women’s refuge is often the only option for women fleeing domestic abuse. They rely on donations and never more than at this time of year when women often arrive at the refuge with their children and nothing but the clothes on their backs. We continue to support the women’s refuge and are always happy to receive any donations in Branch. Printed and Published by Unison South Tyneside Local Government, 27 Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne & Wear Tel (0191) 4544167 Email: office.admin@unison-southtyneside.org.uk
Steov Scpy wc We have a limited supply of “Toblerone” Calendars in branch these can be obtained by calling into the branch, they will be given out on a first come first served basis.
SCHOOL NEWS !! Teaching assistant Guidance Notes. Just a reminder that new guidance notes for teaching assistants and their roles have been issued to Headteachers. These are available to view on the Branch website at www.unison-southtyneside.org.uk
South Shields School We continue to work closely with our members who are affected by the intended closure of South Shields School. We would like to take this opportunity to remind all members to ensure that they have advised us of any changes to their contact details. This can be done online or by contacting the branch on 01914544167.
Staffing restructures As you will be aware there have been a number of restructures in the past year and we have been advised that the latest one is the Support Staff at Simonside Primary. As always we would ask that if you hear anything regarding possible restructures in your school please let the branch know, we may already have been informed but often members are advised first and a heads up allows us to set the wheels in motion to support members.
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UNISON represents over 250,000 school support staff in the UK and carried out a survey of these staff. The results of a survey of School Support staff were published on 23/11/18. The results showed that across the UK almost a quarter (24%) of school support staff involved in children’s welfare go home worried every day having spoken to pupils about the issues that trouble them both inside and outside of school. Issues such as grooming, gangs, domestic violence, bullying, loneliness, and sexual abuse. Almost nine in ten (86%) of support staff told UNISON they’d gone home worried about pupils after talking to them. Commenting on the results of the survey UNISON head of education Jon Richards said, “Schools simply couldn’t run smoothly, and the achievements of pupils would be significantly reduced, without the efforts of these dedicated staff. Yet, despite the obvious benefits that support staff involved in children’s welfare can bring to distressed pupils and the smooth running of schools, a third (33%) reported that their schools had made cuts to staff carrying out pastoral roles over the past year. For more information and full results of this survey you can go to the UNISON website and type in Schools into the search bar, along with this article there are other articles about what is happening in schools.
FURTHER EDUCATION NEWS !!!! PAY AWARD 2017/2019 Following negotiations with Tyne Coast college management, a pay award has been negotiated covering the period 2017 – 2019. The pay award was a 1% pay increase or £250 whichever is greater payable from 1st August 2018 and a one of award of 4 extra day’s holiday. As at present as there was no national pay award, it was agreed that talks at the college would reopen should a higher national pay offer be made. FE College reps and branch official’s members took place in Unison site visits and a ballot of the membership. It was voted to accept this pay award, this pay award was also accepted by the other unions in the college. We have requested that this award is paid in Decembers pay.
Love our Colleges Rally Tyne coast college reps/ Unison branch officers attended the Love our Colleges event in London recently to help campaign for fair funding in Further education. The slogan of the day.
The money’s there! give us our share!
This was an historic event as it brought together all sides within FE to call on the government to act. Some college management even closed their college for the day to protest against the government. Did you know? Within the last decade FE has suffered a 30% funding cut. The fact is, the money is there, yet this government will not fund further education properly in the UK. At the event there was a host of speakers the leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, college principles and Union reps including Maxine Rowden from South Tyneside Local Government Branch. The rally was then followed by many members lobbying their MP, asking for them to push the agenda for further education, asking for proper funding for help fund vital services in colleges. What can you do to help? Continuing on from this event, there is also a national petition to get a debate in parliament for further funding. We need to reach the threshold of 100,000 signatures to trigger a debate in parliament. Please sign the petition and encourage everyone to sign it. Please see the below link for this petition.
h2ps://pe88on.parliament.uk/pe88ons/229744 More information on the campaign can be found at the below website. https://www.collegesweek.co.uk/
Maureen Makes … Christmas Crunchies I’m sure these will become a family favourite and not just at Christmas. You could add dried cranberries to this for and extra festive twist. Ingredients 150 g (5 oz) Self Raising Flour 225 g (8 oz) margarine 150 g (5 oz) caster sugar 75 g (3 oz) desiccated coconut 75 g (3 oz) crushed cornflakes 15 ml (1 tbsp) cocoa powder, sieved 100 g (4 oz) chocolate melted 75g (30z) white chocolate 100’s and 1000’s Preparation Instructions 1. Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease a Swiss roll tin 31 x 21 cm (12½ x 8 inch). 2. Melt the margarine over a low heat. 3. Stir in the sugar, coconut, cornflakes, cocoa and flour. Mix well. 4. Turn into the tin and level with a knife. Bake for 20 minutes. 5. When almost cold cut into squares or triangles. 6. Cover with melted milk chocolate. 7. When milk chocolate has set drizzle the melted white chocolate over and sprinkle with 100’s and 1000’s.
WINTER WORDSEARCH
UNISON Quiz Competition Please return the answers to the quiz on hard copy below to the Branch Office along with your name and contact details and phone number to be entered into the draw to win a choice of afternoon tea for two or tickets to a South Shields Football Club home game. This competition is open to UNISON Members only. All entries must be received by 31st January 2019 io
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Spotlight On The Team
1)
What is your role in the Branch office?
I am Assistant Branch Secretary, this role involves giving support to the branch Secretary Jan Green and representing her in her absence at meetings and other functions. I also carry out Steward duties as we all do in the Branch. 2)
You’re on death row, what would your last meal be?
That’s an easy on Roast Beef with all the trimmings, what’s not to love? 3)
Do you like Jerry or Tom? And why?
I like them both because they are both funny in their own way, my favourite one is where jerry floods the kitchen and freezes it so he can ice skate and they turn the jelly in the fridge to give different colours. 4)
Do you speak to your dog?
Yes, and sometimes she listens. 5)
When did you become a union activist?
Around 1993, when Unison formed so its been 25 years. UNISON have grown over those 25 years and is now officially the biggest Union in the UK something we are all very proud. 6)
If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint and why?
Another easy one the Manhattan skyline. It is so iconic. I have been lucky to have been to New York and it was strange how streets a sites were familiar due to featuring in films etc. 7)
If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
I am a staunch Newcastle United Fan and I would love to see them lift a trophy. 8) If you were the CEO of a company name one thing you would make compulsory in the office and one thing you would ban in the office. a) I would introduce a scheme where every week/month I would give a staff member a gift to show they are valued and it would be random. If you look after your staff they will look after your business unfortunately this is something that a lot of management have lost sight of. b) I would ban staff from using social media during work time. 9)
What is your day job if you were not working for UNISON
I am a pavior in the Highways section. 10)
What a body part would you not mind losing?
If I am being honest I would like to lose a little bit of my bulging stomach.
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The annual Stars on Schools event was run during the week commencing 19 November. This is our opportunity to celebrate the essential work that is carried out in schools by support staff.
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We at South Tyneside Local Government Branch carried out a recruitment drive in November and we would like to welcome all of our new members.
The branch once again arranged a Christmas trip for members and this year we chose York for our destination. There were two buses which set off at 8.30 for a day of shopping, sightseeing and some festive treats. The weather was cold and crisp in the morning which added to the magical Christmas feel but we did have some rain after lunch however this did not dampen our spirits everyone had a lovely time and are looking forward to next year.
eascevh eh uecp Today I had the pleasure of joining the Retired members group at their monthly meeting as this was a momentous occasion. Nick Cunningham and Maureen Bickle have both decided to stand aside so I went along with George Coser the Branch Chair to thank them for all of their hard work in keeping the retired members section of the Branch going, and I presented them both with tokens of our appreciation. They are to be replaced by Merv Butler (Chair) and Tina Roche (secretary) and I would like to give them a warm welcome and look forward to working with them in the future The meeting was a celebration of two extremely dedicated activists and also as it was their last meeting before Christmas they had the Harton Harmonisers in to sing festive favourites. As you can see from the photos we all had a lovely time and I’m sure you will join me in wishing them well.