In bed with the enemy!

Transcription

1 Wednesday 21st June 2017 In bed with the enemy! Organising and growing our membership with private contractors BUILDING OUR POWER Conference notes that despite UNISO N s nece ssar y and continued campaigns against privatisation, the outsourcing of public services continues apace. Conference completel y condemns this Tory government s relentless attack on the public sector and continues to call on the government to properly fund publically delivered services. However, whilst privatisation remains a reality, conference also recognises that the union must continue to organise and grow our membership in private contractors. Conference also notes that not all membership in the private sector has come via TUPE from the public sector. Many of our members have never worked for a public employer or work in areas of private sector growth, like social care. Conference welcomes last year s rule change to establish the new National Private Contractors Forum. This forum is giving private contractor members a real voice in Unison and a route to engage in the democratic structures of the union. This is a unique opportunity for the union to reach out into our membership in private companies, building our power and our ability to protect these workers. A full rundown of the motion can be found in the Conference Document booklet page 6. point 2 Would you like to add something to the next newsletter? stewart.robinson@uhnm.nhs.uk tel:

2 Hello... Getting the public on our side - public service campaigning Close to a decade since the beginning of the global financial crisis, the pressure on public services and those that provide them remains unrelenting. Despite the unprecedented cuts th a t our m em ber s an d th e communities that they serve have already experienced, a raft of further measures now threaten to push services to a breaking point. These include, but are not limited to: The 3bn of savings being imposed on schools in England by 2019/20 A growing social care funding crisis across the UK; The funding crisis in the NHS, which the Red Cross have described as a humanitarian crisis; Continuing cuts and redundancies in local government and police. The backdrop for the increased pressure on public services is the continued fallout from the EU referendum result, in terms of both economic uncertainty and political turbulence, in the UK and internationally. In this context UNISON, as the largest public services trade union, carries a heavy responsibility. Not only must the union counter the strong headwinds and continue to make the arguments for an alternative to the cuts and underinvestment that have characterised the austerity decade. We must also use our member s experiences, campaign resources, evidence and expertise to win over wider public opinion for an alternative that properly recognises the value of properly funded public services to all our lives. Winning over public opinion is a huge challenge. Although polls show strong support for the NHS, recent indications suggest that the Tories, responsible for austerity in the first place, enjoy high levels of trust as the party best suited to manage the challenges it faces. Added to this, all too often we see a dispiriting low level of concern about the pressures facing local government and public services more widely. Full report conference document page

3 Wednesday Meetings Your chance to hear more on a listed subject and how you can be part of events going forward. Still just a bit of banter? Sexual harassment in the workplace Sexual harassment is sometimes dismissed as being banter or just a joke, and people who complain about it are written off as humourless. But, as those who responded to a TUC survey attested, it really isn t just a joke. In fact, sexual harassment often has the effect of making the recipient feel ashamed, humiliated, undermined and frightened and can have a lasting impact on mental health. This fringe looks at those survey results, and how UNISON is challenging sexual harassment in the workplace.. Speakers: Kathryn Mackridge, TUC Women s Officer; Linda Durrant, UNISON Women s Officer, Eastern Region Room 1B, ground floor. Sandwich lunch provided. How to build an organising branch Come and hear about how to build a strong, vibrant, organising branch. There will be ideas, practical solutions and examples of how you can develop the UNISON community within your workplace. Speakers: Michelle Bradley, Essex Branch, UNISON Assistant General Secretary; Martin Horton Branch Secretary Aneurin Bevan health branch; Julie Coulson, Women s Officer and Senior Organising rep: Stefan Senese, Vice Chair and Senior Organising rep. Chair: Chris Tansley, National Exec Council and Regional Conv Room 1A. GF Refreshments provided. Objective Based Budgeting Since it s introduction in 2009 we have continued to develop the online branch accounting system (OLBA) as an accounting, management and organising tool for our branches. The latest development to the budgeting module continues the OLBA tradition of keeping things simple and easy to understand. The session will cover the principles behind OBB and a demonstration from the OLBA Team on the new tools developed to help branch committees with the day to day management of their finances. It will also be an opportunity for branches to provide feedback and input into further enhancements based on their needs as well as sharing your experiences. Speakers: Raj Ashra, UNISON Director of Finance; Sotirious Loizou, UNISON Regional & Branch Development Officer. Chair: Josie Bird, Chair Finance and resources Management Committee Syndicate 1 GF Refreshments provided.

4 Making the political fund a success after the Trade Union Act Under the new Trade Union Act all new members of the union will be required to actively opt-in to the political fund. How can we encourage people to contribute to the fund? How can we best explain the different political traditions of the union (GPF and Labour Link) in a way that engages prospective members? Come along and here about the work of the political fund working group and take part in the discussion about the way forward. Speakers: James Anthony, Chair of the GP Fund committee; Josie Bird, Chair of Finance Resource Management committee; Wendy Nichols, Vice-Chair, Labour Link committee. Chair: Eleanor Smith, Chair, Labour Link Committee Syndicate 2. Ground Floor Sandwich lunch provided. 3 million apprentices by 2020 what s the plan? Apprenticeships and their funding arrangements have changed, and branches are going to come under greater pressure to accept schemes. Meeting the Government s target of 3 million new apprenticeships by A specific target of 2.3% of all staff employed to be apprentices for public sector bodies with over 250 staff sets us a serious challenge. Speakers: Pete Lauener, Mark Ferguson, Ruth Levin. Chair: Jane Carolan (NEC) Syndicate 4 Sandwich lunch provided. Fighting job insecurity and the case for improved workers rights The Institute of Employment Rights and NW UNISON will jointly appraise the job insecurity landscape, and consider what a better framework of rights at work could mean for this generation and the next Syndicate 3 Sandwich lunch provided.

5 Shocking News: Only 22 pence an hour wage Overseas visitors take time out to pay a visit to the Unison National Delegates Conference her in Brighton to talk about issues of trade unionism in their country. Corrupt senior government leaders jailing people for being in a trade union. Companies breaking health & safety guidance and workers receiving around 600 for life effecting injuries. Adding a further insult to their 22pence an hour wage in Bangladesh - Only 3% of our hourly wage here in the UK. Salauddin Shapon, President of the Bangladesh Revolutionary garments Workers Federation and Erez Wagner from Palestine will be speaking on Thursday at conference. Working together around the world Workers rights in Palestine Come and see A Dangerous Occupation, Unison s new exhibition on workers rights in Palestine, marking the 50th anniversary of the occupation and the 10th anniversary of the blockade of Gaza. Find out how UNISON is standing in solidarity with Palestinian workers in their struggle for justice. UNIZONE Remembering Eric Eric was president of our union, but more than that, Eric Roberts was a friend and a true friend to countless UNISON members, and to those he worked with. He was the first ambulance person to be elected as president our union, serving 42 years in the London Ambulance Service. Eric is a man who inspired happiness and great loyalty to his friends and colleagues. Dave Prentis

6 UNIzone Let us hear about how you became an active UNISON steward / Rep. Your story can encourage others to become active in UNISON. We will be interviewing and filming activists at conference to promote first hand experiences and opinions of what it is to be an activist in UNISON. Come and find us at National Delegate Conference and share your experiences. Digital Support Organising branch Building on best practice from UNISON members the strategic organising unit will be available to discuss what makes an Organising Branch. This will compliment the presentation being given in the fringe meeting at lunch time. Materials and advice will be available for delegates and visitors. Come along to the digital.unison stall and meet the UNISON digital team. We ll be offering support and guidance on how to use some key digital tools. How to make the most from Facebook or Twitter or perhaps you need a branch website. Learning and Organising Services Come to our fun filled stall to find out about our fantastic FREE learning opportunities for members and activists. Equality isn t an add-on It s central to everything we do. Our ability to deliver equality in the workplace depends on the work of lay activists and organising staff. It s by building on a web of basic legal rights, through individual casework and collective bargaining and campaigning, that better policies and practices are won. Come play the Equality Jenga game.

7 @Jensky: #askingforafriend If someone is hungry enough, is it ever possible, acceptable or ethical to reheat a Saveloy in a hotel room kettle? Your tweets Good morning from the balcony at #undc17 conference is about Good morning conference Employers should sign the charter to give terminally ill workers protected rights at work 1st day essentials for #undc17! Looking forward to an interesting day ahead in beautiful Remembering President Eric SON LAS flag flying at half mast in honour of #undc17 under starters orders and they're off...fantastic to see so many delegates and visitors at the colleagues friends & family out in full force for #day1 of Hiya peeps, another conference underway, so pleased to see y'all 'specially in the bar #laters Love to see an LGBT perspective on bullying and harassment in the workplace Ensure young people's experience in workplace is positive one and sets a template for the rest of their working lives - Marie Macrae Quite often complaining about harassment results in capability procedure and further grief from employers - that has to stop Back with he naughty kids Inspirational NDC 17,moving comments about our late & great President Eric Roberts #undc17 good point that bullying,harassment etc can come from unexpected places and we have to stop #undc17 true strength lies amongst the members and that's how we will win Send your Selfies from undc17 to be included in Friday s edition of the West Midlands News to: stewart.robinson@uhns.nhs.uk or

8 Have you got the app? This app gives you the chance to meet and chat to other members at the conference, browse the agenda or save details of meetings and events you want to attend. Get the full conference agenda and standing orders, use the floor plans of the Brighton Centre to find your meeting or event and connect with other delegates by viewing their posts and pictures or posting your own. To access UNISON conference app use the code undc17 Go to the app on either ios or Android phones. Create your profile The app is not just for conferences, but has lots of useful information from all across UNISON. BLACK members All delegates and visitors who identify as black are welcome to attend the black members caucus meeting Restaurant 3rd Floor Security Search Due to the tightened security at Conference. Travel Bags will be searched on Friday when entering the conference centre. Please allow extra time for this to be carried out, unless you are able to leave at your hotel. Let other people know about what s going on at National Delegates Conference. Tweet: #undc17 Via Facebook or your branch websites. Do you have something to add to Thursday s Newsletter? pictures or wording to: stewart.robinson@uhnm.nhs.uk Or txt

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