FILM – ‘SORRY WE MISSED YOU’ WITH KEN LOACH
NWPC Photolibrary
NWPC UNISON AGM DATES
NORTH WEST PROBATION & CAFCASS UNISON AGM NOTICE
Dear Unison Member,
It has been another busy year for us all and it doesn’t seem 2 minutes since the last AGM. You are invited to the AGM, come and meet us and let us know your views, concerns and seek answers to your questions
We are also continuing with the raffle prizes, each AGM will have a main prize with two 2nd prizes and 10 3rd prizes. We will also provide some freebies for everyone. Refreshments will be provided.
We look forward to seeing at one of these events.
Steve Buckley Zoe Todd
Branch Chair Branch Secretary
Preston – Gujerat Centre, South Meadow Lane, PR1 8JN 18th March 2020
Manchester – Arena Point , 1 Hunts Bank, M3 1UN 19th March 2020
Meetings commence at 5.30pm. Note you can attend only one of these meetings. For all branch updates look on our website http://nwpc.org.uk/
Please could you complete the attached slip so we know whether you are attending or not, then we can order enough food for us all!
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I will/will not be attending the AGM at Preston/Manchester (delete as necessary)
Name
Employer
Office
——————————————————————————————————————–Email to unison20085@hotmail.co.uk or post to Unison, 87 Moss Lane West, Manchester M15 5PE
Hospital workers in Blackpool and St Helens emerge victorious in strikes over equal pay
UNISON and private company Compass, which employs cleaners, caterers, porters, security and reception staff at Blackpool and St Helens Hospitals, have reached an agreement to end the long-running dispute over wages and sick pay.
Before the settlement Compass employees were on the national minimum wage (£8.21 per hour), while colleagues employed directly by the NHS were earning at least £9.03. This meant Compass staff were losing out to the tune of around £1,500 a year.
Staff were understandably angry that they weren’t receiving the same pay and benefits as NHS colleagues often doing similar jobs. Following the vote for industrial action in July, the Compass staff went out on strike for a total of 14 days.
The UNISON brokered deals – voted for by 89% of the domestics at Blackpool and 75% of staff in St Helens – means they’ll now receive a significant pay rise, more money for working weekends and bank holidays and an improved sick pay scheme.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Christmas will be even more special for these staff who’ve been battling for months to be treated fairly. There can be no justification for creating a divisive two-tier health service.
“The big winners from the settlement will be staff and patients, who’ll be pleased to learn that Compass has put people before profits.”
UNISON North West regional organiser Pat Woolham said: “This substantial pay rise will make a huge difference to the families of these dedicated hospital workers. The positive end to this campaign shows what can be achieved when unions and employers work together.
“It’s been a tough dispute but we look forward to working with Compass in the future for the benefit of patients and staff in Blackpool and St Helens.”
2020 UNISON Diaries and Calendars
We will be sending these out shortly with AGM notices. We would like to wish you well for the festive season and the new year.
We will continue to work locally, regionally and nationally to protect your terms and conditons and support members throughout 2020. Please ensure you check this website regularly for consultations and news updates.
Regards
Zoe Todd Branch Secretary
Steve Buckley Branch Chair
Support UCU members at the University of Manchester striking for 8 days
UCU members at the University of Manchester are part of the national 60-university strike from Monday-Friday this week and Monday-Wednesday next week. Please give them your support.
Details of the UCU national strike fund are here: https://www.ucu.org.uk/fightingfundThe local hardship fund is: Bank: Unity Trust
Account: UCU University of Manchester
Sort code: 60-83-01
Account Number 50510715
Reference: Hardship Fund
Most buildings will have pickets from 7:30-8am until 10:30am. The biggest buildings are AMBS, Arthur Lewis, Uni Pace, Sackville, Sam Alex, Simon and Michael Smith. Additional plans include:
- You can follow the local UCU branch for updates on strike plans on Twitter @UM_UCU and send them messages of support, solidarity photos etc. You can also contact them via ucu@manchester.ac.uk.
PROBATION PROGRAMME: STAFF TRANSFERS – REGISTER TO VOTE NOW!
Dear Colleagues,
Please find the CRC Transfer Bulletin #1 attached. This bulletin asks that all members currently working for one of the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies make sure that their contact details on RMS are up to date in preparation for the ballot on their future terms and conditions.
Please distribute to all members working for a CRC and encourage them to sign in to their MyUNISON account (or register for an account if they have not already done so) to make sure that all their contact details are correct, and that they have provided a valid email address so that they can take part in an electronic ballot.
No paper ballot forms will be issued – the ballot will only be conducted online. Please encourage all members to submit an email address or check that the one we currently have on record is valid.
If you need any assistance please contact the branch, preferably via email as below;
Vance Butterworth
Admin Officer (Part Time – T/W/T)
UNISON NW Probation & CAFCASS Branch
C/o Moss Side Probation Office
87 Moss Lane West
Moss Side
Manchester
M15 5PE
Tel: 07902 792741
www.nwpc.org.uk
unison20085@hotmail.co.uk
Not in a Union – join UNISON at unison.org.uk or contact us as above
FREE ACCIDENTAL DEATH COVER
Dear Member,
Make the most of your UNISON membership and don’t miss out on your FREE £5,000 of Accidental Death Cover!
The cover is for UK residents aged 18-69. It lasts for one year and then you can renew it again for free*.
It’s quick and easy to apply and is yet another reason why it pays to be a UNISON member.
Register today at www.UNISONProtect.com/JE
We’ll do the rest. After your application you’ll receive a call from us to take further details, set up your cover and explain other benefits available.
Kind regards,
John Eccles
UNISONProtect
For full policy details, please click here.
*Terms and Conditions apply. UNISON is an Introducer Appointed Representative of UNISONProtect, which is a trading name of Union Income Benefit Holdings Ltd (UIB) who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to distribute non-investment insurance products, register number 307575. This can be checked on the FCA website www.fca.org.uk. Free Accidental Death Cover is underwritten by Advent Insurance PCC Ltd – UIB Cell.
Bradford NHS members suspend strike action UNISON to present its case to trust for services to remain in-house
UNISON has agreed to suspend the indefinite industrial action that was due to start on Monday at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, after successful talks at the conciliation service ACAS.
Some 300 UNISON members were preparing to escalate industrial action if the trust didn’t halt plans to transfer them to a wholly owned private company it is setting up.
Regional organiser Natalie Ratcliffe said: “The trust has agreed not to proceed with a 1 October transfer date. The board of directors will meet on 12 September.
“UNISON has been offered the opportunity to present its case, to allow the board to further reflect on the position previously taken. The outcome of this further consideration will be notified to UNISON by the end of September 2019.”
The staff, who work in estates, facilities and clinical departments, went on strike at Bradford teaching hospitals for two weeks earlier in August, having already taken one week’s action in July.
They want to remain as direct NHS employees, and fear that the trust’s plans to move their work to a wholly owned subsidiary company could see workers losing the protections they have as NHS employees.
UNISON and Napo Sodexo CRC members have voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot to accept the Sodexo CRC Pay offer.
95% of UNISON members voted to accept the pay offer and 95% of Napo members voted to accept the offer.
The pay offer for all six Sodexo CRCs provides for significant pay reform of both the NNC and SCCOG pay Bands.
For NNC Pay Bands:
Bands 2, 3 and 4 will be reduced from 20 pay points to 15 pay points from 1 April 2019 and to 7 points from 1 April 2020
Band 5 will be reduced from 14 pay points to 10 pay points from 1 April 2019 and to 5 points from 1 April 2020
Band 6 will be reduced from 19 pay points to 15 pay points from 1 April 2019 and to 7 points from 1 April 2020
These changes will significantly reduce the time to progress through each pay band and the value of progression will be larger than in the current structure. As a result Sodexo want to introduce a way of linking progression to competence in a role. Napo and UNISON have made a commitment to enter into negotiations on the introduction of a competency based pay progression framework but this will not prevent transition to the pay points above.
The offer provides that all staff will receive an increase of 2% from 1 April 2019 as a result of moving to a new pay point or through an unconsolidated payment or a combination of the two. There is also a commitment from Sodexo to enter into negotiations for a cost of living increase from April 2020.
Sodexo Pay Deal – last chance to get your vote in
Members who have not already voted, can vote at
The consultation process will close at 5 PM on 23 August.