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Unified Reward Update – Schools 3 March 2017

Uncategorised

Dear Barnet UNISON members working in schools please note the following update:

Nursery Nurses (Early Years Educators)

Barnet UNISON will be submitting a group appeal for Nursery Nurses week commencing 6 March. More details will be provided as to what you need to do.

New contracts – Please read

It has come to our attention that staff are being pressurised to sign the contracts. Please note the following:

Last term non-school Barnet Council employees received their new contracts. Most staff had no issues so they signed their contract. There was a smaller group of workers who did have outstanding issues. For these staff UNISON advised that they did not need to sign until the appeal/issue had been resolved. In some cases some staff still signed even though they had an outstanding issue. In which case once their appeal was resolved they received an updated contract.

It is important that members keep a copy of their new contracts somewhere secure.

If you have any questions about the wording in the contracts please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

We will be writing to the Council with our member’s questions and will publicise their responses.

UNISON Lead school reps are:

  • Louis Smyth specifically on Monday/Tuesday.
  • Nadia Joseph on Wednesday.

It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

52 Week Teaching Assistants group appeal

I am meeting with the Council negotiating team on Monday 6 March to discuss a proposal which I hope I will be able to discuss with members shortly.

Individual Appeals

I have a list of members who have individual appeals. It is very important that members provide the UNISON office with all documentation, and arrange for a 1:1 meeting with me in order that I can best able to provide you with support. I have been supporting non schools members for the last five months and this process has worked well.

*** If you have sent in an appeal and have not notified UNISON, we will not be able to help. It is very important that you notify the branch if you want the support.

Stage 1 appeals

These meetings are not meant to be stressful for members. They an opportunity for a discussion with the employer, employee and their UNISON rep. In the many other Stage 1 meetings for non-school staff, management have been very supportive of any of their staff who are facing a loss in pay. I have found that the approach taken for non-schools staff has been largely positive for staff. The solution to the loss in pay can often be resolved by exploring a number of different approaches.

I would hope that UNISON members working in schools would expect that they should have the same treatment.

This is why when UNISON members working in schools contact the branch for support, they will be offered a 1:1 meeting with me. I need to read all of your paperwork before I can advise, before we go into the Stage 1 meeting.

Faith & Voluntary aided schools

A number of faith schools are adopting Unified Pay collective agreement. It is important that members make sure they keep our office informed if they have any issues or concerns.

It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

You are invited to

Barnet UNISON AGM on Tuesday 7 March 4pm at Christ Church at Whetstone (Lower Hall) Oakleigh Park, North N20 9AR

 Food and refreshments provided

Don’t outsource ‘top 2 rated council services’ say Barnet UNISON

News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

“No 2 Outsourcing”

“Resident Satisfaction – Refuse and recycling remain the top 2 rated council services based on the latest Residents’ Perception Survey data from spring 2016. Recycling is at 73% saying the service is “good/excellent” – this is 6.8% above the London average. Refuse is at 77% saying “good/excellent”, 8.2% above the London average.”

(https://www.barnet.gov.uk/dam/jcr:ec335e0f-35ed-43fc-a6c9-1f30f1c2b844/Streetscene-Performance-Report-Q1-2016-17.pdf)

Those are not the words of Barnet UNISON but data on Barnet Council web site.

The ‘top 2 rated council services’ they say.

On Wednesday 15 March 2017, at 6.30 pm Barnet Council Environment Committee will decide whether to either back their own loyal hard working staff or outsource them to another employer.

Barnet UNISON has been clear from the start that Street Scene services should and must stay in-house.

If the residents rate these services, and the senior officers who produce the data confirming this is true, then how could it be possible to outsource these services?

We won’t know until the report to be considered by Barnet Councillors will be published here five working days before the meeting.

http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=695&MId=8593&Ver=4

I will be attending this meeting which is open to the public.

 

Barnet UNISON Press Release: Ken Loach comes to Barnet screening of ‘I, Daniel Blake’

Austerity, Community, Solidarity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Special screening of BAFTA winning ‘I, Daniel Blake’ with a Q & A Ken Loach. 28 February 2017

27 February 2017 

‘Hunger is being used as a weapon,’ says veteran director, calling for public rage over situation he says is worse than when he made Cathy Come Home in 1966” (Ken Loach)

“2.8 MILLION disabled people are in deep poverty (< 50% of median income).” Source: New Policy Institute

“Austerity has been targeted at disabled people nine times more than the general population and severely disabled people have been targeted 19 times more than the general population.” Source: Centre for Welfare Reform

“After the 2016 Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility found that, ‘the government is on track by 2020-21 to spend the lowest amount on welfare, as a percentage of GDP, in 30 years.’ Source: BBC

“90,000 disabled people will lose their mobility cars under welfare reform.” Source Fullfact.org

Barnet UNISON branch is proud to be able to host this special event which is being supported by the following community campaigns: Barnet Trades Council, Barnet Alliance for Public Services, Housing Action Barnet, Our West Hendon campaign, Barnet Momentum.

“This film is quite rightly being recognised as a urgent wake up call for all of us. Austerity has delivered brutal cuts to our much loved public services and is hastening the break-up of the NHS. Some political commentators pedal the view that employment is up, but at the same time they conveniently neglect to mention that employment rights are being destroyed through the casualisation of the workforce such a zero hours contracts, and home carers are often not paid for travelling time to clients. I hope all of our members and Barnet residents find time to watch this film. We need everyone to get active in their communities and join the call for the end of Austerity.” John Burgess Branch Secretary Barnet UNISON.

The film is being screened at the iconic community Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley on Tuesday 28 February 2017. A  short Q & A will take place with Ken Loach and Paula Peters from DPAC interviewed by Aditya Chakrabortty, the senior economics commentator for the Guardian.

See attached flyer for details.

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

DPAC http://dpac.uk.net/

Ken Loach http://www.sixteenfilms.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnet UNISON solidarity with PCS members in local job centres

Uncategorised

21stFebruary 2017

Dear Sir or Madam

Please see below our Branch’s response to your call for views on the proposal to close two Job Centres in the London Borough of Barnet.

Closure of Job Centres in the London Borough of Barnet

Barnet UNISON are concerned about the proposed closure of two of the four Job Centres in the Borough.  The DWP appears to have not fully considered the impact this would have on those people working in and using Job Centres, and the wider community including our members working to provide support for those seeking work.

Instead of closing Job Centres we call on the DWP to consider the benefits and opportunities of working in partnership with local Government.  The proposal shows a failure to learn from the success of existing DWP and Local Government partnerships such as the Boost project at Burnt Oak

Barnet’s population, already the size of many UK cities, will rise from 373, 000 to over 400,000 within the next decade. To reduce Job Centre services by 50% in the face of this growth illustrates a lack of strategic planning by the DWP

Reducing the number of Job Centres will place greater strains and stresses on people who already are in the difficult and worrying situation of having to find work as travel costs and waiting times will increase.

The closure of half of the Borough’s Job Centres will put further pressure on our members working in council services such as libraries and social care who are providing support to people who are out of work; our members are already suffering from additional pressures from cuts to jobs and resources.

Barnet UNISON call for a more imaginative and socially responsible approach to providing Job Centre Services in our Borough. This to be  arrived at after a  full and real consultation with Job Centre workers as represented by the PCS, service users, the Council and other concerned organisations.

Barnet Unison – Local Government branch.

Solidarity statement 4 John Burgess

Community, Local

Standing up against Bullies of People with Mental Health Issues

We know John made it public knowledge that he suffered a serious mental health breakdown last year. Whatever anyone may think about such a revelation surely it should not attract a vindictive attempt to undermine his mental health.

Unfortunately John has recently received an email seemingly calculated to undermine his mental health. We will not stand by in silence whilst someone in our movement is bullied in this way.

By signing this statement we are expressing our solidarity with John Burgess and our disgust at this opportunistic and calculated attack on someone recovering from a serious health condition.

Please go to this link to read a fuller story about this attack: https://johnburgess001.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/hate-crime-why-i-reported-it-to-police.html

Name, Position,  Organisation or branch

  1. John McDonnell MP Shadow Chancellor
  2. Mark SERWOTKA PCS General Secretary
  3. ‪Ian Hodson President BFAWU ‬
  4. Petros Elia General Secretary United Voices of the World
  5. John Hendy QC
  6. Helen Davies Branch Chair Barnet UNISON and NEC.
  7. Hugh Jordan Libraries Convenor Barnet UNISON.
  8. Patrick Hunter Convenor Barnet Unison.
  9. Maggi Myland Barnet UNISON Retired member
  10. Chris Jobson Barnet UNISON Rep.
  11. Sid Ronayne Barnet UNISON Rep.
  12. Claire Locke Chair London Metropolitan University UNISON
  13. Claire Dixon Branch Secretary, UNISON Whittington Hospital branch
  14. John Harris Ex Chair UNISON Whittington Hospital branch
  15. Alex Lines Chair UNISON Whittington Hospital branch
  16. Jackie Taylor UNISON Whittington Hospital branch
  17. Sonya Howard Branch Secretary, UNISON Kensington & Chelsea, NEC
  18. Phoebe Watkins Branch Co-Chair Camden UNISON
  19. Hugo Pierre Schools Convenor Camden UNISON , NEC
  20. Amerit Rait Shop Steward UNISON Whittington Hospital branch
  21. Brian Debus Chair Hackney UNISON
  22. Alex Tarry Branch Secretary London Metropolitan University UNISON
  23. Tony Phillips Branch Secretary UNISON London Fire Authority
  24. Diana Swingler UNISON rep Homerton UNISON
  25. Tanya Murat Convenor Greenwich UNISON
  26. Sandy Nichol SOAS UNISON Branch Secretary
  27. Philip Lewis, Camden UNISON Vice Chair & Branch Health & Safety officer & Convenor supporting people directorate, UNISON Regional Health & Safety Comm. Vice Chair Unison NHSC
  28. Paula Peters DPAC activist, member of Mental Health Resistance Network and Equalities Officer SE London Unite Community
  29. Esther Rey Hounslow UNISON joint branch secretary
  30. Floyd Codlin, PCS Arms, PCS Culture GEC
  31. Tim O’Dell, Libraries shop steward, Lambeth
  32. Linda Burnip, DPAC co-founder and UNISON member
  33. Karen Raynor, Customer Support Assistant, Unison Steward for Bradford Libraries.
  34. Dave Honeybone, Doncaster District and Bassetlaw health steward.
  35. George Binette, Camden UNISON Branch Secretary & Chair, Camden TC
  36. Dean Ryan: Shop Steward Islington Unison.
  37. Sasha Simic, Shop Steward USDAW C133 Central Books branch.
  38. Ruth Cashman, Branch Secretary Lambeth UNISON.
  39. Brad Charteris, Psychotherapist.
  40. Gareth Lane BFAWU community organiser.
  41. Ben Sellers, Secretary, County Durham Trades Union Council.
  42. Dave Auger Wolverhampton deputy branch sec
  43. Sara Wright, Middlesex University Branch, Branch Chair.
  44. Roger Hutt, Doncaster and Bassetlaw steward
  45. Alan Wylie, Unison member & campaigner
  46. Bob Ellard, DPAC
  47. Arthur Nicoll, Communications Officer – Dundee City Unison, Scottish LG Cttee
  48. John Sullivan parent of an adult daughter with learning difficulties , John has spent years fighting for along with her peers and her support staff.
  49. Andy Squires Doncaster and Bassetlaw Health Branch.
  50. Jenny Compton-Bishop Middlesex University Retired Member
  51. Caroline Powls Member Brent Unison
  52. Janette Evans secretary Barnet Branch Unite community , member Mental Health Resistance Network.
  53. Sid Ronayne Barnet UNISON steward.
  54. Adrian Kennett Hull Unison
  55. Jon Rogers, UNISON NEC.
  56. Candy Udwin PCS National Gallery.
  57. John McLoughlin Branch Secretary/SGE Tower Hamlets UNISON
  58. Dan Sartin Branch Secretary West Sussex UNISON
  59. Ron Cohen CWU member
  60. David Ball Steward Barnet UNISON
  61. Theresa Musgrove Broken Barnet Blog
  62. Derek Dishman blogger “Mr Mustard”
  63. A.M. Poppy Barnet Activist
  64. Dave Knight Retired Waltham Forest UNISON
  65. Sarah Littlewood Deputy Branch Secretary Hull LG Branch
  66. Janet Bryan NEC Branch Treasurer Convenor Bolton UNISON
  67. Paul Couchman Deputy Branch Secretary Surrey County UNISON
  68. Sherril Johnston NSL steward Barnet UNISON
  69. Rebecca Call Women’s Officer Wirral UNISON
  70. Ian Davies Community Member Scunthorpe
  71. Ian Thomas Health SGE UNISON Wales
  72. Tony Staunton UNITE member
  73. Raymie Kiernan NUJ member
  74. Mike Calvert Deputy Branch Secretary Islington UNISON
  75. Martin Clark FE college steward Glasgow City UNISON
  76. Mark Evans Branch Secretary Camarthenshire County UNISON
  77. Florence Hill Retired Branch Chair Bolton UNISON
  78. Jane Doolan Branch Secretary Islington UNISON
  79. Steve Day Branch secretary BFAWU
  80. Kevin Ward Labour Link officer Middlesex University UNISON
  81. Ben Jackson Branch secretary pc Manchester Community and Mental Health UNISON
  82. Barry Blinko retired member Westminster University
  83. Karen Reissmann member/ NEC pc Bolton Salford Trafford UNISON
  84. Liz James steward Barnet UNISON
  85. Stephen Wood Hillingdon UNISON
  86. Osman Ahmed Sade ULR rep UNISON
  87. Suzy Franklin honorary President Plymouth Trade Council 2017 – former UNISON Health branch secretary (Plymouth Derriford Hospital Health branch)  NEC southwest and staunch John Burgess supporter
  88. Keith Wilcox Hillingdon UNISON
  89. Raymundo Obedencio Barnet Green Party
  90. Philippa Whitecross
  91. Matt Ratcliffe Branch Secretary Hillingdon UNISON
  92. Sharon Benjamin Assistant Branch Secretary Hillingdon UNISON
  93. Jo Cardwell Vice Chair Islington UNISON
  94. Gary Padgett Lincolnshire County UNISON
  95. Lorna Solomon Branch Chair Homerton UNISON
  96. Megan Charlton Secretary Durham Teaching assistants UNISON
  97. Liz Wheatley Assistant Branch Secretary Camden UNISON
  98. Roger Lewis Assistant Branch Secretary pc Lambeth UNISON
  99. Shirley Franklin Chair Defend Whittington Hospital coalition
  100. Theresa Rollinson Health SGE pc Doncaster and Bassetlaw UNISON
  101. Keith Martin Former chief accountant NALGO
  102. Jenny Leow Homerton UNISON
  103. Jordan Rivera Branch Secretary Homerton UNISON
  104. Jim Board Branch Secretary Doncaster UNISON
  105. Yunus Bakhsh formerly branch secretary Newcastle City Health UNISON; Northern region NEC and Health SGE 25 years a psychiatric nurse
  106. Sharon Campion Joint branch secretary/ SGE Sandwell UNISON
  107. John Woods Branch Chair Portsmouth City UNISON
  108. Tirza Waisel Adult social worker Chair Barnet Communities UNITE
  109. George Shaw Barnet Communities UNITE
  110. Phil Fletcher Barnet Communities UNITE; Friends of the Earth; Barnet Green Party
  111. Kathy Smith Bromley Unite rep
  112. Paul Gilroy Branch Secretary Newcastle City UNISON LG & UNISON NEC
  113. Max Watson, Unite the Union, SE London Community Branch (previously UNISON NEC, 2010-2015)
  114. Tracey Leith, Shetland Branch, Chair
  115. Jennie Haswell, Branch Health and Safety Officer, Wakefield District Branch of Unison
  116. Trish Fay member of County Durham Teaching Assistants Action Committee
  117. Louis Smyth Barnet Schools Officer – solidarity John
  118. Clara Paillard PCS President
  119. Professor Dexter Whitfield Director, European Services Strategy Unit
  120. Graham Eddy ex unison branch sec Northumberland lg and asst branch sec tower hamlets unison.
  121. Gemma Short, Workers’ Liberty. My solidarity.
  122. Ruth Nyman Barnet UNISON Retired member.
  123. Jonathan Dunning, UNISON NEC and Norfolk Branch Secretary. 
  124. Sandra Greenyer, Children’s Centre Manager
  125. Alphonsa M.K. Alby, Barnet social worker
  126. Hilary Price Barnet UNISON member.
  127. Tracey Lowe, Barnet UNISON Retired member.
  128. Tracy Cumberbatch, Underhill School and Children’s Centre.
  129. Izzi Azgadj
  130. Jan McLachlan.
  131. Steve North Branch Secretary, Salford City UNISON.
  132. Mary Beer-Cleasby, small business owner, BECTU member &Save Barnet Libraries.
  133. Andrew Travers, Joint Branch Secretary, Unison Medway Health.
  134. Vicky Perrin school steward Calderdale Branch, YH NEC member (pc)
  135. Craig Martin, schools convener, UNISON Dorset County.
  136. Eddie Rowley london met uni unison steward.
  137. David Summers London Met Unison Asst Branch Secretary. 
  138. John McDermott UNISON steward. Bradford.
  139. Vino Sangarapillai Camden Unison. 
  140. Polly Smith- chair Suffolk County UNISON ,nec (pc)
  141. Rena Neophytou, Barnet UNISON member.
  142. Nick Jackman, Barnet UNISON member
  143. Janet Mead, Barnet UNISON member.
  144. David Halls, Unison Birmingham Branch – retired member.
  145. Mark Dee Smith, Luton TUC.
  146. Sue Plain Southwark UNISON Branch Secretary.
  147. April Ashley UNISON Black members rep and Assistant Branch Secretary Southwark (pc).
  148. Bernie Gallagher, Bolton LG and NEC.
  149. Maddie Cooper UNISON.
  150. Fiona Monkman, Islington UNISON.
  151. David Mackintosh Unison rep for Assist Barnet homes
  152. Kieran Lynch Barnet UNISON Retired member
  153. David Lindsay, Lanchester, County Durham.
  154. Adam Driscoll Barnet UNISON member.

 

,

Barnet UNISON votes to seek lawful national dispute over the School Budget cuts

Austerity, Local, News, Trades Dispute

Support our School Staff members

This Branch Executive Committee notes:

1.    This statement which came out 13 December 2016:

“State schools in England will have to find £3bn in savings by 2019-20, says the public spending watchdog. Schools face 8% budget cuts and about 60% of secondary schools already have deficits, warns a funding analysis from the National Audit Office (NAO).”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38301843

2.      Our branch has received an unusually large number of requests from schools seeking consultation over redundancies.

3.      The cuts budget is a national agenda which being fought at a local level.

4.      School support staff are often a significant proportion (30-50%) of the membership of UNISON local government branches.

5.      The formation of a new Education trade union which will bring teachers and school support staff into one union.

6.      The disputes by Derby City and Durham UNISON teaching assistants against the imposition of pay cuts through term-time only contracts.

7.      The impressive public support those teaching assistants have received for their strike action.

This BEC believes:

1.    School support staff are particularly vulnerable to redundancies but there is then a knock-on effect for the rest of the school when jobs are cut.

2.    The scale of the problem, the speed of the consultations and the general lack of confidence amongst school support staff means it is incredibly difficult to organise effective, or any resistance to cuts in posts at individual schools as a result of the overall cut in the schools budget.

3.    The cuts budget is a national agenda which should be fought at a national level.

4.    The issue of term-time only pay should be made into a national dispute.

5.    Fighting cuts and defending public services is popular with the public.

This BEC resolves:

1.    To continue supporting and encouraging all and any colleagues fighting job losses and pay cuts on a local level.

2.    To call on UNISON to seek a way of registering a lawful national dispute over the School Budget cuts and begin the mobilisation of all of our members working in schools for a strike ballot.

3.    To call on UNISON to seek urgent talks with sister unions to attempt to coordinate joint national strike action over the School Budget Cuts.

4.    To send this motion to National Local Government conference 2017.

Love UNIONS; Join Barnet UNISON “there’s a lot going on!”

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Community, Demonstration, Local, News, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign

As part of 8‑14 Feb 2017 Heartunions week of action

Barnet UNISON is publishing our calendar of action we have organised for our members and the community we serve.

A big thanks to all of our UNISON reps, officers and our admin for all the work they have done and continue to do for our members.

20 February “1 Day Without Us”

“We want to demonstrate our solidarity for our migrant colleagues”

“By wearing a purple or green ribbon. You can also just wear something green or purple.”

“By taking solidarity selfies of you and your workmates on 20th February”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017.02.02-One-day-without-us-flyer.pdf #20Feb #1DayWithoutUs #BarnetUNISON

 

25 February “Sing Your Heart out 4 NHS”

“Join Barnet UNISON members and our fantastic Barnet residents in a musical message of solidarity for the NHS.”

We can now see what six years of austerity policies has had on the NHS which only recently was described by the Red Cross as a “humanitarian crisis”.

“Listen to Yannis Gourtsoyannis one of the Junior Doctors strikers talk first-hand about the NHS crisis”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2017.01.09-Rock-Against-Austerity-flyer-1.pdf #NHS #BarnetUNISON

 

28 February “I Daniel Blake” – Phoenix Cinema – East Finchley

“We are absolutely delighted that our long-time supporter Ken Loach has agreed to join a Q & A with DPAC’s Paula Peters, who will be interviewed by Aditya Chakraborrty senior economics commentator for the Guardian.”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/barnet_idanielblake_28Feb2017_A4_poster.pdf

#IDanielBlake #BarnetUNISON

 

4 March – National “Save Our NHS” demo – Barnet UNISON

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/01/25/barnet-unison-supports-nhs-workers-join-us-4marchnhs/ #NHS #BarnetUNISON

 

7 March Barnet UNISON AGM – Fighting Apartheid to Fighting Austerity  

“I am deeply honoured to have as our grassroots speaker Paul Joseph. Paul born in South Africa, became a political activist in the anti-apartheid movement working closely with Nelson Mandela with whom he was good friends. We are all facing deeply troubling times both in the workplace and our homes and our communities. I strongly recommend our members to make time to attend our AGM and listen to Paul tell his story. Hopefully he will be able to give us some advice as to what we all can do and remain positive in these troubling times.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/02/03/7-march-barnet-unison-agm-fighting-apartheid-to-fighting-austerity/

#PaulJoseph #Mandela #BarnetUNISON

 

18 March – United Nations “Stand Up to Racism” demo Barnet UNISON

Join the Barnet UNISON banner on what is becoming a seminal demonstration in wake of recent events across the globe.

http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/national-demo-refugees-migrants-welcome-stand-racism-islamophobia-anti-semitism/ #StandUptoRacism #BarnetUNISON

 

Saturday 25 March “Join the Durham Teaching Assistants in Durham”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/02/03/saturday-25-march-join-the-durham-teaching-assistants-in-durham/

#ValueUs #FightingBack #BarnetUNISON

Unified Pay: “Myths & Updates” – School staff please read

Austerity, Local, News, Report, Solidarity

 

Unified Pay Update

New contracts

Last term Barnet Council employees received their new contracts. Most staff had no issues so they signed their contract. There were a smaller group of workers who had issues. For these staff UNISON advised that they did not need to sign until the appeal/issue had been resolved. In some cases some staff signed even though they had an outstanding issue. In which case once their appeal was resolved they received an updated contract.  It is important that members keep a copy of their new contracts somewhere secure.

School staff:

I have been informed that Barnet Council are about to issue new contracts for all their employees (excluding teachers) in schools

It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

On Monday and Tuesday we have Louis Smyth specifically to deal with UNISON school member issues and Nadia Joseph on Wednesday.

Myth

“If I don’t sign the contract I will be made redundant”

No, no no. This is not correct. If you feel any pressure or are uncertain what to do then please contact your local rep or the unison office.

Sick Pay Scheme

In the new contract there is mention of a potential change which could see some staff having pay deducted if they are off sick. It is important to note that this is an ‘if.’ UNISON are already in negotiations about a new sickness policy, until we have reached an agreement the current sickness scheme is in place. It is worth noting that the original Council proposals was to withdraw from the current sick pay scheme for example end the 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay if you were seriously ill

Nursery Nurse group appeal

In the negotiations with the council there was an agreement that discussion about the 3.4% would continue after implementation. I can report that I am in the process of putting together an appeal for the Nursery Nurses with the support of some of our members. A meeting whereby I will be giving feedback on what I am proposing is being held

52 Week Teaching Assistants group appeal

I am meeting with the Council negotiating team to discuss a proposal which I hope I will be able to discuss with members shortly.

Individual Appeals

I have a list of members who have individual appeals. It is very important that members provide the UNISON office with all documentation, and arrange for a 1:1 meeting with me in order that I can best able to provide you with support. I have been supporting non schools members for the last five months and this process has worked well.

*** If you have sent in an appeal and have not notified UNISON, we will not be able to help. It is very important that you notify the branch if you want the support.

Stage 1 appeals

These meetings are not meant to be stressful for members. They an opportunity for a discussion with the employer, employee and their UNISON rep. In the many other Stage 1 meetings for non-school staff, management have been very supportive of any of their staff who are facing a loss in pay. I have found that the approach taken for non-schools staff has been largely positive for staff. The solution to the loss in pay can often be resolved by exploring a number of different approaches.

I would hope that UNISON members working in schools would expect that they should have the same treatment.

This is why when UNISON members working in schools contact the branch for support, they will be offered a 1:1 meeting with me. I need to listen and then advise, before we go into the Stage 1 meeting.

Faith schools

A number of faith schools are adopting Unified Pay collective agreement. It is important that members make sure they keep our office informed if they have any issues or concerns.

It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Saturday 25 March “Join the Durham Teaching Assistants in Durham”

Austerity, Community, Demonstration, National, News, Solidarity

The Durham TA Lions are calling on the grassroots movement to join them in solidarity in Durham on Saturday 25 March.

Their fight is our fight.

Barnet UNISON will not turn our backs on them.

We will not leave them behind, we look forward to renewing our previous solidarity experience with them at the Durham Miners Gala last year.

The Durham & Derby TAs and Kinsley 3 are disputes we must win.

These workers are showing the rest of us what you can do even in the face of such brutality.

Now it’s our turn.

We will be taking our banner to Durham

Solidarity “Lions of Durham”.

 

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