https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86238171112?pwd=MGVlNmN5YXJRRHNYMHBROXUyN1dHUT09
Meeting ID: 862 3817 1112
Password: 562415
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82053571709?pwd=RmRTalNHNDFTeEV6Szg5ZzZVUWNtQT09
Meeting ID: 820 5357 1709
Password: 138662
Barnet UNISON Bin workers Zoom Meeting.https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82837847503?pwd=ZGtjT3BOT240Ym1LMmV6TEZCYTA4UT09
Meeting ID: 828 3784 7503
Password: 127799
Dear Care Provider,
I hope this email finds you and your care setting well. The last weeks have been particularly gruelling for the social care sector and we recognise you have had to cope with extremely challenging and distressing situations. We believe this has been unacceptable and going forward it needs to change for the better.
You along with our members are undoubtedly aware of the Governments infection control fund which is an attempt to address the risks of infection to residents in care home settings.
UNISON fully supports this initiative both locally and nationally.
UNISON notes that London Borough of Barnet has been allocated £3,564,514 for infection control by the Government.
The Government guidance is clear that this funding should be used to pay the “normal wages” of social care workers that are absent due to COVID-19 as a measure to help reduce transmissions, so they do not feel pressured into going into work out of financial necessity. Its intention is also to top up the wages of those doing shifts at several care homes by encouraging them to reduce the number of workplaces they visit.
To that end we are writing to as many care providers in Barnet as we can to ask them to provide the following information:
Wages and Sick Pay arrangements
PPE
The infection control funding is a much needed positive boost for a workforce that has been on the frontline dealing with a deadly infection that they could have never imagined they would face in a care home setting.
Please note we are widely publicising our communication to all care homes settings with our members and we will be updating them on the responses we receive through our usual social media communication platforms.
Can you please respond by close of play this Friday 19 June 2020? If you intend to respond but cannot meet the deadline of Friday could you give us an alternative date we can expect your response?
Many thanks in advance,
Stay safe.
Best wishes
Barnet UNISON
Dear Barnet UNISON Members
UNISON HQ have sent an email to all of our members working in Schools.
This is an extract from the email sent on 28 May 2020.
“However, many staff will still be expected to go in and we have all been inundated with requests by members asking for advice on whether they can refuse to go in on 1 June. Following discussion with NEU, other unions and our legal team the email to members includes a model letter for members who have serious concerns about their health and safety and face the prospect of being forced into the workplace under unsafe conditions from 1 June. We have asked members to specify these concerns in their letter by highlighting where the school is not meeting the joint unions risk assessment checklist. They can also include scenarios where they have not been consulted on risk assessment.”
Here is the link to UNISON email message below.
https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2020/05/UNISON-Education-%E2%80%93-school-members-email-28-May-1.pdf
If you have serious concerns about health and safety in your workplace then please use the EMAIL Template below to send to your School and remember to copy in Barnet UNISON at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Dear ***********
re: Health and Safety
I am writing to inform you that, in order to protect myself and/or other persons from danger, I will not be attending [name of school/college] to work there at present. I will continue to be available to work from home.
Since the government announced its decision to extend the opening of schools, the impact that has in terms of the health and safety of pupils, staff and the community has been widely discussed. The mere fact of an increase in the number of pupils and staff attending school poses an increased risk.
UNISON and the other TUC education unions have outlined a set of tests to be met nationally and locally before it could be deemed safe for schools to open more widely. These tests have been set with a view to safely increasing pupil numbers. UNISON does not believe these tests have been met in full. In particular the new test, track and trace system has only just been introduced and it is too early to know if this is effective. Independent scientific advice concurs with UNISON’s view that wider opening on 1 June is not safe.
I believe that not attending work in the current circumstances is an appropriate step for me to take for the following reasons:
1. The dangers that are preventing me from attending work are the risk of contracting coronavirus and or spreading coronavirus to others.
2. The person(s)I am seeking to protect are myself, my family, our pupils, their families, my colleagues, their families and members of the public.
3. I believe that this danger is serious because coronavirus infection is potentially fatal and has already resulted in more than 37,000 deaths in the UK and there are additional circumstances in my situation because: –
4. I believe that, if I were to attend work, the danger would be imminent because
[add here the specific elements where the school has not complied with the checklist and what your specific concerns are]
In addition: –
5. I will be happy to return to the workplace when confirmed that it is safe to do so, for example if the following measures have been put into place:
In the meantime, I am of course willing to carry out any of my duties, or other alternative duties at my current grade, that can reasonably be undertaken from my home.
Yours sincerely,
[Employee Name]
Cc Barnet UNISON contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Please join the first Barnet Homes UNISON Zoom meeting
Thursday the 28th of May 1pm.
We will be discussing the latest proposals in regard to the restructure of housing services.
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 871 3273 4583
Password: 139984
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IF
your school in not on this list but you have seen a Risk Assessment for your school, please contact Barnet UNISON on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
We asked our members (most of whom are working from home) one question.
94% of our School UNISON members felt it was not safe.
85% of our Capita UNISON members felt it was not safe.
79% of our Barnet Council UNISON members felt it was not safe.
79% of our Barnet Homes members felt it was not safe
Dear Members
Barnet UNISON as part of our efforts to ensure all of our members was safe contacted Capita in order that we could take part in the Risk Assessment consultation process.
Our branch has been busy for the last 8 weeks supporting and advising our members working and dealing with the COVID 19 risk in the workplace.
Whilst many staff are able to work from home there are staff who have to go out into the community to deal with the public.
It is important that all employers comply with Health and Safety Legislation in relation to Risk Assessments.
Now more than ever all employers should understand the importance of carrying out Risk Assessments for all of their staff in order they can provide assurances their workplace is safe.
It is important to note but as of Friday 22 May 2020, Barnet UNISON has not been consulted on any Risk Assessment for any job role being carried out by our members on both Capita contracts.
We have seen a Capita generic Risk Assessment which as soon as we challenged it Capita admitted it was out of date.
Barnet UNISON was informed that Capita compliance team issued 3 generic risk assessments (which have seen) which we were told would be a starting point for discussions around role specific Risk Assessments for staff working on the two Barnet contracts.
This was positive news.
Barnet UNISON requested the contact details for the manager responsible for coordinating the Risk Assessments on both Capita contracts in Barnet.
Capita responded stating they will not share or agree all risk assessments as requested as this is not something as an organisation that we do.
The health, safety and welfare of our members working for Capita is a serious matter and as such we have escalated this matter to UNISON National as the following legislation must be followed by the employer.
It is worrying that in this current COVID Pandemic where serious and fatal risks are being faced by workers every day that any employer would refuse to share or agree Risk Assessments with a Trade Union.
Relevant Legislation: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Regulation 3 – employers must conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments
Regulation 4 – requires employer to control hazards at source
Regulation 7 – employer must appoint competent persons to conduct RA
Regulation 10 – workers must be given comprehensive and relevant information about risks
Regulation 13 – employers must ensure workers are capable and trained
Regulation 16/19 – RA must take account of women of child-bearing age and young people’s risks.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Regulation 4 states:
Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective.
If you have any concerns please email the branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
End.
