The Tories Are Out Of Barnet!

To quote CeCe Peniston: “Finally!” (For those of us young enough to remember popular music of the 90s) https://youtu.be/xk8mm1Qmt-Y

On behalf of our members our Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary, John Burgess, has written to the newly elected Council Leader, Barry Rawlings, congratulating him on the success of the Labour Party and requesting to meet with him.

This is John making a statement to all Barnet UNISON members

For 20 years our members have had to deal with brutality of outsourcing and attacks on our time off to represent members. Our members in the Barnet Group, Capita, NSL, BELS and ISS will be expecting to see positive change for them. UNISON’s General Secretary, Christine McAnea has also been written to requesting her support for assistance in our discussions with Barnet Labour.

We’ll be providing regular updates to our members and our wider UNISON family and trade union community on our progress.

End.

Emergency Cost of Living Crisis meeting

Dear members

The Cost Of Living Crisis is real and it we need a plan to defend and support our members.

 

  • UK Big Six energy firms made more than £1bn in profit
  • £40bn profits for BP and Shell
  • Petrol and diesel prices are the highest ever and it’s likely to get higher
  • The worst financial squeeze in 60 years, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
  • Food prices rising
  • Food banks usage increasing
  • Rent rises, council tax increases, mortgages rising, water bills increasing.

All of this and yet

  • MPs are getting a £2,200 pay rise when most of our members are only getting 1.75%
  • The Government gave £37 billion for the Covid Test and Trace.
  • The Government were handing out million-pound contracts to their mates during the pandemic
  • Finally, the Government worked from home whilst many of our frontline members had to go into work without a vaccine in order to keep public services running.
  • And let’s not forget the wine and cheese parties.

Barnet UNISON is calling a meeting of all of our members to listen to our members and discuss and agree a plan of action.

We want to hear real live experiences from our members.

  • What is worrying you?
  • What do you think your employer should be doing to help you?

The meeting is on Wednesday 30 March from 6- 7pm

Please see details for joining the meeting below.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85415771085?pwd=aWVmVEdTcHdaT2hHa3BPZzV4UEQ0dz09

Meeting ID: 854 1577 1085

Passcode: 876061

End.

Barnet UNISON

National Pay, Unified Reward, We Are Barnet “levelling up” negotiations 2 November update

Tuesday 2 November 6- 7 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81712515827?pwd=dituZHZRSWE5VW9ETDdkb0QwWTVFdz09

Meeting ID: 817 1251 5827

Passcode: 641084

This is an important meeting for all our members working for Barnet Council and The Barnet Group.

We will be discussing the following:

  • Update on the negotiations on Pay & Terms & Conditions and Pension with The Barnet Group.
  • What do Barnet UNISON Council workers want to put onto the negotiating table with Barnet Council?
  • An update on the National Strike ballot on Pay

If you have any questions please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring 0208 359 2088

End.

You can’t be disciplined for taking strike action. Thanks UNISON

“Employers can no longer mistreat staff who take part in industrial action, says UNISON”

“UK law had previously prevented employers from sacking staff involved in strike action or other workplace disputes, but not from disciplining or making life difficult for them, says UNISON.

But now, disciplinary action against workers who go on strike will be unlawful. This follows today’s judgment at the employment appeal tribunal (EAT) over a case taken by care worker Fiona Mercer against the Alternative Futures Group (AFG).

She had been involved in organising, and subsequently took part in, a long-running dispute over AFG’s plans to cut payment for sleep-in shifts undertaken by its care staff.”

Read more here.

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2021/06/employers-can-no-longer-mistreat-staff-who-take-part-in-industrial-action-says-unison/

 

 

Invite to Barnet UNISON AGM with Ken and Hilda, Debbie and Anju

Dear Barnet UNISON member

I am pleased to invite you to the Barnet UNISON Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 4 March 4-6pm

The last 12 months have been the most traumatic for many of our members both in the workplace and in their homes.

Our branch has tried its best to support as many of our members as possible and will continue to do so.

I am proud to introduce our first speaker Hilda Palmer who last year was recognised as “Most Influential person in health & safety for 2020” https://www.shponline.co.uk/shp-most-influential/hilda-palmer-named-shps-most-influential-person-in-health-safety-for-2020/

Hilda work on health & safety is inspirational and she has helped out branch immensely during the COVID pandemic.

I am sure you will want to hear what Hilda has to say about safety in the Covid workplace.

Our second speaker is the legendary Ken Loach. Our branch has been working with Ken for nearly two decades we have screened several of his films and Ken has been a big supporter of our members facing mass outsourcing.

Ken is joining us to talk about the brutal inequality in the workplace that has caused untold damage to the life chances of so many.

He will introduce a clip from his most recent film “Sorry We Missed You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysjwg-MnZao and discuss what lessons we can learn and what actions we as a branch must take to tackle inequalities in the workplace.

Our last two speakers are our very own Barnet UNISON reps Debbie & Anju both of whom work for The Barnet Group and organisation owned by Barnet Council. I’m really excited about what they have to say.

Our AGM is a really important meeting it decides what we as a branch are going to do for the next 12 months which is why we want all of our members to join us.

Due to COVID our AGM has to be online.

We need you to register to attend the meeting.

All you need to do is click on the Barnet UNISON link below to confirm you are coming to the meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcocOGvrjMsGtAYwZn7i5kEeqIy-PS8euKU

On the day before the AGM you will receive an email with the link to join the meeting.

I look forward to seeing you at our AGM.

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

Barnet UNISON

 

BreakingNews: National Joint Trade Union Pay & Conditions claims

Dear Member

Please find enclosed details of the National Joint Trade Union Pay & Conditions claims submitted

National Joint Council Pay claim
“A substantial increase with a minimum of 10% on all spinal column points.”
Read full details click on UNISON link below

http://msgfocus.com/files/amf_unison/project_190/NJC_Pay_Claim_2021_-_FINAL.pdf

National Joint Council Conditions claim
“A reduction of the working week to 35 hours with no loss of pay, and a reduction to 34 hours a week in London. Part-time staff to be given a choice of a pro rata reduction, or retaining the same hours and being paid a higher percentage of FTE”
Read full details click on UNISON link below
http://msgfocus.com/files/amf_unison/project_190/NJC_Conditions_Claim_2021_-_FINAL.pdf

When will members be told about the outcome?
Negotiations are just starting and last year it went on until September. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations Barnet UNISON members will be consulted on the offer which will be fed back to the National Negotiators.

End.

 

UNISON SAFER SCHOOLS PLAN February 2021

 

Dear Member

In response to the Government’s announcement to reopen Schools from 8 March 2021 UNISON has issued UNISON SAFER SCHOOLS PLAN February 2021 which sets out 15 point demands to ensure schools are safe for staff and pupils.

Here are some extracts from the plan:

“2. Split classes into smaller groups to keep bubble sizes as small as possible. If necessary, give schools additional funding to hire extra staff and space to accommodate them. Small bubbles, rotas and a phased return would help to ensure 2m social distancing.

“ 4. Subject to a risk assessment, provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including medical grade masks, for staff administering first aid, medical care or personal care activities where social distancing cannot be maintained, for example in some special schools and nurseries.”

“8. As part of re-opening, the DfE should ask the government to prioritise vaccinating school staff.

“9. Provide additional national guidance on ventilation in schools and support local reviews of ventilation in all schools prior to wider re-opening. This guidance should include advice on minimum safe temperatures for classrooms. Classrooms and other school areas with unsafe ventilation should not be used.”

You can view the UNISON SAFER SCHOOLS PLAN by clicking on the UNISON link below

https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2021/02/26307_safer-schools-plan.pdf

In response to the Reopening of schools from 8 March 2021, Barnet UNISON has organized a ZOOM meeting on

Wednesday 24 February 2021

6- 7pm

To join Zoom meeting

Click on the UNISON link below

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83559121979?pwd=QklXWlJTRkdDSHhEVk5yZTJiSUdvdz09

Meeting ID: 835 5912 1979

Passcode: 348797

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