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Barnet UNISON Schools Conference a clear success!
“Very useful. A good chance to let UNISON know what sort of practices are going on in schools.
“As this is the 1st meeting, I think that it is too early to comment, as the sessions, if continued will develop, as and who attends”
“I found the amount of support available (on staffing and learning) brilliant”
“Reinforced my understanding of issues involving school support staff”
“I found it enlightening”
“Good to know we are not alone”
This was just some of the positive feedback from those who attended our schools conference. The last comment has a particular resonance. Schools support staff are certainly not alone. We have some 900+ members in schools and yet a lot of you feel alone!
This has a lot to do with the way in which we organise in schools. It is difficult for you to attend meetings and we do not have representatives in every school – but the issues are so similar… This conference was an attempt to break through that and we have agreed to
ü organise meetings in some of the schools present at the conference.
ü organise a meeting specifically for caretakers as they have yet to have their jobs looked at following the schools remodelling exercise.
ü Send out the job descriptions for Levels 1,2,3,4 T.A s
ü Organise a meeting for Nursery Nurses to discuss the key worker aspect to their role.
It was really shocking to hear how many colleagues are being held at Level 1 T.A. when in fact no one should be on this level for more than a few weeks! This is just one of the issues we will be tackling throughout the year. Colleagues attending were also shocked to hear about the proposed transformation of
Many colleagues found the feedback from National UNISON speaker, Christine Lewis, very informative and people really liked to hear about the training opportunities which are available through the council on the Return2Learn scheme.
There will be another conference which will take place during the next half term. Make sure you don’t miss the next one. Contact the Barnet UNISON office if you are reading this and want us to come to your school and hold a meeting.
Prize winner receives her min laptop!
Prime Minister responds to Barnet UNISON on Future Shape
Joint Trade Unions respond to Barnet ‘EasyCouncil’ Cabinet Committee
To view our reports please click on the following links
Our response to their report click here
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Future_Shape_Cabinet_21_Oct09FINAL.pdf
DRAFT Procurement Strategy click here
Barnet UNISON Benefit Gig -limited supply of tickets
BENEFIT GIG IN SUPPORT OF LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM
To view details click here
Tickets available from:
Barnet UNISON office
ring 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk.
Limited number of tickets available
Buy YOUR Tickets now
No booking fees!
Council Unions launch DRAFT Public Services Manifesto
The current and potential new government have made their intentions clear for public services in th enext 2- 4 years.
Marginalisation and anti union propaganda has been unleashed on the Postal workers union. How revolutionary is the postal workers union request for ACAS?
In the Council we are starting to see evidence of marginalisation of our trade unions not just in Future Shape but other work related issues directly affecting our members.
We have agreed a DRAFT Manifesto for Public Services which is being supported by Barnet Trades Council.
To view click here
Across London
To view newsletter click here
Report back from Lambeth UNISON
What is your name? 
Jon Rogers
What UNISON branch?
Lambeth local government
What is your branch officer position?
Joint Branch Secretary (jointly with Nick Venedi)
Have any of your services been privatised? Please explain?
Lambeth was scene of what was at the time the largest privatisation in the history of English local government in 1997 when almost all our then remaining in-house manual workforce was privatised to a “joint venture company” part-owned by the Council. This proved a failure and the contracts are now with a range of different private contractors. We have had some successes in bringing privatised “white-collar” services (such as Housing Benefit and Legal Services) back in-house.
Do you know if there are any plans to share services with other public sector organisations in your borough?
We have not heard of any detailed proposals yet!
Do you have any privatisation proposals in your borough?
At the moment our ALMO (Lambeth Living) is proposing to privatise our emergency caretaking service, our Concierge service and the estate cleaning service (in those parts of the borough where it is still in-house). We have got the Council to agree to pay a consultant from the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) to work with us to try to respond to these proposals – and this work is underway right now.
What do you think will be the big challenges for public Services over the next four years?
We will face spending cuts and further privatisation proposals, as well as the shared services agenda. At the same time a future Tory Government will probably mount new attacks upon our trade unions for which we need to prepare.
What is your message to Barnet UNISON members?
Your branch is leading the way in showing how we should respond to the coming challenges and other branches can learn from this – but we cannot fight one borough at a time. We need to work together and to make the official structures of our trade union work for us as best we can. Right now I think we can make use of the national Union’s Million Voices for Change campaign to provide a coherent theme nationally for the fightback in local government and beyond. The Peoples Charter also provides a national framework, supported by the Trades Union Congress, for our local demands and campaigns.
News from Southwark Council – Revs & Bens: Back in House
Revs & Bens: Back in House
On 29th September Southwark Council Executive Committee voted to bring Revs& Bens back in house.
Some quotes from the report:
“Lack of direct control on the part of the Council, leading to slow and reluctant responses to Council-led initiatives to improve the service for the people of Southwark.”
“The main benefits of bringing the service in-house are:
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“the authority can directly implement new initiatives and methods of working for service improvement quickly and without the need for contract variation.
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“the authority is able to build more robust relationships with key departments and external stakeholders.
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“Bringing the service back in-house will eliminate a major 3rd party interface.”
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“the authority can have direct day to day management of the service and speed of making decisions and implementing change will be quicker.”
To view the full report click here
2029 Guide to Retirement – ‘Work until you Die?’
2029 Guide to Retirement – ‘Work until you Die?’
So, the bidding war on when we are entitled to take our Pensions has begun. By 2029 it could be that those of us that have lived that long will be fighting to hold on to any income we can get, never mind looking forward to retirement!
I can still remember someone coming down to our junior school and talking about the 21st Century as a time where everyone would be retiring early. They would spend their retirement taking part in leisure activities and dressing up in white lycra? What happened to those promises made to children like me? Or maybe I made it all up or got confused with the story telling class? The Lycra thing was true!
Anyway I thought it maybe a good idea to help prepare members as to what services & exciting work opportunities could be out there for them in 2029.
Top Tip 1.
Why not take some time out to pop down your local community centre for older people (if it has not be closed due to Cuts) to see if this is a service you would want to use for the following reasons:
• A hot meal. Buy a meal and see what you think.
• Somewhere warm to sit for the day, because you are too frightened to turn on the heating in your bedsit. Yes that’s right, you have had to sell your home to pay for your health care (the NHS was finally privatised to a US Healthcare provider in 2023).
• Entertainment what did you think of the day time activities
• Company
• Security, at least there are staff around in the centre to protect you from what has become an increasing lawless society.
“Did you go down? Is it everything you would hope for?”
Top Tip 2
“What about the many career opportunities?”
How about going down to your local supermarket or DIY store now and ask for a couple hours work experience. This will help you when you are queuing up for a job in 2029. With this work experience, they won’t be able to turn you down with this line ‘Sorry, no experience!’
Top Tip 3
“Why not pop down to Job Centre Plus?”
Check out what services are available. Check out benefits advice, just how long is it before you are seen? You may need to use these services in 2029.
Come along to the Branch meeting on Monday 12 October 12 – 2pm Conference Room, NLBP. To collect the Pensions information