Emergency Joint Trade Union meeting for Passenger Transport workers
Author: admin
Breaking News: London Living Wage a good start but we want more for our members.
The Barnet Group has just announced that as from 1st April it wants to pay the London Living Wage to all its staff as the 250 staff who TUPE transferred from Fremantle two years ago were on lower rates of pay. More than 100 are still on the legal minimum wage only. The London Living Wage is a good start but it is also long overdue.
“Sometimes we do 14 hour shifts and the overtime is what we do in the afternoon/ evening. We do this to make up the money. Then we’re back on shift the next morning.” (A Barnet Group care worker).
Even before the transfer was completed Barnet UNISON made it clear to management that we would need these workers to be moved onto the London Living Wage as soon as possible. We did not envisage it would take 2 years to achieve this goal. A lot has changed. These workers have risked their lives and the lives of their own families by working through the pandemic. They have grieved over the excessive death rates of those they care for. None of this was part of what they had signed up for when they became care workers.
“You see these chair people – I bet they have never gone round someone’s home and done a repair themselves; or given someone a bed bath or held someone’s hand while they were dying…But they get all the money!”
(A Barnet Group care worker).
In order to part fund this rise in pay the same staff will have to give up their weekend and bank holiday enhancements. Overall this still leaves them with a significant increase in pay (yes that’s how miserable their pay was before!) but as a trade union we will never accept that colleagues working nights, weekends and bank holidays are just working normal days like the rest of us. Night shift work is known to be a health hazard. Those working weekends and bank holidays should receive additional compensation for sacrificing some of their family life or time with friends. Otherwise we end up in the kind of society we have now where employers show little regard for workers’ down time.
“It might be the London Living Wage but it’s not the London Living standard, is it?”
(A Barnet Group care worker).
Helen Davies, UNISON Branch Chair says: “There is another aspect to the London Living Wage and it is this: The work done by the majority of the workforce is skilled work. It is done by a predominantly female workforce and yet their skills are being rewarded with what is the merely adequate minimum wage. They are being paid similarly to refuse loaders in the Council. There is no doubt if their jobs were evaluated against schemes run in the Council then the London Living Wage simply does not cut it.”
End.
Note to Editors: Contact details: Helen Davies Barnet UNISON on or 020 8359 2088 or email: Helen.Davies@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
Barnet Care workers update: London Living Wage decision delayed due to General Election
Barnet Council: The London and the Barnet Living Wage story continues……..
Be afraid. Barnet London Living Wage campaign is……..
Sign Barnet care workers London Living Wage Petition
John McDonnell supports London Living Wage for our care workers
Barnet Care Workers deserve the London Living Wage
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2019/10/01/barnet-care-workers-deserve-the-london-living-wage/
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
Term Time Pay members meeting
The branch is scheduling regular TTP zoom meetings open to all school support staff members
Thursday 25th February at 6pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83058576217?pwd=Z1l4VW1DYWQzU040MWNSS2hic0NMQT09
Meeting ID: 830 5857 6217
Passcode: 052249
We will discuss:
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- Any Changes to your pay and/or back-pay
- Settlement offers
- Continuation of claim by Barnet UNISON on behalf of members
- Advice on completing CASE forms
Key questions to ask your employer on ventilation in your workplace/classroom.
Dear Barnet UNISON members
In light of the Governments’ decision to reopen schools our branch want to make sure that we can provide as much support for all of our members who are going into work.
Good Ventilation is key to making a workplace/classroom safe.
I hope this briefing will provide useful for our members to be able to use for your workplace Risk Assessments which need to be updated. We have provided some questions you may want to submit to your employer.
Please let us know if you need help.
Introduction.
- Covid Spread widely in school last term and contributed to the huge rise in overall community infection rate leading to increased restrictions and lockdown.
- Government accepted this and closed schools to face to face teaching in January, apart from key workers’ and vulnerable children.
- Early Years provision continued and so did the rate of infection in those age groups with many outbreaks in Nurseries and schools affecting children, staff and families.
- New Covid variants which became common in the Autumn are now known to be be more transmissible- maybe 30-70% more transmissible- and also more lethal.
- It is imperative to reduce transmission of this airborne virus and measures taken last year in school need to be improved far more due to the new variants.
The Government SAGE EMG group reviewed the need for mitigations to reduce transmission of the new Covid variants and recommended that previous ventilation measures should be increased by 1.5 to 1.7 times.
Mitigations to reduce transmission of the new variant SARS-CoV-2 virus, 22 December 2020 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Relevant para: 12. Transmission via the air is primarily mitigated by effective ventilation vi. This is most important in workplace and public settings where people interact, and is also important in the home, especially if there are visitors from outside the household, or someone within it has COVID-19. Where provision of adequate ventilation is difficult, the use of air cleaning devices may be a suitable alternative vii . Higher viral load associated with people who have the new variant could have significant implications for transmission via the air, as previous modelling suggests that viral load is a major determinant of airborne transmission risks. As a precautionary measure it is recommended that ventilation rates stated in previous EMG papersvi are adjusted accordingly to account for the increased risk (potentially 1.5-1.7 times higher). Application of ventilation controls is currently very variable between different settings, and it is essential to ensure that all public and workplace spaces include ventilation as part of their COVID secure risk assessment, and adopt appropriate measures to ensure it is effective (high confidence).
HSE references technical guidance from the building services professional body, CIBSE.
An October 2020 CIBSE update recommends a minimum of 10 litres per second per person of outside air in offices/classrooms and repeats the importance of avoiding recirculating air.
CIBSE Version 4 CIBSE – Emerging from Lockdown https://www.cibse.org/coronavirus-covid-19/emerging-from-lockdown;
See Hazards Magazine Venting https://www.hazards.org/infections/venting.htm
- Measuring CO2 levels is a rough proxy measurement of ventilation
- Indoor air at 600 to 800 ppm carbon dioxide indicates a relatively well-ventilated room.
- Over 1,500 ppm means very poor ventilation and action is needed.
- A minimum of six air changes per hour is recommended.
Key questions on ventilation in your workplace/classroom to ask your employer.
1. What is the airflow level in the workplace/classroom when unoccupied and occupied?
2. What level of outdoor/fresh air per person per second does the ventilation system provide in each workspace/classroom? (Please note CIBSE recommends airflow of 10 litres per person per second of fresh/outdoor and the WHO recommends 6 Room Air changes per hour)
3. Is data provided from a proven competent expert?
4. What are you using to monitor safe airflow levels in each workplace/classroom? For example CO2 monitors can provide a rough proxy measurement of ventilation: 600 to 800 ppm carbon dioxide indicates a relatively well-ventilated room.
5. How regularly are you monitoring safe airflow levels in each workplace/classroom during the day before occupancy and during occupancy?
6. What is the plan of action if airflow levels are unsafe?
You can contact the Barnet UNISON branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
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
Important: Reopening of Barnet Schools UNISON meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83559121979?pwd=QklXWlJTRkdDSHhEVk5yZTJiSUdvdz09
Meeting ID: 835 5912 1979
Passcode: 348797
