A Public Voice about Private Fears : Poem by Flower Samuels
written by Flower Samuels Barnet UNISON member.
written by Flower Samuels Barnet UNISON member.
Dear Member
I thought I would share the latest update from UNISON in relation to Coronavirus, all workplaces including schools.
“What is UNISON nationally is doing now?
We are seeking to work with national government, local government and education employers to draw up additional guidance. We have raised a range of issues with them including:
More details here.
https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/key-issues/covid-19-closures/
I have submitted the above to Barnet Council and requested that I need a response which I can share to all of our members.
Until further notice Barnet UNISON will be operating a home working system from our branch workers in line with government advice which means the branch office is closed for access.
Our answering machine and emails will be monitored during this period and we will continue to provide telephone and email advice to our members, individual face to face representation is to be postponed at this time however we will still be representing you but trying to find an alternative way to do so in line with the government advice on COVID19.
If you have a new issue or query you would like assistance with, in the first instance, please either telephone the branch on 020 8359 2088 and leave a message on the Voicemail, giving your name and phone number very clearly and slowly or email the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk and leave your name, contact telephone number, workplace and a brief outline of your issue or query.
We will arrange for a representative to contact you as soon as possible.
Please see below a list of our Officers and reps together with their contact details and working hours for those who have ongoing cases with the below:
Monday to Friday. John Burgess Branch Secretary John.Burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Helen Davies Branch Chair Helen.Davies@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday & Thursday. Hugh Jordan Health and Safety/Convenor Libraries Hugh.Jordan@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday to Wednesday Beverly Berrick (Schools) Tues- Weds Beverley.Berrick@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Chris Jobson Street Scene Convenor Chris.Jobson@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Patrick Hunter Convenor Barnet Homes Patrick.Hunter@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Lorraine Berry Office Manager Lorraine.Berry@barnetunison.org.uk
You can also ring Unison Direct on 0800 0857 857.
End.
“What do they mean by self-isolation?”
“What do they mean by underlying conditions?”
Some clinical conditions put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:
Norse won the Barnet Council Cleaning contract last year. They provide cleaning services in many schools and Council buildings including the new £55 million new Colindale office.
Barnet Council quite rightly have recognised the need to increase the cleaning regime in Council buildings and schools in order to try to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus amongst staff and the public.
However the main risk identified by Barnet UNISON was that the cleaners do not receive sick pay and many are on zero hours contracts. This means it is highly likely that any cleaners exhibiting symptoms of the virus will still attend work as they could not afford to lose pay.
Barnet UNISON asked the Council to make contact with Norse to ask if they will ensure all staff will receive full pay if they need to self-isolate or exhibit symptoms of the virus. To date the Council has not had a reply.
Today, Monday 16 March 2020 Barnet UNISON has written to Norse asking them for clarification about sick pay for their staff working on the Council corporate cleaning contract.
We will report their response as soon as we have had a response.
At a union meeting last week ISS issued a statement in relation to sickness absence and Coronavirus.
Barnet UNISON who had raised the issued with Barnet Council a few weeks ago welcomes the news that ISS the contractor which provides catering services in Barnet Schools will pay full pay if any worker has to self-isolate or are displaying symptoms of the Coronavirus.
“This is sensible pragmatic news and provides some confidence that the Council and ISS recognise the need to ensure the spread of the virus is limited. ISS do not pay company sick pay. There was a real risk that staff would come into work even if they had symptoms, simply because they can’t afford to lose money. The same must be applied to the Corporate Cleaning contractor who provide services in Council office and schools.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON
Dear Members
As the Corona (Corvid-19) virus has spread it has become the main issue of concern in our workplaces.
The main responsibility for dealing with the virus lies with the UK Government and national and regional agencies. But Barnet UNISON believes, along with the rest of the Trade Union movement, that unions and employers, working together, can make a significant difference to ensure that the effects of the outbreak are minimised.
Over the last few weeks Barnet UNISON have been trying to engage with Barnet Council about the Corona Virus. We want to work with the Council in a cooperative way to inform and protect our members, other colleagues and the public, so that measures taken in response to the virus are appropriate, sufficient, and fairly applied. We also believe that working this way will help prevent irresponsible behaviour and panic.
UNISON members have raised their concerns with us on obtaining information on the level of risk, the lack of precautionary measure such as sanitisers at some work sites, and the repercussions of not being at work because of illness, self-isolation or other result of the outbreak.
The Council have been relaying information from the Government, the NHS and Public Health England on the intranet or through work emails, but not all Barnet workers have easy access to these, and are missing important communications. Further guidance specific to our workplaces is also needed.
The Council have tried to supply sanitisers and wipes, but they have informed that we problems with supply of these items have proved a major obstacle. At a service and local level some mangers and staff have been procuring items for the protection of colleagues, but UNISON hold that these should have been planned for and provided at the Council Corporate level before now.
In response to our members concerns we have raised a number of issues with the Council. These include
At the time of writing we still await a full response from the Council and but have been informed that the issues will be discussed at meeting next week. Barnet UNISON welcome this but such discussion and information should have already been provided. But we hope that this signals the Council’s willingness to truly engage with UNISON and the other trade unions in protecting the health of our colleagues and the public.
In the meantime please use the following links to get further information on the Corona Virus.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
If you have concerns or questions please contact your local UNISON reps, or the Branch at
The Corona virus requires a collective response. Acting together to protect ourselves is the cornerstone of trade unionism. Working together and looking out for our colleagues, friends, family, service users and the wider community will be a major factor in reducing the damage caused by the virus. Selfish individualist actions, such as panic buying, profiteering on in-demand items or stealing sanitisers from work places threaten all of us, including those committing these acts.
Stay safe, stay healthy.
In Solidarity
Hugh Jordan
Branch Health & Safety Officer/Libraries Convenor
Barnet Unison
Tel: 0208 359 2088
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/
British Library, Kings Cross.
March to protest about cuts to libraries, museums and the arts.
Barnet Unison were on the march along with striking Barnet library staff.
05/11/16 BP AMS
Barnet UNISON welcomes the publication of the Council’s commissioned Library review.
It is a thorough and detailed body of work and while we are not in total agreement with its findings or recommendations, we commend those who worked on it for its evidence based and independent approach. This included a willingness to engage with UNISON and Library workers.
This is an initial response from Barnet UNISON, focusing on the salient concerns to us a trade union. Further and more detailed responses will follow as we consult with our members working in Barnet Libraries.
Much of the Review concurs with our warnings to the Council before and since the implementation of the current structure and operation of Barnet Libraries. We have been raising these concerns, which focus on the accessibility and the quality and breath of service since 2014. However the Council proceeded on their course and the resulting public dissatisfaction and restriction of access (particularly for children and people with disabilities) are plain to see in the Review’s findings.
Barnet UNISON is glad to see the professionalism and hard work of Library staff, at all levels recognised in the Review but the continuing achievements of these workers is despite the Library Restructure of 2017 not because of those changes. Barnet Library workers have had to overcome significant challenges, including a reduction in numbers of almost 50%, the loss of public and work space, a disruptive working schedule and having to deal with the often justified but misdirected frustration and anger of the public.
Barnet UNISON fought a long campaign to defend the jobs of Library workers from 2014 to 2017. This involved considerable effort and self-sacrifice by UNISON members working in Barnet Libraries. This campaign was not only about defending our members but a bid to maintain the quality and availability of libraries for the people who live, work, study and visit in Barnet. But regrettably many library workers lost their jobs in April 2017. In many cases this was a sad and premature end to decades-long careers. These Library workers were sacrificed to the Council’s belief that their skills, knowledge and experience could be replaced by machines and volunteers
Nearly three years after this loss the Review has found:
“The reduction in staffed opening hours has gone too far, particularly given the low number of volunteers. The reductions act as a deterrent to many library users from using the library and act as a particular barrier to young people who cannot access the library on their own during SSO hours if they do not meet the minimum age requirements.”
And
“The loss of staff and the fact that they move between libraries more makes it harder for users to develop positive relationships that support library use for all ages. This is not a criticism of staff. It is a loss for the community”
To help redress this the Review advises that the Council;
“To increase staffed opening hours by increasing staffing resources in the short to medium term at least until adequate numbers of volunteers can be recruited and the use of volunteers stabilised”
UNISON support the increase in staffing resources but on a permanent basis. Even if “adequate numbers of Volunteers” are found they are not suitable replacements for Library staff
The Review also calls on the Council;
“To review the extent of budget reductions and explore the scope for additional investment in the service given the relative decline in the take-up of the service”
While the Council have published no plans for further cuts to the Library Service, the implementation of the Review’s recommendations would require additional funds being allocated to the Service. Attempting to implement the changes described without additional resources will result in further burdens and stress on an already overstretched work force.
Barnet UNISON ask the Council;
Barnet UNISON hope the Review will spur the Council to at least begin to repairing the damage done to Barnet Libraries in 2017. Damage which our Union and others warned the Council would result from their Library strategy. We call on the Council to truly engage with us and those who know the service best, Library workers, in making our Libraries truly fit for the 21rst Century.