Category: National

National Campaigns

UNISON National Pay ballot : Frequently Asked Questions 2024

Austerity, Membership, National, News, Recruitment, Schools, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

1. What was the UNISON pay claim?

UNISON, alongside the other Local Government trade unions Unite and GMB, submitted a claim for an increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is the highest at every pay point. In addition, the claim also included a 2 hour reduction in the working week with no pay detriment, an additional day annual leave, and reviews of discriminatory pay gaps

 

2. What did the employers offer?

The employers offered an increase of £1,481 or 2.5%, whichever is the highest and rejected everything else.

 

3. Why is UNISON balloting us?

Yet again, the pay offer from our employers is another pay cut in real terms. We’ve had years of pay cuts and we have to say enough is enough. School and council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being balloted.

 

4. When will I get my ballot paper?

The ballot opened on 4 September. Ballot papers will start arriving over the next few days – they are being sent out in batches because there’s about 360,000 UNISON members in schools and councils!

 

5. Is UNISON recommending how to vote?

Yes, and YES! UNISON has rejected the employers offer, and is recommending to all members to vote YES for strike action

 

6. Shouldn’t UNISON be negotiating first?

UNISON reps spent weeks negotiating with the employers, but they wouldn’t increase their offer. So now we need to make it clear how serious we are about getting a decent pay rise.

 

7. Will my vote really make a difference?

Definitely – every single vote will make a difference. That’s because we have some really restrictive anti-union laws – so we can’t vote online, and over 50% of members must vote.

 

8. How will I know when I get my ballot paper?

It will arrive in an A5 bright purple envelope, it will have the UNISON logo on the front and will also say in large letters Stand Together For Better Pay, Council and School Pay 2024 on the front. It should be hard to miss!

 

9. How do I vote?

In the bright purple envelope, you will have a ballot paper – you put a X in one of the boxes (preferably YES) and then use the pre-paid, pre-addressed envelope to post the paper back to CES who are running the ballot for UNISON.

 

10. When do I need to return my ballot paper?

Your ballot paper must be returned before 16 October 10am. CES need to have received it by then, so really just complete and post it back as soon as you receive it.

 

11. What if I don’t get a ballot paper?

If you haven’t had a ballot paper by 17 September, then call the Hotline immediately on 0800 0857 857 and they will check your address and send out a replacement paper

 

12. I’ve heard people say it’s a disaggregated ballot? What’s that?

A disaggregated ballot means that we are all being balloted by employer. So for instance in Barnet, we have over 20 separate ballots – some smaller ones in schools that pay NJC pay, plus one for council workers and school workers still employed by Barnet. This is the same in every branch in the country. We need to get over 50% in as many of those ballots as possible.

 

13. If a workmate joins now will they get a ballot paper?

Someone not already in UNISON has until 3 October to join if they want to have a vote. They can join here: Join UNISON and get essential cover

 

14. Can people not in UNISON go on strike?

Yes, but we would always encourage someone to be in a union if they are going to strike. Plus, they wouldn’t be eligible for any strike pay unless they join the union taking strike action!

 

15. Can agency/contract workers join and strike?

Yes, agency workers can join UNISON and can go on strike

 

16. Will I get strike pay?

UNISON pays £50 a day strike pay. This amount can be changed depending on how many members are taking strike action. As soon as the ballot result is known, there will be discussions and decisions made about where strikes will be and about strike pay. If we get over 50% turnout and a YES vote for action, we will keep you updated about strike dates and pay. Details on how to claim it will be available when needed.

 

17. If we strike, we’ll lose money even with strike pay. Is it worth striking?

When we take strike action, we win more money overall than we lose. We know it’s difficult to lose money, but without taking action we know we’ll be worse off this year already. However, if we stand together, get the vote out and fight back, we can win more.

 

18. When we win, will the pay be backdated?

Yes, back to 1 April 2024

 

19. Do you know when we’ll get the money?

That will depend on when the employers give in and agree to our pay claim!

 

20. If someone isn’t in UNISON will they also get the pay rise?

Yes, but we have more chance of getting a better pay rise if we are stronger, so ask anyone not in UNISON to join and get involved to help us win for everyone!

 

21. Where can I find out more?

You can come to the visit the Barnet UNISON media channels where we are publishing updated information about the strike ballot on a regular basis.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnet_unison

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarnetUNISON

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnetunison/

Website:  https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/

 

End.

 

National Pay Strike Ballot: What is UNISON doing?

Anti - Racism, Austerity, National, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON members will join 360,000 UNISON members across England and Wales, in a National Pay Strike ballot which opens on 4 September and closes on 16 October.

UNISON advice to all 360,000 members is to VOTE YES for strike action

When can I vote?

Ballot papers will be sent directly to UNISON members’ home addresses. It is important that ALL Barnet UNISON members put a cross in the box and post the ballot back in the envelope provided.

For a successful strike ballot, a trade union must ensure that at least 50% of members have voted.

We know from other trade unions that it is important to contact all our members personally to try and get over the 50% target.

To this end Barnet UNISON will begin work to speak to every one of our members who are being balloted.

  • We will be organising meetings in workplaces, schools, children centres, depots, Colindale both in-person and online.
  • On Monday 2 September 6.30 pm we are holding an online National Pay meeting to explain about the strike ballot and to take questions.
  • We are organising a telephone banking team to try and speak to every member. If you have a message left on your voicemail from Barnet UNISON, please respond back in order we can check you off as having voted. If you receive a text message from UNISON, please respond so we can register you as having voted.
  • We will also be sending emails to members asking if they have voted. If you have voted please reply to confirm, if you have not voted or you do not have a ballot paper, please let us know as we can help to have another ballot paper sent out to you.

How much are they offering?

To understand why UNISON is recommending all 360,000 members to VOTE YES for strike action UNISON has produced a helpful online tool which provides each member with clear information that this is another PAY CUT during the worst cost of living crisis in 77 years.

Before you use the online calculator, you will need to know your annual salary. If you don’t know what you earn, please speak to your line manager.

You can access the link using the QR Code ( create QR code for this link  but keep link in flyer https://unisonpaycalculator.co.uk/ )

The online calculator provides four bits of financial information.

To help explain how it works we are using an example of a Barnet Council Grade D worker (working full time) and on the bottom of the grade.

  1. This worker currently earns £28,272.
  2. Using the UNISON National Pay Calculator this worker will with the current offer will move up to £29,763
  3. UNISON’s claim was for £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater.
  4. The online calculator shows UNISON’s Pay claim would mean another £1,710 for this Grade D worker taking their pay to £31,474.
  5. Had this Grade D worker’s salary kept up with inflation since 2010, they’d be receiving £35,340.
  6. UNISON view is being £1,710 worse off is not a pay rise which is why all UNISON members are being advised to VOTE YES for strike action.

Is there enough money?

  • The answer is YES.
  • The UK is the sixth largest economy in the world.
  • We are in the worst cost of living crisis in 77 years
  • The number of UK billionaires has gone up by 20% since pandemic.
  • MPs will get a pay rise from £86, 584 to £91,346 alongside expenses and subsidised meals.
  • 177 billionaires in the UK increased their wealth by £150 billion between 2020-22 (directly benefiting from the pandemic!). Billionaire Britain – Equality Trust.
  • Oxfam’s analysis found that the richest 1% of Britons hold more wealth than 70 per cent of Britons, while the four richest Britons have more wealth than 20 million Britons.
  • Shell continues to reap the rewards of soaring energy prices, reporting astounding profits of £5.8 billion in Q4 2023 bringing the year’s grand total to £22 billion
  • New figures released by the Trussell Trust have also revealed that more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship between April 2023 and March 2024.
  • England’s water firms made £1.7bn in pre-tax profits. This is up 82% since 2018-19, when the same companies made £955m
  • Food shopping prices are still rising.  
  • Rent and/or mortgage payments are still rising.

The Government chooses who they give the money to … and it’s not to public sector workers. The value of public sector pay has fallen by almost 27% which is why we are in this serious cost of living crisis.

End.

Thousands of UNISON members to join Barnet UNISON picket line!

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Conference, Local, National, News, Recruitment, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign

On Friday 21 June around 10 am UNISON Conference will join Barnet UNISON mental health social workers picket line.

This week is the UNISON National Delegates Conference where thousands of delegates from UNISON branches meet to debate and discuss.

UNISON Conference this year is based in Brighton but on Friday morning UNISON are wanting to show solidarity with our strikers by beaming a live link from outside Labour controlled Barnet Councils main office in Colindale.

On Friday 21 June our strikers will have taken 66 days of strike action over a ten-month period. They are currently in week six of a nine-week strike.

During the conference this week UNISON members have been queuing up to condemn the Labour controlled Barnet Council for employing agency workers for what UNISON believes is strike breaking.

We are asking our supporters to do the following.

1. Join us at our Lobby of Labour controlled Barnet Council Committee meeting on Tuesday 9 July 6pm outside Hendon Town Hall NW4 4BG

2. Sign and share our solidarity statement here https://bit.ly/barnetstrike

3. Send a message to our strikers to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

4. Donate to our industrial action fund by emailing our branch for details contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

5. Write or email: Cllr Barry Rawlings, Leader of the Council at Email: cllr.b.rawlings@barnet.gov.uk or  Write to: London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, London NW9 4EW.

6. Request a striker to speak at one of your UNISON meetings.

End.

 

 

 

 

Barnet UNISON National Pay Meeting : Wednesday 24 April 6.30- 7.30

Anti - Racism, Austerity, National, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Wednesday 24 April 6.30- 7.30

Join Barnet UNISON  Zoom Meeting using the link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89074206415?pwd=OEo0L1NkQmFPSSsxU3dGemlvR0xyUT09

Meeting ID: 890 7420 6415

Passcode: 779562

Barnet UNISON is organising a series of Pay meetings over the next three months to update members on the National Pay Negotiations.

UNISON proposal is as follows:

  • £3,000 or 10%.
  • Two-hour reduction of the working week without financial loss.
  • One additional annual leave.

UNISON, Unite and GMB are in negotiations and will report back once they have had a formal response from the National Employers.

It is likely that UNISON will conduct a strike ballot of their members. It is important that all Barnet UNISON members are ready to VOTE. Last year Barnet UNISON was 6 votes short of a successful strike ballot.

This time we intend on delivering a massive VOTE on National Pay.

 

End.

National Disability History Month 16th November to 16th December

Barnet Group, Disability, Local, National, UNISON Campaign

 

Dear Barnet Group Unison member,

 

Do you have a disability?

 

If so, have you ‘declared’ it to the employer?

 

If you haven’t, please consider doing so – the employer can’t make reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010 if they don’t know that you have a disability or condition.

 

It is really easy to ‘declare’ a disability – go to ITrent – click ‘view profile’ – under ‘confidential information’ click on ‘sensitive information’ – scroll to the bottom of the page and populate ‘self-certified disabled’ and ‘Disability description’ – and that is it – should your disability become an issue that you need a bit of help with, you would have ‘declared’ the disability/condition and the employer has to recognize that you may need to have reasonable adjustments put in place to help you.

 

Please consider declaring your illness/disability/condition – there is no stigma – I speak as someone with a long-term mental health issue [depression] who has declared their disability to the employer – the declaration is in complete confidence – and the help that I received and still receive to ‘manage’ my depression was only possible because my disability had been declared.

 

I have a disability – I am not disabled.

 

In solidarity

Patrick

 

Patrick Hunter

Barnet UNISON Assistant Branch Secretary for The Barnet Group

UNISON National Disability History Month event

27 November 20236:00pm–8:30pm

 

We’re holding a national event to celebrate Disability History Month and we’d love it if you could make it to London for it – or join us online!

The event will see the launch of our campaign for a new two-week deadline for reasonable adjustment requests. It takes place from 6pm on Monday 27 November at the UNISON Centre in London.

We’ll have some great speakers including Dr Marie Tidball, Labour parliamentary candidate for Penistone & Stockbridge and Bruce Robin, UNISON Legal Officer. There’ll also be a reception afterwards and a chance to speak to other disabled members about the campaign.

If you need support if you would like to travel to the event. Please contact the Barnet UNISON office at Contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

You can also join online –

Links to register:

Register to attend in person in London – https://msg.unison.org.uk/c/1cnOYMhTK8gpqoyeWiUQMPN

Register to attend online – https://msg.unison.org.uk/c/1cnOZPeco4t24WVFRdXuObY

 

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