Bin Workers Zoom Meeting 28 May 6 pm.

26th May 2020 admin COVID 19, Health and Safety, Local, UNISON Campaign

Thursday 28 May, 6pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87665098014?pwd=WWh4YkZjWFRJU0dOVTdYYTdJY0RUdz09

Meeting ID: 876 6509 8014

Password: 186665

WE NEED YOU: Become a rep

26th May 2020 admin Austerity, Health and Safety, News

OK, the big return to work is about to commence –

Do you feel safe?

Has your workplace been Risk Assessed?

Have you had PPE provided?

Do you want to be part of the conversation about returning to work safely with your employer?

WE NEED YOU!

Workplace shop Stewards are the lifeblood of the union

YOU are the experts in your area of work

Help us to help you

Become a UNISON Steward and make the return to work safe for you and your colleagues.

Email us at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Breaking News: Barnet UNISON ending Lockdown survey results

26th May 2020 admin Austerity, Barnet Group, Health and Safety, Local, National, News, Schools, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

We asked our members (most of whom are working from home) one question.

“Do you feel that it is safe for you to go back to work?”

94% of our School UNISON members felt it was not safe.

85% of our Capita UNISON members felt it was not safe.

79% of our Barnet Council UNISON members felt it was not safe.

79% of our Barnet Homes members felt it was not safe

Capita refusing share COVID risk assessments with Barnet UNISON

22nd May 2020 admin Austerity, H&S, Health and Safety, Local, UNISON Campaign

Dear Members

Barnet UNISON as part of our efforts to ensure all of our members was safe contacted Capita in order that we could take part in the Risk Assessment consultation process.

Our branch has been busy for the last 8 weeks supporting and advising our members working and dealing with the COVID 19 risk in the workplace.

Whilst many staff are able to work from home there are staff who have to go out into the community to deal with the public.

It is important that all employers comply with Health and Safety Legislation in relation to Risk Assessments.

Now more than ever all employers should understand the importance of carrying out Risk Assessments for all of their staff in order they can provide assurances their workplace is safe.

It is important to note but as of Friday 22 May 2020, Barnet UNISON has not been consulted on any Risk Assessment for any job role being carried out by our members on both Capita contracts.

We have seen a Capita generic Risk Assessment which as soon as we challenged it Capita admitted it was out of date.

Barnet UNISON was informed that Capita compliance team issued 3 generic risk assessments (which have seen) which we were told would be a starting point for discussions around role specific Risk Assessments for staff working on the two Barnet contracts.

This was positive news.

Barnet UNISON requested the contact details for the manager responsible for coordinating the Risk Assessments on both Capita contracts in Barnet.

Capita responded stating they will not share or agree all risk assessments as requested as this is not something as an organisation that we do.

The health, safety and welfare of our members working for Capita is a serious matter and as such we have escalated this matter to UNISON National as the following legislation must be followed by the employer.

It is worrying that in this current COVID Pandemic where serious and fatal risks are being faced by workers every day that any employer would refuse to share or agree Risk Assessments with a Trade Union.

Relevant Legislation: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Regulation 3 – employers must conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments

Regulation 4 – requires employer to control hazards at source

Regulation 7 – employer must appoint competent persons to conduct RA

Regulation 10 – workers must be given comprehensive and relevant information about risks

Regulation 13 – employers must ensure workers are capable and trained

Regulation 16/19 – RA must take account of women of child-bearing age and young people’s risks.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

Regulation 4 states:

Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective.

If you have any concerns please email the branch on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

End.

“COVID-19: How to make your workplace safe” Zoom meeting

21st May 2020 admin Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, Local, Schools, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON as part of our Know Your Rights at Work campaign are hosting a

ZOOM meeting with NEU and GMB entitled:

“COVID-19: How to make your workplace safe”

Wednesday 27 May 6pm

Guest Speaker: Janet Newsham, Chair Hazards Campaign, sitting member of Employment Tribunal for past 25 years.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82640214991?pwd=cW01ZzhtTTJoeStjNWVVcGJSaEhqQT09

Meeting ID: 826 4021 4991

Password: 363400

URGENT: All Schools members please follow advice below.

21st May 2020 admin Austerity, Local, National, Schools, UNISON Campaign

Dear Members

URGENT: Please cut and paste the UNISON email to your Head Teacher immediately and copy in Barnet UNISON using contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Dear head teacher/chair of governors

Government’s plans to increase number of pupils in schools from 1 June

I am writing to say how worried I am about the government’s plans to increase the numbers of pupils in some schools from 1 June and the potential threat they pose to the health and safety of pupils, parents and staff in our school community.

We all want to see schools up and running and our school community back together again, but only when it is safe to do so. Any plan to achieve this needs to be clear on issues such as social distancing, PPE, testing, tracing and isolation. The current government guidance is not.

My union, UNISON, is taking these issues up with government, calling on it to step back from an unsafe increase in pupil numbers on 1 June. Unions and the government need to work together to create the conditions for a safe return to schools, based on the principles and tests set out by education unions representing support staff, teachers and head teachers (see TUC statement).

I don’t believe that the current situation is the fault of the school or its leadership and I understand that the school has to plan for all eventualities. Therefore, my union has advised me to request that you urgently provide an update on the following issues:

Copy of school’s risk assessments for increasing pupil numbers
What the plans are for maintaining social distancing; with all pupils and staff to be kept 2 metres apart
What PPE will be supplied and under what circumstances
Arrangements for handwashing and sanitising
Arrangements for protecting vulnerable pupils and staff
How testing, tracing and isolating will work locally and how it will apply to our schools
Arrangements for screening out workers exhibiting symptoms of the virus
Plans for enhanced cleaning of workplaces,
Procedures for travel such as parking, using public transport, car sharing given the 2-metre rule

I think it is really important that we all stand together to ensure that everyone in the school and community is safe and that we meet health and safety laws. This means that we should only open up the school when is it safe to do so. My union and I do not believe that this is possible by 1 June.

Finally I would like it to be formally noted that my involvement in any meetings and discussions will be on the basis of a sharing of information only, and not my agreement to an unsafe reopening from 1 June. I would further request that you enter into collective discussion with my union on the measures that need to be taken for a safe increase in pupil numbers, as stated by the DfE. I call on the school not to put pupils and staff at risk with an unsafe increase in numbers from 1 June.

Yours sincerely