Sing Your Heart Out For Education – Saturday 22 April
To view flyer click here 2017.03.30 Rock Against Austerity flyer
To view flyer click here 2017.03.30 Rock Against Austerity flyer
The Performance Review is rapidly becoming the Number 1 issue for our members working for Barnet Council.
When the Council first started talking about the Unified Reward scheme they used this slide.
As you see the colour scheme has been replaced with new ratings. However, members are reporting that whereas they had previously been rated as Green they are now being rated as Satisfactory.
It appears that managers are rating Green as Satisfactory which is not what UNISON and the staff attending the briefings were expecting.
Moderation.
Between April and June moderation panels will be taking place to look at the ratings. This means your rating could still change. Lastly, you do not need to sign or agree your Performance Review.
Barnet UNISON is asking members to contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk if they are unhappy with their Performance Review.
URGENT
Performance Reviews–UNISON advice
Unlike previous years Performance Reviews have taken on a much more serious meaning as the Council has linked your performance to an annual payment.
This means that your Performance Rating will have an impact on your Pay. It is therefore important that all of our members fully understand Performance Reviews.
Did you have a Mid-Year review last year?
“One to one meetings should be held on a regular basis and should be scheduled throughout the year. These provide the manager and employee with the opportunity to ensure progress is being made against priorities and to ensure that learning and development opportunities are being taken up. A written note of the main issues and decision taken during these meetings should be recorded on the One to One Meetings form.” (Performance Review Scheme Barnet Council.)
Preparing for your Performance Review.
Barnet Councils Performance Review Scheme states:
“Before you begin preparing for your Performance Review, you should make sure you have a copy of your job description, the coming years’ team or service plan, your objectives from last year and your PDP.”
If you are unhappy with your Performance Review please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
You will need to provide:
Dear Barnet UNISON members working in schools please note the following update:
Nursery Nurses (Early Years Educators)
Barnet UNISON will be submitting a group appeal for Nursery Nurses week commencing 6 March. More details will be provided as to what you need to do.
New contracts – Please read
It has come to our attention that staff are being pressurised to sign the contracts. Please note the following:
Last term non-school Barnet Council employees received their new contracts. Most staff had no issues so they signed their contract. There was a smaller group of workers who did have outstanding issues. For these staff UNISON advised that they did not need to sign until the appeal/issue had been resolved. In some cases some staff still signed even though they had an outstanding issue. In which case once their appeal was resolved they received an updated contract.
It is important that members keep a copy of their new contracts somewhere secure.
If you have any questions about the wording in the contracts please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
We will be writing to the Council with our member’s questions and will publicise their responses.
UNISON Lead school reps are:
It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
52 Week Teaching Assistants group appeal
I am meeting with the Council negotiating team on Monday 6 March to discuss a proposal which I hope I will be able to discuss with members shortly.
Individual Appeals
I have a list of members who have individual appeals. It is very important that members provide the UNISON office with all documentation, and arrange for a 1:1 meeting with me in order that I can best able to provide you with support. I have been supporting non schools members for the last five months and this process has worked well.
*** If you have sent in an appeal and have not notified UNISON, we will not be able to help. It is very important that you notify the branch if you want the support.
Stage 1 appeals
These meetings are not meant to be stressful for members. They an opportunity for a discussion with the employer, employee and their UNISON rep. In the many other Stage 1 meetings for non-school staff, management have been very supportive of any of their staff who are facing a loss in pay. I have found that the approach taken for non-schools staff has been largely positive for staff. The solution to the loss in pay can often be resolved by exploring a number of different approaches.
I would hope that UNISON members working in schools would expect that they should have the same treatment.
This is why when UNISON members working in schools contact the branch for support, they will be offered a 1:1 meeting with me. I need to read all of your paperwork before I can advise, before we go into the Stage 1 meeting.
Faith & Voluntary aided schools
A number of faith schools are adopting Unified Pay collective agreement. It is important that members make sure they keep our office informed if they have any issues or concerns.
It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
You are invited to
Barnet UNISON AGM on Tuesday 7 March 4pm at Christ Church at Whetstone (Lower Hall) Oakleigh Park, North N20 9AR
Food and refreshments provided
Standing up against Bullies of People with Mental Health Issues
We know John made it public knowledge that he suffered a serious mental health breakdown last year. Whatever anyone may think about such a revelation surely it should not attract a vindictive attempt to undermine his mental health.
Unfortunately John has recently received an email seemingly calculated to undermine his mental health. We will not stand by in silence whilst someone in our movement is bullied in this way.
By signing this statement we are expressing our solidarity with John Burgess and our disgust at this opportunistic and calculated attack on someone recovering from a serious health condition.
Please go to this link to read a fuller story about this attack: https://johnburgess001.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/hate-crime-why-i-reported-it-to-police.html
Name, Position, Organisation or branch
New contracts
Last term Barnet Council employees received their new contracts. Most staff had no issues so they signed their contract. There were a smaller group of workers who had issues. For these staff UNISON advised that they did not need to sign until the appeal/issue had been resolved. In some cases some staff signed even though they had an outstanding issue. In which case once their appeal was resolved they received an updated contract. It is important that members keep a copy of their new contracts somewhere secure.
School staff:
I have been informed that Barnet Council are about to issue new contracts for all their employees (excluding teachers) in schools
It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
On Monday and Tuesday we have Louis Smyth specifically to deal with UNISON school member issues and Nadia Joseph on Wednesday.
Myth
“If I don’t sign the contract I will be made redundant”
No, no no. This is not correct. If you feel any pressure or are uncertain what to do then please contact your local rep or the unison office.
Sick Pay Scheme
In the new contract there is mention of a potential change which could see some staff having pay deducted if they are off sick. It is important to note that this is an ‘if.’ UNISON are already in negotiations about a new sickness policy, until we have reached an agreement the current sickness scheme is in place. It is worth noting that the original Council proposals was to withdraw from the current sick pay scheme for example end the 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay if you were seriously ill
Nursery Nurse group appeal
In the negotiations with the council there was an agreement that discussion about the 3.4% would continue after implementation. I can report that I am in the process of putting together an appeal for the Nursery Nurses with the support of some of our members. A meeting whereby I will be giving feedback on what I am proposing is being held
52 Week Teaching Assistants group appeal
I am meeting with the Council negotiating team to discuss a proposal which I hope I will be able to discuss with members shortly.
Individual Appeals
I have a list of members who have individual appeals. It is very important that members provide the UNISON office with all documentation, and arrange for a 1:1 meeting with me in order that I can best able to provide you with support. I have been supporting non schools members for the last five months and this process has worked well.
*** If you have sent in an appeal and have not notified UNISON, we will not be able to help. It is very important that you notify the branch if you want the support.
Stage 1 appeals
These meetings are not meant to be stressful for members. They an opportunity for a discussion with the employer, employee and their UNISON rep. In the many other Stage 1 meetings for non-school staff, management have been very supportive of any of their staff who are facing a loss in pay. I have found that the approach taken for non-schools staff has been largely positive for staff. The solution to the loss in pay can often be resolved by exploring a number of different approaches.
I would hope that UNISON members working in schools would expect that they should have the same treatment.
This is why when UNISON members working in schools contact the branch for support, they will be offered a 1:1 meeting with me. I need to listen and then advise, before we go into the Stage 1 meeting.
Faith schools
A number of faith schools are adopting Unified Pay collective agreement. It is important that members make sure they keep our office informed if they have any issues or concerns.
It is really important that if UNISON members do have any issues or concerns they contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
The Durham TA Lions are calling on the grassroots movement to join them in solidarity in Durham on Saturday 25 March.
Their fight is our fight.
Barnet UNISON will not turn our backs on them.
We will not leave them behind, we look forward to renewing our previous solidarity experience with them at the Durham Miners Gala last year.
The Durham & Derby TAs and Kinsley 3 are disputes we must win.
These workers are showing the rest of us what you can do even in the face of such brutality.
Now it’s our turn.
We will be taking our banner to Durham
Solidarity “Lions of Durham”.
Barnet UNISON is proud to be able to screen ‘I Daniel Blake’ in our local community cinema the Phoenix in East Finchley on Tuesday 28 February.
We are absolutely delighted that our long-time supporter Ken Loach has agreed to join a Q & A with DPAC’s Paula Peters, who will be interviewed by Aditya Chakraborrty senior economics commentator for the Guardian.
See flyer and poster for details.Flyer
Useful links
Phoenix Cinema – East Finchley
https://phoenixcinema.co.uk/PhoenixCinema.dll/Home
Accessibility at Phoenix http://phoenixcinema.co.uk/PhoenixCinema.dll/Page?PageID=3&SubListID=1&SubPageID=1
I, Daniel Blake trailers
I, Daniel Blake – Official Trailer I HD I Sundance Selects
Ken Loach: life in austerity Britain is ‘consciously cruel’
barnet_idanielblake_28Feb2017_A5_2ppAditya Chakrabortty https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/19/lives-torn-apart-assets-labour-privatisation-north-london-haringey
Download our poster here
“We had sad news early this week with the announcement of the death of one of our reps: Anaclet Kofi. He was known as being quiet and unassuming yet this is to be contrasted with the fact that with the help of the branch he organised traffic wardens (old term – new term: civil enforcement officers) to take strike action opposing outsourcing, and he spoke on a number of times at UNISON conference addressing up to 2,000 people. All of this with English as a third language! Frances O’Grady (TUC General Secretary) said the pressure on wages is not from migrant workers but unorganised workers and Anaclet certainly understood this and he organised. He will be missed.”
Helen Davies Barnet UNISON Branch Chair
“Last week I learnt that we lost a good Barnet UNISON comrade Anaclet Kofi. I have spent a few hours combing through our vast photograph database to find some pictures of Anaclet. He was a very active rep in our branch and was part of the heroic team of reps who had to deal with the mass outsourcing here in Barnet dating back to 2008.
He also worked in Parking and personally expereinced a number of very serious incidents whilst carrying out his job yet he always seemed able to maintain a calmness and a smile.
Anaclet will be sorely missed, not just by his family, but by his former work colleagues, and those of us who had the good fortune to work with him in Barnet UNISON.
Anaclet attended a number of UNISON conferences, he was never daunted by the prospect of addressing 2,000 delegates in order that he could speak about what was happening here in Barnet.
Analcet did not need any union training to understand solidarity he had it naturally. He understood why we marched not just here in Barnet but on other demonstrations and rallies. He was an active part of Barnet UNISON mobilising and organising and representing members in what is a very difficult workplace.
Along with the many photographs I found a short video clip of Anaclet speaking about why he was taking part in the National Pension Strike which you can listen to here.
It is nice to hear his voice. This is the friendly and helpful Anaclet we will all remember.
It is his funeral on Saturday 28 January at 10 am at Islington and Camden Cemetery (East Finchley) 278, High Road, East Finchley. London N2 9AG
After the burial, a light refreshment will be offered from 14:00 till 19:30 at The Kings Cross Baptist Church, Vernon Square, Kings Cross, London WC1X 9EP
Anaclet Kofi RIP.”
John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.
Download our flyer here2017.01.09 Rock Against Austerity flyer