|
Hi All
We hope you are looking forward to a pleasant weekend, even if you are working providing essential services. We have a few update to end the week with.
Unison NEC Elections
The National Executive Council is the body that ultimately decides the direction of our union (when Conference is not sitting), and is comprised entirely of ordinary members elected by you.
We therefore urge you to vote in the highlighted contested elections; and you will note that Danielle Vipond and David Jones from our Branch have been nominated by Wirral and are standing.
All Members can vote in the North West, Disabled and Black member sections. You can vote in one of the employment sections e.g. Schools and Wirral Met can vote for Local Government Candidates, Magenta Living can vote for Community Candidates
Wirral UNISON IS A CAMPAIGNING ORGANISING Branch, and we have nominated those candidates (listed below) who best share our values.
- Oppose further Austerity/attacks on our services
- Resist attacks on our pensions and terms & conditions
- Break the Tory Pay Freeze; we need a fair pay rise
- Fight for fair funding for Schools
- Democracy and a Lay member led Union
- Fight sexism, racism, homophobia and all forms of discrimination.
Voting papers will be sent out from the 17th April 2023; the election will close on 19th May 2023 If individual members have not received a paper by 1st May 2023, then you should contact the ballot helpline operated by UNISON direct, on the following telephone number 0800 0857 857
North West Regional Seats:
Danielle Vipond (Female Seat)
Steve North (Male seat)
Tony Wilson (General seat)
Chirstine Collins (Reserved seat)
Disabled Members seats:
Andrew Berry (G)
Tara Thomas (F)
Black Members seats:
Julia Mwaluke (R)
Shazziah Rock (F)
Local Govt seats:
David Jones (M)
Ant Solera (G)
Andrea Egan (F)
Jane Doolan (F)
Community Seats:
Saoirse Fanning (F)
Kevin Jackson (M)
Health seats:
Jordan Riviera (F)
Kevin Corran (G)
Claire Dixon (F)
Higher Education:
Jo Tapper (G)
Kath Owen (F)
Stress Awareness Month
Since 1992 April has been a dedicated stress awareness month; this is a reflection of the seemingly ever increasing rate of stress in our lives. Yes our personal lives, often exacerbated by government policies e.g. austerity, bring stressm but there has been an increase especially in our working lives.
Every year, more than 400,000 of us suffer from stress-related illnesses linked to our work. The impacts on our physical and mental health can be severe. Unfortunately many employers prefer to focus on the worker rather than the problem. They will try to train workers how to deal with stress rather than remove or reduce it. Of course stress resilience techniques have their place, but stress levels are increasing, not because our resilience is falling, but rather because pressures are increasing
Employers have a legal duty to remove or reduce stress levels. The mental symptoms of stress include anxiety and depression but can range from sleeplessness and listlessness through to clinical depression and suicide. The physical effects range from appetite loss and nausea through to heart damage and stroke. A workplace with a lot of stress may suffer from high absenteeism, higher risk of accidents, industrial relations problems, demotivation and high employee turnover.
However no one should have to suffer from the effects of workplace stress. It is avoidable. If anyone is suffering from a stress related illness, the employer should ensure that they have access to proper professional help and support, but especially where this is widespread in a workplace or team, look for the causes.
To often employers undertake stress risk assessments only after someone has gone off sick with stress. This is too late! Stress needs to be identified when it is on the rise, before people reach breaking point, and action taken to reduce it.
When someone is off sick with stress it is indicative of organisational failure, not individual weakness. Stress can and does affect anyone if not addressed early enough.
We are asking our members to take a few moments to answer this survey on work related stress (even if you do not currently feel stressed). Click Here to complete: Stress-Survey
Council and School Workers Pay
Next month the ballot we are opening our ballot on the NJC Pay Offer. UNISON is urging members to REJECT and vote for action.
The offer is below inflation for all grades – that means it is a pay cut!
Since 2010 the value of our pay has fallen 25%; pay fell last year alone by 4% in real terms.
Meanwhile economists have stated the cost of Easter has risen by 23% this year. Food inflation is currently at 18%. Yes, inflation is predicted to fall later this year, but even analysts Morgan Stanley predict food inflation will be 14% over the year.
Can you afford another year of being worse off.
Are your details correct? It is important that we have your correct information log in to My Unison (on the Unison website), your membership number is at the bottom of this email, and check and update your records.
Can you be a Pay Champion? We want someone in every team and workplace to help deliver the vote (turnout is crucial). Thank you to all those who have already volunteered, but we need more – can you volunteer for your team or workplace? We will be providing guidance and support. Email unison1@wirral.gov.uk
Sick Pay for Care Workers.
Wirral Unison Branch is launching a campaign : "Full Sick Pay for Wirral Care Workers".
Too many care providers only pay Statutory Sick Pay to care workers when they are ill with periods of unpaid days within this. This is grossly unfair in an industry which so many people and their families rely on for care.
This policy adversely affects care workers badly - people who are already underpaid and work long hours in a demanding industry. We hear stories from our members in care work who too often come into residential homes and into clients own homes when they aren't feeling well. They fear that they will pass on illness or make mistakes - this isn't right and it isn't fair, care work is an industry that employs around 1.5 million workers - more than the NHS, yet they are penalised for being off sick. The workers deserve better and so do the clients that rely on them.
So our campaign will be to go to the service providers and demand that full sick pay is brought in. This should upto at least 3 months full pay during sickness, with an element payable from day one. Ideally we would want to see a mirror the Council sick pay scheme. It can be afforded, the workers need it and deserve it, and the people receiving the service deserve care provided by workers who are protected.
We are approaching Councillor candidates in the forthcoming elections to pledge to support full sick pay for care workers, and we will update on the progress of the campaign
Workers Educational Courses
Please find attached details of online WEA courses coming up, these are free so please publicise. Many of the courses may be of particular interest to School members.
- L2 Support Work in Schools (Daytime and evening options)
- L2 Introducing Caring for Children & Young People (Evenings)
- L3 ILM Diploma in Leadership & Management
- L1 and L2 Functional Skills English
That’s all for now, as always please do share this email with your colleagues and encourage them to JOIN UNISON if they haven’t already. The stress survey in particular can be shared widely to non members
We’ll be back again soon with further updates.
In solidarity!
Your Wirral Unison Team
Central email: unison1@wirral.gov.uk
Telephone: 0151 666 3040
|
