Come along to Wortley Hall on Saturday the 6th July for a great day out for all the Family! Enjoy lots of wonderful stalls brimming with crafts, food and gifts, falconry displays, pony rides, exotic animal handling, brass band, dancers, face painting, coconut shy, bouncy castles, rides and games.
The South Yorkshire Festival is support by the trade union movement.
Saturday 6th July 12noon – 5pm
We are pleased to invite you to the launch of Precarious Lives, a report about refugees and asylum seekers’ experiences of forced labour in England.
We are especially pleased that Klara Skřivánková, Trafficking Programme Coordinator at Anti-Slavery International, Beryl Randall, Manager of the Employability Forum and Lisa Doyle, Advocacy and Influencing Manager at the Refugee Council will join us to be part of a panel to respond to the findings.
We will also hear about the launch of the Platform on Forced Labour and Asylum which will bring together academics, policy-makers and practitioners to take forward the research findings to develop strategies to tackle forced labour among refugees and asylum seekers.
The event is a chance to hear about the research findings and recommendations.
If you would like to attend please confirm your attendance by email to Hannah Lewis h.j.lewis@leeds.ac.uk by Wednesday 26th June.
We look forward to seeing you on the 2nd July, 3-5pm, Hurley House, 1 Dewsbury Rd, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 5DQ.
Peter Dwyer, Stuart Hodkinson, Hannah Lewis and Louise Waite
Precarious Lives research team
Self-organisation is an essential part of UNISON’s work; it is one of the key ways in which we promote equality. Self-organisation brings together members from certain under-represented groups – women members, black members, disabled members and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members. These groups help the union identify and challenge discrimination and build equality.
Each Self-Organised Group (SOG) has a national conference every year to bring together members from across the country. Any member of one of our branch’s SOGs is entitled to go to the relevant National Conference and it’s very easy to become a member of a SOG: you just need to express an interest!
The following SOG National Conferences are coming up and it would be great to send delegates from our branch to each.
Disabled Members’ 2013, Sat 26 – Mon 28 October, Manchester Central – link http://www.unison.org.uk/conference/disabled.asp
LGBT 2013, Fri 22 – Sun 24 November, BT Centre, Liverpool – link http://www.unison.org.uk/conference/out2008.asp
Transport and accommodation are paid for by UNISON and delegates are also given a subsistence grant to cover food costs.
If you would be interested in attending either conference or would just like some additional information please feel free to get in touch with me at r.sadler@shu.ac.uk
Act quick closing date 5 July 2013.
Worried about back to school costs?
Are you struggling to cope with the rising cost of living? Finding that you’re having to economise in every area of expenditure?
Help is on hand
We have set up a limited fund to help UNISON members on low income with school uniform costs by way of a one-off payment of up to £120.
To apply or find out more about other help that is available visit UNISON’s welfare charity There For You to download an application form. This part of the site is member-only, you will have to register on the site with your membership number to access it. If you don’t know your membership number, contact Jo, UNISON Administrator. Alternatively you can contact our Welfare Officer Chris Deakin for an application form.
PS. If you know of other members who may need our help, please pass this on!
By Dan Bye, Branch Secretary
UNISON’s National Delegate Conference is often described as our Union’s “annual parliament”. Delegates from Branches across the country, representing over a million members, attend to decide UNISON’s policies and priorities.
This year the conference took place between 18th-21st June, in Liverpool, and I attended as this branch’s delegate. Proceedings can seem complicated and intimidating to the first timer, but it is always interesting to listen to the debates on motions, and it doesn’t take long to get the hang of things.
Motions passed included a condemnation of the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich, which also expressed concern at the exploitation of the tragedy by the EDL. Another motion pledged to resist Tory-led coalition attacks on welfare and to build an “alternative vision of welfare provision for the 21st century. A statement of solidarity with striking Future Directions workers in Rochdale was passed: they are in dispute over huge pay cuts and attacks on their terms and conditions. There were debates on international issues too, an important element of UNISON’s work.
Conference also approved some rule changes – these needed a two-thirds majority in order to pass. Branches will now be required to set an annual budget, and to maintain financial records using UNISON’s national online branch accounting system (known as OLBA). At SHU we are already doing both. Another rule change means that in future all branch funding will be paid into branch accounts in only one bank – the trade union movement-owned Unity Trust Bank. Again, at SHU we are already banking with Unity Trust.
Another rule change means that retired members will need to pay the appropriate UNISON subscription rate should they return to work. If they return to work where UNISON are not organised, then they should join the appropriate union. They could resume retired membership later. The previous rule was unclear.
A further change amended the rules on unemployed membership. The previous rule allowed members dismissed or made redundant to become “unemployed members” for up to two years (so long as they remained unemployed). The new rule extends that benefit to members who leave their jobs after accepting a compromise agreement as an alternative to dismissal.
Finally, the rule on qualifying periods for legal assistance was changed. The old rule said that you had to have been a member for 4 weeks before knowing that you needed legal assistance; the new rule simply states that you have to have been a member for 4 weeks. This makes the situation much clearer and also makes the case for joining the Union straight away much more powerful!
If you want to read more about what happened at conference, you can do so here: http://www.unison.org.uk/about/events-and-conferences/conference-updates/
We are very pleased that the University has decided to re-launch the Cycle to Work scheme. UNISON reps have pushed for the scheme to be reinstated, for example by raising the issue in Local Information and Consultation Committees.
The scheme allows staff to buy cycling equipment through salary sacrifice and therefore tax-free. Full details are on the link above.
This year the scheme will close on 5th July, so get your orders in by then! The scheme will be opened again in the new year.
There are just a few days left to vote in the Higher Education pay consultation; our survey will close on 30th June.
If you have not already voted, please take this opportunity to let the branch know how you feel about the 1% pay offer. We’ll be reporting the results to the Higher Education Service Group Executive, who will then take a decision on next steps in the pay campaign.
You can find the survey and the guidance issued by UNISON about the pay offer here.
The next UNISON advice surgeries for members are detailed below. If you are interested in attending please contact Caroline Hammerton to book a space.
Wednesday 31 July 12 – 2pm (room tbc)
Wednesday 28 August 12 – 2pm (room tbc)
UNISON’s ‘Return to Learn’ and ‘Women’s Lives’ courses are a fantastic free opportunity for UNISON members who have been away from learning for a long time.
The courses are run in a friendly and supportive environment with the support of a WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) tutor experienced in working with adults.
UNISON is holding information sessions during the week commencing 8th July 2013. They will last for up to 2 hours.
The information sessions for ‘Return to Learn’ are as follows:
| Doncaster | Weds 10th July6.30 – 8.30 pm | The Point, 16 South Parade, Doncaster DN1 2DR | Sheila Smith01709 894931ssmith@wea.org.uk
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| Rotherham | Tues 9th July6.00 – 8.00 pm | The Unity Centre,St. Leonard’s Road, Rotherham S65 1PD | Gill Lawrence01709 709208/07966 588 482 glawrence@wea.org.uk
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| Wakefield | Monday 8th July6.30 – 8.30 pm | Thornhill Street Centre,Thornhill Street,Wakefield WF1 1NL | Christine Sharman01924 781 637/07966 255 790csharman@wea.org.uk
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The information sessions for ‘Women’s Lives’ are as follows:
| Sheffield | Tues 9th July6.00 – 8.00 pm | The Circle, Conference Room, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield S1 4FW | Sue Taylor0791 7558 736staylor@wea.org.uk
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The courses will then commence in September.
‘Return to Learn’ consists of 16 study group sessions run in the evening for two and a half hours and one residential weekend.
‘Women’s Lives’ consists of 10 two-hour study group sessions and one residential weekend.
If you are interested in finding out more about these courses or would like to attend one of the information sessions please get in touch with our Equality Officer Rosa at r.sadler@shu.ac.uk or the relevant WEA contact listed by the session above.
The University of Liverpool have issued a Section 188 notice of their intention to dismiss nearly 3000 staff, then rehire them on inferior contracts that will compel them to work more hours, more weekends and more bank holidays without appropriate compensation.
UCU have launched a petition to condemn the employer’s decision and to call on them to withdraw the dismissal notice and return to talks.