In the July 2015 Budget the Chancellor announced that workers on the minimum wage would be getting a pay rise. What he didn’t say was that changes to tax credits will actually leave them worse off.
TUC NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION: NO TO AUSTERITY – YES TO WORKERS RIGHTS
SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER, TORY PARTY CONFERENCE, MACHESTER
Supported by UNISON Nationally – TUC National Demonstration
Event topics: Privatisation, Save our NHS, Climate Change, Education, TTIP, Europe, alternatives to austerity, Welfare not Warfare, Stand up to Racism, Faith Against Austerity, Hands off our Unions & more.
UNISON SHU Branch, along with the national union and branches across the country will be attending this event and invite members to join us on the day. The branch has agreed to pay for members to travel on the coach.
Coach transport: If you would like to attend the demonstration and require transport please email Lucinda Wakefield who is co-ordinating this for our branch.
The coaches will leave The Hubs, Paternoster Row on Sunday 4th October at 9:00am.
Family and friends are welcome and the costs are:
Members – FREE
Waged – £10
Unwaged – £5
CONFERENCE VACANCIES FOR YOUNG MEMBERS
There are a number of vacancies for young members to attend various conferences on behalf of the NYMF which are open to young members from the relevant groups who wish to attend with an NYMF member who has already been elected:
HE MEMBERS VOTE TO ACCEPT PAY OFFER
UNISON’s higher education service group executive has decided to accept the employer’s pay offer, after 72% of members voted to back it read more
NICE PAY IF YOU CAN GET IT
UNISON campaigns for fair pay across Higher Education. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made by UNISON revealed some shocking figures about how our Universities pay their staff.
MODERN SLAVERY ACT 2015
The Modern Slavery Act 2015, which received Royal Assent on 26 March 2015, is intended to provide law enforcement agencies with stronger legal tools to stamp out modern slavery, ensuring that the perpetrators receive suitably severe punishment, while enhancing the protection of, and support for victims.
The new Act consolidates and updates the existing criminal legislation on human trafficking, slavery, forced labour and domestic servitude and increases the maximum custodial sentence, for the most serious offences, from fourteen years to life. In addition, the legislation creates the post of Anti-Slavery Commissioner and places a duty on specified public authorities including local authorities to report potential victims of trafficking to the National Crime Agency.
This briefing will be of interest to elected members and officers working in social services and in particular children’s services. A copy of this briefing can be downloaded as a pdf.
GETTING MORE BLACK TRADE UNION ACTIVISTS IN SENIOR ROLES
The TUC has launched a new mentoring scheme to provide a way for experienced Black Trade Union Activists to support new and less experienced activists to develop and enhance their knowledge of the trade union movement. The Black Activists Mentoring Scheme will be operated through an online portal on the TUC Education web site.
The Black Activists mentoring scheme is an initiative that the Race Relations Committee believes will play an important role in giving confidence and encouraging black activists become more proactive in equipping themselves to play a bigger role in the trade union movement. If you know activists who might benefit from the scheme please encourage them to apply.
SPONSOR THE BIG RIDE FOR PALESTINE EVENT IN AUGUST 2015
UNISON SHU branch recently passed a motion supporting Ciaran Wakefield (aged 15), cycling the Edinburgh to London ‘Big Ride’ with hundreds of other cyclists for the children of Palestine. Ciaran is the youngest rider, the oldest being 90.
They will be doing this from the 1st to the 9th August. You can find out more about it at the bigride.
STOP THE BOMBING OF SYRIA – LOBBY YOUR MP
Lobby your MP. Use our model letter to write to your MP. It takes 2 minutes.
WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
Welcome to one of the most unusual libraries in the world. Discover the stories of working people’s struggles to be heard. Explore the past, change the future…click here for the latest news and events.