UNISON AGM 2018

Posted on by

Our AGMs need to be quorate and to achieve this we need you.

Come and hear what the branch has been doing over the last year and where we are going in the future.

This is an opportunity to have your voice heard – and enjoy a free lunch! The meeting can be taken as work time so there’s no need to use up your flexi (lunch is in your own time).

Book your ticket > agm2018  for one of the following events.

BECOME A STEWARD – WHY YOU SHOULD, AND WHY YOU CAN DO IT!

Posted on by

Workplace stewards are at the heart of our union. They are the first point of contact for our members in your local workplace, and they work to make your workplace a fairer and better place to work.

And we need more! We have vacancies in lots of areas at Sheffield Hallam. As new ways of working are rolled out across all professional services in the University, we need stewards in as many areas as possible.

“But I don’t have the skills!”

Ever thought of becoming a steward but you’re worried you don’t have the right skill or the time? Don’t worry – you receive excellent training, plus paid time off work for your union duties.

Here are six common worries you may have about becoming a steward – and how you can overcome them.

  1. I don’t do public speaking…

…but I do raise issues I am concerned about in team meetings at work.

  1. I don’t do negotiation…

…but I did complain when my gas bill got too high, and I did sort out a better deal with the company.

  1. I don’t do campaigning…

…but I did support my local library when it was threatened with closure.

  1. I don’t do recruitment…

…but I do get my neighbours to support the local school

  1. I don’t organise meetings…

…but I do organise outings and holidays with my friends and family

  1. I don’t do representation…

…but I did go to the doctors with my partner to make sure they got their views across.

Sound like you? Your colleagues need you!

Apply to be a UNISON steward today

To find out more or express an interest in becoming a steward, contact Dan Bye on d.j.bye@shu.ac.uk

Here are the areas we currently have vacancies at Sheffield Hallam.

Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences

Development & Society

Health & Wellbeing

Sheffield Business School

Registry Services

Facilities

Finance, Planning & Human Resources and Organisational Development

Library and Student Support Services

Digital Technical Services

Director of Education and Employer Partnerships

Learning Enhancement and Academic Development

Student  Engagement Evaluation and Research

Admissions & UK Recruitment

Communications & Development

Marketing

Secretariat and Governance Services

Global Engagement Directorate

Research & Innovation Office

Students’ Union

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WORKSHOP – 17 OCTOBER IN LEEDS

Posted on by

This course is a one day session delivered by an Open University lecturer and is open to UNISON members and activists.

Objectives for the day

  • Understand the main mental health problems that people face
  • Gain an insight into the experience of having mental distress
  • Explore some strategies for promoting good mental health
  • Be able to take a revised awareness to the workplace

What the day covers

  • Mental health issues
  • Perception of mental health
  • Experiencing mental health problems
  • Types of mental health problems (including anxiety, depression, suicide and self harm, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders)
  • Legal considerations
  • What can individuals do
  • Medication and treatment
  • Useful organisations and signposting

If you’re interested in attending, please email t.shearer@unison.co.uk

WOMEN’S TRAINING EVENT – 21 OCTOBER IN LEEDS

Posted on by

 

Are you a Branch Women’s Officer or interested in becoming one?

Come to our one-day Branch Women’s Officer course.

Saturday 21 October

10am–4.30pm

UNISON Regional Office, Commerce House, Wade Lane, Leeds, LS2 8NJ

Cost is £25, payable by your branch.

Contact Jo Turnbull (j.turnbull@unison.co.uk / 0113 218 2322) by Friday 6 October 2017 if you would like to attend.

PRE-RETIREMENT WORKSHOP – 31 OCTOBER IN LEEDS

Posted on by

Are you retiring or considering retiring in the next 18 months? Join our workshop and prepare for the next stage of your life.

Learn how to

  • create your own path from the world of work to the world of retirement
  • identify changes in pensions and financial regulations which will affect your retirement decisions
  • identify the long term issues affecting your retirement
  • identify personal and lifestyle actions which will help to improve your retirement
  • start the process of planning for a successful retirement

If you’re interested in attending, please email t.shearer@unison.co.uk

HE PAY OFFER 2017-18

Posted on by

Many thanks to all those eligible members who participated in our pay offer consultation vote: just over 33% of you did so, which is an improvement on recent years. 

 The result locally was that 85% of respondents indicated that they wished to accept this year’s offer.

Our local outcome was reported to UNISON’s Higher Education Service Group executive, who discussed the results from all participating Branches and ratified members’ acceptance of the pay offer.

 Overall, UNISON members voted by 71.1% to 28.9% to accept the offer.

 The HE Unions have jointly reported to UCEA, the higher education employers’ organisation, that UNISON and GMB had consulted members and were accepting the offer; UNITE have rejected the offer but are consulting further before deciding on next steps; UCU was conducting an electronic ballot of members (due to end at the end of July) with a recommendation of “best that can be achieved by negotiation”; and EIS, the Scottish lecturer’s union, had conducted an initial consultation and would be consulting further over the summer.

 UNISON’s head of higher education, Donna Rowe-Merriman, commented:

“Members working in universities have reluctantly accepted this year’s offer.

 “Whilst higher than recent years, it still does not go far enough in compensating staff for successive years of low wage increases.

 The HE service group executive has already begun work on next year’s claim and will want to mobilise support from across HE to ensure decent pay for our members in future.”

 It should be noted that because not all the unions have concluded their consultation processes, it will obviously be some time yet before any pay uplifts can be applied, even assuming that each union ends up accepting the offer over the summer.

 

DISABLED STAFF – MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Posted on by

Calling all disabled staff! Do you want to discuss disability issues and influence decision-making at Sheffield Hallam?

The University is hoping to get the Staff Disability Network up and running again.

Staff networks are run by and for staff at the University. They are an opportunity to meet, share ideas and experiences, support each other, and play a more active and influential role in the decision-making processes across the University.

This is not just for Unison members – any disabled staff can join.

If you are interested in joining the network, please contact Trish in the Equality and Diversity Team on 0114 225 3499 or email diversity@shu.ac.uk