The People’s Assembly Against Austerity – launch event 22nd June

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The People’s Assembly is a national initiative to bring together anti-cuts campaigners, trade unionists and community activists and create a forum for social justice.  It is supported by unions including UNISON, Unite, PCS and the NUT, as well as a range of well known activists including Tony Benn, Caroline Lucas, Ken Loach and Owen Jones.

The press launch for the People’s Assembly will be taking place on 22nd June in London.  If you would like to attend you can register for the event online, more than 2500 people have booked so far.  A coach for delegates is available from Sheffield (£15 waged, £5 unwaged) – to book a space on the coach email Carrie at carrie@burngreave.net or call her on 0751 079268.

 

 

Celebrate One Sheffield Many Cultures Saturday 8th June

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One Sheffield Many Cultures and Sheffield Unite Against Fascism have organised another event for Satuday 8th June from 12 noon in Barkers Pool.

“Tommy Robinson”, EDL leader, has threatened to repeat the EDL’s attempted march to the war memorial at Barkers Pool on Saturday.

As Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield said: “The appalling murder of Drummer Lee Rigby has united people across communities in shock and condemnation.

“But the EDL are exploiting the tragedy to promote hatred and division. They create tension and violence. They’re not welcome in Sheffield. We should stand united, as Muslim and Christian leaders in the city have, to oppose all extremism.”

A message from One Sheffield Many Cultures and Sheffield Unite Against Fascism

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Please support the statement below.

Don’t let the racists divide us – Unite to peacefully celebrate and defend One
Sheffield Many Cultures

Oppose attempts by the racist and fascist English Defence League to
exploit the tragic death of soldier Lee Rigby to whip up racism

Join the rally on Saturday 8 June.

Please email your support for the campaign statement to
info@onesheffieldmanycultures.org.uk or info@sheffielduaf.org.uk and
spread the word about the rally on Saturday 8 June called by One
Sheffield Many Cultures and Sheffield Unite Against Fascism.

Campaign statement

We urge people from all walks of life in Sheffield to unite in
celebration and defence of One Sheffield Many Cultures on Saturday,
8th June from 12 noon in Barkers Pool.

We strongly oppose plans by the English Defence League (EDL) and their
national leadership to demonstrate in Sheffield on Saturday 8th June.

We condemn the brutal murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich last
week. There can be no justification for such a terrible attack on an
individual. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and
friends.

We also oppose the cynical attempts by the EDL and others to exploit
the murder to whip up racism and direct hatred against all Muslims in
defiance of the wishes of Lee Rigby’s family and regiment.

The EDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and
Muslims. Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims is as unacceptable as
any other form of racism.

The EDL’s aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community,
just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.

Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jewish people,
Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians and gay men, Travellers or
Eastern Europeans. There is no place for the fascist EDL in our
multicultural and multi-faith city.

Doncaster raceday – 2 for 1 tickets

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Enjoy a day at the races with UNISON’s exclusive two for one ticket offer for Doncaster raceday (3 August).

To avoid disappointment, book early for the exclusive special ticket offer for UNISON members:

  • First 3,900 tickets sold to UNISON members – £13 for 2 tickets (children go free)
  • Above this allocation, additional tickets will be available at a cost of £30 for two tickets (children’s tickets two for one = £11 for two tickets)

Click on the link below for more information:

Doncaster raceday leaflet [pdf file]

Join UNISON in May and June and attend a free workshop

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UNISON has launched an offer aimed at new members, to support activists recruiting and organising.

The pilot project means that new members joining in May and June will be offered a choice of four free workshops to be run from September onwards.

The workshops include: Welcome to UNISON; Internet Skills; Facing Change Together; and Your Skills, Your Future – a chance to think about your personal development and next steps. They will also be available to existing members as part of the broad range of learning opportunities UNISON offers. This includes courses like English for Speakers of Second Languages (ESOL), confidence building and communication skills.
UNISON’s head of learning and organising services Jo Cain said: “We know that UNISON members really value our learning offers like Return to Learn, which has now been running successfully for 25 years.

“If we can get new members involved in the union through learning as well then it not only helps us recruit but organise as well.”

To find out more about UNISON’s learning opportunities, email learningandorganising@unison.co.uk.

There will be a UNISON stand at the main entrance to City Campus from 11am – 2pm on Wednesday 5th June where non-members can join UNISON.

Phased returns

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The University has agreed a new approach to phased returns.  Staff returning to work following illness are sometimes recommended to phase their return to work by building up their hours gradually over a period of weeks.

There has been mixed practice across the University in how phased returns are managed.  In many cases staff were expected to use annual leave or temporarily reduce their contracted hours when phasing their return to work and HR initially proposed that all phased returns should be managed in this way.

Following representations by UNISON however, a new approach has been agreed.  For the first four weeks of a phased return staff will be paid for their normal contracted hours and will not have to use annual leave for any time not worked.  In the vast majority of cases this will be sufficient for staff to build back up to their contracted hours.

We believe this is a positive outcome that will benefit our members who are struggling to return to work after illness.

Negotiating staff policies

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SHU unions work in partnership with the University to develop new staff policies and review existing ones.  Policies are discussed and developed at the Employment Policy Development Group (EPDG) and agreed at the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC).  UNISON also has a representative on the University’s Health, Safety and Welfare Committee (HSWC).

On this page we will post news on recently agreed policies and those that are coming up for review.  We welcome members’ views – you can comment below or contact the specified officers who sit on EPDG and JNC, Dan Bye and Fran Belbin; or for HSWC, contact James Eaton.