archive news

Updated 06/12 15:05 - National Day of Protest 8th Dec

Dear Members,

Please Note we are meeting 12:00 Wednesday the 8th December. Outside the Leslie Silver Building (and walking down to the Leeds City Art Gallery at around 12:30ish). Even if you are unable to do the walk please try and show your support outside at 12.00! We will be joining others Unions, students, and organisations in a show of protest. Once again we will have the Branch banner there!

Don't stand by while politicians decide on public service cuts that could hurt your family and neighbourhood. Make your voice heard for Higher Education!

Updated 19/11 15:03 - National Day of Action 24th November 2010

AS part of the National Day of Action 24th November 2010 we are calling on all UNISON Branch Members to join up with others to march from outside the Leslie Silver Building, Leeds Metropolitan University next Wednesday at half past 12 down to the Leeds City art gallery to have a rally. We will have the Branch banner there. We will be joining others Unions, students, and organisations, AP Community Wellbeing.

Don't stand by while politicians decide on public service cuts that could hurt your family and neighbourhood. Make your voice heard for Higher Education!

Updated 09/11 19:13 - London Rally...

With many thousands of Union Members expected to be at tomorrows rally, you will hopefully keep at eye out for members from your Branch, LeedsMet Unision... If you miss the faces you will hopefully notice our new branch banner and the picket poster we have produced - example below:

Updated 27/09 09:13 - Remembrance Appeal...

Royal British Legion Remembrance Appeal
The 1st November marks the beginning of the Royal British Remembrance Appeal for the University, when the familiar Poppies will be seen on display. This event will last for two weeks, concluding on Armistice Day, on the 11th day of the 11th month, at the 11th hour.
The proposal is to place Poppy Crosses on the Acre from the 1st till the 11th. A small section across the front edge of the Acre will be designated for this, the initial poppies being placed in the centre of the area indicated below (Fig1) and spreading out either side across the Acre. From front to back the depth should be no greater than 3 meters, not too deep that the names cannot be read at the back without walking across the turf. Therefore no one will need to walk onto the Acre.
The area will be fenced off across the back of the area only, with low wooden posts painted white as to be seen in the dark, no more than 30cm high, pushed into the turf not to create too much damage but will pull out if caught avoiding a trip hazard for anyone cutting across the acre, prominent with white rope slung low between, this will not reach the entire width of the acre.

Fig 1
The Armouries will be one point where members of the public can go and inscribe a cross, dedicating to a family member who would like to be remembered. This cross will be placed in a bag to be sent to Headingley to be placed on the Campus Acre the following morning. This project has been authorised by the Vice Chancellor and I shall be contacting other departments within the University that might be able to display these crosses (along with the usual lapel poppies)in different locations, (e.g. Rose Bowl Reception, Library’s, Security and help desks) where the public could gain access to them to add family members names, that have lost there life during a conflict. Inscribed Crosses will then be placed in internal mail and sent up to Headingley Campus to be displayed.
A display board will be placed on the acre describing the display for international students and visitors.
C Squadron, 212 Field Hospital (V) based at Sheffield, Bradford & Leeds will hopefully be arriving at the opening event on the 1st November before 11 am (the start time), which is very poignant, as the campus was a military surgical hospital during the first world war, as well as a hospital and field medic training facility during the second world war.
The local BBC’s TV and radio department have been contacted, to see if they are willing to broadcast these details prier to the event, and to be there at the launch. Each morning as new crosses arrive they will be placed on the Acre until the 11th, on that night the will be removed from the acre marking the end of the event.
If there are any aspect of the event that you are unsure about, or anyone you think I may have forgotten to contact. Please do not hesitate to contact me to resolve the matter.
Many Thanks
Ian Crossland
Senior Technician
Technical & Environment
Carnegie Faculty
i.crossland@leedsmet.ac.uk
0113 81 21777
Mob 07920 450053

Updated 23/08 12:00 - National Pay Offer, Paper based member ballot form...

For those members that do not have email access a paper based ballot form can be printer from here.

Updated 21/06 14:43 - DAY OF ACTION PICTURES...

Build UP

Branch Chair

Peter

Holly and Mobina

UNISON BRANCH

Updated 21/06 12:30 - DAY OF ACTION...

At 1:50pm there will be a live television broadcast, members are encouraged to attend this rally.

Updated 21/06 11:09 - DAY OF ACTION...

We are meeting outside of the Lesley Silver Building at 12:30 and walking down to the Art Gallery from here. From 1:00 onwards please can members go straight to the Art Gallery.

Updated 21/06 06:15 - DAY OF ACTION...

Today is the day we rally against the slash and burn short-term proposals the present coalition government is rushing through. Not content with putting jobs at risk our pensions are also being attacked. Join us today in making a stand saying -

NO to compulsory Redundancies

NO to changes to our pension terms and conditions

Join us at todays lunchtime (12-2) rally outside the Leeds Art Gallery. Lets send the coalition government a pre-budget message that our jobs and pensions are not for the taking!

Updated 18/06 13:59 - United for Education... 21st

Updated 14/06 11:16 - Day of Dissent on 21 June Joint FE and HE Protest

dissent Time to Dissent

At yesterday’s third and supposedly final pay talks the employers made a miniscule improvement to their pay offer. After a day of increasingly terse exchanges between the employers and the joint unions the employers offered the following:

Agreement to address our claim for joint national work around training/development.
To talk further about job security in one of the national working groups.
An ‘improved’ offer of 0.4% - but this would still be non-consolidated.
A further meeting to continue discussions, suggesting early June

In response the joint HE unions rejected stating:

We are pleased to discuss training and development further
We want to negotiate job security in the national negotiating body , not a sub group
That we ‘noted’ their improved offer - however it still represents a real terms pay cut and is far too low.
We are not interested in non-consolidation
That June is too late and we should meet before the end of May (the employers subsequently agreed to this)

The joint HE unions have discussed the need to step up our campaign for improvements in pay and against job cuts, and it was agreed that we should ask branches locally to organise at least one event to mark a UK wide ‘Day of Dissent.’ This could involve lunchtime protests, silent lobbies, leafleting of students and the public etc .depending on what branches thought best. This would not be ‘industrial action’ but would send a message to employers across the UK that we are serious in our campaign to improve pay and defend jobs. We will be asking our branches to liaise with all sister unions on campus to ensure a joint event and we are in discussions with FE colleagues who are keen to do the same thing on the same day.
We are suggesting that the day of dissent will be the 21th June 2010. We have already produced some joint campaigning materials under the ’5 unions 1 Demand - Defend HE banner’ available from http://defendhighereducation.org.uk/ and UNISON has specific leaflets and posters ‘short term cuts long term damage’ available from: http://www.unison.org.uk/education/higher/pages_view.asp?did=10970 which can be used in the build up.

We will be working with our sister unions on more materials for the day and will be calling on all members to get involved. For more details, talk to your local UNISON representative or branch secretary.

As a union we need to be united in defence of pay and jobs and be prepared to do something about it.

Not a member and think you are worth more?

Join UNISON today at www.unison.org.uk/join or phone 0845 355 0845

defend

Updated 14/06 11:16 - Short-term Cuts long-term Damage...

cuts

Updated 04/03 11:11 - A Million Voices...

We've added ours

General secretary Dave Prentis and delegates at UNISON's higher education conference add their voices to UNISON's Million Voices for Public Services campaign.

Link to a web page on this site Add yours now.

Updated 04/03 11:00 - Pictures from the HE Conference...

he1

he2

he3

Updated 24/12 11:00 - Last update of 2009

Dear members,

Derek Earnshaw and I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you a very happy Christmas, and most of all a restful break from work. This year seems to have been filled with challenges and obstacles at every turn, but our branch has recruited well and our numbers are at an all time high. We have very much appreciated the great attendances at our branch meetings and have requested some in January, we are just waiting for timetabling to get back to us with confirmed dates.

Last week Phil Webster (UCU) and I met with Susan Price for initial discussions; we are very hopeful of good relations, transparency and openness with her. We were extremely pleased that Susan was keen to keep up the regular updates that Geoff Hitchins had agreed to with us, and will be meeting with her every 2-3 weeks for updates from her, and to raise issues of concern to our members. This is a very positive and welcome start.

Geoff Hitchins in his message this week refers to challenges in higher ed, and we will put Peter Mandelson's letter to HEFCE on our website rather than send it round with this message. Financial pressures will increase on universities, and it will be our main aim as a branch to consult and negotiate at every turn to prevent compulsory redundancy in any area, and to protect those who are in danger of losing pay or grade status at this time.

Our AGM will be in late February 2010 and we will be putting our call for nominations of exec officers and stewards out in the first week of January. We need a sound stewards network for all the work that will be coming our way in the next year or two and Derek and I welcome anyone putting themselves forward to represent their colleagues and will arrange in house training.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you,

Janet Carr and Derek Earnshaw

Secretary and Chair
Leeds Met UNISON

Updated 10/12 13:30 - University Financial Statement

For members who are interested the university's financial statement can be viewed here.

Updated 30/11 08:50 - Pay update – November 2009

This years pay round has still not been settled. The national HE unions met with the employers on the 4th November to continue with talks linked to the 2009/10 pay offer. Whilst UNISON members overwhelmingly accepted the pay offer the other unions are all in different positions in either rejecting or declaring a dispute. The employers are adamant that they will not increase the 0.5% offer.

UNISON made it clear during the pay consultation that should members accept the pay offer we would still continue to work with our sister unions to push for the production of a Staff national document on redundancies under the auspices of the national negotiating body the Joint National Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES). Talks continue on this and a further meeting hosted by the Advisory, Conciliatory and Arbitration Service (ACAS), will be held at the end of the month. Should these talks produce a redundancy document we do not know what the other unions will do in relation to the pay offer.

At UNISON’s recent branch seminar it was agreed that we should prepare for another tough pay round next year and build a campaign to get a better pay agreement than this year. We will be seeking to involve the whole of our membership in Higher Education in sending a clear message to the employers that we will not accept such a poor offer for a second year and preparing an industrial action strategy should this prove necessary. We will also seek to work with other unions under the ‘5 unions 1 demand – defend HE’ banner. An outline of the campaign and ideas proposed at the seminar will feature in the Winter edition of UNISON’s HE newsletter. In the meantime the joint union website can be accessed at http://defendhighereducation.org.uk/

This link takes you to UNISON’s advice and guidance
http://www.unison.org.uk/education/higher/pages_view.asp?did=9064
UNISON’s national HE Service Group Executive will review both the pay discussions and plans for next year at their meeting on the 9th December.

National

Updated 30/11 08:50 - LEEDS MET ANNOUNCES POTENTIALREDUNDANCIES WITHIN ESTATES (craft workers)

I can not remember a worse time than having to go into HR accompanying mates from my own department and being there while they were told they had no future at Leeds Met .Potentially there is 17 jobs at risk with 5 jobs to go from that pool. It really does hit home when it is your friends and colleagues. Up and down the country universities are planning redundancies. It is now time to stand up and fight for our jobs. We have NEVER had a compulsory redundancy at Leeds Met - for support staff and the branch have no intention of letting this happen now. The War starts here.

CRAFTWORKERS THROW IINNEFICIECY CLAIMS STRAIGHT BACK AT MANAGEMENT.

Thursday the 26th - Management issued a review document and a management implementation plan for craft workers after employing PACS consultants to carry out a review of the maintenance department. The Head of Estates addressed staff with her claims of inefficiency which were thrown straight back at her. The report quite clearly pointed out that the main problems were with the accountability of the staff and there was quite clearly insufficient data to support that. Management have no systems in place even though over the last 2 years extra management staff has been appointed to do exactly that. She also claimed the estate had reduced by 30% and that staffing levels needed to be reduced. Well she may be right about the reduction, but she never pointed out that over the last few years the staff had already been reduced by over 30% by not replacing any maintenance staff over the last few years. What she also did not point out is that the buildings we now have are highly technical and architecturally more challenging being spread half way across the city, with more students and more people traffic with more remedial and statutory maintenance to carry out than ever before.

You may remember a few weeks ago that I reported to you that a document was sent, on UNISON request, that showed a senior management increased by 12% and operational support staff reduced by 15%, well I think the craft workers have made more than their fair share of sacrifice. Both Management and Human Resources were firmly but politely put in their place and made a sheepish exit. The maintenance staff definitely took the high ground in this first battle. A word of warning Head of Cares sat at the back of the room taking notes, we know in the next few weeks he intends making a announcement regarding security staff UNISON will be ready and waiting - I repeat my words ,we have never had a compulsory redundancy and we are not about to start now.

UNISON PLANS SO FAR

I have written to Geoff Hitchin’s with a copy of the review, which was delivered by our Branch Secretary with all the other reviews happening across the university - with more planned. The meeting, to put on hold all reviews in the university, until the new VC has had a chance to settle in and judge for herself what direction this university is going in. I respect Geoff over many years as an honest and honourable man, who has always supported a direct labour workforce .We all appreciate Geoff has taken on a difficult role in challenging circumstances and UNISON has offered to discuss further all reviews if needed.

UNISON has asked for a meeting with PACS for clarity on the review.
Full time regional UNISON officer are now aware and seeking urgent talks with the employer. Our solicitors will also be looking to see if the redundancies are actually legal
UNISON in constant dialogue with HR
UNISON to continue to consult and convince management on findings of report with Estates management. They have got it wrong!
UNISON regional representatives (me and Jan ) to set up regional campaign group to challenge all redundancies in Yorkshire & Humberside universities.
National headquarters are aware and advice is going out to all branches.
The Branch is to set up its own campaign working group to protect all jobs under threat of redundancy.

What can you do, have a friendly word and offer your support to the Estates staff, also contact Estates help-line when you think we have done a decent job. Contact me with support and campaign ideas.

Read all further weekly reports and spread the word about the campaign to your work colleagues and Students, who may lose many of their services, that they actually pay good money for through their fees.

Attend meetings which are likely to be announced over the next few weeks.
Be in touch next week, this is just not ESTATES fight. Its all our fight.

Derek Earnshaw Estates steward and Branch Chair.

Updated 28/10 17:08 - 5 Unions 1 Demand, Defend Higher Education.

Higher education in crisis.

a wave of job cuts is already sweeping through our universities
99 universities have said they intend to cut jobs
employers are offering a pay increase of just 0.5% - undermining recent progress on pay.

At a time of economic recession, education is more important than ever

reject the short-termist slash and burn strategy
support the campaign for a national agreement to protect jobs
demand fair treatment and fair pay for all university staff.

Read more here...

Updated 19/10 14:48

Hope Not Hate

Dear Janet ----

We did it. We stopped them.

Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of Hope not hate supporters from all over Yorkshire, our campaign has stopped the BNP in St Helen's Ward in Barnsley.

In fact, we won by just under 1000 votes, on a 10.5% swing.

This didn't happen by chance - it happened because hundreds of people across the length and breadth of Yorkshire got involved at the grassroots and took action. It happened because people signed letters to the media. It happened because people gave their time to volunteer with the campaign. And it happened because people donated money.

We have proven that these tactics can beat the BNP and now we want to use them throughout Yorkshire to stop them once and for all. On the 7th and 8th November we're running 15 events across the region to build on this momentum. We need to raise £2000 to buy the campaign materials to run this campaign. Can you donate £15 now to make this happen?

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/wewonsthelens

When the election was first called I knew we had our work cut out - the BNP got 30% the last time this ward was contested and they thought they were going to win this time. But thanks to the work of our supporters, the BNP only got 23.2% of the vote yesterday. I'm certain that this happened because of our campaign and our actions. We should all be deeply, deeply proud of what we've achieved.

The BNP aren't beaten yet - and the election of Andrew Brons to the European Parliament has let them tap in to new channels of finance and organisational clout. But we can fight back - Hope not hate now have the largest political email list in the UK and by tapping into the raw power of supporters like you, I'm sure we'll be able to stop the BNP wherever they stand.

But all of this comes back to you. Will you donate £15 or whatever you can afford to help us stop the BNP here in Yorkshire; or are you willing to watch while the racists lay roots in our communities? This by-election shows what we can do when we come together and take action. Now we need to replicate this success throughout Yorkshire. And we can't do this without you. Please donate for Hope now -

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/wewonsthelens

Together we'll stop them. But we all need to act.

Thank you,

Nick Lowles

Updated 08/09 09:41 - Paper ballot form on PAY OFFER

Members, please find a paper based Ballot form here: this should be sent to Derek Earnshaw, Headingley Maintenance Workshop, Headingley Campus by no later than Friday 18th September.

Updated 08/09 09:41 - PAY OFFER - Chairs Corner

A pay offer of 0.5%, one of the lowest if not the lowest offer in the public sector, no agreement on protecting jobs and not even a aknowlegement of the other 13 elements that were part of our pay and conditions claim submitted in April this year. What a difference a year makes! You will be able to complete the ballot via email, hard copies will be provided in manual areas, where there is limited access to a computer. Your votes must be returned by the 18th Sept 2009.
It is up to you now to vote in the ballot on whether to accept or reject the current pay offer, which will eventually, whichever way you vote, be backdated to August 1st 2009. If you reject, and this leads to a national vote of rejection, this does mean that taking sustained industrial action is a probable requirement.
Normally I would be urging you to reject such an insulting offer but things are not so clear this time around. The recession has hit hard and some Members partners and family may have lost their jobs, so far we have managed to avoid any Compulsory redundancies here at LeedsMet. It is the branches number one aim, through these difficult times, to retain employment for each and every one of you. It is the first thing we raise in the restructures and reviews that seem to be constantly taking place across the university.
Over the next few weeks we will be launching a National joint campaign with all 5 of our sister unions across Higher Education, particularly UCU, who represent the academics here at Leeds Met. GET INVOLVED.The campaign will focus on defending jobs in Higher Education the length and breadth of the UK and also build a massive pay and conditions campaign which the employers and the government can not ignore. We will be asking you the members to get involved in signing and collecting names for the joint petition, attending meetings and other events being planned over the coming year. This campaign will go on until we achieve decent pay and conditions and put an end to knee jerk reactions on jobs.
I am attending the TUC conference in Liverpool 14th-17th Sept on UNISON HE member’s behalf and hoping to speak on at least one of the two motions that have been accepted on to the agenda on the Economic crisis in Education. I am also due to meet as part of the UNISON delegation, the minister for Higher Education David Lammy on the 22nd Sept and will report back to you on any progress following the meeting.
A big decision but is up to you to decide on when and where the battle is fought and won! This year or next with us the employer and whichever government is in power.

Regards Derek Earnshaw Branch Chair LeedsMet.

Updated 21/03 09:39 - EMPLOYERS MAKE A ‘FULL AND FINAL’ PAY OFFER

As expected we received a ‘full and final’ pay offer yesterday from the national employers’ organisation the Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA).
This consisted of a 0.5% pay increase to all pay points (and on London Weighting in post 92 institutions) and national working parties on:
·       equalities (in particular the gender pay gap and guidance on work-life balance),
·       pay framework and data issues (including a review of the application of the framework agreement, contribution points and harmonisation of Terms and conditions such as working hours and leave)
·       Financial sustainability of HEIs (including workforce planning and organisational change)
In response the national HE unions issued the following statement:
“The Higher Education trade unions (EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON, Unite) expressed their dismay at the appalling final pay offer of 0.5% for 2009/10 , by the national HE employers Association UCEA. Noting that the FE employers have tabled a 1.5% pay offer, the trade unions opposed the employers’ attempt to incorporate incremental rises and pension costs as part of the pay rise.
The trade unions were outraged at the employers’ refusal to the trade union’s request for constructive engagement at a national level to improve job security in the sector and criticised the employers’ failure to enter meaningful negotiations during these difficult times.
The unions will be discussing the offer through their democratic structures.”
Undoubtedly the final offer is very poor, although it does take into account a number of the issues that UNISON put forward in this years pay claim.
These have been particularly difficult negotiations with an intransigent employer arguing financial difficulties, and using last years 5% pay award and increasing pensions costs as justification. Unfortunately the difficult economic background of negative inflation, government funding cuts and redundancies has not helped.
What is clear is that UCEA is no longer willing to move in negotiations. The HE unions’ tried a last ditch attempt to get an additional split payment to start at the beginning of 2010 or even a re-opener clause linked to inflation. However UCEA refused point blank noting that the last pay offer with such a clause had proved costly to them.
UCEA also continued to refuse to agree any joint national work on redundancy, however the new proposed national working group to look at ‘sustainability’ in the sector now includes references to workforce planning and organisational change, which obviously provide an opening. As part of this work we would be discussing with the British Universities Finance Directors Group the possibility of offering a training package for union reps to understand how HEI’s finances work – which sounds potentially very helpful for us, although we would need to identify funding to support this. We are also still discussing a potential letter from the employers to their subscribers outlining our concerns.
There are still some words of the proposed offer that need to be finalised, so at present we do not have a final written offer and officers have been charged with sorting them out.
UNISON’s national Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) has had a number of long and detailed discussions on the negotiations and has been discussing reactions to the progress of the talks in their regions. It agreed that, as normal, when we receive a final written offer we will consult with members via a branch based consultation exercise.
This can be downloaded from this link http://www.unison.org.uk/file/A9080.doc

Updated 14/03 13:46 - Return on the 125

Hi, I am on leave until the 22nd but thought I should update you on three important issues: pay, pensions, and jobs. I would like to report back to you on meetings that I have attended over the last few weeks, and even more importantly, on the ones I will be attending in the coming months.

I will be attending the pay talks on Wednesday the 15th of July, where it is expected we will receive our final pay offer. I have to say that these are the most disappointing negotiations (if you can call them that) I have been involved in since the 20th century, where there were 10 different bargaining groups in HE and very little negotiation. I thought we had moved away from that position for the better when JNCHES was formed, where negotiations had been positive and as part of a two way process. This year given the financial climate we were not greedy and submitted a realistic pay offer realising the recession was biting hard. We Know LeedsMet and many other universities had budgeted for at least a 2% increase and yet we are in receipt of a miserable offer of 0.4%. What is even more worrying is that employers will not sign up to a joint statement on jobs, which is only good practice, to save making any compulsory redundancies. Speaking to delegates at the last Higher Education Service Group meeting many members were reporting of negotiations taking place where, as at LeedsMet, efforts were being made to avoid compulsory redundancies. Worryingly our South representatives were reporting notices of compulsory redundancies with no discussion at all with branches. Unison has contacted Dave Lammy, the minister responsible for HE, to arrange a meeting to discuss funding, jobs and the government’s statement on Education being paramount to the recovery of the nation. He is either extremely busy or on an extended vacation as he can’t see us until the 22nd September.(make what you will of that)? I also attended the Liaison group for the Public Sector, in which we always start with pay, no figures were mentioned of any impending pay rises but we moved swiftly on to jobs and the news of redundancies and worrying forecasts surrounding attacks on public sector jobs, whichever government is in power, come the next election. After this worrying news, we are working in parternership with all HE unions to launch a campaign to defend our jobs .I explained the situation to the executive and it has been decided to hold back the pay petition (thanks for your support) and put all our efforts into the new campaigning materials and joint petitioning. More information on this should be released shortly after the meeting I am attending on Wednesday being made available to all academic and Support staff the length and breadth of the UK.
Pensions were also discussed at the Liaison group ,where we discussed the governance of schemes and how some local government authorities are mis- using pension funds ,again these are predominantly down South. Examples include Kent LGA wanting to open their own bank with members money and Sussex wanting to set up a separate fund for PFI projects with YES! Public sector workers hard earned pension money. I am one of the UNISON delegation attending a Queens Council meeting in early August to advise if we can take a case to the European Court on the injustice of LGPS schemes, where there should be at least a minimum one third of trustees being made up from the workforce, where in reality sometimes it is one member. I also watched the news the other night where Dave Prentis challenged Lord Turner, who indicated he should have raised the pension age of public sector workers to 70, to a debate on pensions .I doubt very much if he took him up on the offer? Read the national web-site page on pensions , there is a excellent fact sheet on this to dismiss claims that some MP’S continue to make about your supposedly “Gold plated pensions”. You must, wherever you can, share this with members of the public so that we can force a re-traction of these false claims.
I am sure you can see we are in for some tough times, which is why it is so important we recruit as many university staff into the union as possible and we follow and support the campaigns on pensions, jobs and pay .We will keep cracking away at the employers, the government and are ready, in your support, to make the tough decisions we may have to make in defending ourselves!

I will be in touch after Wednesday’s meeting, hoping to bring better news.

Derek Earnshaw Branch and National Chair LeedsMet UNISON

Updated 07/03 16:00 - LeedsMet Unison Website Update

Members, should you have visited the website over the last two weeks you may have noticed some significant changes. For example -it disappeared altogether for a little over a day and only returned to fully operational status at the beginning of this week, so what happened?

Since we moved to the new format it has been upon my wish list to have a gallery of images covering LeedsMet Unison events and in support of this we needed to change our web hosting provision with our ISP. This change over should have been a seamless process but was made a little clunky with delays at their end, still we got there in the end.

We are only at the start of the process but we have a 'starter' gallery in place which you can view here.

Regards

Peter Cochrane - Publicity Officer

Updated 08/06 17:59 - MEMBERS meetings

UNIONS UNITED!!

UNISON mounts joint campaign with UCU to defend jobs! and pay!
Branch meetings are being held on both Campuses this week to develop a strategy to counteract University proposals . This will not be achieved overnight and is going to need your involvement to convince management there are other alternatives to saving money .I am sure you see waste everyday. The first thing to achieve is NO COMPULSORY REDUNDANCIES log on to the Leedsmet UNISON web site regularly to see what part you can play to achieve this.

Dear Members,

We have branch meetings for all UNISON members with guest representatives of the UCU in attendance:

Tuesday 9th June 12:30 - 13:30 Lecture Theatre B3 - Civic Quarter
Thursday 11th June 12:30 - 13:30 Lecture Theatre C – James Graham Building

If you are worried about Job cuts at Leeds Met or the National Pay Rise please do come to your meeting.

Your UNISON branch secretary/exec. has been working especially hard for you in recent months and it's now your turn to stand up and be counted.

Hope to see many of you there

Check out further information in Summers Newsletter:

Click Here

Updated 04/06 14:48 - MEMBERS meetings

Dear members,

We are hoping to hold some branch meetings next week to discuss, pay, jobs, defending job cuts, recruitment and any other issues you want to raise. At the moment we only have provisional authorisation from HR for the meeting but will hopefully let you know after the JCC tomorrow when and where the meetings will be held. There would of course be one at each site to enable as many people as possible to attend in their lunch times.

I thought you would like to know, that we are recruiting very well at the moment. We have had lots of new members join over the past few weeks, this is encouraging for the branch but alarming that people feel so threatened and concerned for their jobs. Lets hope that we can continue to recruit for all the best reasons, protecting jobs, pensions and conditions at work, ensuring health and safety law is adhered to and negotiating better terms and conditions as a group with our employer.

If you know of colleagues in your area who are not UNISON members and would like some application forms to give out in your area please contact me and I will let you have some,

Best wishes

Janet

Janet Carr
Branch Secretary
Leeds Met UNISON

Updated 04/06 14:45 - LeedsMet Unison Donations

You may, or may not be aware that from time to time the branch is asked for donations to good causes. A number of week ago we made a donation to the Medical Aid For Palestinians and have received a letter of thanks. You can view this here.

Updated 20/05 09:59 - 2p or not 2p, that is the question!

That’s the question for low paid staff in HE. The employers have offered a miserly 0.3% pay increase for next year – that’s around 2p an hour for those at the bottom of the national scale. Those on twenty grand would be able to buy a small pack of mints a day, whilst those at the top of the national scale can treat themselves to a fairly decent sandwich, but only once a week.

More?
The employers are telling us they can’t afford more, they blame the economic crisis, increases in pensions and cuts in government funding announced in the recent budget. Yet we have been told by a number of HE employers that they had budgeted for more than 0.3%. We also know that the Government gave HE significant increases in funding for this year and that surpluses in the sector have been increasing in recent years.

We are not greedy
The employers tell us we have never had it so good, quoting big recent percentage rises – forgetting that not long ago HE paid the worst in the public sector and that the rises were to address a long running history of poor pay. The last pay increase was the final part of a 3 year agreement that the employers insisted was linked to inflation as they thought it would be lower.

We don’t ask for the earth, we don’t even want a V-Cs ransom, but we do ask for a fair pay rise. The employers pick and choose their inflation figures, using those that include mortgage payments but ignoring figures that focus on every day items such as food, transport and energy costs, which have been around 3% all this year. With student numbers at an all time high, tight staffing levels and increasing workloads, an attack on staff wages is a further blow to sinking morale.

Jobs
The national employers said that any decent pay rise will mean an increase in job cuts. So we have challenged them to sign up to a national agreement to avoid redundancies. They quickly began to back off saying this was a local issue and they couldn’t intervene. The joint national HE unions don’t agree and have submitted a detailed national redundancy avoidance agreement, so we will see if the employers really are committed to working with us to preserve jobs. Interestingly, initial responses to a survey that UNISON is currently carrying out show that the main reason for redundancies is change in demand for courses – which is something that happens all the time and has not affected pay before.

What next
Nationally we will continue to negotiate to get the best offer we can. However the national employers tell us they are reflecting the views of individual universities and colleges. We need to make our feelings clear to them and so UNISON branches will be looking to organise local supportive campaigns. We want you to get involved because UNISON is only as strong as its members. Download and complete your local petition form here, returning completed forms in a sealed envelope to - DEREK EARNSHAW, 101 WORKSHOP HEADINGLEY.

To join UNISON ring UNISONDirect on 0845 355 0845(voice) 0800 0 967 968 (text). Lines open 6am – midnight, Monday –Friday and 9am-4pm Saturday. Website: www.unison.org.uk

Updated 14/04 08:30 - Adult Learners Week - Learning at Work, today Thursday 14th May.

There is an information stand in the Help Zone Centre at Headingley Campus today offering information and advice on learning opportunities and Return2Learn courses. Please feel free to call across, collect materials, and discuss learning possibilities.

The stand also has details on Unison membership and members’ benefits.

Updated 12/05 13:27 - Love Music Hate Racism, presents...

UNIONS UNITED

LeedsMet UNISON and Leeds Met Student Union have united together to promote Love Music Hate Racism, using the positive energy of the music scene to fight back against the racism...

To help LMHR raise awareness and provide a music experience, we are putting on a number of different local bands and DJs as well as guest speaker, Alex Sobel,

Only £2 entry, with all proceeds going to LMHR and Hope not Hate.

All Event details and Debates are also on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/hopenothate

Leeds Unite Against Fascism will be attending Thursday event bringing a stall filled with information, T-shirts etc. Please come along to support this cause. Along with Alex Sobel from Hope not Hate

Updated 30/04 12:25 - Do you want to learn more about stress? Then this is a conferrence for you!

Please note this event is in Sheffield (S1).

Updated 23/04 17:23 - Do you support the Africa Heart Foundation and enjoy Greyhound racing? If so then this is a night out for you!

Please note this event is in Sheffield (S6).

Updated 15/04 17:15 - Your right to Vote in the NEC!

Updated 12/03 11:47 - Race Day!

By popular demand…

UNISON Doncaster Race Day
Saturday Afternoon
30th May 2009

Exclusive offer for Leeds Met UNISON
members + their family and friends

Free ticket on receipt of UNISON membership number + friends and family £9 each

Free Coach for all to and from race track

Please order tickets from me at e-mail contact below

Patsy Lalfam - International Officer
p.lalfam@leedsmet.ac.uk

International Women's Day (8th March)

Many thanks to all UNISON members who supported our International day. It was lovely to chat to members old and new and to those who gave to the 'End Violence to Women' fund.

Thanks to Headingley Campus Help Zone who were brilliant as always

Thanks also to Barbara Price UCU who helped with the laminating and drew the winning name.

International Women's Day (8th March)

Winner of the Prize Draw is

Graeme Bromley from AV Loans- Graeme mentioned he will be giving the chocolates to his mum on Mothers day!

Patsy Lalfam - International Officer

Updated 17/02 15:47 - Our first quarterly Publication

Members, not at the AGM or didn't manage to pick up a copy of the new Publication? View or download the first of many Branch Publications here .

Peter Cochrane, Publicity Officer

Updated 11/02 10:12 - Minutes of the last AGM and the Agenda for this one

Agenda - AGM UNISON Leeds Metropolitan University Branch 2009

Introduction, election Branch Chair: Phil Booth Regional Organiser for HE
Elections of Branch Officers: Branch Chair
Treasurers Report: Treasurer
Branch Secretary's Report: Branch Secretary
National report on pay, pensions etc:Chair of National Higher Education Service Group
Question & Answer session (open floor): to aid in the smooth running of the AGM please can members wait for this session, to ask general questions, to ensure we get through business.

Minutes of the last AGM are available to all here.

Updated 03/01/2009 - Return on the 125, an update from the chair...

return on the 125

Hi, hope you have all had a good break over the festive period. I certainly did till today, when I realised I had not kept you up to date from the meetings in December, one meeting either side of a week’s break in a warmer climate to celebrate my brothers 60th.

The main business on the service group agenda was the conference motions, and I am delighted to say we have 25 motions to debate. It is the most ever at a HE conference since its inception. I think it shows the progress we are making with branches, and more and more activists are engaging with the union. I look forward to a successful conference in Bristol in February where we will have two delegates representing you and casting votes on your behalf. There was a presentation on racism in the workplace with new publicity and a different outlook and approach to erasing racism from our society.

Pensions, you are going to hear a whole lot more about in the near future and I can see attacks looming on final salary pension’s schemes over the coming months. UNISON is planning to launch in the New Year a campaign to defend pensions and expose some of the scandals about how your pension money is being misused. There will be regular updates on our web-site, and on the Labour link over the coming weeks and months.

Red alert
December the 18th I was summoned to a meeting with other HE UNIONS to discuss UCEA (employers) surprising decision to do a U turn and agree to UCU demands for ACAS talks on the framework agreement that all other HE unions had signed up to way back in September 2008. UCU have issued 4 points they disagree with.

A different timescale for negotiations currently starting with the pay claim due to be submitted in March and the final meeting in May. UCU have already sent a claim for R.P.I. PLUS 5% OR 8%, the employers stated they would discuss the claim in March along with all the other union claims, UCU stated they would expect a response by the end of January 2009 or would discuss with their members further action.
The number of seats allocated to each union at any negotiations. The current situation is 18 seats to be shared amongst the unions
Universities can opt in and out of negotiations on yearly basis. UCU want this taken out of the agreement
UCU want to have a separate negotiating committee with employers.

UNISON’s position on 1-3 we do believe we can negotiate with UCU, these are the points that the employers insisted on in the negotiations. Which had been ongoing for over a year. Particularly number 3, if any university pulls out of National bargaining all unions will come together and take the necessary action(which we have already stated to the employers), UNISON is totally opposed to local bargaining. Point 4 is the critical issue. All other unions and the employers are opposed to UCU demands and would undermine the single pay spine and equal pay, there is no room for manoeuvre on a single table and I cannot see any compromise situation.

There was discussion from other unions that we should boycott the ACAS talks. UNISON was of the opinion that we needed to be present at the talks. We do not want any agreement such as the memorandum of understanding which caused so many problems after the 2003 agreement, particularly in old universities. A vote was taken and it was agreed a lay member and officer from each union would attend the ACAS talks which are planned for January. I will be attending on UNISON’s behalf as the lay member along with the senior officer for HE Jon Richards. Let’s hope common sense prevails. I will update you on my return from the talks.

On a lighter note to finish with I have been invited to address Liverpool John Moore University branch AGM on 8th Jan .don’t worry I am not going to mention football.

Happy New Year for 2009 to all members

Derek Earnshaw National and Leeds Met Branch Chair

Updated 25/11 14:54 - Concerns over consultation and openness...

Dear members,
It is a disappointing fact, but something that you need to be aware of, that today, both myself and the branch secretary have felt compelled to send messages to the HR director about partnership working, and the serious lack of consultation and openness with regard to major issues that affect many of our staff .
The first we knew of the imminent closure of Brunswick car park, was when we were told by members of staff who park there, that they had received an e-mail saying they would no longer be able to park at Brunswick from 22nd December 2008. The trade unions were not informed, even as part of the former consultation group on the implementation of the transport strategy, a group whose members have raised questions since implementation but who are still unsurprisingly waiting for responses to questions many months down the line.
We were also shocked and surprised when the equal pay data was released to staff in "HR matters " last Friday, again following no consultation with the unions .This raises many questions about how meaningful the data is, and how the software was used  to calculate the percentage of women employees salaries, in relation to mens. Already we learn from the report on Friday that the figure has been manipulated to give a lower percentage by HR.
There might hopefully be a simple answer. HR has responded by setting up urgent meetings with both campus unions about the effects of the car parking notification to staff members. If that had happened before the email went out, I would be much more confident about partnership working, which is the principle we had signed the framework agreement on . Unison will inform members the outcome of the imminent meetings as soon as possible .

Derek Earnshaw

Branch Chair UNISON.

Updated 14/11 15:59 - Return on the 125, an update from the chair...

return on the 125

Hi, it has been a couple of weeks since I returned from the Branch Seminar in Cardiff, and I thought this was an ideal time to share with you the topic on pay that the Senior National Officer for HE, Jon Richards and I presented to 170 delegates and was followed by a workshop on next year’s pay claim. I made sure I went first as Jon is really a good speaker, and never leaves anything for me to say. I dealt with the history over the last 10 years or so and that’s why we need to celebrate this Friday when we receive the final payment of the 3 year pay deal, and what your involvement as a UNISON member has had in getting us where we are today.

1996-97 the” BETT” report was published .300 pages with approximately 2 dedicated to support staff the rest to academics, but it did have the important message that terms and conditions needed to be agreed at National level.
1999 things had ground to a halt, we still had 10 different bargaining groups and we were the lowest paid service in the public sector. “Conditions Critical” was launched, do you remember? The vivid green posters, some of you will remember the demonstration outside the Leslie Silver building with yes those sexy bright green” T “shirts, and nobody should ever forget the first ever National strike in UNISON on the wettest, coldest day that I can remember.
2001 it took another 2 years to finally agree the way forward and JNCHES agreed for the first time a single pay spine and a way forward.
2003 The framework agreement and HERA chosen as the job evaluation scheme.
2005-2006 local negotiations are finalised and finally implemented at Leeds Met a reduction in the working hours to 37 for all manuals and at last a fairer scheme for everyone in delivering equal pay, particularly for women.
2008 New bargaining arrangements agreed to cover National pay till 2011. The final payment of the three year pay deal and a rise of 5%
2009-11, is what I left Jon to talk about the need to “maintain the improvements” in the present economic climate as we are no longer the lowest paid service in the public sector.

Time to celebrate the past and campaign for the future .I don’t normally ask you to print items off the web-site, our environment officer will forgive you this time to share this history lesson with your colleagues Members and Non Members ,and show them it was UNISON in other words YOU! Who helped to get us where we are and we need them to join us NOW! To keep us where we belong.

Derek Earnshaw Branch and National Chair Leeds Met UNISON

Updated 06/11 16:37 - National ban bullying at work day, 7th Nov 2008!

Unison national ban bullying day is tomorrow, 7th November. For more information on this campaign and others visit http://www.unison.org.uk/safety/campaigns.asp

UNISON - putting your interests first!

Updated 06/11 16:23 - UNISON supported Petition!

Dear Leeds Met member of staff, student and local resident,

Would you like to support a great cause? Do you want the surrounding area of the Headingley Campus to be safer for all its users? After all, it may include you!

We are petitioning to get some street lighting to run along the foot/cycle path that goes from the edge of the Headingley Campus near Bronte to the surrounding residential area (see map). The petition will then be passed on to local councillors who we hope will also support our cause......so go on and sign the petition and leave your email address so we can keep you posted on our progress!

For petition locations, at your site, please contact us on the email address below. Thank you so much for your support!

Ben Taylor and Lauren Darling. (B.Taylor5976@student.leedsmet.ac.uk)

Updated 03/11 08:53 - UNISON secures 50% increase!

Unison has negotiated a 50% increase on first aid payments from £60 per annum to £90 per annum to be paid in the January salary 2009.

UNISON - putting your interests first!

Updated 29/09 14:33 - RPI pay rise; but what does it really mean and how is it all calculated?

Read all about it here...

Updated 29/09 08:50 - Abandoning of the Academic Board Election for the vacancy of Administrative, Professional and Support staff.

Please note: If you cast a vote in the ballot that has been abandoned you will need to vote again !

This election is to be re-held due to distribution errors between Wednesday 01 October 2008 and 13 October 2008. Jennifer Dods (remaining as a candidate) has approached the branch for support in the Academic Board Election.

UNISON encourages members to vote in the election for a representative of administrative, professional and support staff for the Academic Board. The committee is an important voice for University staff and candidates representing our members views are valuable. The papers were sent out to staff yesterday, please contact Stuart Morris if you have not received them.

Ballots papers need to be returned to Room 108, The Grange, Headingley Campus by returned by 5pm on Monday 13th October.

Please find the statements here...

Updated 23/09 13:00 -

Jennifer Dods has approached the branch for support in the Academic Board Election.

Ballots papers need to be returned to Room 108, The Grange, Headingley Campus by returned by 5pm on Monday 29th September.

Please find the statements here...

Updated 17/09 16:33 -

ACAS discussions

The first meeting was held on 16th September between the joint trade unions and university senior management representatives. The meeting was facilitated by Peter McGee from ACAS, and he had with him 2 ACAS regional leaders who will facilitate the workshops which will follow shortly. National Officers for the trade unions (Jon Richards for UNISON) made opening speeches on our behalf of what we hoped to achieve from the workshops and discussions, and Simon Lee made the opening speech from university management, all agreeing to adopt the spirit of partnership working. We will keep members informed of future meeting dates.

SALARY SLIPS

Over the past couple of months I have had an increasing number of complaints to act upon regarding the layout of our salary slips. Gone is the allocated space for annual salary and this has been replaced by an advertising space. I did enquire on all members behalf as to why this has happened and have received a prompt response from the Payroll manager to the effect that “The payslip template used since April 05 (system migration) has never shown the correct annual salary for a number of colleagues i.e. Term time, Part time, Claims based and salary changes mid month. Each month payroll had a number of queries concerning this issue which was obviously very confusing for a large proportion of our colleagues. In July 08 we upgraded our payroll system and changed to a standard system payslip which meant that the annual salary could no longer be displayed. I can confirm that the annual salary was not removed to gain advertising space and it is in fact our preference that the annual salary be displayed on the payslip but unfortunately due to system capabilities are unable to do so at this time. This has been raised with our payroll system providers and hopefully will be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. I will keep you posted on the outcome …”

Hopefully it will not be long before we see the annual salary returned to its rightful position on our salary slips, and if we are really lucky, when the annual salary info is reinstated, payroll will print the actual salary for part-timers/term-time people – as Pro rata just isn’t very helpful. In the meantime if anyone needs to have their annual salary information to take along to their bank or mortgage lender etc., please feel free to make a request for the information directly to payroll.

Updated 17/09 14:07 - Update from the Chair...

National - Return on the 125

Hi, I have just returned from the TUC congress. As you can imagine there was a lot of Labour bashing on the Public sector pay offer and the latest energy price hikes. I would say Alistair Darling gave the dullest non event speech, from a leading cabinet minister, ever heard at congress. He continually blamed the global economy and the need to curb inflation. Err Alistair ‘what was the level of inflation when the public sector 2% pay freeze was announced?’, answer nowhere near the 5% it is now!
Harriet Harman the minister for equality and women did at least come out fighting; reinstating her loyalty and commitment to Gordon. She has also regularly listened to and took on board issues from the trade unions on equality.

John Denham the minister for universities, who I have had meetings with as part of my national role, received reasonable applause from the congress floor for the work that he has developed on union learning. Gordon Brown did attend the private general council dinner; the report back was that he had nothing new to report to the trade unions.

UNITE, supposedly the new super union. Amicus and T&G union’s general secretaries continue to disagree quite openly on everything and anything. Watch this space! Dave Prentis (UNISON) who was President of Congress and Paul Kenny GMB hinted at the first ever joint evening reception where we would be working closely on a number of issues. Is there another merger in the air?

I managed to talk to and network with many colleagues within HE, particularly members from the colleges and university unions, who were not amused at the BBC website report (front page) on the forthcoming pay rise. It was not based upon R.P.I which the final figure will not be known until October at the earliest. It also, incorrectly, claimed that it was the academics industrial action that got us the good deal on pay. A more factual report on the pay can be read from the HE UNISON web site link here.

I did manage to have a quick chat, along with Christina Mcanea (head of UNISON education), with Sally Hunt (general secretary of UCU) and Alistair Hunter (vice president and lead lay negotiator for HE UCU) on developments regarding the new framework agreement which all the other HE unions are due to sign up to on the 29th of this month. Sally indicated UCU were further than ever from signing up to the agreement and with no future meetings planned. UCU have been invited to JNCHES the negotiating committee but their status will be as observers. I still hope over the coming months they will come on board before the main pay negotiations start in March2009.

The next couple of months will be busy for me but I will report back on the JNCHES and National HE Exec Seminar in the first week of October (election of posts to committees) and will also set this year’s programme and decide upon an action plan to develop the conference decisions - taken by your representatives. At the end of October the National Exec Seminar will take place in Cardiff with workshops and discussions on the next pay claim.

Derek Earnshaw National and Branch Chair Leeds Met UNISON Branch.

Updated 21/08 17:00 - Update from the Chair...

National - Return on the 125

Generally July and August are quiet periods for UNISON, not so this year, as such I must admit to welcoming the odd days off. Nationally I have attended numerous meetings - to discuss pay for 2009 and in attempt to bring UCU on board with the New National Pay Framework agreement, yet, with no success. The sign up date to this agreement is 29th September in which all other staff unions will sign in London. UCU – It’s not too late! The door is still open for you to come on board with all other unions “We are stronger together”.

The HE National seminar will be held in Cardiff from October where your representatives will be able to feed into the pay bargaining process for 2009. The pay claim will be debated and a motion passed on pay at the National HE conference in Bristol during February, the final claim being submitted to the employers in March .In the current climate 2009 is likely to be a tough set of negotiations on pay. Don’t forget it was UNISON that has negotiated the 2.5% or R.P.I. for this September, at present we are set to see a 5% increase in ours pay packets in November. Elsewhere our comrades in local government have been on National strike for two days over pay and subsequently, Scottish Local government, are to take industrial action on the 20th August. Please keep on sending messages of support and lobbying your local MP.

Branch Matters

Staff Development; For the second year running UNISON will be running a stall on both the Support Staff Day, 5th September, and the University Community Festival day on the 9th September, where we are sponsoring the Zulu Warriors Dance group. It would be great to see all of our current members where possible but also provides us with an opportunity to increase our Branch membership. New members are vital in ensuring the Braches future and as our membership grows – so does our voice.

Come along on the day just to have a chat and help yourself to the usual freebies, equalities information .There is also a Tombola where you can win a UNISON sponsored prize. We also have lapel badges promoting the Stop violence against women campaign! Donations are welcome to this worthy cause which this UNISON branch is supporting.

UNISON Doncaster Race Day, 2nd August; Our recent coach party of members and family to Doncaster’s UNISON sponsored race day was, as usual, a great day and great success. I have received many positive comments that it was a great day out, with everyone enjoying themselves; even the bookmakers enjoyed it - in my case anyway. I am sure if UNISON sponsors the event again next year at least Leeds Met UNISON will be attending!

Current Branch activities; we are involved in analysing the porters roles, regarding multi-skilling, and have asked for a meeting to review a security case in which we would like to progress.

We are also in discussions surrounding probation which has been piloted in Cares. UNISON along with UCU and the University senior management will be attending the launch meeting on 16th Sept with ACAS. Jon Richards HE Senior national officer, the Regional officer and Unison Exe members will be in attendance. Unfortunately, as seems to be a sign of the times, we are still being deluged with grievances and disciplinary cases. Let’s hope the ACAS review changes the outlook of the university on staff for the better over the coming academic year!

Derek Earnshaw National and Branch Chair Leeds Met UNISON Branch.

Updated 18/08 11:10 - Love Music Hate Rasium.

At our next brach executive meeting it will be proposed that we move to affiliate ourselves with love music hate racism. Not only is it a good national campaign but most of us can relate to the 'power' of music. There is a good website and venues up and down the country, get more information from the website here...

Updated 07/08 15:44 - HSE Letter!

The university has now received the letter from the HSE containing their findings from their recent visits -to investigate the university's policy and arrangements for managing work related stress. You can find the document here...

Updated 28/07 08:50 - JCC reformed!

Some of you will remember the original Joint Consultative Committee which is now being reformed; I am hopeful that its resurrection will be both new and improved. The old JCC petered out a couple of years ago mainly due to a lack of outcomes and attendance - turning into little more than a talk shop.

While the detail has yet to be agreed, probably forming the basis of the first meting, I am confident that all will see this opportunity to consult and negotiate. For the first time this group will be formed with both representatives from HR and Senior Management presenting us with what I feel is an environment enabling Joint rewards (Members including: Pro-vice Chancellors, Director of Finance and the Director of Estates). Again, for the first time, these meetings will include our sister union UCU, almost representing single table bargaining, with many of our terms and conditions mirroring each other.

The first meeting is due around the end of September; I personally am looking forward to this group’s positive impact and will of course keep you informed as to progress made over the coming months.

Derek Earnshaw Branch Chair

Updated 15/07 13:00 - WHY!

You won’t be getting your 2008 pay rise in your pay packet for October. Hi just thought I would let you know why your pay rise which is due in October will not be paid until November. This is because the Retail Price Index is almost certainly going to be above the agreed rise of 2.5% and is actually at this moment in time above 4%. The September inflation figure which the rise will be based upon is not announced until after the pay date in October. I presume whatever this figure is + back pay will be in your November salary.

September increment - many of you, particularly manual staff (who did not have access to incremental scale before the framework agreement), will recieve your increment of approximately 3% in this pay period.

First Aid payments - UNISON is negotiating a rise in the payment for all first aiders. I would expect to let you know the precise figure at the back end of October.

2009 pay negotiations -Although it is Summer and it is difficult to get people from different unions together due to vacation a meeting amongst all the Unions negotiators is taking place on 30th July. If you have any views, please contact me. I will continue to update you on that meeting and the timetable up to the pay submission.

Derek Earnshaw National Chair HE UNISON.

Updated 04/07 11:18 - Employer’s survey proves Leeds Met is only mid-table in regards to hours and holidays for support staff grades 1-6.

I was invited to the UCEA summer reception in London on June the 19th where a survey was launched to celebrate and highlight the improvements over the last few years in Higher Education; unfortunately I could not attend as I was speaking in the debates at our own UNISON National conference in Bournemouth. Much more important I am sure you would agree.
The survey is very detailed and its true there have been many welcome improvements to terms and conditions in the sector. What we have to remember is that before these improvements HE was the bottom of public sector in relation to pay and conditions, and nobody wants a return to those days.
The report also shows the trade unions evidence on which universities have gone ‘the extra mile’ on harmonisation of conditions also highlighting those who have still some way to go.
Unfortunately Leeds Metropolitan University along with many of the other post -92 universities linger mid- table having not made any effort to negotiate towards a 35 hour week (with nearly 43% on 35 hours, 29% on 37 hours and the rest in-between) and also inferior holidays, going down to the minimum if you are between grades 1-3.
Our Vice chancellor regularly praises our staff in delivering world class support for our students ,which we fully support, providing the best experience and teaching for our students.
It is now time to instruct HR to reward the support staff by opening negotiations on a 35 hour week (part of the 2006-8 pay negotiations) and holidays for support staff, so that we can take our rightful place in the next survey - in the top half of all universities.

Read the report here...

Derek Earnshaw Branch Chair Leeds Met and National Chair HE Service group.

Updated 01/07 19:09 - Return on the 125...

Hi, I am now on leave till the 7th July, but feel that I need to update you all on progress, or the lack of it, since my last newsletter.
The employers have now sent out a proposed timetable for the pay talks, pay date 1st August 2009, and the unions apart from UCU have agreed to the timetable. The agreement itself will be signed in September which will inform negotiations till 2011. I am still hopeful as the date approaches fast that UCU will move their position and join all other HE unions around the negotiating table. The main sticking point between the support staff unions and the employers is that UCU want a separate committee for all staff grades 6-9. There is no way we can accept this position as we have many members above grade 6 that we represent. We also expect a single table and so do the employers else they are then open to equal pay claims. The other issue is around the disputes procedure, UNISONS view is a positive one as it gives us direct contact with the employers. However, UCU feels that this will only add constraints to when they could take industrial action.
We are meeting other support staff unions on the 14th July to start thinking about the pay claim. Members will meet at the branch seminar in Cardiff during October where all views will be heard, we will then formulate our pay policy in early 2009 at HE conference, and submit our pay claim to the employers in March 2009 (these are likely to be tough negotiations). It will be an interesting time over the next few weeks, where it is pretty certain our colleagues in local government will be challenging the public sector pay freeze by a initial 2 day strike on 16-17th July. Please give them your support!
I have just attended UNISON national conference in my capacity as chair of HE, the most interesting debate was on Friday afternoon which went to a card vote on the continued affiliation to the Labour party. Its time to wake up Gordon! The conference decided by just 50,000 members out of 1.3 million to continue. I was pleasantly surprised for a small service group how many activists from HE got up and spoke in debates, and also enjoyed meeting many new and old friends and networking with other branches.
I will be attending TUC in September representing HE and look forward to some lively debate.
Just to finish off with I will be sending out all the details to all those lucky enough to be going on the Race day trip to Doncaster UNISON sponsored races ,the biggest event in the Regions calendar on August 2nd.

Derek Earnshaw Branch Chair Leeds Met and National Chair HE Service group.

Updated 06/06 14:25 - Local government pay rise...

MEMBERS, Please give your support to the Public Services rally and lobby of parliament on Monday June the 9th. I will be attending the rally and lobby on behalf of UNISON HE Service Group along with all the other chairs, campaigning against the unfair wage cap on public sector workers.

Advertised yesterday in the papers were average rises being paid in the private sector, averaging 3.8%. However, members in Local government, Health, Education etc are expected to accept below inflation rises around the 2% level. Support our colleagues.

Speakers include, Brendan Barber(TUC), Dave Prentice(UNISON) ,Sally Hunt (UCU).Do what you can to explain to the public how unfair this capping of wages of staff who deliver to us all of our essential services . Derek Earnshaw UNISON Higher Education National Chair.

http://www.unison.org.uk/paymatters/

Updated 05/06 13:45 - ACAS and HSE update...

Just to update you on the ACAS and HSE interventions. It is a long time since both of these processes began, and members naturally wish to know that the whole business hasn't fallen into a black hole.

The HSE have now completed their investigation. They were due to meet senior management on 14 May to discuss their findings but this meeting was cancelled by the University so that they had more time to respond. It has been re-arranged for the 10 July and once it has taken place the findings will be made public.

ACAS have proposed a series of meetings, the terms of which have raised one or two queries for the trade unions, and the Area Director of ACAS Yorks & Humbs, will respond to us shortly. Hopefully these issues will be resolved quickly so that we can begin the meetings at long last.

Updated 30/05 09:50 - The last few weeks and the next few weeks

Hi, just thought I would give you an insight in to what I have been involved in within the branch and at national level recently.
ACAS as facilitators We have had enabling talks to set up a timetable and plan to discuss issues with the university at the highest level to include National, Regional and Branch executive officers of both UNISON and UCU with the university ,those initial discussions will include the Vice Chancellor and the Senior members of staff in the university. UNISON expects to have an open and frank discussion with no recriminations.
HR procedures in conjunction with UCU who we are working closely with on matters of mutual interest, we have been discussing the grievance procedure, I say discussing, both unions agree we would want to seek approval from ACAS before signing up to any changes. Other documents including disciplinary we also expect to update over the coming months.
Equal Pay UNISON has lodged cases at industrial tribunal and is also in consultation with the university on how we can resolve the cases before going to court; any details in line with Unison policy have to remain confidential. I do hope personally we can resolve these internally.
Gender equality duty I attended a national seminar here in Leeds attended by HR representatives, equality officers and union reps, which started with some case studies and then broke out into workshops with different strands. The following week I was invited to attended the launch of the Trans- gender Equality Post Secondary Education guidance in the House of Commons which was really interesting and started to raise lots of questions about a recent survey on sexual orientation carried out by the university equality office and we have arranged to meet in early June to take things forward and address many equality issues AT Leeds Met. http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/GarethBJenkins/TransGuide?authkey=aIvR0aOIQ2ANext week is the National HE Service group meeting in London, where the main topic will be next year’s pay claim. The executives view will be discussed and added to at the HE Seminar for activists in the Autumn and voted on in early Spring .Over the summer there are plans to co-ordinate with all other support unions to discuss a joint approach ,who have agreed to sign up to the National framework .I still hold out hope UCU will decide to join all other unions in Higher Education, we are stronger together.
Public Sector TUC lobby of parliament on the 9th June I will be attending this important event as Chair of the service group UNITED together to convince the government to recognise the contribution of the Health Service ,Council workers etc and do a U-turn on PAY. We may be in the same situation next year. Will the employers say we come under the public or private sector? Please add your support any way you can to our brothers and sisters.
National Conference 16-20th June is taking place in Bournemouth where Unison will discuss policy across the wider union for the coming year. The branch will be well represented by the branch secretary and treasurer and I am attending as the National rep for HE.
Please get in touch and share your views with the people who represent you .

Derek Earnshaw

Updated 29/05 17:50 - STAFF REPS ON DISABILITY IMPLEMENTATION GROUP MEETING (National Information Out).

An implementation group has been created to ensure the implementation of the recommendations that came out of the commission for disabled staff. There are two staff rep places for support staff and it has been proposed that we have one for FE and one for HE. It is important that UNISON has a significant presence on this group. We would be grateful if you could draw this to the attention to members who you feel would be interested in taking up this important role. . The first meeting is on Tuesday June 3rd 1-4pm in London.

Updated 23/05 09:11 -HERA assimilation appeals.

The Stage One panels for staff members appealing against their assigned grade as part of the HERA process are now completed. Of those who appealed 45 individuals moved to a higher grade than that assigned, and in 4 of those cases the new grade assigned was 2 grades higher than that originally assigned. Good news for all those appellants and well worth the effort and the wait.

All these individuals have their pay award backdated to August 2006. Many of the other appellants moved up in score within the grade assigned which should help them if they choose to process to the stage 2 process. There are still 18 posts that have been to the panel awaiting confirmation of the grade. Of these 18 there are 11 in the area of Disability support. We hope to have the confirmation of all these panel outcomes for you soon and will keep you updated.

Stage 2 of the appeal process has already begun. The feedback from members so far is that the interviews are very long winded but give you a good opportunity to really get across the value of your role to the analyst. The Stage 2 process is intended to be pretty much the same as Stage 1. The Stage 2 Appeals Panel will be joint with management, rewards and benefits team members and trade unions on all panels, with a gender balance, and will receive scored Records for confirmation in the same way that IMPs were received at Stage 1. The Reward & Benefits team will then formally write to the appellants informing them of the outcome of the Stage 2 Appeal.

If anyone has any queries please contact your local steward or a Branch Officer.

Updated 22/05 17:28 - Planning & Resources Committee Election

Janet Carr has approached the branch for support in the Planning & Resources Committee Election.

UNISON encourages members to vote in the election for a representative of administrative, professional and support staff for the Planning & Resources Committee. The committee is an important voice for University staff and candidates representing our members views are valuable. The papers were sent out to staff yesterday, please contact Stuart Morris if you have not received them.

Ballots papers need to be returned to Room 108, The Grange, Headingley Campus by 5pm on Wednesday 4th June.

Updated 19/05 17:10 - Both International and Environement pages updated...

Updated 16/05 13:00 - Pay rise 3% due to YOU! In your pay packets today(negotiated by UNISON)

Wow!, what better way to re-launch not only the web-site but also to re-launch the way our branch communicates and operates . I am not going to mention the word refre.... ourselves (oh! I just did), but it is important to listen to what YOU the members had to say at the AGM and for the exec to respond positively. We have been working hard since then, not only on the web-site, but with all members of the exec recognising their skills and interests in what they can offer to the members - I hope you will see that over the coming next few weeks.

3% or a minimum of £420 is the second part, of the second year, of a three year pay deal. Many of YOU will also receive an increment in September 2008 of 3%, particularly relevant to manual workers, who up to last year had no access to such payments. October 1st 2008 is the final payment in the 3 year deal which will be 2.5% or RPI (inflation4%+).This represents a 10% increase in just over a year (Aug2007 3%) in the pay packets for some of our lowest paid members.

I will shortly be representing YOU in discussing the timetable with the National employers for next year’s pay rise. I want to hear from YOU through the new website, what YOU think are the most important elements of the claim.1-3 year deal ,% or flat rate , harmonisation of conditions, holidays or working hours ???

You can expect to hear from me with a regular report “return on the 125” and from all the members of the exec on topics ranging from pay to the environment on this website, with at least a new top topic every Friday make sure YOU ! add this site to your favourites.

Many thanks to all the members of the exec who have inputted to the new web-site, in particular Peter Cochrane its creator. I hope YOU like it.

Derek Earnshaw,
Leeds Met Branch and National Chair of UNISON HE Read more…

06/03/08

Branch Chair Election Results

For members that were unable to attend the AGM - the results of the Branch Chair election are as follows :

Derek Earnshaw - 55 VOTES

Ron Hogg - 22 VOTES

Congratulations Derek.

04/03/08

Election Procedures Summary

Some members have asked for details on Unison election procedures for branch officers, others have raised queries regarding postal votes. The PowerPoint presentation below outlines the guidelines given on the election process (as shown in the AGM). Members are asked to consider the alternatives, and there will be an opportunity for members to indicate their preference shortly.

Download the Election Procedures Summary Powerpoint format here.

20/02/08

Leeds Met AGM & Branch Chair Election 2008

AGM will take place at 12:30pm on Friday 29th February, 2008
Lecture Theatre C, Headingley Campus.

The usual coach transport is arranged for 12 noon - Portland Way, Civic Quarter.

Contact Terry Darcy to reserve a space on the coach – ext 25452

PLEASE NOTE
Members can attend for the Branch Chair ballot only (around 12:40pm) and then leave for operational reasons.

All managers have had a message from HR authorising release of Unison members on Friday 29th for AGM attendance.
This information should be cascaded to all staff and, with a Branch Chair election, we urge managers to release as many members as possible to attend for the ballot.

At the close of nominations for branch officer positions, there were two nominations for Branch Chair. This means there will be a ballot of members at the AGM on Friday, 29th February, 2008. Branch Chair is an important position within the branch and all members are encouraged to take part in the election process. Please read the information provided by the candidates, attend the AGM and participate in the vote.
The candidates for the position of Branch Chair are Derek Earnshaw – Estates and Ron Hogg - Faculty of Health.
Brief statements from each of the candidates follow:

Candidate Statements.

Derek Earnshaw.
Dear Member, I need your continued support in the role of Branch Chair in the Unison branch election. Over 20 years, elected to the post of Senior Steward, Branch Secretary and the current Branch Chair. I have the relevant training and experience of negotiations, reviews, disciplinary, grievance, equality, and health and safety issues.

The role of the Branch Chair is organise, plan and chair meetings, co-ordinate the branch to work together to produce results efficiently, pass information promptly to activists about conferences, elections etc This year we have set up a much wider based steward group representing members, capable deputies to cover both secretary and chair, to cover holidays, sickness, or particularly when I am away on national duties. We have an experienced competent executive to negotiate on your behalf.

I am currently National Chair of Higher Education, lead negotiator on pay, conditions and equality issues. I honestly believe my role with the national committee benefits the branch, working closely with representatives from other universities, unions and vice-versa, inputting your views from branch to national.

I am determined, dedicated, to continue raising issues, enthusiastically campaigning, to delivering better terms and conditions (35 hours, harmonised holidays) defend pensions, and oppose privatisation.

Ron Hogg.
My name is Ron Hogg. I have worked as a Course Administrator in the Faculty of Health, based in the Civic Quarter for over two years. For the past year I have been Chief Shop Steward for the Civic Quarter. I have a long record of active Trade Unionism. I worked for the British Library at Boston Spa near Leeds until two years ago. I was Chair of the PCS Civil Service union branch there. I was also Chair of the British Library Whitley Council Staff Side – the equivalent of a Joint Shop Stewards Committee.

During my time as Chair of a large union branch I took a lead role in negotiations for pay, staff conditions and the setting up of a new time recording system and improvements in the flexitime rules. I was also lead negotiator in successfully dealing with a restructure package on behalf of three unions. I have also 20 years experience of personal case work. I have negotiated four separate reporting packages – something which is about to hit Leeds Met – and three separate competency frameworks – something else which is about to hit Leeds Met.

14/02/08

Return on the 125 - Update
(A report from the Higher Education Service Group meeting)

The main item discussed in a meeting that lasted over 8 hours was the JNCHES negotiating machinery. This is now up in the air with UCU deciding to ballot their members with the results to be announced to their executive on 29th Feb 2008 whether to accept the deal on the table or reject and possibly walk away from national bargaining
How things can change so rapidly from what I thought and wrote in my last report in December .It was agreed by negotiators of all partner unions to recommend the latest proposals after the meeting in late December and we moved a considerable way to accommodate the UCU membership mandate, as we strongly believe we are stronger together, stood “shoulder to shoulder” than at odds with each other. All support staff unions endorsed the deal .The academics the following week then dropped a bombshell as it was expected they would follow suit as they had a mandate from their membership given at an earlier conference to at all costs retain national bargaining.
As well as the other unions been in shock, so were the employers who had announced on their web site that a deal had been struck .The government also got involved and is waiting for the ballot result before sanctioning funds to finance the funding review (working group chaired by Baroness Fitchie to look at what extra income has gone into universities following the top up fees to support catch up pay) and has threatened to withdraw the money.
UNISON I can assure you have not been sat still, while the ballot takes place. A lot of the detail is at this time confidential; I would hope to update you in the next few weeks. What I can tell you is the exe assessed what impact our statements to the Times Higher and other high profile papers had achieved, our joint work with the other support unions. We have also been in constant touch with the employers and the UCU .A statement of our intent was drawn up at the meeting to be circulated to the other unions to supplement and confirm .I only hope the UCU ballot returns a yes vote. What I can assure you of at this time is that retaining National bargaining is key and the single table is non-negotiable. I expect to be involved in meetings early March and I hope for an early resolution to the current situation and discuss next year’s pay claim so talks that are scheduled with all the unions together can go ahead in July.

http://www.ucu.org.uk/
http://www.ucea.ac.uk/

Conference is to take place in early April and the motions were discussed and amendments added as necessary and a vote taken on initial policy on motions submitted and speakers identified .ON line registration which is been piloted at this conference was discussed regarding its ease of filling in on line and being new, hic ups that had been experienced.
Leeds Met will be playing a significant part in the conference it looks like I will be speaking on a couple of motions I have been directly involved with and also moving the annual report. Jan Carr is the mover of a regional motion on equalities which shows that our branch is at the forefront of UNISON and pushing your issues.
It has been agreed to hold a pioneering conference in Brussels in March 2009 for support staff involved in research in conjunction with HK STAT(Denmark trade union for technicians and administrators) and SIPTU(Southern Irish union for support staff)Other unions will be asked to participate across the European union .This is a project that has been running a number of years .I have just been to Brussels and met the commissioner for the research programmes and various Euro mep’s and also welcomed the Danes and the Irish delegates to Leeds last September .We hope to finalise all the details in Copenhagen in June(if I get re-elected).Hard work honest!
The National HE seminar is to be held in Cardiff(to be confirmed) the 23rd -25th of October 2008 consisting of speakers and workshops .
There was the usual Recruitment report “you must do better “ did you realise we need to recruit 12.5% new members each year just to stand still.With that I will leave you till next time on the125, hopefully with some better news.

Derek Earnshaw National Chair Higher Education Service Group

14/02/08

Recent Unison activities...

Following a grievance taken out on behalf of members from the estates ground staff who had not received the ex-gratia payment in April 2007 paid to all other staff, to move the incremental date to September. The reason given by the university not to pay them was they had been assimilated to a grade more than 10% above their existing grade. This was overturned and will now mean over 70 staff will be receiving letters in February and back pay (250-400£ pro-rata for part time) in their salary.
Caretakers at Harrogate were working patterns of work covering over 11 hours and were not being paid shift pay. This was rectified they are now on shift pay and have received a significant back pay settlement.
The Student union has been hit hard by redundancy. UNISON has represented members and has managed to secure employment in the short term for a number of staff. This has and still is a difficult time for members remaining in employment and the executive will be keeping a close eye on developments.
The Staff development festival has been moved to the week after the Bank Holiday. I am sure the university would claim it had nothing to do with UNISON? We will continue to support staff development and we welcome the move after pressure has been placed by our family friendly values. I am sure the branch will again have a recruitment stall, last year we raised the profile of the branch and held a competition which was a bit of fun and well received.
We are currently engaged in impact assessment on policy ‘s involving retirement and flexi- time and looking at other policy documents in discussion with HR over the next few months. We will be updating the branch membership in the near future.

Derek Earnshaw

30/01/08

Enhanced Changes to the Pay and Grading Structure

Dear Member

Both UNISON and UCU have been in recent negotiations with the university's Director of HR and Rewards and Benefits team, with a view to enhancing the current pay and grading structure that was originally agreed with UNISON in April 2007.

The University is now proposing the following changes:

To raise the Contribution Threshold in each grade by one increment

This will reduce the width of the Contribution Zone in each grade to one increment

With effect from 1 September 2008 all support staff in the respective grades will thereby be eligible to proceed to the new, higher Contribution Threshold by means of service related progression rather than through ACTs, thus gaining automatic access to an additional incremental point

The remaining Contribution Point in each grade will be reserved for those members of staff who are already on it by virtue of assimilation arrangements until 2010. Progression on to the Contribution Point in the grade as an outcome from the Contribution Reward Scheme will be available for the rest of support staff from 2010 onwards.

These changes will have no effect on the special arrangements which were put in place for staff who had been red or amber circled or who had "headroom protection", and these groups will continue to receive the benefit of the arrangements which were agreed at the time of assimilation.

These proposals represent a considerable enhancement to the current grading structure available for support staff, and will mean that the overwhelming majority of them (approximately 1,800) will have automatic access to an additional increment in the grade. There would be no detriment for any member of support staff as a result of the implementation of this proposal.

The enclosed attachment is the proposed new grade structure.

Our branch intends to hold members' meetings next week so that you can come and speak to Branch Exec members if any aspect of the proposals are unclear. It is not out intention to ballot on the new proposals as they are an enhancement to the package the branch originally voted to accept. The UNISON meetings will be held on the times given below, and HR and their consultants, will inform local managers that UNISON members of support staff should be released where possible should they wish to attend these briefings,

Mon 4th Feb 11:45 – 12:45 LTD Headingley Campus

Wed 6th Feb 13:00 – 14:00 LTB 3 ````Civic Quarter

Thu 7th Feb 12:00 – 13:00 B Block Lecture Theatre Harrogate College

Best wishes

Janet

Branch Secretary

Leeds Met UNISON

Download the Enhanced Changes to the Pay and Grading Structure docuemnt in Excel format here.

11/01/08

Going Green

This is a young members event taking place on Friday 1st February at the Hilton Hotel Leeds. If you are interested in this event please see the document below for more information.

Download the Going Green document in Word format here.

13/12/07

Return on the 125
(A report from the Higher Education Service Group meeting)

A number of years ago I was elected to the Higher Education National Service Group. I used to write a short report on the way home on the train of the day’s events. I have decided to give it another go; your comments would be welcome.

First item on the agenda was to elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the committee. I was honoured to be elected as Chair for the third year running and the Vice Chair Kate Muir from Scotland was also re-elected. I am also pleased to announce our Branch Secretary has been elected Chair of the Yorkshire and Humberside HE Regional Service Group. Again it shows that the branch is at the forefront on UNISON HE issues.
The main item on the agenda was the review of JNCHES national pay bargaining negotiating structure. The review should have been concluded way back in July 2007 when UNISON and all the other support staff unions were in a position to agree the structure by the agreed date. Unfortunately our UCU colleagues could not agree on three issues
1. UCU demanded that there would be a sub committee for all staff that were on or above ACI/old grade 6, point 23 on the single pay spine. UCU would hold control of that committee and the support staff would only be allowed as observers.
2. UCU were not happy with the time frame to discuss pay with meetings planned in March and May.
3. Introducing a Disputes procedure over a 14 day period and not been able to ballot on industrial action over that period.

UNISON and all of the support staff unions plus the academic union EIS (academic staff union in Scotland) totally opposed the 1st issue which would have seriously undermined single table bargaining and the single spine and affected representation of our members. Points 2 and 3, we believed we could resolve these with negotiation on the 1st point.

Finally, months after the deadline had passed, with many universities threatening to go to local bargaining, I am delighted to tell you a deal has been struck and national bargaining is once again safe till at least 2011. At the last hour the UCU agreed to drop their demands for a separate sub group to a short life term working group if required. This has to have the approval of JNCHES on issues for example: low pay, grading issues or senior staff, representation with equivalent numbers of that working group in ratio to membership affected and to report back to JNCHES. If you did or do read the Times Higher Education supplement, don’t believe as fact all you read of academics claims. The facts are the support unions won hands down.
Point 2: Pay claims will be submitted in March to allow our democratic processes such as the seminar and conference to inform our pay claim with further meetings to conclude pay talks by April /May. There will be a strategy meeting with all unions present in July each year to submit suggestions on the following year’s claims.
Point 3: The disputes procedure will follow and there will be a minimum of three meetings in a 14 day period and prospects of further meetings in that period to resolve any pay issues. Industrial action can not be instigated over that period.

UNISON is delighted at the outcome ensuring National Bargaining for the next 4 years and is looking forward to working closely with our partner unions.

I am going to be brief on the rest of the report; I thought it was important to fully inform you on Pay.

Recruitment is a standing item and Unison’s no 1 priority. October was the best month on record and Yorkshire and Humberside was given a special mention on recruitment initiatives. Keep it up!

Pensions: We are still waiting for news on the 2020 protection for members of the local government pension scheme even though the consultation period is over and UNISON is pressing the minister responsible for pensions for a meeting and a positive answer. There is also a consultation period on the three tier ill health provision, which can be accessed on the UNISON national site. Overall I think we have watered down the initial proposals by government and will continue to argue for better benefits for our members.

HE Conference April 2008: to be held in Warwick University. We have discussed the executive motions to be submitted to the agenda. We also discussed a co-ordinated pay campaign across the public sector and we will feed our views into that process but remind everyone we will be in our 3rd year of our pay settlement of 3% in May and 2.5% in Oct or R.P.I. whichever is the greater. In light of the Public pay freeze, 2% is looking to be an even better deal.
I think that takes care of the main business. I am down in London next week and have a meeting at the House of Commons arranged with John Denham (Minister of State for Education) and Bill Rammel (Minister for H). I hope my next return on the 125 will be of interest to you.

Seasons Greetings to all our members.
Derek Earnshaw
Chair UNISON HE National Service Group

12/10/07

Letter from Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON

Celebrate and defend the NHS on 3rd November

Hopefully all branches are by now aware of and gearing up for the NHS march and demonstration in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 3rd November.

It is essential that we get as many members to London as possible. And not just those that work in the NHS. Good quality, publicly run health services are a priority for all UNISON members and the wider population.

Access to the National Health Service is a defining aspect of UK citizenship and the NHS remains the national institution that the country holds dearest. It is up to us to mobilise patient groups and other parts of society in support of it.

So 3rd November will be a chance for us to celebrate. The NHS remains a service largely owned and run by the public. The system still aspires to be a universal service, free at the point of use and funded by direct taxation. For this we should be thankful.

And for this UNISON members, along with our colleagues in the other health unions, should be taking the credit. It is the achievements of staff working on the frontline that have sustained the NHS ideal into the 21st century.

As a result of substantial investment and the hard graft of health service workers, the NHS now offers better standards of care more quickly and to more people than ever before. Waiting times and the number of patients on waiting lists continue to fall. Every analysis shows that stroke patients and those with heart disease receive higher standards of treatment, and that cancer care and mental health services continue to improve.

Those that work in the health service and those that benefit from its care should not be shy in shouting from the rooftops about the successes of the NHS. To do otherwise is to play into the hands of those that wish to denigrate the service and those that favour moves towards an American-style health system where the rich cream off the best services and millions can afford no health insurance at all.

As it approaches its 60th birthday the NHS is in rude health and we must continue to remind policy-makers and the general public of this fact.

But our message is more complex than this. Future generations must also be allowed to benefit from the health service and recent market-driven policies have cast doubt on the long-term viability of the NHS.

Competitive practices have been extended to the health service (largely though not exclusively in England ) under the guise of the patient choice agenda and enshrined in the Payment by Results system, in which hospitals are paid according to the number of patients they treat.

This has broken up much of the established system of cooperation between different parts of the health service and has meant that NHS organisations have found it harder to plan their finances – a major cause of recent deficits, job losses and service cuts.

This fragmentation has also made it easier for different parts of the service to be taken out of the NHS – as we saw last year with the operations of NHS Logistics outsourced to the private sector.

The drive for greater competition has led to the creation of a diversity of healthcare providers, including Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs). These centres have been given preferential treatment to allow them to establish themselves within the new healthcare market, and unsurprisingly this has had a detrimental impact on many neighbouring NHS providers.

Different paths to reform have been undertaken in the devolved countries, with the Scottish and Welsh administrations generally boosting existing public sector provision rather than using market mechanisms. Indeed the Welsh Assembly Government recently announced that all hospital cleaning contracts will be brought back into the NHS and that there will be no more Private Finance Initiative projects. But problems are not confined to England ; for example, there is great concern about the structural reorganisation of the NHS in Northern Ireland , and the fact that ISTCs have now reached Scotland as well.

The demonstration will be a chance for us to drive home these messages of protest and to call for a robust defence of the core values of the NHS: fairness, universality, and the public sector ethos.

In recent months the Government has shown that it is capable of listening and responding to our concerns. The new health secretary Alan Johnson has said there will be no further structural reorganisation of the NHS and has shelved plans for a further wave of ISTCs. In addition, Lord Darzi is conducting a review of the NHS that is seeking to involve health staff.

On 3rd November we need to show solidarity with the other unions in NHS Together and maintain the united front demonstrated by all healthcare workers over the past 12 months. We need to be able to bring service users and the public with us. And most of all we need to show ministers that they must keep listening, that they must do more to involve staff and users of the NHS, and that they must reconsider the damaging policies of NHS marketisation.

Make sure you come along and bring your friends, family and colleagues with you for what promises to be a fun day out. But also help us get the message across: as the NHS approaches 60, its core principles must be defended just as loudly as its achievements are celebrated.

Dave Prentis

General Secretary

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