UNISON
the Public Service Union
|
|---|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
Connexions |
|
|
Children's Services: Letter on Restructure
|
|
Downloads: Adobe Acrobat Reader (you may not want the Photoshop album) |
Home
Please e-mail the branch to keep us up to date with your e-mail address - include your name and membership number.
UNISON meeting on Wednesday January 20th, between 12pm-1pm in the Council Chamber.
WOKINGHAM DISTRICT BRANCH
PUBLIC SERVICES, NOT PRIVATE PROFIT
TRANSFORMATION UPDATE & OTHER ISSUES
Following on from the Chief Executive’s Transformation Briefing of December 4th, it is clear that WBC is about to experience proper BPR rather than the previous cost-cutting and resource slashing exercise.
We, in UNISON, had no prior warning about either the timing or contents of this briefing and were as surprised as the rest of you. We have responded by making it clear that we expect future consultation to be no longer an information-sharing exercise, but a meaningful dialogue that allows staff to help shape WBC’s future.
We understand that there is a need to root out and deal with genuine cases of waste and inefficiency, such as using expensive external consultants, but we are clear that when services are run for profit, this will lead to a deterioration of care and services, needed by the most vulnerable in our community. We are committed to publicly employed in-house teams delivering high-quality, cost-effective and innovative public services.
It is vital that with the likelihood of redundancies and possible outsourcing of non-statutory services, that staff support UNISON’s key objective to protect our public services.
To this end, we in UNISON, want a dialogue with all staff, and are therefore inviting you and your colleagues to an open UNISON meeting on Wednesday January 20th, between 12pm-1pm in the Council Chamber. We want to hear your concerns and discuss how we can campaign effectively to protect our services. Please make it if you can, and encourage your friends and colleagues to come too.
It is essential that we use our collective bargaining power in the decision-making process regarding the Council’s future and to protect the public from the worst excesses of possible back-door privatisation.
Severe Weather
It has been disappointing to note that the Council did not give the green light (until after 4pm) for staff to go home early on December 21st and that was via an e-mail to management, so not everybody would have been made aware. I know from my experience and what I have picked up on the unofficial grapevine, that colleagues had to abandon their cars, and my journey to Reading took over 5 hours.
We do appreciate Graham Eber’s message again to management today warning of worsening road conditions from 1pm today, and for managers to consider allowing non-essential staff to go home early.
We will be bringing the severe weather issue to the next Green Book Forum, together with a request that discretion is shown with regards to staff having to use annual leave or take unpaid leave due to dangerous driving conditions. This will be particularly when Local Council’s have failed to grit roads and implement other measures to ensure that staff can get to work and return home safely.
And Finally…
On behalf of the UNISON Branch Committee, Malcolm Lee & I wish to send you our seasonal best wishes, and hope that all of you have a relaxing & safe time whatever you are doing, and that 2010 is a positive and productive year for you. Hopefully we will see you at the meeting in the Council Chamber on January 20th 2010 between 12:00pm and 1:00pm.
Best Wishes
Paul
Paul Bee – Branch Secretary
Malcolm Lee – Branch Chair
Protecting our services
UNISON meeting on Wednesday January 20th, between 12pm-1pm in the Council Chamber.
Dear UNISON member,
YOUR UNISON BRANCH
WE NEED YOU TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE!
UNISON is Britain`s largest trade union and has the most members within Wokingham District Council – which gives us a strong voice.
We are continuing to represent your interests as previously to Corporate Management and elected members, whilst seeking to protect your terms and conditions of employment.
With the current situation in Wokingham District Council, we want stewards and safety representatives in every workplace to develop a lively and vibrant Branch. Time off and free training on employment law and health and safety is available to all who step forward. If interested, discuss this with your UNISON colleagues and ask them to elect you on the nomination form. Once elected, please let Malcolm Lee and Paul Bee know, so that we can notify your manager and also UNISON Regional Office. If you need further information, then please do not hesitate to ask Malcolm, Paul or another Branch Officer or trade union representative listed below.
We will be putting out regular newsletters which will be posted on our website to keep you informed. There are many issues out there that require a strong UNISON Branch. We will, with you, provide the strength required.
See our website for further information: www.wokinghamunison.org.uk or ring UNISON`s helpline on 0845 355 0845 if you need to make contact or have colleagues who wish to join.
A STRONGER UNION AT WORK GIVES A MORE POWERFUL VOICE WITHIN YOUR WORKPLACE – JOIN IN!
Remember to remind your non-union colleagues, that as long as they have been a member for four weeks and their issue was not already known to them before joining, members are entitled to free legal advice and (where there is a strong enough case) free legal assistance.
|
UNISON represents staff working for Wokingham BoroughCouncil, including those in schools and at other sites as well as those working at Shute End and at other sites in Wokingham. People employed in areas providing services to the public whether in the public, private or voluntary sectors of the economy may join UNISON. We negotiate for better pay and conditions, help individuals in trouble and campaign for a safer, fairer society. UNISON is one of Britain's biggest unions, representing almost 1.3 million people across the UK's public services. Branch electionsAll the branch officer posts and stewards are elected at the Annual General Meeting in March and therefore we are currently on the lookout for people to stand for all these posts. For nomination and election details contact your steward or click here. Get in touch!On this site you can:
If you have any problems using the site, please tell me. |