Tuesday 20th June 2017

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Email: stewart.robinson@uhnm.nhs.uk tel: 07931223922

HOT topics for national

delegate conference

Nearly a decade after

the global financial

crisis first hit, the

pressure is still

unrelenting on our

public services and

the workers who

provide them –

including UNISON

members working for

public bodies, private

companies or commu-

nity and charity

organisations.

That is the background

for June’s national

delegate conference,

when some 2,000

delegates from

branches and regions

across the union will

gather in Brighton to

discuss the union’s

priorities and policies

for the next 12 months.

As motion 39 – about

getting the public

onside with our public

service campaigning –

notes:

“Despite the unprece-

dented cuts that our

members and the

communities they serve

have already

experienced, a raft of

further measures now

threaten to push

services to breaking

point.”

The motion, from the

union’s NEC, points

out that the causes of

the problems include:

a growing funding

crisis hitting social

care across the

UK;

an NHS funding

shortfall described

as “a humanitar-

ian crisis” by the

Red Cross;

£3bn ‘savings’ im-

posed on schools

in England by

2019/20;

continuing cuts

and redundancies

across local gov-

ernment and po-

lice services;

and much more.

“UNISON, as the

largest public services

trade union, carries a

heavy responsibility,”

adds the motion.

“Not only must the

union counter the

strong headwinds and

continue to make the

arguments for an

alternative to the cuts

and underinvestment

that have characterised

the austerity decade.

“We must also use our

members’ experiences,

campaign resources,

evidence and expertise

to win over wider

public opinion for an

alternative that

Cont.....page 3

Representatives of UNISON’s 1.3 million members will meet this week to decide

policies and priorities that will take the union forward

Let other

people know

about what’s

going on at

NDC.

#uNDC17

@ unisonwestmids

Email your conference

selfies to be included in

Fridays newssheet

to

stewart.robinson

@uhnm.nhs.uk

or txt to:

07931223922

Share ideas about campaigning and organising and to find our more

about key issues in depth. UNIZONE is the place for you.

Open each morning from 8.45am– 5.30pm.

Exiting the EU - what does it mean for

UNISON members?

Public Service Champions

Digital Unison—digital tools of your trade

One team for patient care - are you a

supporter?

Visit the stalls each day to WIN an icecream and

to be entered in a FREE prize draw to

WIN £150.00

Check out

TUESDAY

fringe meetings

Racism on the rise, education is the answer: 12.45-13.45 Room 1B, ground floor. Refreshments provided.

Exiting the EU - getting a fair deal for public service

workers: . 12.45-13.45 Syndicate 2, ground floor (Sandwich lunch provided)

Turkey: democracy, rights and solidarity 12.45-13.45 Syndicate 3, first floor (sandwich lunch provided)

Guarding against stress - a toolkit for success: 12.45-13.45 Syndicate 4 , first floor (Sandwich lunch provided)

Branch Resources Review: 17.15-18.15 Auditorium 2, first floor (refreshments provided)

Cuba and Venezuela: resistance and solidarity under threat 17.15-18.15 Syndicate 1, ground floor (Havana Club Rum cocktails will be

provided)

SAVE our NHS: 17.15-18-15 The restaurant, third floor (Refreshments provided)

What you need to know about supporting members through

professional conduct cases 17.15-18.15 Syndicate 2, ground floor (refreshments provided)

UNIZONE: Tuesday

https://www.facebook.com/unisonwestmids/#https://www.facebook.com/unisonwestmids/#

properly recognises the value of properly funded public services

to all of our lives.”

To do this, delegates in Brighton will be asked to agree a range of actions to take the union’s Public Services Champions campaign

forward.

A major factor in pro-tecting our public services and the rights of those who work in them will be Brexit and

its consequences.

As motion 73 calling for “a fair deal for work-ers and public services” notes, this will involve “an historic European negotiation that must answer both the challenges of today and tomorrow and fundamentally address devolved UK constitu-tional and legal

issues”.

The motion is one of a number dealing with the consequences of

the EU referendum, which took place as business was under way at last year’s

UNISON conference.

These include several motions calling for workers (and their families) from other EU countries to have their right to stay in the UK

recognised.

Motion 73 notes that “regaining control over the UK economy includes rethinking the use of state aid rules to fund public services and new national infra-

structure projects.

“There is a new oppor-tunity in public procure-ment to mandate the use of ‘quality over price’ in awarding private contracts to encourage corporate responsibility, encour-age in-house provision, add social value in public services and prevent the race to the

bottom.”

The conference will also give the union the chance to vote for a union campaign for “the fair funding of public services – and an end to punishing austerity” linked to UNISON’s “wider anti-austerity campaign for public services” in motion 49, Challenging the new Conservative

economic agenda.

The executive has also asked conference to prioritise related issues

for debate, including:

international trade and the EU exit

(motion 62);

fighting insecure work (motion 53);

pay and tackling in-work poverty

(motion 20);

protecting workers in procurement supply chains

(motion 58).

The key to winning

these campaigns with our members is the union’s strength and organisation, and members’ involvement and confidence. And two motions will be central to the discus-sions on how we win

that.

The very first motion on the agenda for conference is called Developing an organising branch. It

recognises the increasingly hostile environment in which UNISON branches are

operating.

“Austerity cuts have reduced the number of activists and put further pressure on facility time; while increased fragmentation of the workforce has made organising more diffi-

cult.”

More information can be

obtained from

www.unison.org.uk/news

COMPETITION: What County is highlighted on the World Map at the Travel Club Stand?

Name:................................................................................ Contact No:............................................................................

Win a £50.00 Unison Travel Club Voucher. Hand completed slip into the stand. (Winner picked Thursday)

ANSWER.......................................................................................

What’s back and bigger and better than last year?

Find out tomorrow

Responsible buying in public services –

how to get involved

Not a day goes by without us hearing of workers being abused in global supply chains. From child workers mining

cobalt for smartphones to plantation workers in the tropical fruit industry being denied basic rights, the world of work

is becoming more dangerous and precarious. Many of the goods destined for UK public services are sourced through

very complex supply chains. It is up to everyone sourcing these goods to ensure there is transparency in the supply

chain. That means government and government departments, local authorities as well as private companies providing

public services should conduct ‘due diligence’ to ensure there are no abuses in goods used to provide public services.

UNISON is at the forefront of calls for government to take action to protect

workers in supply chains. We have pro-

duced guidance for members to engage

with their employers on ethical procure-

ment. Whether it be a care home in Suf-

folk or a town hall in Fermanagh, UNI-

SON members have an opportunity to

ask if the employer has a code of con-

duct for suppliers and if they work to

ensure goods destined for UK public

services are not tainted with abuses. We have become the first trade union in the

UK to produce a modern slavery state-

ment demonstrating UNISON’s com-

mitment to transparency in supply

chains.

UNISON responded immediately following the horrific collapse of the Rana Plaza factory making ready-made gar-

ments (RMG) in Bangladesh in 2013. An emergency motion to National Delegate Conference (NDC) saw UNISON

build links with a local garment workers’ federation, BRGWF, to help them to support workers to access their rights.

NGO Labour Behind the Label set up a solidarity fund (please ask your branch to donate) to help support BRGWF’s

office just outside Dhaka. Over the past few years BRGWF has grown its union but continues to face hostility from

factory owners and the government which is reluctant to embrace the promised changes to legislation on freedom of association. Just last month a number of workers were physically attacked for joining a trade union showing how dan-

gerous it still is for workers to have their rights respected.

Delegates to UNISON’s conference will have an opportunity to find out more about what’s happening in the RMG

industry in Bangladesh as the president of BRGWF, Salauddin Shapon, will join Sam Maher of the Clean Clothes

Campaign and Jane Hutt AM Cymru/Wales at a fringe meeting on Thursday. UNISON’s guidance will be launched at

the fringe and Jane Hutt AM will tell delegates about the work in Cymru/Wales on codes of conducts for suppliers in

Wales’ own supply chains. DAVE AUGER

Stepping up

the campaign

against

bullying and

harassment

Conference reaffirms its policy of a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and

harassment.

Conference welcomes the development of the work by UNISON’s young

members to raise the issue of bullying and harassment of young workers, and

notes the disturbing results of the survey f young members conducted in October/November 2016 on the issue which revealed:

Nearly 40% of young workers have been bullied or harassed in the past;

Nearly 40% of young workers are currently being bullied and harassed;

A third of those bullied have had to take time off work because of it;

One in eight needed medication because of bullying/harassment;

Three young workers were hospitalised as result of bullying/harassment.

The survey also showed that there is a shocking lack of knowledge about

employers bullying and harassment policies, and that reporting the issue made no difference in over half of the instances.

A full report available in the Conference Document .18 page 15

Let other people know about what’s

going on at

National Delegates Conference.

Tweet: #undc17

Via Facebook or your branch websites.

Do you have something to add to

Wednesday’s Newsletter?

Email pictures or wording to:

stewart.robinson@uhnm.nhs.uk

Or txt 07931223922

We need you to speak about your first memory of a public service

What’s your first memory of a public service? A dinner lady dolloping out green

custard? Swimming lessons in your local pool? Learning to read in the library?

We want to make a film with your personal stories, to make people remembers

how integral public series are to our lives.

Come to the UNIZONE anytime and ask for Rachael if you’ve got 5 minutes

to get involved.

Members experiencing financial and emotional difficulties can

contact our welfare charity, There for You, which provides a confidential advice and support

service for members and their

dependants.

School Uniform Grant 2017

Tax credit & universal Credit

Financial Assistance

Wellbeing breaks

Debtline

Credit unions

Visit the There For You stand whilst you are here at NDC.

Your tweets #undc17

@Jenksy Brighton bound for UNISON's #ulgc17 #undc17 Conference credentials: Sunblock, Seat cushion, Righteous anger.

@Barmygirl Love MUSIC –

HATE Racism West Midlands event at Queens Hotel, Brighton on Wednesday 21st, talk 7pm, music

9pm #undc17

@Barmygirl Love MUSIC –

HATE Racism West Midlands event at Queens Hotel, Brighton on Wednesday 21st, talk 7pm, music

9pm #undc17

@YoungUNISON Coming to #undc17 and a young member/

young member visitor, come to our

informal meeting 12.45 Tues 20 in

the Charlotte Room, Grand Hotel.

Disabled members’ 12.45pm Room 1A

Women members’ 12.45pm Syndicate 1

Black members’ 17.15pm Syndicate 3

LGBT members’ 17.15pm Room 1A

@stephenbooth_uk I already have to use annual leave to attend

#ulgc17 and #undc17. Facility time

argument sounds like Density argu-

ment.

@andy0892 Setting off for what I'm sure will be another great UNI-

SON National Delegate Conference

#uNDC17

@stokepix @undc17 #undc17 every time I come

to Brighton the seagulls seem

to aim at me!

@swyp_unison Anyone travelling from London to

#UNDC17 - expect severe

delays due to fire on track at

Gatwick. We're stood at

Coulsdon South sunbathing

@Janie64 Tram ride en route to Brighton for

#undc17

@andy0892 Setting off for what I'm sure will be another great UNISON National

Delegate Conference #uNDC17

@GCol76 Health unions urge Theresa May

to ditch NHS pay cap #NHS #pay #undc17

@SJG99 Time to christen my new

China mug from

#Nicaragua solidarity

stall at unison confer-

ence. #undc17

#Brighton

@gsw41958 In a sweltering #Brighton

for #undc17 starting Tues-

day. A good job the debates

won't be full of hot air...

https://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/ulgc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/ulgc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/uNDC17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/UNDC17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/uNDC17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/NHS?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/pay?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/Nicaragua?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/Brighton?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/Jenksyhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/Brighton?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/undc17?src=hash

Dave Prentis:

It was a real honour to speak out in sup-

port of WASPI women campaign-

ing for pension equality during

International Women’s Day and

Budget Day – thousands lined the

streets of Westminster to call

for a fair deal for the 2.6 million

women affected.

UNISON and the WASPI campaign I’m proud that UNISON – the largest membership organisation for women in the UK – is supporting the WASPI campaign, not just because so many of our members are affected, but because they are on the right side of history.

UNISON will stand with them until they get exactly what they are owed and deserve – a fair transitional arrangement.

Some women have already waited years for an answer from the government – some as many as six years. That’s not fair or just, and it’s created real financial hardship, especially for those who’ve waited 14 years from the passage of legislation to being informed about the changes made. That’s 14 wasted years where different retirement plans could have been made.

Thankfully the WASPI campaign has now brought this issue to light and is pushing for a better way forward. Working with them we brought dozens of MPs together to sign our pledge, saying: “I call on the government to implement fair transitional arrangements for WASPI women affected by the state pension age changes.”

Those are 20 words, but they contain within them millions of stories and struggles – and they’ll form the basis of this struggle for fairness. See Conference Business .55

National Delegates Conference

17-22 June 2018 here in sunny Brighton

Health & Social Care in Crisis There are three areas of concern,

the crisis in Social Care, the

underfunding of our NHS and

decimation of our Community

Care Services, all combine to

create a perfect storm.

The Scale of the problems

now faced by adult social care

providers are enormous, and are the

direct result of massive Government

cuts to funding. The National Care

Assoc. has said that we are now

beyond the crisis point and are now

on the edge of a cliff.

A survey by UNISON found

that 65 per cent of homecare,

residential support and day services staff said they have less time to spend with those the care for because of staff shortages and 36 per cent said rationing of supplies had increased as a result of budge cuts.

The Local Government Association estimates that the gap in social care funding will be at least £2.6 billion

unless the Government urgently injects more cash into the service. Full details in Conference Business 30

STPs - the future of the NHS?

Conference notes that despite their

often bland phrasing and heavy

cosmetic decoration with proposals

for improved integration of services,

collaboration between providers and

with commissioners, and public health

measures which we could all endorse,

the 44 Sustainability and Trans-

formation Plans (STPs) in England

represent proposals for over £24 billion of cuts, “efficiencies” and

“savings” by 2020-21, which can only

be at the expense of health workers

and patients.

While some STPs pull up short of

spelling out explicit plans for

rationalisation, reconfiguration, back

office consolidation, bed cuts and

staffing reductions, most of them set

course in that direction and seek to

enlist local authorities in support of

plans that will reduce access to

service for may of the local communities they are elected to

represent.

“£24 billion of cuts”

UNISON notes that while many STPs

contain plans for new hospitals,

expansion of existing hospitals, new

community facilities and new ‘digital’

services there is little or no NHS

capital available to fund these

developments, leaving man of them

on empty promise, alongside a real

plan for cuts in existing services.

UNISON opposes austerity-driven

cutbacks in hospital, community and

mental health services, whether these

be presented in the form of STPs or

less overt moves towards reconfigura-tion, cost cutting and consolidation by

trusts. We agree to support national

campaigns on this and campaigns to

defend local access to hospital

services until new, superior,

alternative evidence-based services

are developed, properly staffed and

funded, that ensure safe and improved

services for patients.

The full Conference Business report

can be found .33 page 25 of your

conference document book.

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