NJC Pay 14 Campaign Bulletin Issue 3
can be read here

DEATH BY A 1000 CUTS!
BRANCH RESPONSE TO THREAT OF A 1000 REDUNDANCIES
Following the Councils sudden announcement that a 1000 voluntary redundancies were needed or compulsory redundancies would be necessary , the branch called a special meeting.
The meeting agreed the following motion;

"This branch condemns the Condem governments continued assault on public services .

We believe this attack is ideologically driven and will not be stopped until our services are completely decimated.

But this branch also condemns Wolverhampton Labour Council and by their silence Wolverhampton labour party in their acquiescence to Government dictat .

Rather than invoking the spirit of ‘poplarism’ , they hold their hands up and surrender.

The branch believes this is both a betrayal of the trade union movement and the Wolverhampton electorate who put them there.

This branch believes it would be well to remember that whilst the  labour councillors in Poplar were sent to prison for their fight to protect the workers and their families from unjust Government attacks, Labour Councillors today do not face this threat.

This branch believes that there comes a point when labour councils must recognise they are no longer defending workers

And have become merely the agents of the government

This branch resolves;

 to  call on the labour council to actively oppose cuts and be prepared to set a ‘needs led’ budget.

To conduct a consultative ballot of our members on the question of taking industrial action to defend further job losses, to oppose any mass compulsory redundancies and service cuts".

UNISON members care about the services we provide and the people we serve.

We have engaged with the employer in restructure after restructure seeking to provide reduced services and shed jobs to meet the budget cuts imposed by the Con Dem government.

There comes a time however , when we need to say

Enough is enough

This far and no further!

As members of the trade union movement we cannot accept , as our Labour Council (and by its silence the labour party itself ) Does.-They say there is no alternative! They say their hands are tied!

They say this course of action will best safeguard the future Of services needed by the the people of this city.

We say how can savage cuts in jobs and services safeguard The future of services?

We say does anyone believe that when we have given up these jobs , that the Tories will stop their decimation of public services?

We say how can labour councillors elected by the working class of Wolverhampton act as puppets?

Where is their fight ? where are their principles?

They say lets unite as the labour movement and  fight against tories cuts,

But its they who are the authors of these cuts, whilst they themselves rule out fighting as elected councillors.

“some shed tears” we are told , its not tears we need Its bravery and fight!

In unity is strength!

It is no longer a case of keep your head down , or as long as its not me mentality , because it could easily be any of us.

We must take action to defend jobs and services

We  must consult our members on industrial action !

But some will question can we win or whats the point?

We can t guarantee that by taking action we will win

But what we can guarantee,

 is by doing nothing we will assuredly lose!

EDUCATION COURSES
FOR MEMBERS!


ENGLISH 10 week course
10 week course starting 17th September one evening a week  6.30-9pm.
IT FOR BEGINNERS
6.30-9pm
IT FOR INTERMEDIATES
6.30-9pm 
all courses are FREE and will be held at City of Wolverhampton college, Wellington Rd

for further details or to register contact Paulette on 554096

SUMMER NEWSLETTER here

Sunday 29^th September mass national demo in support of NHS at Tory party conference, Manchester

The TUC is organising a major demonstration on 29 September in Manchester, where this year’s Tory Party Conference is taking place, to protest at the government’s attack on working people and their families, in defence of the welfare state and to let everyone know there is an alternative.

Britain’s unions are the backbone of Britain’s anti-austerity movement; the only group that can build a mass political movement for change. And one of the key groups for implementing that campaign in the local community, reflecting local needs and concerns but as part of the national picture, are the trades union councils.

The timetable for the demonstration is:

• Assemble at Liverpool Road (off Deansgate, Manchester) from 11am
• Move off at 12.30pm
• Rally at Whitworth Park, Moss Side 2pm to 4pm (approx)

Contact us on  wolvesunison@btconnect.com or 01902554096

UNISON wins right to have  a JR hearing over tribunal fees

“The timing could not be more critical, but today we are one step closer to justice for workers” said UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis. The comments come in the wake of a ruling by the Royal Courts of Justice that the union has permission for a Judicial Review hearing, over the introduction of fees for claims in Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunals, is to go ahead in October.

Dave Prentis went on to say:

“I am pleased that UNISON has been successful in getting permission for a Judicial Review hearing.  The introduction of punitive fees for taking a claim to an employment tribunal, would give the green light to unscrupulous employers to ride roughshod over already basic workers’ rights.

“The Government should not put a price on justice.  It is disappointing that in the interim fees will still be paid, but we will be making a strong case for a Judicial Review in October because we believe that these fees are unfair and should be dropped.”
Legal arguments:

1.         In accordance with EU law, national courts must not make it virtually impossible, or excessively difficult, to exercise individual rights conferred by European Community law. When considering litigation a reasonable person will calculate whether the likely costs of proceedings outweigh the benefits. [Median awards are low; and even where individuals are successful, research commissioned by the MOJ in 2009 found that of those awarded compensation by the Employment Tribunal, 39% had received nothing from the employer 42 days after judgment. One year after judgment 31% had still been paid nothing. In order to comply with EU law, the right to bring such a claim must be fully effective]. However, the new fee regime will impose fees which will often be greater than the expected compensation, even if such claims were successful. They are set at a level which is prohibitive even to those entitled to partial remissions. Reasonable people will not litigate to vindicate their EU rights in such circumstances.

2.         Fees are not payable at all in most claims brought to the First-Tier Tribunal, a similar tribunal at the equivalent level in the judicial hierarchy to the Employment Tribunal. It is a breach of the principle of equivalence to require significant fees to be paid to vindicate EU rights where no fees are required to vindicate similar rights derived from domestic law.

3.         There has been no proper assessment of the Public Sector Equality Duty. An assessment should then have been made of the potential adverse effect of introducing fees in terms of the numbers and proportions of claims brought by individuals with protected characteristics which would previously have been brought and will now not be pursued.

4.         Indirect discrimination. Eg. Charging prohibitively high fees to pursue such claims will therefore have a disproportionate adverse impact on women. Given that women will not (if they earn an average income) be entitled to any remission of fees in the Employment Tribunal, it is difficult to see how that impact could be said to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
  

On 17 June Cleaning Workers from all over the world will be holding protests and events to mark their own International Justice for Cleaners Day. Covering airports across Europe, the US and Australia, over 35 International airports and national railway networks will be taking part in the action.
    The events have been organised by the ISS Cleaners Activists Network. The activists have been meeting with the assistance of UNI Global Union and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI).

They have called for this action in order to raise awareness of the fact that Cleaners are often abused and exploited in casualised, low pay companies but who provide a vital service. They have drawn up a Cleaners Charter which is now to be presented to companies across Europe asking them to sign it and support its aims. The Charter is designed to prevent a `race to the bottom` on cleaning contracts whereby contracts are awarded only on price.

This `cost only` approach often means Cleaners working with clothing and equipment that needs replacing, Cleaners taking health and safety risks, Cleaners not receiving the benefits of other workers, lots of night and early morning shift work and is mainly part time. Most Cleaning staff are women and a large minority of them are immigrant workers which bring their own level of problems.

The date is chosen as it is close to the 15 June which is the anniversary of the Police attack on the Justice for Janitors campaign in Los Angeles in 1990, an event that is still remembered across the US. In return SEIU members in the US will be holding protests to link up with the European workers and the United Voice trade union in Australia will doing the same as part of their `Clean Start`campaign.

In the UK Cleaners will be on strike – PCS members who are employed by the Law Courts and Tribunals Service. Also Unite will have Cleaners on strike at Manchester airport. Danish Cleaners are currently on strike. There is a generalised feeling that Cleaners are now beginning to get organised in unions and have plenty of issues to organise around.

For up to date information on International Justice Day for Cleaners visit their Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/InternationalJusticeDayForCleaners1762013

BRANCH PAY BALLOT RESULT

ballots sent out    5130
ballots returned    902 (17.5%)

accept offer           640 (71%)
reject offer            262  (29%)

UNISON NATIONAL EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS 2013





BRANCH NOMINATIONS - the following candidates have been nominated by this branch
DAVE AUGER - WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL MALE SEAT
GLEN KELLY - LOCAL GOVERNMENT MALE SEAT
PAUL HOLMES - LOCAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL SEAT
APRIL ASHLEY - NATIONAL BLACK MEMBERS FEMALE SEAT
HUGO PIERRE - NATIONAL BLACK MEMBERS MALE SEAT

Balllot papers will be sent to members’ home or other notified address. Members will be provided with a pre-paid envelope for the return of the ballot paper to the Independent Scrutineer. All voting will be by post.

The despatch of ballot papers to individual members will begin on 22 April 2013.  

If individual members have not received a paper by 29 April 2013 then they should contact the ballot helpline operated by UNISONdirect on the following telephone number: 0845 355 0845

Lines are open from 6am to midnight Monday to Friday and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Members with hearing difficulties can use textphone 0800 0 967 968. 

UNISON REJECTS PAY OFFER AS DERISORY!
At a meeting of the NJC (the elected body which negotiates with the Employer) on February 27th the Employers latest pay offer was unanimously rejected and it was agreed that that members would be consulted as regards industrial action.
It was recognised that members facing as they do job cuts , restructures and attacks to terms and conditions may not be up for taking action, but it was also recognised that the idea that we were somehow 'trading pay for jobs' was not the case and that our failure to pursue a substantial pay claim had not saved one job in Local Government!
As such it is no longer a case as to whether we can do nothing , we have no choice but to fight for better pay. and as activists we will need to go out to members and convicne them of the arguements as to why we must fight on pay

Below are minutes of the NJC meeting

Employers Pay Offer

Report from Heather Wakefield (Head of Local Government)

Option 1

1% on all payscales

unilateral arbitration clause replaced by bilateral reference”- HW comment employers have not complied with unilateral arbitration for some years.

“Joint statement providing note of the issues on which both sides agree to commence serious discussions”.

Employers want to cherry pick even if changes were agreed there would be no uplift where local negotiations have resulted in lower terms!

Option 2 HW called “Punishment Option” employers response to not agreeing option 1!

1% on pay points 4 to 10

0.6% on pay points 11 and above

Likelihood of imposition? HW “would not surprise me in the least”

Employers side would it is believed consult all employers on whether NJC should only discuss pay and T+Cs would be kept to local negotiation.

GMB – Reluctant to reject offer but it is believed that if UNISON did accept – GMB would reject!!

Decision agreed – Reject both derisory options and consult Branches on rejection and possible industrial action.

Motion from North West

After some debate as to whether it could be debated (it could)

It was agreed with one abstention.

The motion recognises that whilst there may not currently be the mood for a fight on pay among our members UNISON believes it is imperative we must build for that fight

UIA INSURANCE FREE £500 PRIZE DRAW
       go  to https://www.uia.co.uk/competition/

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY MATTERS MEMBERS SURVEY 2013
As part of the NJC pay Matters campaign the Local government Service group has launched an online survey.
We need as many members as possible to complete the survey in order to strengthen our case with the Employer
The survey can be found here

FEBRUARY IS LGBT HISTORY 
A lesbian & gay film festival is being held in Shrewsbury details here

A new year greeting from the ARAB WORKERS UNION based in Israel whom our branch is affiliated to .
To read more goto their website