Monday 12 November 2018

Barnsley's striking school meals staff need your help

Our members at Ladywood Primary School in Grimethorpe, Barnsley, are in dispute with their employer over proposals to make 9 School Meals Supervisory Assistants (lunchtime supervisors) redundant. 



They started with 6 days of strike action in September 2018 and since 4 October 2018 have been on indefinite strike. There are seventeen members in total who are taking action; nine SMSAs and eight Teaching Assistants and Higher Level Teaching Assistants.

We believe that the Ladywood dispute is hugely significant and that its outcome may determine the approach that other schools take to addressing budget difficulties. Our members, through their determination and courage, are showing that low-paid support staff are no longer a soft target when savings need to be made.

We hope you will be able to support our members by sending a message of solidarity tobranchoffice@unisonbarnsleylg.org 

You can also follow us on social media: (on Facebook and Twitter: @UNISONBarnsley).

Every message will be passed on to our members and they really do make a difference. 
Thanks
Robin Symonds

UNISON Regional Organiser, Yorkshire and Humberside
Donate to the strike fund
You can donate by sending money to:
Account name: UNISON Barnsley
Account number: 20031457
Sort code: 608301

Or send a cheque payable to UNISON Barnsley to:
Branch Office, 4 Burleigh Court, Barnsley, S70 1XY.

Wednesday 31 October 2018

Wednesday 24 October 2018

Entries now open for the annual City and County Christmas Fun Run

Entries are now open for the annual City and County Christmas Fun Run.
The Fun Run will be held on Wednesday 5 December 2018 at 12.45pm in Christ Church Meadows.
Two laps of the Meadows - 2.25 miles approx. Race will be started by the Lord Mayor of Oxford and the Chairman of the County Council.

How to enter

Entries close on Friday 30 November 2018.
Enter as an individual or as part of a Departmental or Business Unit Team. Non Council guests are welcome but please supply an A5 stamped addressed envelope for return of number.
Send requests for entry to: julian.richardson@oxfordshire.gov.uk (07825 052736) or John.Exley@Oxfordshire.gov.uk (07568 563706)
Please state:
  1. Your name and whether male / female.
  2. For the veteran competition we need to know if you are aged 35+ (women) or 40+ (men).
  3. Your department / business unit.
  4. Contact address to post you your number.
  5. Age graded results - tell us your exact age (e.g. 46) and we will publish age graded times and finishing positions.

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded for:
  • First three men
  • First three women 
  • First veteran man (over 40)
  • First veteran woman (over 35)
  • Winning Departmental Team (County or City Council) - 4 Runners to count for each team
  • Women’s Team Trophy - 3 runners to count
  • Fancy Dress - best men’s and women’s fancy dress costumes

Contacts

  • Julian Richardson (07825 052736) - County Council
  • John Exley (07568 563706) - County Council

Sponsors

Sponsored by oxford City Branch of UNISON and fit2run.


Tuesday 23 October 2018

Free Xmas Lunch for service users

For the last two years a very special lunch has been held at the Kings Centre in Osney, Oxford, on Christmas Day. Volunteers and guests totalling more than 500 people sit down together to enjoy a feast of food, good company and gentle entertainment. There’s a link to last year’s film here to give you an idea of the wonderful atmosphere: Link to facebook video

This year we’re hoping to get even more guests along. This is an entirely free event using food supplied by the Oxford Food Bank that would otherwise have gone to waste, at a time when many charities and service providers are closed for the Christmas break.  The Oxford Christmas Lunch volunteers collect anyone who needs transport, chat to them, make them feel welcome, sit alongside them and generally make sure that everybody  in Oxfordshire gets the chance to share Christmas Day with others.

I’d really like your help in making sure that all your service users know they are very definitely invited to the Oxford Christmas Lunch this year. We can arrange transport anywhere in Oxfordshire. If you’d like to meet me to discuss ways of getting the information out to your clients I’d be delighted.

In the meanwhile I attach the flyer for this year’s event for you to print – if you’d like me to deliver some hard copies, just let me know.

Wednesday 10 October 2018

Employers need to recognise mental health as a workplace issue


Stress is the number one concern for UK workers, followed by bullying, harassment and overwork. On World Mental Health Day, we're calling for employers to start tackling work-related stress and its underlying causes.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/employers-need-recognise-mental-health-workplace-issue-1




2024 Annual General Meeting

  2024 Annual General Meeting   Thursday 28 March 2024 15:00 till 16:00 St Aldates Tavern, St Aldates or online via Teams   One of the most ...