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This is why oxford City Branch of UNISON stands out from the rest, with look at problems from all angles and are not scared to try something new.

Not all trade unison are the same.

UNISON is THE women’s organisation

Bring back probation service into public ownership

UNISON has backed a call for probation services in England and Wales to be brought back into public ownership.

The launch of a petition by campaign group We Own It comes shortly after a joint letter on the issue from UNISON, GMB and probation officers’ union NAPO was sent to justice secretary David Gauke.

That, in turn, followed the collapse of one of the ‘community rehabilitation companies’ which have took over probation services for ‘non-serious’ offenders under former justice secretary Chris Grayling’s privatisation in 2015.

There’s a petition to sign in favour of renationalisation. It can be signed after following the link below.

Sign petition

One in four UK employers would not hire someone with a disability

More than seven in 10 disabled workers in the UK have stopped working due to a disability or health condition, new research from charity Leonard Cheshire has found. 

According to a ComRes survey of more than 1,600 disabled adults in the UK, carried out between June and July 2018, 73 per cent had dropped out of work because of their condition. 

In addition, almost one in five (17 per cent) of those that had applied for a job in the past five years reported their job offer was withdrawn by their employer as a result of their disability. 

Attitudinal barriers proved a significant obstacle in preventing the progression of disabled people, the research found. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of UK employers said they would be less likely to hire someone with a disability, and six in 10 (60 per cent) of those reported concerns that a disabled person would not be able to do the job.

Click here for the full story

AGM paperwork

Please click this LINK to download the AGM papers, this includes Agenda, new stewards and officers and report from our finance officer

HEARTUNIONS week is here

UNISON PREPAID PLUS CASHBACK CARD

Introducing the UNISON Prepaid Plus Cashback card – the contactless plastic with added ‘fantastic’

Whether you shop online or in-store, you’ll get the most from your everyday shopping with the UNISON Prepaid Plus Cashback card. You’ll earn between 2.5% and 6% cashback at over 50 major retailers°. Plus, the cashback is unlimited, so there’s no minimum or maximum spend requirement nor any restriction on how much cashback you can earn.

It’s not a credit or debit card – it’s a prepaid card. It works just like a pay-as-you-go card – you top it up with money and you can only spend what you’ve loaded to your prepaid card, so there’s less chance of getting carried away. It’s a handy budgeting tool.

No credit checks – just a small £2.95 monthly admin fee*.

It’s cold outside, we are here if you need help

Brrrrr! ❄️ It's absolutely freezing, and snow's forecast in some areas.

If you're a UNISON member living on a low income, apply now for a £60 grant to help with your winter fuel bills Click here for more info

Update on the Equal Pay Deal in Glasgow

UNISON Scotland is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement in principle to a package of payments to resolve the historic claims of equal pay with Glasgow City Council. General secretary Dave Prentis said: "Women working for Glasgow City Council are a step closer to equal pay. Some have been owed substantial amounts for more than a decade. Having been to court and out on strike, it looks like the end is now in sight." While the agreement finalises the principles and structure of any payout to thousands of women across Glasgow, it is part of an ongoing negotiation and it will still be many months before individual cases are settled.

Read more about the dispute and the progress made

The NHS Long Term Plan: progress and a way forward

NHS England has published the new NHS Long Term Plan, setting out a vision for the future of the NHS in England – including healthcare provision and outcomes to be achieved.

As advertised, the plan includes, for the first time, new commitments to prevention and mental health, and is also the first plan that goes well beyond the current political terms indicating a shift towards more strategic, visionary and investment-based thinking.

Understanding the future of mental health care as defined by the Plan requires understanding how the changes in the healthcare system will more generally impact on mental health.

And there are three important reasons to be optimistic, to find out more click here

Join today it's a smilple scan of your phone

Join UNISON online right now: simply scan the code with your smartphone and fill out the form or go to https://join.unison.org.uk/ or call for free 0800 171 2193

Get help with winter fuel bills

UNISON members living on a low income constantly struggle to make ends meet – and this can be particularly acute in the winter when the cost of heating homes rises as the outside temperature falls.

But it’s not all bad news – help IS available. The union’s welfare charity There for You has once more set up a limited fund to help members on low incomes towards the cost of their winter fuel bill through a one-off payment of £60.

The process is very similar to previous years and an amount of money has been ring-fenced to support this initiative. However, once it’s gone it’s gone! 

So don’t miss out. Apply early and send your form and supporting paperwork in as soon as possible. All the information you need can be found below. Alternatively, contact UNISON Direct on 0800 0857 857 for a form to be sent to you. 

Just one more thing: please don’t keep details of this grant a secret. Help us to help even more members and let your work colleagues know that help is at hand. There will be many, like you, worrying about how they will cope this winter. 

Completed applications need to be sent to There for You, (WFG) UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London, NW1 2AY by Friday 15 February 2019 at the latest.

Winter Fuel Grant application form

Winter Fuel Grant Q&A

We are so proud of all our members.

We're proud to represent people employed in all areas of local government – from libraries to parks, from schools to housing, from youth workers to care workers and everyone in between! They work for our communities in difficult circumstances

Merry Christmas from Oxford City Branch of UNISON

Six signs of a pension scam

Pension scams are on the increase in the UK and if you are taken in by a scam you could lose all of any defined contribution pensions you have and it would be very hard to get it back. We explain what to watch out for.

Usually, a pension scam begins with an unexpected phone call, email or text from someone claiming to represent a financial services firm or Government body. The tactics used are increasingly sophisticated, but there are a few simple signs that can help you avoid being ripped off:

1. You are contacted out of the blue

If you receive unsolicited cold calls, texts and emails from an individual or firm about your pension they are unlikely to be legitimate. You should be suspicious of anyone who contacts you to discuss your pension planning and claims to work for a Government body, such as Pension Wise or The Money Advice Service.

You should only discuss any defined contribution pensions with a pension provider, a regulated financial adviser or a Government body, contacting them using the details on their website. For the latest guidance on pensions visit www.pensionwise.gov.uk or www.moneyadviceservice.co.uk.

2. You receive an offer that’s too good to be true

Schemes that offer exceptionally high rates of returns are usually very high-risk, and fully guaranteed returns are rare. Treat such offers with caution. You should be wary and suspicious about language such as ‘pension liberation’, ‘loophole’, ‘limited time offer’ or ‘one-off investment’ as this kind of language is rarely used by legitimate advisers. Such offers are unlikely to be genuine.

3. Access to your pension before you turn 55

Only in very specific circumstances will you be able to access any defined contribution pension before you reach the age of 55. Participating in a scheme that provides access to any defined contribution pension before then is likely to result in severe tax penalties and possibly losing your funds.

4. You are asked to invest in an unusual asset

These types of pensions are usually linked to funds that invest in shares, fixed interest securities and cash. The assets in which your money is invested should be familiar and it should be easy to find information about them.

If you are told you must invest in an unusual asset – perhaps an offshore hotel development – to take advantage of a pension “opportunity”, you may be being scammed.

5. You’re asked to withdraw money first

Beware if you are asked to withdraw money from your defined contribution pension for an investment opportunity. It is important that your money remains within a pension wrapper until you decide to start drawing retirement income. Your defined contribution pension is likely to be already invested in a range of funds or investments that your pension provider makes available. This ensures your returns are tax-free and well protected. Furthermore, withdrawing money early could result in tax penalties.

6. You are told to act quickly for the best deal

Decisions about your defined contribution retirement fund should not be rushed and any offers of immediate investment for a one-time offer can be risky. You should take your time and obtain suitable advice and guidance about managing any such pension properly. If you are contacted about an opportunity, research the scheme and its promoters thoroughly. Being pressured to reach a decision before the offer closes could indicate that it is a scam.

Find out more

If you have any concerns about your pension savings get in touch now. 

Call 08000 85 85 90 or email appointments@lighthousefa.co.uk.

The value of your investments, and the income you receive from them, can go down as well as up, so you could get back less than you put in. A pension is a long-term investment and inflation will reduce how much your income is worth over the years. Your eventual income may depend upon the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.

White Ribbon Day

Today is White Ribbon Day. 

What are you doing to mark the day?

More info can be found by clicking here

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.

Message from Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services, Oxford City Council

Message from Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services, Oxford City Council

Colleagues may have seen news reports that Oxfordshire County Council announced plans for significant changes yesterday. The Leader of the County Council, Councillor Ian Hudspeth, said they wanted to introduce a new operating model to improve efficiency and increase the provision of services online. The County Council says it is seeking savings of £34-£58 million a year by streamlining services. It acknowledges this is likely to involve a reduction in staff numbers over time by up to 890 people, though it said it expected, with staff turnover of about 650 a year, that most of the jobs lost would be taken out of that pool, with a smaller level of compulsory redundancies. The proposals will go before the full County Council meeting on 11 September.

These savings were identified as part of last year’s budget setting process, and the County Council has been working on a plan with consultants for the last 12 months. The City Council set a balanced budget last year, over the four-year budget plan, with savings of around £7m already identified. We are in the process of reviewing the budget for the next four-year planning period, and whilst it’s safe to say we will have financial challenges we are not in the same financial position as the County Council.

Young workers need trade unions more than ever now.

What have the Trade Unions done for us?