Let's show everyone why council cuts have to stop NOW

 

The local services that you work so hard to deliver continue to face devastating funding cuts. More and more essential services, that we all rely on every day are facing serious funding challenges. Use our handy online tool to find out exactly how much funding will be cut from your local area - and get your friends and family to check too.

Visit our council cuts site

During the pandemic, councils had to spend billions to keep our communities running and protect the most vulnerable, keeping the country going and communities safe. And now we’re facing spiralling costs of living, with food and energy becoming unaffordable. More than ever local services need the funding to provide support to our local communities. That’s why, together, we’re calling on the government to give our essential services the funding boost they so desperately need.  You can ask your local MP, MSP or Senedd Member to save our services and show their support. With thousands of UNISON members like you emailing them, they will have to listen! We've provided a template letter - you just need to add your name!

WHAT HAVE TRADE UNIONS EVER DONE FOR US?

 

For a start, unions stopped child labour. Unionised workplaces are safer, with 50% fewer accidents. Every year unions train 10,000 safety reps. Union members earn, on average, 12.5 per cent more than non-members. They have better job security and stay in their jobs for an average of five years longer than non-members. Unionised workplaces have higher productivity and fewer industrial tribunals.

Apart from that, though, trade unions have only gained us paid holidays, maternity and paternity leave, paid sick leave, equal pay legislation, pensions, and workplace anti-discrimination laws. Oh, and the weekend. It was unions that fought for a five-day working week.

And, of course, furlough was a result of unions negotiating with the government. We’ve all benefited by keeping the economy afloat.

The good news is that trade union membership is rising – with a net increase of 200,000 over the past three years. If you want to join a union, click here to join UNISON today.

Thank you to all our members

As we start 2021 with another lockdown, we wanted to say thank you to all our members for all the support, kindness and patience you showed us and to fellow colleagues last year. 

It made such a difference.

We also wanted to reassure you that we’re still here for you. Whether it’s online, over the phone, we’ll continue to do all we can to support you, all you need to do is ask.

  

The trades union congress (TUC) needs your help

Help us keep workers safe when they return to work after lockdown by testing our new website. We need your help to ensure employers are acting responsibly and keeping their employees safe by conducting COVID-Secure risk assessments.

Employers should publish their risk asseements on their websites. But so far, very few employers are publishing them, and we fear many are ignoring their duties altogether. 

We want you to help us report employers that are neglecting their responsibility. So please spare some time to check out our new reporting website https://covidsecurecheck.uk/ 

The website lets workers:

• Add a risk assessment they’ve found, or flag an employer that hasn’t published.
• Join a survey panel to help crowdsource safety data on workplaces as more return.
• Get advice on how to address safety concerns in the workplace.

Your thoughts and help will be hugely useful in building this new resource.

If you’ve got time, please

• Check out the website https://covidsecurecheck.uk/, let us know what you think at info@covidsecurecheck.uk
• Add a record for your employer or another in your sector
• Become a COVID-Secure Monitor, and join our survey panel

 Thanks for your help in making our workplaces safer as members go back to work.

http://www.tuc.org.uk

COVID-19 response fund launched

There for You is UNISON’s unique charity, set up to help members in difficulties – and this year, the COVID-19 crisis is making life harder for many of our already-stretched members.

The welfare charity has set up a special fund to respond to calls for help because of the pandemic, with £250,000 set aside for members in need. Our members can only apply for a grant if they know about it so please share as widely as you can.

For full story just click Here or for application form Click Here

2021 PAY DEAL CONSULTATION

NOTICE TO MEMBERS

2021 PAY DEAL CONSULTATION

Our current pay deal expires at the end of March 2021, therefore this year UNISON and Unite officers will be starting to negotiate a new pay deal for Oxford City Council and Oxford Direct Services colleagues to be effective from April 2021.

We, therefore, need to have input from all Trade Union members, via this survey, to guide us in the negotiations. Please complete the survey online using via this LINK  or using a paper copy available from your steward which can then be returned to your workplace reps/steward or via the ballot boxes or to the UNISON office in the Town Hall or the Unite office at Horspath

We kindly ask all Oxford City Council and Oxford Direct Services trade Union, members to take part in this survey as the results will help your Unions to shape the deal going forward.

Colleagues who are not a member of either of the Unions, Unite and UNISON cannot take part in this consultation, however joining either of the unions will enable those colleagues to have their say.

Just as a reminder the final year of the existing pay deal will see an increase in salary as from April this year 2020

11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a manipulation tactic used to gain power. 

And it works too well.

Gaslighting is a tactic in which a person or entity, in order to gain more power, makes a victim question their reality. It works much better than you may think. Anyone is susceptible to gaslighting, and it is a common technique of abusers, dictators, narcissists, and cult leaders. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn't realize how much they've been brainwashed. For example, in the movie Gaslight (1944), a man manipulates his wife to the point where she thinks she is losing her mind. 

1. They tell blatant lies.

You know it's an outright lie. Yet they are telling you this lie with a straight face. Why are they so blatant? Because they're setting up a precedent. Once they tell you a huge lie, you're not sure if anything they say is true. Keeping you unsteady and off-kilter is the goal. 

2. They deny they ever said something, even though you have proof. 

You know they said they would do something; you know you heard it. But they out and out deny it. It makes you start questioning your reality—maybe they never said that thing. And the more they do this, the more you question your reality and start accepting theirs. 

3. They use what is near and dear to you as ammunition. 

They know how important your kids are to you, and they know how important your identity is to you. So those may be one of the first things they attack. If you have kids, they tell you that you should not have had those children. They will tell you'd be a worthy person if only you didn't have a long list of negative traits. They attack the foundation of your being. 

4. They wear you down over time.

This is one of the insidious things about gaslighting—it is done gradually, over time. A lie here, a lie there, a snide comment every so often...and then it starts ramping up. Even the brightest, most self-aware people can be sucked into gaslighting—it is that effective. It's the "frog in the frying pan" analogy: The heat is turned up slowly, so the frog never realizes what's happening to it. 

5. Their actions do not match their words.

When dealing with a person or entity that gaslights, look at what they are doing rather than what they are saying. What they are saying means nothing; it is just talk. What they are doing is the issue. 

6. They throw in positive reinforcement to confuse you. 

This person or entity that is cutting you down, telling you that you don't have value, is now praising you for something you did. This adds an additional sense of uneasiness. You think, "Well maybe they aren't so bad." Yes, they are. This is a calculated attempt to keep you off-kilter—and again, to question your reality. Also, look at what you were praised for; it is probably something that served the gaslighter. 

7. They know confusion weakens people. 

Gaslighters know that people like having a sense of stability and normalcy. Their goal is to uproot this and make you constantly question everything. And humans' natural tendency is to look to the person or entity that will help you feel more stable—and that happens to be the gaslighter.  

8. They project.

They are a drug user or a cheater, yet they are constantly accusing you of that. This is done so often that you start trying to defend yourself, and are distracted from the gaslighter's own behaviour. 

9. They try to align people against you.

Gaslighters are masters at manipulating and finding the people they know will stand by them no matter what—and they use these people against you. They will make comments such as, "This person knows that you're not right," or "This person knows you're useless too." Keep in mind it does not mean that these people actually said these things. A gaslighter is a constant liar. When the gaslighter uses this tactic it makes you feel like you don't know who to trust or turn to—and that leads you right back to the gaslighter. And that's exactly what they want: Isolation gives them more control.

10. They tell you or others that you are crazy.

This is one of the most effective tools of the gaslighter because it's dismissive. The gaslighter knows if they question your sanity, people will not believe you when you tell them the gaslighter is abusive or out-of-control. It's a master technique.  

11. They tell you everyone else is a liar.

By telling you that everyone else (your family, the media) is a liar, it again makes you question your reality. You've never known someone with the audacity to do this, so they must be telling the truth, right? No. It's a manipulation technique. It makes people turn to the gaslighter for the "correct" information—which isn't correct information at all.

article is taken from https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/11-warning-signs-gaslighting

If you need support UNISON are here 24/7 to help.

Universal Credit scams

Citizens Advice Oxford and Oxford City Council are warning Oxford residents against Universal Credit scams that could leave them seriously out of pocket.

If someone asks for your personal details and says they can get you a government grant or a cheap loan for a fee, it's a scam - and you could end up on Universal Credit as a result. For more info, see our joint release with

@OxfordCAB:(link: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/1132/citizens_advice_oxford_and_oxford_city_council_say_beware_of_universal_credit_scams)

oxford.gov.uk/news/article/1…
#scamaware

UNISON is proud to be unique among unions in having a dedicated charity, There for You, which supports our members when life gets tough

All UNISON members are eligible for complimentary financial reviews which can take place at home, over the phone or at work so don't take the risk without seeking advice from us if you need our help we are just a click away. 

If you are a member and you are experiencing financial difficulties, whatever the circumstances, There for You can offer you support.

To get help and support just click one of the links below or Check our easy to use benefits calculator to find out if you could be entitled to claim additional benefits.

Financial assistance

Universal credit and other benefits

General advice

Debtline support

Credit unions

Welfare reform

Lighthouse Financial Advise

Support There for You

UNISON will never be too big or busy to care and support you when ever you need us all you need to do is ask

There for You give vital assistance to people in need in the form of debt advice, listening and support, financial assistance, breaks and holidays, and personal advice.

Stop Privatisation of Oxford Brookes Catering Staff

Oxford Brookes University is outsourcing its catering staff. From 01 January 2020 over 60 staff will no longer be employed by the university. Workers are worried they will face real reductions to their pay, pensions, terms and conditions. Help support our campaign to keep staff employed by the university by signing our petition.’

We the undersigned call on Oxford Brookes University to revise their current decisions in regard to the provision of catering. In summary we believe that;

1)    Catering services should be provided by Oxford Brookes and contracts should in no circumstances be outsourced to a third party.

2)    That all staff working in catering should enjoy the same benefits, terms and conditions as other Oxford Brookes staff.

3)    Catering staff are a valued and integral part of University life and should be treated with fairness and respect.  

4)    Catering staff should be properly consulted on their employment and their concerns addressed.

Please sign to show your support to this campaign. 

Click here to sign

With you every step of the way

Local government workers are there for us through every stage of our lives. From birth, through our youth and adulthood, to old age...

UNISON WELFARE

URGENT MESSAGE REGARDING UNISON WELFARE

As some of you may already be aware, as the result of a burst water main on the Euston Road there was a major a flood at UNISON Centre over the weekend.

The building has been closed to staff since Monday 10 June and the earliest date it may re-open is Wednesday 19 June (although even this is not guaranteed).

The 020 7121 5623 telephone number is not currently working.

UNISON Centre departments have not received any post since 7 June.

If members need to contact There for You they should do so by email to thereforyou@unison.co.uk and send any documents as attachments to the email in order for the team to be able to see them now 

The UNISON Welfare casework team is currently only able to provide a limited service however are still assessing emergency grant applications at the current time.

Regional Secretary
Steve Torrance  

What are mental health problems?

In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.

Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health you might find the ways you're frequently thinking, feeling or reacting become difficult, or even impossible, to cope with. This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or even worse.

Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

I now know that if I felt there was something wrong, it's because there was, but I didn't understand mental health fully... it's a spectrum and you should feel able to decide where and when you [are] on that spectrum.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Experiencing a mental health problem is often upsetting, confusing and frightening – particularly at first. If you become unwell, you may feel that it's a sign of weakness, or that you are 'losing your mind'.

These fears are often reinforced by the negative (and often unrealistic) way that people experiencing mental health problems are shown on TV, in films and by the media. This may stop you from talking about your problems, or seeking help. This, in turn, is likely to increase your distress and sense of isolation.

However, in reality, mental health problems are a common human experience.

Most people know someone who has experienced a mental health problem. They can happen to all kinds of people from all walks of life. And it's likely that, when you find a combination of self-care, treatment and support that works for you, you will get better.

It wasn't until I had a breakdown that I felt my condition was 'serious enough' to qualify as an issue. I could have got help much earlier but I didn't because of this – it's never too early to seek advice.

More info and help can be found at https://www.mind.org.uk/

We won't be silenced over threats to Oxon's cancer care

 PUBLIC MEETING: 

7.00pm Thursday June 20th, Oxford Town Hall

Lawyers for NHS England have issued a warning that publicly raising concerns about the impact on patients of their proposal to contract out Oxford's PET-CT scanning service could result in a defamation claim.

We say we have the right and the duty to speak out and to report well-founded concerns.

The Oxford NUJ has invited three speakers from the worlds of cancer care, defamation law and journalism to address the urgent issues raised by NHS England's warning.

How can we work together to prevent threats and intimidation from closing down informed debate about the future of vital public services? Is a change in the law required?

Speakers:
Tamsin Allen @tamsinallen1, a Partner at Bindmans solicitors who specialises in defamation and representing whistleblowers. She has recently acted for Christopher Wylie, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower.

Professor Adrian Harris, A consultant medical oncologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust who continues to raise concerns over the impact that contracting out the PET-CT services will have on the quality and safety of patient care

Seamus Dooley @Seamusdo, the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists , who has spent his career as a journalist and NUJ official defending the independence of the press and public service journalism

Join the discussion; Register to attend at Eventbrite

Still need us over Easter break?

We are still here for you just click here

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

Unison releases film highlighting impact of long hours on East of England Ambulance staff

Is it worth the money to be in UNISON?

A question we are asked a lot, and it is always great to receive feedback from our members, proving that when you need us we are there to support You, during and after your time of need.

Dear Unison

I just wanted to thank Unison for the recent support I received during a disciplinary investigation/hearing. I was until recently wondering whether to cancel my membership as I thought it was not that important to me and i wanted to try and skim my finances down slightly however I’m really glad i didn’t as the support i received from Lorraine Francis was brilliant and I really appreciated someone so knowledgeable to help and support me through the matter.

Lorraine was not only supportive but gave tremendous empathy as she knew my job role. My experience was positive and I really appreciated the help.

Well done Unison and Lorraine !!  

If you ever struggle to pay your membership subs or are thinking of leaving us, please talk to us first, we may be able to help or guild.