New Stewards and Officers for 2022/23

 

Following our AGM on Thursday 31 March 2022 the new stewards and officers for 2022/23 can be found here

Pension Dashboards Government Consultation until 13 March 2022

The government is planning to introduce an electronic communications service for individuals to access information about pensions.

A consultation on the draft regulations seeking views on a range of policy questions relating to the creation of pensions dashboards is currently open.

Details of the consultation are available on the GOV.UK website and the deadline for making comments is 13 March 2022.

Who is this consultation aimed at?

From any interested parties. They are particularly keen to hear from:

• individuals with a UK pension
• pensions and lifetime savings industries
• finance and consumer representative groups with an interest in pensions capability, financial capability, data protection and security
• trustees or managers of occupational pension schemes
• pensions administrators
• pensions administration software providers
• firms interested in offering Integrated Service Provider (ISP) services
• Financial Technology (Fintech) companies
• organisations interested in setting up pensions dashboards

Introducing the year of disabled workers

After two years during which disabled members have faced unprecedented challenges, UNISON has made 2022 the year of disabled workers.

It’s vital we speak out against disability discrimination, challenge negative stereotypes and work to remove barriers that stop disabled people achieving their goals. Together, we can create a society where disabled people are valued for who we are.

Check out the full story at https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2022/01/introducing-the-year-of-disabled-workers/

Martin Lewis: Working from home due to coronavirus, even for a day? Claim TWO years' worth of tax relief

 IMPORTANT UPDATE 28 Jan 2022: Unconfirmed reports in the Telegraph suggest the Treasury may close the working-from-home tax rebate microsite, so employees can no longer claim a whole year's rebate if they've worked from home at any point, even for just a day in this or the last tax year – similar changes would likely affect self-assessment claims too. While there’s no date attached, for safety, if you haven't claimed yet and are eligible, read below and do it now...

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If you are requires you to work from home, you've always been able to claim for

increased costs, eg, heat or electricity, for the specific time at home. Yet during 

the 2020 lockdown, 

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) launched a 'microservice' which, even if you only

needed to work from home for a day, allowed you to get a WHOLE year's tax relief.

More information can be found here

Viedo explaining how to claim below

Local government: Nominate your local service champion

 

UNISON's annual awards for its local services champions launched this week, giving members the opportunity to nominate someone working in local authority services who have gone above and beyond.  It's a great opportunity to celebrate both colleagues and the services they provide. Nominations close on Friday 4 February.     Read the story     Nominate your champion

HeartUnions week

#HeartUnions week, 14-20 February 2022

Help us tell the story about why unions are vital for everyone at work and encourage people who aren't yet in a union to join. 

Click HERE to join us today

Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Oxford City Branch of UNISON

This year's Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Oxford City Branch of UNISON 

is on Thursday 31 March 2022. 

At this time take place online via Teams unless current restrictions change then we may do it in person.

The AGM is an important meeting for all members. It provides an opportunity for you to ask questions about the work of the union, see how branch finances have been used and you as members can help to set policy and agree on priorities for the year ahead.

The AGM also provides an opportunity for you to elect officials to lead the branch and represent your interests.

So if you would like to join us on Thursday 31 March 2022 from 15:00 until 16:00 and work for Oxford City Council or ODS you will need to register and book yourself a place here.  

A link to the meeting or location if we can do an in-person meeting, along with all paperwork will be sent to you closer to the date.

Motions and Rule Changes
If you would like to submit a motion for consideration or a change in the rules of the Branch please email office@oxfordcityunison.com and we will send you a form or click here please return by 13:00 on Monday 21 March 2022.


Electing your Branch Officials and Workplace Reps
One of the most important functions of the AGM is to elect officials to lead the branch for the year ahead. A whole range of different jobs are available in the branch each one of carries a really important set of responsibilities. Whether you’re face to face with managers in negotiations, representing members in a disciplinary, or helping members with a welfare claim – all are necessary to create an effective union team.

Any full member of the union can stand for election to any of the Branch Officer Positions (except for the Labour Link Officer who must be a member of the Labour Party), subject to obtaining the appropriate number of members to support the nomination.

Nominations should be received at the Branch Office no later than 13:00 on Wednesday 02 March 2022. In the event of there being more than one nomination for any officer post, a ballot will be held of all full members to determine the successful candidate, in the case of Labour Link Officer any election will be held of Labour Link members only.

If you would like to stand or like more info please email office@oxfordcityunison.com or click here to download a form or click here for a list of job roles

Branch AGM and Election Timetable

1. Motions, Rule Amendments, to be received by 13:00 on 21 March 2022
2. Branch Officer Nominations, Steward nominations etc. to be received by 13:00 on Wednesday 02 March 2022
3. Monday 27 March 2021 Ballots papers issued, if required
4. Final Agenda published Friday 25 March 2022
5. AGM – Thursday 31 March 2022, subject to the meetings being quorate.

Free Raffle
Every person that attends and books their place via the Eventbrite link will be automatically entered into a free raffle with a top prize of £100

Finally, just to remind you that UNISON is a democratic organisation that is member-led and the AGM and election process is important in ensuring that the union is and remains accountable to its members, not just for its policies and its activities but also in determining those members who will go on and speak for the union and our members. We, therefore, encourage you to play a full part in the process and to ask your colleagues to do likewise.

‘I don’t feel powerless anymore’

 

Young Black members on why they joined UNISON – and the many benefits

2022/24 Consultative Pay Ballot Results

 

Below is the pay ballot results as promised:- 

93.3% in favour

6.7% against

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.

Local pay ballot

Ballot papers have now been sent out via email to ask your view on the 2-year pay offer on the table, if you have not received your please email office@oxfordcityunison.com  to get your details updated.

Government must act right away to prevent disruption in schools, say unions

 Support staff, teachers, school leaders and families have united to urge the Westminster government to do more to protect pupils and staff from COVID-19 in the run-up to Christmas.

With increased concern over the Omicron variant, and classroom absences rising, UNISON, GMB, Unite and NASUWT have called for speedy action.

Read the full story here

Update your details today

 

We are in the process of arranging a ballot to ask you if your willing to except this years pay offer from Oxford City Council, so it’s now time to make sure your contact details are correct so we don’t leave you out.

To check your detail Click here or email office@oxfordcityunison.com

Your voice matters