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

Get involved it's AGM time

Join 1.3 million other people in the UK and get involved with one of the UK's biggest unions.



There's many ways to get involved, why would you like to get involved with

Get involved | UNISON National

Mind, the mental health charity there for you with help for mental health problems

Click here to vist Mind, the mental health charity

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

UNISON in numbers

• UNISON has more than 1.3 million members and activists, making us one of Europe’s largest unions
• More than 70% of our members are women.
• UNISON is spread over 12 UK regions.
• There are more than 1,000 UNISON branches around the UK

UNISON branch committee roles J/D’s

Stewards and officers are elected by the workforce to play different branch roles. We must elect certain core officers to manage the branch. 

Officers are elected and ratified at the AGM. If you would like more info on roles of the officers please click here.

Annual General Meeting

Thursday 21 February 2019

2:30 pm

The Main Hall

 Oxford Town Hall

Followed by Refreshments

At the AGM, branch members do the following:

• Ratify the election of Branch Officers
• Ratify the election of stewards
• Elect delegates to UNISON’s National and Local Government conferences
• Vote on motions

Please let your line manager know as soon as possible if you wish to attend the AGM.  You are entitled to paid time off to attend the AGM (up to one hour) and reasonable time off for travel to and from the meeting.

If you would like to stand as a steward for your area, or would like more information, please e-mail office@oxfordcityunison.com

Our objectives | How we work | UNISON National

Our objectives | How we work | UNISON National: UNISON’s main priority for 2016 will be to respond to the threats posed by the Trade Union Bill/Act.

UNISON Christmas prize draw results

First Prize of £100 voucher for John Lewis and partners, donated by Direct services Simon Howick

• Nadia Robinson Principal planner

All below win £25

• Kieron Keeble Housing

• Kinsi Sharif CSO

• Melanie Armstrong Housing Services 

• Thomas Young Refuse Loader 

• Alex Christopher Revenues Officer

• Stephen Smith Streetscene Operative / Driver 

• Jo-Ann Franklin Service Support Assistant

• Michele Beckley Customer Service Officer

• Richard Wood Welfare Reform Team Leader

• David Trinder Building Contracts Team Leader

• Mairi James Refuse & Recycling Driver / Loader

• Linda Jones Housing & Property Co-ordinator

• Vickie Sheridan  Tenancy Management

• Roger Buckingham Multi Skilled Support Worker

• Ophelia Yin Heritage Retail Assistant

• Stuart Fenwick Customer Contact Team Manager

• Stephen Boreham Revenues Officer

• Sharon Fowler Customer Services Application Officer

• Denise Pinnell Assessment Officer

• Alice Simmons Customer Services Application Officer

Please email office@oxfordcityunison.com to arrange collection of your prize or pop into the UNISON office located in the Town Hall or call 01865 253892

Out of hours help

UNISON have an online KNOWLEDGE BASE which has a great deal of information about your rights at work and commonly asked questions.

You can also call our national helpline, UNISONdirect, on 0800 0 857 857.

Lines are open from 6am to midnight on Monday to Friday and from 9 am till 4pm on Saturday. 

There is also a textphone number for members with hearing difficulties – 0800 0 967 968.

Let’s all remember.

Because mental health does not disappear over Christmas

Free Christmas draw

As a thank you from your branch, all members of Oxford City Branch of UNISON will be entered into a free prize draw, first prize will be a £100 voucher for John Lewis and partners, donated by Direct services Simon Howick, 20 others members will win £25. to be announced in the New Year.

So if your not a member and what to be able to be entered into the draw join today at www.oxfordcityunison.com

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

Office Phone Number

We have an issue with our main office phone, so until further notice the new office number will be01865 253892

Check out our new facebook page 

Oxford City Branch of UNISON

for lastest news from your branch.

15% off any holiday or short break for UNISON members

UNISON owned and operated Croyde Bay Resort, in North Devon, offers 15% off any holiday or short break for UNISON members, rising to a huge 50% off for low paid UNISON members.

The resort features a modern 56 bedroom hotel as well as self catering cottages and summer chalet b&b rooms.

The brilliant location next to the fabulous Croyde Beach, matched with top quality 4* rated accommodation, lots of free facilities and a super friendly welcome, have all contributed to Croyde Bay Holiday Resort winning a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the last 3 years!

This popular surfing mecca has a well-earned reputation with all age groups and makes a great base for exploring all that beautiful North Devon has to offer, on land and sea.

Check out the holiday possibilities 

The NHS hidden army

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.

Survey on the experiences of UNISON Black members in local government

Survey on the experiences of UNISON Black members in local government - including members in privatised services

Please spare 10 minutes of your time to complete The closing date is Friday 21 December 2018. Paper version Online Survey Contact:  Marilyn Bailey, on 020 7121 5789, e-mail m.bailey@unison.co.uk

White Ribbon Day

90% of sexual assault victims are women. 

90% of victims know perpetrator.  

Demand compulsory consent training for young people

White Ribbon Day

Today is White Ribbon Day. 

What are you doing to mark the day?

More info can be found by clicking here

Thought of the day.

We are the number one.

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.

We need your help

We need UNISON members to talk about their experiences of low pay in Local Government, if you can help please email communicationsteam@unison.co.uk

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.

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.

Click here for more info and poster.

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

A thought for Monday Morning

Health and Safety Week

European Health and Safety Week (EHSW) happens every year in the last full week of October (this year it starts on 22 October). The theme this year is healthy workplaces: hazardous substances.

UNISON takes your health and safety seriously and we think EHSW is a great opportunity to highlight the fantastic work our safety reps do every day. So we are asking our reps and branches to use EHSW to shine a spotlight on this vital work to keep staff and the public safe, promote better health and safety and highlight the role of the union and our safety reps in achieving this.

More info can be found at https://www.unison.org.uk/our-campaigns/european-health-safety-week-2018/?platform=hootsuite  

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Lighthouse Mortgage and Protection Solutions | UNISON Member Benefits

Independent mortgage advice at preferential rates. UNISON Living’s trusted partner can help you save on the most important thing you’re ever likely to buy.

Click here Lighthouse Mortgage and Protection Solutions | UNISON Member Benefits

Have you ever said, what as UNISON ever done for me?