Key workers offered free cruises with Royal Caribbean - how to get tickets

 Royal Caribbean is offering free cruises to key workers in the UK to thank them for their efforts during the COVID pandemic.

The cruise firm has announced that 999 rooms will be allocated to personnel from the emergency services, NHS, social care sector, and Armed Forces, with the firm’s Anthem of the Seas ship sailing from Southampton from 7 July 2021.

It will operate ocean cruises as well as voyages around the UK coastline visiting destinations such as Liverpool, Belfast and the Orkney Islands.

All crew will be fully vaccinated.

How do I apply?

Workers who want to apply for the voyages must register on the cruise line’s website to enter a ballot.

Royal Caribbean chief executive Michael Bayley said: “The UK is a place we hold near and dear to our heart at Royal Caribbean. We miss our UK guests and are as eager as they are to get back to cruising from Southampton.

“We are delighted with the UK Government’s recent announcements regarding cruising and excited to set sail again with a phenomenal ship and favourite such as Anthem of the Seas,” he added.

“After a tough year, we all need a holiday, but no one more so than the emergency services, NHS, social care sector and armed forces who will have the long-awaited opportunity to get away and relax with total peace of mind.”

Story taken from Oxford mail

Show your support for an NHS pay rise

Today, Thursday 1 April is #NHSPayDay. Put a colourful rainbow poster in your window to support a proper pay rise for all NHS workers.

UNISON has commissioned children's illustrators to design some templates to colour in – you can download them here!

People across the country are being asked to put colourful posters in their windows in support of a proper NHS pay rise, in a campaign launched today (Friday) by health unions representing more than a million health workers.

Fourteen unions – including UNISON, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives – are urging households across the UK to show their appreciation for NHS workers with bright, hand-finished displays on Thursday 1 April.

The unions say this will show the public strength of feeling on the day NHS staff should have received a wage increase and be a welcome ‘thank you’ for all their tireless efforts over the past year to keep everyone safe.

Is the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine safe?

There is no evidence linking the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine to an increased risk of blood clots, EU and UK regulators have ruled.

Several European countries have resumed the roll-out of the jab after temporarily pausing it because of concerns.

To read the full story from the BBC click this LINK

Everything you need to know about the Oxford Vaccine Video 

Spring 2021 RoadMap Video Explainer - Public Health England

 

Step 1 and 2 of the government's roadmap

 

2021 Branch AGM

Just remind you that we will be electing our new stewards and officers for the coming year at our AGM on the 30^th March 2021 at 3pm. If you care about your workplace and hate injustices or you want to change the world,  then why not apply to become a Steward or an officer of the Branch.

 

For more details, you can speak to your local steward or contact me for a chat. Nomination forms and further information  can be found on our web site www.oxfordcityunison.com

 

Looking forward to seeing you all there

Wellbeing check-up

Wellbeing breaks can provide welcome relief from stress and respite from difficult circumstances – this can include assisting with recovery from illness to help prepare for a return to work.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently unable to consider applications for wellbeing breaks. We are keeping the situation under review and hope to be able to offer this service in the not too distant future. 

There for You may be able to help you towards the costs of a break, depending on your financial situation.

For more information contact us on 020 7121 5620 or email thereforyou@unison.co.uk or contact your branch welfare officer.

How has coronavirus affected mental health?

 How has mental health changed? 

Mental health problems have worsened across all age-groups in the past year.

In adults, the proportion of individuals showing symptoms of depression has almost doubled since the start of the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The full story can be found at the BBC 

Are you covered? Have you got protection?

 

The more of us are in a union, the safer everyone is at work. Tell a friend to Join today 

Have you ever thought about becoming a steward in UNISON

 Getting more involved in UNISON

There are many different ways in which you can become more involved in UNISON. Have a go at our Activate! game, or find out more about some of our popular roles, including:

• steward
• learning rep
• branch welfare officer
• branch treasurer

You'll find them all in this section.

Getting more involved in UNISON: activist roles

Join in a free open conversation about the Covid vaccination

 

We need to hear your views

The government's Disability Unit are conducting a public survey, which will feed in to their upcoming Disability Strategy. 

The Strategy will 'make practical changes to policies which strengthen disabled people’s ability to participate fully in society and will place fairness at the heart of government work on disability, to level up opportunity so everyone can reach their potential and participate in life in this country.'

Complete the survey HERE👇

Now more than ever, it's important to check-in on your mental health.

We are all dealing with a lot of uncertainty. 

visit Every Mind Matters for tips and advice to look after your mental wellbeing. 

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

 

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.

  

Time for us all to play our part and save our NHS

 

Lets all do our part to protect the NHS

 

Christmas Message

 Dear All Oxford City Unison Members,

We would just like to send you all a message of hope and to wish you all a very happy Christmas in these difficult times! I don’t think any of us have ever seen a time like this, where we have been so restricted in what we do, especially when at this time of year, is the time where friends and family are meant to come together! But remember it’s ONE year! we will make up for it, I know I will !!!

Please do keep to the rules and stay safe, we will come out of this better and stronger together!


On another note!
See below information that went out in Gordon Mitchel’s communication last night regarding the new restrictions and what that means for us all over the Christmas period, make sure you read and understand. If you need any further clarification please contact your stewards or me at office@oxfordcityunison.com

What does Tier 4 mean for the City Council’s work?

Under these new restrictions, the Council will continue to work to maintain its services to residents and businesses across the city, while adjusting its operations and working practices in line with Government guidance.

Leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and indoor gyms, indoor swimming pools are to be closed. This includes Council-owned leisure facilities, gyms, and swimming pools.

Our Customer Services will be stopping its face-to-face operations from Friday 25 December to Monday 4 January at St Aldate’s Chambers and Rose Hill Community Centre. But continuing an online and reduced telephone customer service over this period.

From 4 January Customer Services will recommence an appointment based service for those residents that require face to face support. However, we will be encouraging customers to use our online services where they can, through the Council's website where they can talk to officers through the webchat service. Video calls from home are also available by phoning the Customer Contact Centre on 01865 249811.

We will continue operating our Locality Resource Hubs to help people in need of assistance to access food, medicines and essential supplies. The hubs cover Blackbird Leys, East Oxford, Rose Hill, West Oxford, Central Oxford, and North Oxford. 

Support from Customer Services and the Hubs can range from simple information about local support services to providing advice and support to those with financial hardship, housing needs or needing help accessing care services.

Hubs can be contacted by phoning the Council on 01865 249 811 or using the online form

Tier 4 restrictions mean:
 

• Stay at home, except for permitted reasons. This includes shopping for food and other essentials, exercise, education, childcare, collecting prescriptions, medical appointments, essential work, and attending a place of worship.
• Everyone who can work effectively from home should do so.
• You cannot meet other people socially indoors or in a private garden unless you live with them or they are part of your support bubble.
• You can exercise (unlimited) or meet in a public outdoor place with people you live with, your support bubble (or as part of a childcare bubble), or with one other person at a safe social distance.
• Don't travel to other areas – it is not permitted (other than for legally permitted reasons) to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
• Shops selling non-essential goods and market stalls not selling food must close.
• Cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs remain closed but can serve takeaways, click and collect and delivery orders.
• Personal care, hair and beauty salons must close, as should tattoo, massage and spa venues.
• Entertainment venues, indoor attractions and leisure facilities must close.
• Clinically extremely vulnerable people are advised to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend health appointments. If they cannot work from home, they are advised not to go to work and claim any support where eligible.

On behalf of your branch, we ask you to follow guidelines and support your friends and colleagues that may be struggling if any of you have any concerns please let us know, we are all available to support you!

Once again

Merry Christmas & Best wishes

Caroline on behalf of your Branch Committee

'Council Matters' – A Poem for Local Council Unsung Heroes

Renowned poet Tony Walsh was commissioned by APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) to create a very special poem to thank you, the unsung heroes in Local Government who worked on the frontline and behind the scenes to support our communities through the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can click HERE to listen to the poem.

A new collective agreement on 2021 pay for Oxford City staff

To all members of Oxford City Branch of UNISON

UNISON has successfully reached an agreement with the Council following several negotiation meetings with Branch Secretaries, on a new collective agreement which will come into effect from 1st April 2021.

The current three-year local pay collective agreement is due to finish next year, at the end of March 2021. In the midst of this, members have worked hard and tirelessly throughout one of the most difficult periods in living memory. We felt that this could not go unrecognised.

It has never been a more important time to be a member of UNISON.

The significant challenges that COVID-19 has placed on all of us also presents a challenge on the medium-term financial plans of both Oxford City Council and ODS. 

In spite of this, Oxford City Branch of UNISON on behalf of its members, have negotiated a one-year agreement following a meeting with the Council and ODS on 25 November 2020.

This one-year pay deal is effective from 1 April 2021 and will give members:

●            A one-off consolidated ‘Recognition’ payment of £400.00 to all staff on permanent or fixed-term contracts of not less than six months at 1 April 2021;

●            Which will be paid on 1 April 2021;

●            With no conditions attached to the payment.

A number of areas were also touched upon by UNISON during these negotiations, such as:

●            Organisational change/ re-deployment;

●            Flexible working – including the homeworking allowance;

●            And grading arrangements for senior roles.

This modest offer precedes ongoing and future negotiations on a more comprehensive pay deal for 2022 – 2023 that UNISON will have with the Council and ODS on your behalf.

UNISON’s strength is through its members.

We welcome and encourage others to join a growing family of more than 1.4 million people across the UK.

 

On behalf of UNISON Branch Committee

We need your input and views so we can increasing participation

The UNISON South East region is committed to increasing participation in all of its decision making structures. We want all areas of our membership to be fully represented and have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them. In response to a regional policy agreed at this year's AGM, we are consulting with all branches and Self Organised Groups and reviewing our structures and ways of working.

We have developed a questionnaire which allows you to feedback on what the barriers to participation are, and give suggestions to how we may be able to do things differently to make it easier for you and others to get more involved. Please take the time to complete this survey and help us shape the outcome of this review. The findings of the survey will be considered by the working group and will result in recommendations to the Regional Council AGM in 2022.

Here’s the link for the questionnaire, it should take less than 5 minutes to complete. The questionnaire is open for one month, until 6 January 2021. 

Complete the questionnaire

Regional Disabled Members AGM

 

REMINDER

In accordance with national guidance, I am pleased to inform you that the Regional Disabled Members AGM will be taking place this year virtually.

In order to accommodate this and ensure that members in the South East have the opportunity to participate fairly and democratically, we have made some slight changes to the normal processes and timescales.

Everything you need to know, including details on registering to attend, nominating members for election, and submitting motions for debate, can be found  HERE

AGM DETAILS

WHEN: 12.00pm - 1.30pm on Wednesday 9 December 2020 

WHERE: The meeting will be held online using Microsoft Teams. 

Holding our meeting online means that this could potentially be the biggest Disabled Members AGM we've ever held in the region. I very much hope to see a great turnout for this first meeting of it's type on 9 December.

Ballot Papers are due this week

 

Our Branch has nominated Roger McKenzie for UNISON General Secretary, Roger has plans to bring our union closer to members and Branches like ours.

Roger’s campaign has set out how together we can build a strong, powerful union that represents all workers delivering public services, stands up for members and ensures social justice is at the heart of our union.

Roger has said that he will support members taking action over pay, terms and conditions, health and safety and fight to stop local employers and this Government using the public health crisis as an excuse to attack workers.

We've got less than a week to chose the next general secretary

Ballots begin to arrive on Wednesday

Oxford City Branch of UNISON is backing RogerMcKenzie for the next General Secretary of UNISON  - check out his pledges to build a fighting, winning union  roger4gs.co.uk/campaign 

Roger would like to personally thank the branch for nominating him  Your Branch Committee has nominated Roger McKenzie to be the next General Secretary for our Union. We believe Roger will bring about the changes we need to be able to represent you better.  Roger is committed, is a real supporter of our branch he cares. Roger knows we need better resources, more funding to be better organised.

Ballot papers will land on doorsteps this week, don’t ignore, use your vote we want to show that Oxford has a big Turnout!  www.roger4gs.co.uk/support. 

Ballots are sent out next Wednesday and your vote is really important so make sure you spread the word and forward this message. 

Regional LGBT+ AGM

In accordance with national guidance, I am pleased to inform you that the Regional LGBT+ AGM will be taking place this year virtually.

In order to accommodate this and ensure that members in the South East have the opportunity to participate fairly and democratically, we have made some slight changes to the normal processes and timescales.

Everything you need to know, including details on registering to attend, nominating members for election, and submitting motions for debate, can be found below.

AGM DETAILS

WHEN: 11am–12.30am on Saturday 5 December 2020 

WHERE: The meeting will be held online using Microsoft Teams. 

Holding this meeting online means that this could potentially be the biggest LGBT+ AGM we've ever held in the region. We very much hope to see a great turnout for this first meeting of its type on 5 December.

Almost time to have your say on who leads us next

 The following have been confirmed as candidates in the election to choose a new general secretary for UNISON.

Their names are listed below in the order they will appear on the ballot paper and in the election address booklet.

Paul Holmes

Nominated by one service group executive, two regional councils and 99 branches.

Christina McAnea

Nominated by the national executive council (NEC), five service group executives, nine regional councils and 210 branches.

Roger McKenzie

Nominated by one service group executive, one regional council and 104 branches.

Hugo Pierre

Nominated by 31 branches.

Ballot papers will be sent to members’ home or other notified address in writing. Members will be provided with a pre-paid envelope for the return of the ballot paper to the independent scrutineer. All voting will be by post

Your chance to choose who leads UNISON

Dave Prentis, our current general secretary, retires at the end of this year after 20 years leading the UK's biggest union. Soon you'll get a chance to decide who leads the union for the next five years.

The general secretary represents you and 1.3 million members of UNISON, so it's important that you use your vote and have your say.

The ballot opens on 28 October so please look out for your ballot paper, which will be sent by post to your home address.

The ballot is being run on our behalf by an independent organisation called Civica Election Services (CES).

Make sure you post your completed ballot in plenty of time to CES by 5pm on November 27. It will be freepost, so don’t worry about a stamp.

Your election pack will include the ballot paper and the pre-paid return envelope. There will also be information about the candidates who are standing to be general secretary.

If anything is missing from your election pack, or you lose your ballot paper please call our ballot helpline free on 0800 0 857 857 or on textphone 0800 0 967 968. The helpline opens on 10 November and closes on 20 November.

More info and a Q&A can be found HERE

This is why you're in this UNISON

 Recently UNISON had another major victory in the courts. This time it was for homecare workers and concerned how they were paid – or not – for the time it took to travel between visits.

The case means 10 UNISON members have received thousands in backpay – but it could have implications for thousands of other home care workers. 

And behind the headlines, it's been a fascinating four-year battle involving members, branch officers and UNISON's legal team, and it sums up what being in a trade union is all about.

If you would like to read the story behind this click HERE

We are still OPEN and here when you need us

Following the recent announcements from the government – we’d like to reassure you that it’s very much business as usual here.

During these unsettling times, we wanted to let you know that we are open as normal. Our opening hours and the ways in which you can contact us are still the same, so you can rest assured that we're on hand to provide the same great service that you expect from us! 

Like everyone, we’ve found ourselves in a very strange situation over the last six months. But be rest assured we are still fighting for you.

A cold, flu or coronavirus - which one do I have?

A blocked or runny nose, a sore throat and a cough are common, especially in the winter. But how do you know if you have coronavirus? 

Check out the video from the BBC for a little guidance, to watch just click the below link:-

Oxford City Branch of UNISON: A cold, flu or coronavirus - which one do I have?