Here is the correspondence documentation relating to the recent dispute over Christmas arrangements.
Please click links:-https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B2C4mqiujgdDVk5obnBjUW5mVW8/edit
Oxford's best-performing trade union, supporting workers at Oxford City Council, Oxford Direct Services, Proudly working in partnership with NHS and University branches across Oxford for the benefit of all members and a greater UNISON for all.
Monday 10 December 2012
Friday 23 November 2012
Public sector pay
UNISON, the UK’s largest union said that the latest figures from the ONS
on the public / private sector pay divide were in danger of being used
out of context to peddle a myth that public sector workers are overpaid
for the same work as those in the private sector.
Across the public sector, workers such as hospital cleaners, cooks and porters or home care and residential care workers have been contracted out of the public sector, but still work in it. These lowest paid privatised jobs are counted as private sector workers - skewing the pay figures. Where public sector workers do get paid more, it is a reflection of the professional training necessary to carry out their jobs such as teachers and social workers or reflect high paid jobs such as army generals, judges and senior civil servants.
UNISON assistant general secretary Karen Jennings said:
“It is time that we nailed the myth of public sector workers enjoying a pay premium once and for all. The opposite is true as they have been hit hard by the Government’s pay freeze and many are fighting an uphill battle just to make ends meet.
“The great divide that the government would like us all to believe exists is a fallacy; their disastrous economic policies are the reason workers and their families across the UK are struggling. It is the old trick of divide and conquer to justify yet more swingeing cuts to the public sector and it must be challenged and exposed at every opportunity.”
A new factsheet from the union on this very issue highlights the key points that it said were frequently missing from the analysis of public / private sector pay, including:
The impact of outsourcing: A high proportion of the lowest-paid public sector workers have been outsourced. A catering assistant in an NHS hospital for example, will be counted as a private sector worker
The number of professional staff: Many public sector roles, including those relating to healthcare delivery, education and the emergency services require workers to have specific professional training. Average pay in the public sector reflects the specialism needed for many of these roles.
The cost of bonuses: Neither the Labour Force Survey (LFS) nor the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data covers the main bonus period in the private sector, which can exaggerate the ‘pay premium’ of the public sector.
Across the public sector, workers such as hospital cleaners, cooks and porters or home care and residential care workers have been contracted out of the public sector, but still work in it. These lowest paid privatised jobs are counted as private sector workers - skewing the pay figures. Where public sector workers do get paid more, it is a reflection of the professional training necessary to carry out their jobs such as teachers and social workers or reflect high paid jobs such as army generals, judges and senior civil servants.
UNISON assistant general secretary Karen Jennings said:
“It is time that we nailed the myth of public sector workers enjoying a pay premium once and for all. The opposite is true as they have been hit hard by the Government’s pay freeze and many are fighting an uphill battle just to make ends meet.
“The great divide that the government would like us all to believe exists is a fallacy; their disastrous economic policies are the reason workers and their families across the UK are struggling. It is the old trick of divide and conquer to justify yet more swingeing cuts to the public sector and it must be challenged and exposed at every opportunity.”
A new factsheet from the union on this very issue highlights the key points that it said were frequently missing from the analysis of public / private sector pay, including:
The impact of outsourcing: A high proportion of the lowest-paid public sector workers have been outsourced. A catering assistant in an NHS hospital for example, will be counted as a private sector worker
The number of professional staff: Many public sector roles, including those relating to healthcare delivery, education and the emergency services require workers to have specific professional training. Average pay in the public sector reflects the specialism needed for many of these roles.
The cost of bonuses: Neither the Labour Force Survey (LFS) nor the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data covers the main bonus period in the private sector, which can exaggerate the ‘pay premium’ of the public sector.
Friday 16 November 2012
UNISON official app
UNISON has launched its official app for iPhone - it's the one place
for members and non-members alike to find information on their workplace
rights, as well as its campaigns.
The app has made it to The Guardian's list of top 20 apps.
The app has information to help you understand your rights at work because UNISON believes all its members have the right to be treated fairly.
UNISON campaigns for a decent society; one where we all benefit from good public services. From cleaner streets to better schools, to care for the elderly and the NHS; our public services make life better for everyone. We believe investing in public services that save, protect and enrich lives will boost our economy and strengthen our communities. That's why, as well as rights information, we've included some ways to find out more about supporting public services in the 'take action' and 'news' sections.
The UNISON app offers the following:
The Android version is now available to download here.
The Blackberry version is available here.
The app has made it to The Guardian's list of top 20 apps.
The app has information to help you understand your rights at work because UNISON believes all its members have the right to be treated fairly.
UNISON campaigns for a decent society; one where we all benefit from good public services. From cleaner streets to better schools, to care for the elderly and the NHS; our public services make life better for everyone. We believe investing in public services that save, protect and enrich lives will boost our economy and strengthen our communities. That's why, as well as rights information, we've included some ways to find out more about supporting public services in the 'take action' and 'news' sections.
The UNISON app offers the following:
- Up-to-date advice on your rights at work
- Inside news on protecting public services
- Animations
- Get active - information and advice on how to fight austerity
- Update your membership details
- Join UNISON
The Android version is now available to download here.
The Blackberry version is available here.
Thursday 8 November 2012
Help with winter fuel bills
This winter, many UNISON members will be worried about paying their gas and electricity bills as prices go up and wages stay the same. And they're not alone. Fuel poverty in the UK is increasing and today one in four households are in fuel poverty.
UNISON can help.
We've set up an energy switching scheme - a new way to save on gas and electricity bills. It works by getting as many UNISON members as possible to register their interest in taking part so that we can go to the energy companies and negotiate a competitive energy deal.
The more members that register, the better the offer we can get and the more money you can save, it's as simple as that.
There is no obligation when you register to sign up to the new offer, so please register your details so we can send you more information. You can find out more and register at unison-switch.co.uk. Registration closes on 25 November, so please register now.
As a UNISON member, you could also save up to £175 on your energy bills with free loft insulation and up to £135 with free cavity wall insulation from British Gas. Call 0800 107 2547 quoting IUM001 or visit britishgas.co.uk/insulation for more information. You need to apply by 30 November.
In addition, UNISON's charity There for You can help. There for You will be offering a winter fuel grants programme - members whose net household income is less than £18,000 a year can apply for help with their fuel payments. The application form will be available on the web at www.unison.org.uk in December.
We also know that we need to tackle the issue of high fuel costs head on. That's why we've joined forces with the Energy Bill Revolution to campaign to end fuel poverty.
The campaign aims to use the billions of pounds raised by the government's carbon emissions tax to end fuel poverty, create jobs and help the economy to grow.
Please take two minutes to sign the petition at energybillrevolution.org and ask all your friends and networks to do the same. This will help put real pressure on the government to sort out fuel poverty, and not a moment too soon.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Christmas leave arrangements 2012
You will all be
aware by now that the Council have changed the dates of the 3 days taken during
the Christmas/New Year period.
Unison had not
agreed to this happening as suggested and was under the impression this was
still being negotiated.
It has never been
the case that each year there is agreement on which dates will form the
prescribed annual leave days for the closure of some offices/services between
Christmas and New Year. The normal practise of Oxford City Council is to use
these days between Christmas Day and New Years Day and because of this people
have already made plans to be
with their family or go away on those days.
We have informed HR
that we are not happy with this new arrangement and there will be an
Emergency Branch Committee meeting on
Wednesday of next week to decide
what course of action Unison will/can take about this.
If you have any
comments or issues with this please speak to you Steward or leave comments below
Assistant Branch
Secretary
Oxford City Branch Of UNISON
Wednesday 17 October 2012
A home for life..... or a lifetime of being ‘home’ less
A home for life..... or a lifetime of being ‘home’ less
Public debate hosted by
Oxford International Womens Festival
October 25th 2012 at Oxford Town Hall
630pm – 8.30pm
Lack of social housing, high rent in the private sector,
landlord won’t take benefit payment, badly maintained properties, having to
live in shared accommodation, overcrowded, can’t access deposit scheme, experiencing
discrimination because of your lifestyle or circumstances????
Come and share your experiences of ‘housing’ with Oxford City
Council, local councillors and other interested parties.
We also welcome ideas on positive change for the future
Organsior: Debbie Hollingsworth
Contact: oxfordwomen@gmail
Thursday 11 October 2012
demonstrate the strength of feeling that there is on the coalitions austerity measures.
Dear
All,
Some of you may not be
aware that the TUC has organised a March and Rally in London on the 20th October
2012 to demonstrate the strength of feeling that there is on the coalitions
austerity measures.
We need to make them hear
us loud and clear, when we tell them that their cruel thoughtless tactics and
lies are simply not working! we need to let them know that we don't believe them
when they say we all in this together, when it's plain to see that to-date all
they have achieved is allow the rich to get richer and its plain to see that
more and more people are falling below the poverty line, the longer we allow
them to plough on, the worse things will become for people like you and
I.
We hear stories of children
going to school not having had any breakfast, wearing ill fitting shoes because
their parents can't afford new ones, we hear stories of disabled people who
clearly are unable to work, being forced on to job seekers allowance, reducing
their benefit to such a level that they barely survive, the housing problems are
getting worse for people, Housing benefit cuts are pushing people out of their
cities because rents are too expensive. What ever they can attack to make life
even more unbearable for those who already struggle, they
will!!
We see reductions in
government grants to our local authorities putting pressure on not only our
service users but also those individuals that deliver those services, threats of
job losses. We also face a fifth year without a pay rise, on a daily basis I see
people frightened, stressed out worrying about when is it their time to be made
redundant, what's going to happen next year, or the year after that, employment
laws are changing to make it easier for employees to be sacked, terms and
conditions are being slashed to save our services, jobs etc.
If you agree with any of
the above we would love you to join us in London on the 20th, we have two
coaches booked for us and the county, The
Departure
Points
Beaumont Street / Ashmolean Museum 8:00 am
Headington Shops /
London Road Bus Stop 8:15 am
Thornhill Park & Ride 8:25 am
In
Solidarity
Caroline Glendinning,
Branch
Secretary
Oxford City Branch,
The Old Police
Cells, Oxford
Town Hall, St.
Aldates
Oxford,
OX1
1BX
01865
252522
07795
332563
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