A Massive thank you, we hit 5000 signatures

Dear All,

I just wanted to say a humongous thank you to you all for giving up your precious time to help with the Hands Off Oxford City campaign. So far I have received over a thousand hard copy signatures and I’m 100% certain that all your efforts have contributed to the on-line petition too, which has almost reached 5000 on-line signatures and is steadily rising.

Can I ask if any of you have any good stories that you’ve heard whilst you have been out and about, if you have can you please email them to me. If you have any hard copy petitions in your possession, can you let me have them by tomorrow, here in the Unison Office in the Town Hall or leave them with the receptionist for my attention. I’m on leave from Wednesday the 1^st March, Jo Sadler our Admin Officer will be in the Office from 10am till 14.00hrs Monday to Thursday.

The campaign will continue so watch out for any up-dates as to what’s next. Once again thank you and some of those that helped may not be on my email list, if that’s the case and you know who those individuals are. Can you please pass this message on. 

Best wishes

Caroline

P.s as I have been writing this we just hit 5001 on-line signatures!!!

Caroline Glendinning UNISON Branch Secretary, OXFORD CITY BRANCH, The Old Police Cells, Oxford Town Hall, St. Aldates, Oxford. OX1 1BX.

Tel 01865 252522 

http://www.oxfordcityunison.com/

DISRESPECT NOBODY

There’s a person attached to every body, respect both.

Healthy relationships are all about respecting each other. You should feel loved, safe and free to be yourself.

Relationships can be confusing and it can be difficult to understand what is and isn’t normal behaviour.

But disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour can come in many forms. It isn’t limited to just physical behaviour; it can also go way beyond that. For example, it’s not OK for someone to try and pressure you into sending a nude pic, or to expect the same things to happen that they’ve seen in a porn film. If someone makes you do something you don’t want to, makes you feel scared, intimidated or tries controlling you, it’s not acceptable and is never OK.

Read up on the different types of abuse, get advice and have a look at the organisations that can help.

What is devolution and why is it important?

DON'T BE LEFT IN THE DARK

Devolution is one of the most fundamental changes to the way decisions are made for local areas and how public services are funded. click the below link to read a non bias explanation from the Local Government Association.

Click to Shine a Light on the Answer  

National march to save the NHS from destruction - March 4th.

National demonstration
called by HealthCampaigns Together and supported by most major unions

• For a fully funded, publicly owned, NHS & social care service
• No cuts, no closures, no privatisation
• End the pay restraint for NHS staff

Book your seat on the Oxfordshire transport online http://ouh.org.uk/bookings/March4.html or call 07503169657
Transport organised by Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch and Banbury GMB.
We must fight to save the NHS from destruction. The threat is real. It is happening now. Hospitals, GPs, mental health, ambulance and community services are on their knees.
Rather than address the crisis in the NHS the government is accelerating it with planned cuts of £22 billion pounds with its 'Sustainability and Transformation Plans".  These plans will see whole departments, even hospitals close.  

In Oxfordshire 200 beds at the Oxford University Hospitals Trust are earmarked for closure, along with downgrading of Horton maternty services , community hospitals and mental health services.

Private companies are gaining an ever greater foothold within the NHS. Years of pay restraint has seen the value of NHS staff salaries reduce by 14% since 2010. The Government’s Sustainability and Transformation Plans are a smokescreen for a massive programme of hospital and community service closures, and are its latest instrument for privatisation.

The NHS is one of our greatest achievements. We cannot allow it to be undermined and ultimately destroyed. Join us on Saturday 4 March and send a clear message to this Government.

“the NHS will last as long as there are folk with the faith to fight for it.” Nye Bevan - founder of the NHS

Fight against tribunal fees goes on

Fight against tribunal fees goes on

The long-awaited government review of the introduction of employment tribunal fees has finally been published by the Ministry of Justice.

The review finds that: “While there is clear evidence that ET fees have discouraged people from bringing claims, there is no conclusive evidence that they have been prevented from doing so.”

Public services union UNISON is taking the fight against the introduction of fees through the courts and its case is due to be heard in the highest court in the land — the Supreme Court — at the end of March.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The introduction of fees was a terrible decision. The Lord Chancellor should be big enough now to accept her department got this one badly wrong.

“Tribunal fees should be scrapped immediately, before any more law-breaking employers escape punishment because wronged workers simply don’t have the cash to take them to court.

“Unfortunately it’s now much harder for people who’ve been treated unfairly at work to seek justice. Women have been the biggest losers, bad bosses the undoubted winners.

The review’s findings were also slated by the Law Society, the representative body for solicitors in England and Wales.

Law Society president Robert Bourns said: “The minister asserts there is ‘no evidence to suggest’ the fees are limiting access to justice — but the evidence in his own report suggests that tens of thousands of people are slipping through the cracks.

“The truth is employment tribunal fees have had a chilling effect on the number of people able or willing to bring a case against their employer.

UNISON press release

Review of the introduction of fees in the Employment Tribunals (pdf)

Apprenticeship - know your rights

Apprenticeship - know your rights eNote

The new interactive eNote “Apprenticeships – know your rights” explains why a quality apprenticeship is a great way to earn money while developing skills for a rewarding career. It explains that new apprentices will be entering the world of work but learning as they do so, studying for a qualification, and possibly a degree.

This eNote is a self-contained module that contains a mixture of text, video and quizzes. It lasts for 10 minutes and can be returned to as many times as you like

Apprenticeship Enote

UK Pride dates

UK Pride dates

The dates for 2017 Pride events taking place across the UK can be found by following the link below.

The TUC want as many LGBT+ activists and allies at Pride events to demonstrate the trade union commitment - and continued fight - for LGBT+ equality.

UK Pride website