Oxford's best performing trade union, supporting worker at oxford city council, fusion leisure, and working in partnership with NHS and University branches across oxford for the benefit of all members and a greater UNISON for all.
Sunday 10 January 2021
Thursday 7 January 2021
Thursday 24 December 2020
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
Friday 18 December 2020
'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.
Tuesday 8 December 2020
A new collective agreement on 2021 pay for Oxford City staff
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
Thursday 3 December 2020
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.
Wednesday 4 November 2020
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
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.
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