(09/01/21) It’s the time of year when members need to give consideration to electing or re-electing a Steward to represent them at work and within Unison. You can find the stewards’ nomination form here... and would ask that you speak with your colleagues to see whether there is anyone at your workplace who would like to take on this role.

Please note that Stewards must be based at the same workplace and or workgroup/constituency as the members who are electing him/her.

A Steward is one of the most important elected positions in the Branch.  The Steward is in direct contact with members on a day-to-day basis and is the person who has the vital job of ensuring that members are properly consulted on a whole range of issues and that the views of members in the workplace are transmitted effectively within the Branch.  We would hope that all members discuss together the nomination of someone in each workplace to represent them.  If a member is potentially interested in standing as a Steward but is unsure of the role involved, please don’t hesitate to contact the Branch Office and discuss this.

During the run up to the November 30 strike, a number of members expressed an interest in building for the industrial action and may already have taken on some steward’s duties without realising it.  We hope that members will give serious consideration to this important matter since the organisation of the Branch rests on an effective and active Stewards’ network. 

It is of equal importance that membership levels in a workplace are maintained in order that collectively members have greater strength in having the issues that affect them properly addressed.  If you are aware of anyone in your workplace who is not currently a member of Unison, please pass on the form to them and encourage them to join.

Please return a completed Stewards’ Nomination form as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Brian Mulvey
Branch Secretary

---

 

(04/01/12) With rising fuel costs affecting many UNISON members, There For You starts the New Year with the launch of its Winter Fuel Grants programme. 

Grants of up to £50 per household are available to members on low income. Apply by completing the 'Winter Fuel Grants' application form which is available to download. 

Alternatively call 020 7121 5620 if you'd like to receive a form through the post. Please note that this is a limited fund (conditions apply) with grants of up to £50 available to members on low income. Applications must be received by 29 February 2012. 

Download application form here...

---

 

Would you like to work serving and pouring beer at the biggest festivals such as Leeds and Glastonbury?

Workers Beer Company, founded in 1986 by the Battersea & Wandsworth Trades Council has been raising money for the trade union and labour movement.

As a volunteer, you would usually work three 6 hour shifts per day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The shifts would alternate between daytime and evening so you will get to see some of your favourite bands when you’re not working.

For your work you’ll get a couple of drinks after every shift and you’ll also get meal vouchers so you won’t have to spend too much at the festival.

The way it works is that for every hour of your shift, Workers Beer Company would donate £6.50 to our branch.

You’ll also have the safety of our own campsite; the Workers Beer Village, with clean toilets, showers and its own subsidised canteen and bar.

So, if you, your friends, or you think your son or daughter and their friends would be interested in going, then drop the branch a line or e-mail us and get your names on the list.

---

(28/07/11) You should have received a letter or an email from your employer – Leeds City Council – serving you with 90 days notice of a variation to your employment contract. This relates to changes to the Managing Workforce Change procedures and is part of the Council’s response to the Governments massive cuts to Local Authority funding that requires Leeds City Council to reduce its workforce by about 3000 f.t.e. staff by 2014.

The changes, relating to the amount of time that displaced workers will spend in the
redeployment process before being made redundant and the length of any Pay Protection
period, were put out for ballot by the Council’s unions. UNISON members voted by a very
large majority to reject the proposals. The other unions – GMB, Unite and UCATT – voted to
accept the changes. This has meant that the Council and the unions cannot enter into a
Collective Agreement and agree to the changes being made.

The Council, in the absence of a unanimous decision by the unions, is therefore making the
changes, and is doing so by issuing 90 days notice (a legal requirement) that the changes
will be made with effect from 1st November 2011.

Leeds UNISON is seeking legal advice regarding the legality of these changes.

The branch will continue to work with the other unions and the employer to seek to deal with
the Government onslaught on public services to avoid our members being made compulsory
redundant. That is the challenge we face.

Please see here information about our campaign to defend Pensions.

• July 2011 Pensions Bulletin
• Busting the Pensions Myths
  

We will be able to protect ourselves from the threats to our jobs, pensions, pay and the services we provide if more workers are in the union, so try to recruit a non-union member to join UNISON - together we are stronger!

Brian Mulvey
Branch Secretary

---

(27/01/12) Leeds UNISON is running several in-house training courses this year for UNISON stewards. Legislation states that training must be undertaken by stewards to enable you to fulfil your role as a steward, and you also need to undergo training to become a fully accredited Unison steward. If you haven’t already attended the courses please do consider attending – they are free and we apply for your paid time off. Read more here...

---