A message from the general secretary
In the last month, UNISON has had a high profile in the
public consciousness, spearheading debate on public services at
the TUC conference. The TUC backed a UNISON composite calling
for an end to the introduction of foundation hospitals, and we
will be taking the campaign to the Labour Party conference this
week.
We intend to make just as much of an impact at the Labour
Party conference. Two years ago the government, and the prime
minister in particular, made public commitments to UNISON that
private companies should not be able to make profits off the
backs of the workforce. Agreement was reached in local
government, but in our contemporary motion to the Labour
conference, we will demand that those commitments to end the
two-tier workforce are extended to all public services. UNISON
is a powerful and influential voice, and we intend to use it,
loud and clear.
Campaigns updates
Section 28 bites the dust
Section 28, the law prohibiting councils from 'promoting'
homosexuality, was finally repealed on 18 September when the
Local Government Bill received Royal Assent. UNISON has long
been a strong opponent of this pernicious piece of legislation,
campaigning for its repeal since it was introduced by the Tories
in the 1988 Local Government Act. Thanks and congratulations are
due to all those members who participated in the campaigning
over the years and who contributed to this long overdue victory.
Contact Gary Williams (020 7551 1415 or [email protected]
) for more information or check out www.unison.org.uk/out
Health and Safety Week and
UNISON's National Inspection Day
This awareness week runs from Monday 13 - Sunday 19 October and
UNISON's National Inspection Day is in the middle of the week on
Wednesday 15 October. This is UNISON's fourth National
Inspection Day, and the aim of the campaign is to encourage
safety reps to carry out their legal right to inspect workplaces
for health and safety problems.
UNISON has produced a new A5 guide on the theme of this
year's week - hazardous substances. The guide for UNISON safety
reps will be launched during the Health and Safety Week and
copies will be sent to all branch health and safety officers for
advance preparation.
UNISON has also produced numerous other materials in
preparation for the week - an information sheet poster and
stickers on asbestos at work; an information sheet on asthma;
and a Health and Safety Week/UNISON National Inspection Day 2003
poster. All of these materials and more are now available for
downloading from the special web campaign page at www.unison.org.uk/safety/inspectionday
For bulk copies of stock items please contact UNISON's
communications unit in the usual way. For copies of health and
safety information sheets contact the health and safety unit on
020 7551 1156 or email [email protected].
Violence at work: Claims
against employers - what makes a good civil claim?
A new legal brief is available (UNILEG/6/03) giving further
information on making civil claims against an employer arising
from violence at work. It suggests that courts are now more
willing to hold an employer liable when there is a foreseeable
risk and the employer has not taken the necessary steps to
protect the employee. It goes on to outline what the factors are
in making a successful claim. Contact for copies is Christine
Durance (020 7551 1400 or [email protected]).
Subscriptions rebanding: guidance for branches
If you collect cash or cheque subscriptions direct from any
of your members, you should inform the affected members about
the rebanding and obtain their new band details from them as
they will not be contacted by other means. (Members who pay
direct to national office will be written to by national
office). Straightforward printed instructions on processing
application forms via DOCAS will be circulated to all branches,
and RMS branches will receive further guidance via their
regional buddies shortly. In case of any queries about the
procedure, please contact [email protected]
or contact Jane Morin (020 7511 1708 or [email protected]).
International update - Colombia
In response to requests from branches for advice on
affiliation to Justice for Colombia, the position of UNISON
nationally is as follows:
UNISON is affiliated to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign at
national level and has been working closely with this
organisation for a number of years. The remit of the Colombia
Solidarity Campaign includes working with all sectors of the
Colombian social movement and is therefore closer to UNISON's
objectives in solidarity work. Although UNISON has worked with
Justice for Colombia it has not affiliated nationally as we have
found our relationship with the Colombia Solidarity Campaign to
be beneficial and constructive to our work in this area and we
want to continue to build on this relationship. If your branch
is considering affiliation to a campaign in order to support our
Colombian colleagues we would recommend that you affiliate to
the Colombia Solidarity Campaign. More info from Tammy Sherar
(020 7551 1214 or [email protected]).
Conference
Annual conference delegate survey
The winner of the £100 leisure vouchers drawn from the entries
submitted in the above survey is Michael Copp of Colchester.
Many thanks to everyone who participated. For more information
contact Bill Gilby (020 7551 1310 or [email protected]).
News from the general secretary - the future
Over the coming weeks, we will be integrating NFGS more
closely with Focus, the website and the weekly email news
summary. This will avoid duplication of information and help
deal with some of the technical problems branches have faced in
accessing NFGS. We are also looking to improve the layout of
NFGS, provide a text-only version and link to documents and
resources on the UNISON national website.
You will still receive attachments by post as before.
However, some of them are now accessible from the website
through the links above. Shortly we will be asking branch
secretaries whether they wish to continue to receive hard copies
of the attachments.
Comments, suggestions and queries to Bill Gilby on [email protected]
Anyone (members and non-members alike) can sign up to
UNISON's weekly email news service at www.unison.org.uk/news/mailinglist.asp
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