2003 has brought with it unprecedented challenges for the trade union and labour movement. On the one hand the government is pressing ahead with reforms which it has to describe as modernisation to divert from the fact that it is continuing to place public services further in the service of private profit and on the other it is jeopardising the stability and peace of the world with its declared aggression against Iraq to get control of this strategic country in the Middle East under the pretext of dealing with Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction. Over the last year our branch has been involved in opposition to the Blair government on both these fronts involving members in defending their interests nationally and internationally.

In February last we held a local conference Setting Our own Agenda for a National Health Service. This conference presented for discussion the experience of Robin Moss a senior Unison officer in fighting against the PFI over six years. With facts he laid bare the that PFI was not about the health care needs of the population but the huge costs paid to the PFI companies was done at the expense of hospital beds, on staffing levels and had a huge impact on Trust budgets. One figure that went up was the rate of return of profits for finance capital which is what it was all about. He explained the role that the members of Parliament and he drew the conclusion that in his view it was not possible to move the Labour Government on this issue, that it required an alternative. The Conference gave rise to the start of some discussion on this issue on how our members and how health workers in general can set their own agenda.

This conference which was not to take decisions but to make us think about these issues has stood us in good stead right through the year. It has helped us recognise and fight such PFI plans with in the Trust and has given us vision. It is no doubt that it has assisted the work of the political officer and contributed to related discussions such as the Health Workers Forum and in particular of late to find our bearings in a labour and trade union movement that must respond to great national and international issues if it is to play a leading role in society.

Health care should be provided professionally at the highest level in a fully funded system organised by staff that affirm their own worth. Over the last year staff have increasingly challenged the value they are paid for their work. Not least was the medical secretaries with whom the branch stood shoulder to shoulder through long negotiations and won with other medical secretaries after a strike struggle a higher rate of pay than they had previously had under the status quo. Progress was made among other sectors as well. The phlebotomists won higher pay rates after negotiations and now medical records, ward clerks, OT helpers and chefs have all come forward to demand their worth. Over the last year this struggle has been a great organiser not only in increasing membership but in new shop stewards and new branch activists. In other departments other things such as macho-management style and unjust decisions has mobilised the members and shop stewards into action. The correct handling of these difficult situations has immeasurably strengthened our membership. In estates, without ever intending to our branch has recruited almost the whole department. Among domestics we have regained many new members in a very difficult situation. What has been important as well in contributing to this involvement has been the social events to Lightwater Valley and the Xmas social. Also, the professionalisation of our membership services in the office has really moved forward.

What has been very positive about all these struggles going on in the district was that it involves people in fighting to affirm themselves. Whilst of course the shop stewards and branch officers have provided a leading role it has been the factor in involving our members in solving the problems that has contributed to our successes and has enabled us to accomplish what we have. Where we haven’t been able to do this it has caused us difficulties. On the JCC I think we have also had the most success when fully communicating and involving people in taking the decisions that have to be made. This recently was brought home to us in the PCT were we negotiating on pay harmonisation and pay dates and there are many other examples. This is important to understand when we see something like Agenda for Change which has not involved the union activists let alone the members. This has a very disorganising effect and is disempowering when already all the decisions have been taken without us being able to influence the document.

Agenda for Change has the potential to really harm the unions, because it presents it as a partnership of the union with the employers which does not involve the activists and members and it could undo the work we have done to increasingly involve members in taking decisions about the value of their work. If you think about it, all the fights we have been through over the last 10 years for the minimum pay, for the medical secretaries and present struggles going on could all be jeopardised and this agenda imposed even if all our health members here voted against it. The indications already are that shift porters, for example, could lose at least £1000 per year on basic and this goes against the work we have done in this branch to achieve minimum pay standards. And there are many other examples like this among our members who will not influence the ballot but where we will be left with the task of trying to negotiate a way round this situation if it is accepted. Let us remember it is not negotiators at national level that will have to deal with this it is a challenge our branch will face over the coming year. We will also have to set up with management joint job evaluation committees if this comes in. The special conference in April will be particularly important to represent the views of our members on this issue as to whether they reject or accept it and even if they accept it the position of those who will lose out under these proposals.

Another problem we have had over the last year and will have in the future is the consequences of the mushrooming of private nursing homes and the splitting up of South Tyneside Health Care Trust in the Acute Trust, Primary Care Trust and Wearside and South of Tyne Mental Health. This caused us an extremely complicated situation both for the Joint Consultative bodies and for the union branch itself. It is very hard to accept that although just since Regional Membership Services have been going since 2001 we have recruited 215 members with only around 75 leaving.  Yet , because of the splitting of the branch across Trusts this will cause more problems in the future. However, Unison has held its ground and will continue to do so and we are confident that the union will remain the most influential for its members now and in the future.

Fortunately we have a well organised branch and we are both confident that given the support and work that the stewards and officers have given we can face the challenge. We do need to improve the work of the branch in communicating with the members and it is precisely communicating with the members that will encourage them to get involved in fighting for their own interests and in fighting for their own interests they also fight for the interests of all. We have already started to take steps to give the members as much information as possible about Agenda or Change even though the consultation has not started. We have circulated details of the Unison coach to the mass demonstration on February 15 against the attack on Iraq and we will further develop our newsletter in the coming year giving information, reporting on events, analysing the issues facing our branch and the whole working class and trade union movement. Of course, representing the individual and collective interests of our members along with consulting on Agenda for Change is going to be a massive task in itself. How management will use the opportunity of Agenda for Change remains to be seen. We hope not but it may become an obstacle to sorting out current grievances and grading appeals. We will have to use our initiative to overcome this and we think we should seriously consider using equal pay legislation where it is appropriate.

In conclusion, this year is the tenth anniversary year of the setting up of the Unison South Tyneside Health Branch. This is certainly a milestone that we should mark this year. We would like to thank all the officers and stewards for the contribution that they have made on every front, whether it is representing members in some far off out post or coming into the office regularly and sorting out problems there. We would also like to thank Liz Twist for the work she put into the branch, especially on the medical secretaries, and welcome our new officer Ruth Berkley. Most of all we thank the members for the fact that, in these difficult times, they are continuing to keep faith with their union and themselves and coming forward to fight for their interests which are the interests of society. With their help we can make a difference in a situation where governments of every hue are turning the clock back on society and we must seize the initiative and open up the path to progress for society.

Thank you

Marion Langley / Roger Nettleship

February 6, 2003