F yorkcityunison
YorkCityUNISON
www.yorkcity-unison.org.uk
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NISON
U
York City Branch of UNISON
Hello and welcome to the
Autumn 2016 edition of the York
City branch newsletter, which is
being published on our website
or a hard copy posted to you if
you don’t have an email address.
Your concerns are our
concerns, remember to let us
know what they are. This is your
union and your branch.
Andrea Dudding, Branch
Secretary and Lead Convenor
Terry Shiels, General Convenor
Julie Toyne, General and
Schools Convenor
2017 AGM
H a v e y o ur s a y !
We have
provisionally
booked the
week commencing 27 March
2017 for our AGM. What would
encourage you to attend? What
speakers would you like to
hear? Would you like aggregate
meetings? Let us know so we can
plan and organise it for you.
Saturday 5th November
The British Library, London
Contact the branch for details.
York City
Autumn 2016
UNISON provides essential cover wherever you work in public services:
for a public sector organisation, private company or voluntary service
organisation delivering public services – UNISON is the trade union for you.
We want you to become
more active in the branch
It is always the right time to think
about becoming more active in your
union. Many stewards start out as
a contact. So you would be the
person to let your colleagues know
what is going on, or be that first
point of contact if a member wants
to know something.
Are you the person that is always
asked about things at work by your
colleagues? Do you think you have
some of the answers? Then we
want you to become more active in
the branch. Full training, mentoring
and buddying is provided.
Please contact the branch for
more details.
the branch office if you would like
to be an observer.
Young Members
If you are under 27, then you are
one of UNISON’s young members.
Your voice matters to us as you are
the future of UNISON. Far too often,
young members don’t know their
rights and are not always treated
properly at work.
November is Young Workers’
Month – organised by the TUC.
How can we be your voice at work?
Observing branch meetings
Your Branch Committee
meets 10 times a year. If you
are interested in becoming more
active, why not come and observe
the branch in action? Just contact
Calling all retired members
Would you like to share your
expertise with us? We are looking
to have some help in the office with
our administration, answering the
phones and membership mapping.
Does any of this appeal to you and
you have a few hours to spare?
Please call us!
Holiday Pay Claim
Women’s Officer training
If you work additional hours over
and above your contractual ones,
you may have a holiday pay claim.
Please get in touch for details
about how to make a claim.
Over 70% of our members are
women. Are you one of them? Are
you are interested in becoming our
women’s officer? Then this training
course in Leeds on Saturday
1 October is for you.
Contact the branch: Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm Tel: 01904 553490
UNISON national helpline 08000 857 857 (open Monday to Friday 6 am to Midnight and Saturday 9am to 4pm)
Email: [email protected] anytime
Racism and sexism in the workplace
Racism
If you think that racist abuse may be
an issue that is faced by members in
your workplace or if you receive any
complaints of abuse or harassment
then you should raise the issue with
the branch and your employer as
it may be that the current policies
are not effective, are not being
implemented or people are unaware of
them. If you see an incident, and it is
safe to do so, call it out and challenge.
Report any and all incidents.
Sexism and Sexual Harassment
How many times have we
heard sexual harassment in the
workplace dismissed as “just a
bit of banter”? It may seem like
a joke or even a compliment to
those who have never experienced
it – but those who have, whatever
their gender, will know just how
undermining, humiliating and
sometimes terrifying it can be.
54,000 women are losing
their jobs because of pregnancy
and maternity discrimination;
and hundreds of thousands of
women have been subjected
to discrimination according to
the Equality and Human Rights
Commission (EHRC).
Please don’t let this
happen to you. Report any
concerns you may have, no
matter how “trivial” you think
they may be to the branch
immediately. We will call it out
and take action.
Social Media: The
pleasure and the pitfalls
Spine: Award winning hit
by trade unions to commemorate
the 80th anniversary of the Spanish
Civil War and the contributions
made by the volunteer International
Brigades, many of whom came
from Britain. For further details go
to www.townsendproductions.
org.uk
A reminder for all our members
that we strongly advise that you
should not post anything on social
media about your job, your place
of work, and most importantly
what you think about it if you are
having issues!
We have had several disciplinary
cases in branch where members’
use of social media has been
seen by employers as not being
appropriate. In the most extreme
cases, it could be seen as a reason
to give a disciplinary warning or to
dismiss an employee.
Always ask the question of
yourself: If I was my employer,
what would I think?
Round-up
You can join a union!
Did you know that wherever you
work, whatever job you do on
whatever contract you are on, you
have a right to join a trade union?
So many times we get feedback
from people that their workplace
doesn’t allow unions, or because
there isn’t one there, they can’t
join one. This is just not true.
If you value your rights at work,
then strong trade unions matter
for keeping and enforcing them.
Trade union membership is 6.5
million and growing. Encourage
your family and friends to become
members of the union for them
(if it’s not UNISON!) – find a union
now www.tuc.org.uk/join-union
Spine is a
powerful,
moving and fun
play that centres
on our society’s
response to the
attacks on the
public library
service. It has received excellent
reviews. For more details and to
book a seat for a performance
near you, go to www.sohotheatre.
com/whats-on/spine-tour-2016/
Dare Devil Rides to Jarama
A new play Dare Devil Rides
to Jarama, (Harrogate Theatre,
September) has been sponsored
There for You raffle
A really big thank you to everyone
who bought a ticket. We have
raised a very respectable £120.
The winning tickets have all been
notified and prizes collected.
We are holding a Christmas jars
and bottle tombola to raise yet
more funds, so if this is something
you would like to contribute to,
give us your spare bottle!
Self Organised Groups
(SOGS)
UNISON is the only union to
have self organised groups. So if
you self identify as LGBT, Black,
disabled or a woman and are
interested in setting up a branch
SOG, we want to hear from you.
Pre-Retirement Workshop
9 December 2016
9.30am – 4.30pm Leeds
This workshop is free for UNISON
members. To book a place please
complete the form available from
the branch website or from Tanya
Shearer: [email protected]
or tel: 0113 218 2330
Overpayment
or underpayment
of wages
We get enquiries from members
across all workplaces about
mistakes that are made with
their pay. Always, always, check
your payslip and query anything
you think might not be right
straightaway. If you think you have
been paid too much – put that
money aside as an employer has
the right to ask for any monies they
have overpaid you. If you have
been underpaid, you may have a
claim for an unlawful deduction of
wages. If you have any problems
with being paid correctly, and
this is not being put right by your
payroll department, contact the
branch for advice.