Saturday 27 July 2013

Save Our NHS - March and Rally on 29th September - Coach from Weston & Clevedon

























The TUC is organising a massive demonstration to Defend the NHS on Sunday 29th September at the Tory party conference in Manchester. The branch will be putting on a coach to Manchester. The coach will leave from Locking Road in Weston super Mare at 7 am, picking up at Castlewood in Clevedon at 7.20 am, and then on to Manchester. We hope to return by about 9 pm that night.

There will be no charge for UNISON members, children and unwaged, and a £10 charge for other non-members.

Please let the branch office know if you’d like to attend by phoning 01934 634759 or email: unison@nsomerset.gov.uk

Please provide us with your name, address, email, mobile phone number and numbers in  your party.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Living Wage Working Group at North Somerset Council - first meeting on 25th July 2013

The first meeting of North Somerset Council's Living Wage working group took place on 25th July 2013. North Somerset UNISON Reps attended the meeting, along with North Somerset councillors, and the Head of HR.

The working group aims to look at the costs and benefits of implementing the living wage for North Somerset Council staff and Schools staff. It will also look at the possibility of encouraging council contractors and other North Somerset employers to pay their staff the living wage.

The working group will report to the council's Community & Corporate Organisation Policy Scrutiny Panel, which will then make a recommendation to the Executive with the possibility of implementing the living wage from April 2014.

The terms of reference for the group can be downloaded here

The branch has recently been accredited by the Living Wage Foundation and we received our plaque this week. Here it is:


Weston Hospital Procurement Project Website

Weston Hospital's Procurement Project has recently launched it's own website called Securing the Future: http://www.securingthefuture.net/

You can use the website to sign up for a monthly email update on the procurement project: http://www.securingthefuture.net/sign-up

You can also use the website to give your views, including telling the Hospital why you don't want a private company to run it: http://www.securingthefuture.net/send-us-your-views

You can download redacted versions of the key documents, such as the Outline Business Case and minutes of the Project Board and Stakeholder Group meetings: http://www.securingthefuture.net/key-documents/

Make sure you use the website to find out more and give your views.

Friday 19 July 2013

Pay ‘cuts’ will hit call centre morale

Article by Samantha Pope from Weston Mercury Website

MORALE will ‘plummet’ when pay changes are brought in according to staff at a North Somerset Council call centre.

GMB and Unison unions have warned against the impact of the proposal to withdraw pay bonuses for working unsocial hours at the Care Connect facility.

The unions have suggested the £100-a-month pay cut for the workers will impact on services.

The call centre is run by an external company, Agilisys, which is looking to renew its £100million contract with the council to deliver a number of services formerly handled in-house.

The call centre staff deal with phone calls from the elderly or disabled via the Carelink system.

Carelink is installed in homes so vulnerable people can raise the alarm after a fall or accident.

Unison’s Helen Thornton said: “These staff are already low-paid, mainly female staff, who in many cases have a variety of caring responsibilities themselves.

“Agilisys want to cut their pay because to win the council contract they promised a level of savings, which were undeliverable.

“Already low staff morale will plummet further, and will impact on service delivery as highly experienced staff will leave to take jobs in organisations which value them.”

Rowena Hayward, of the GMB, said: “North Somerset Council has a responsibility to ensure that its contractors demonstrate a duty of care to their workers which this company is failing to do and the council rewards them by giving them more services to provide.

“The combined cuts which staff are being asked to bear amount to £40,000 in total. This is small change to this cash-rich company, although significant to the individuals working for them.”

Friday 5 July 2013

NHS - 65th Birthday Party on Weston super Mare Beach

Here's a photo courtesy of Nigel Costley from today's NHS 65th Birthday bash on Weston beach.




Demonstration to Defend the NHS - 29th September

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis has called for a massive demonstration to Defend the NHS on Sunday 29th September at the Tory party conference in Manchester. North Somerset UNISON will be putting on a coach to Manchester.

Exact times to be confirmed, but it's likely that the coach will leave from Locking Road in Weston super Mare at 7 am, picking up at Castlewood in Clevedon and on to Manchester, returning that evening.

There will be no charge for members, children and unwaged, and a £10 charge for other non-members.

Please let the branch office know if you're interested by phoning 01934 634759 or email: unison@n-somerset.gov.uk

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Weston General Hospital - Put Patients before Profits




















Last night (2nd July) was the first organising meeting for the campaign to Stop Weston General Hospital being sold off to a private company and to ensure it is kept within the NHS and run by another NHS Trust.

A steering group and communications group have been set up.

Watch this space for further news on the next meeting, and new campaign website.

Celebrate the NHS's 65th Birthday at 11 am on Friday 5th July on the beach, near the pier in Weston super Mare

The Campaign to Protect Weston General Hospital - 
We believe that Patients come before Profits

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Weston Hospital Privatisation - Expressions of Interest named

11 organisations have expressed an interest in running Weston Hospital. One organisation refused to allow its name to be published citing commercial confidentiality. The organisations are:

5 Private sector companies:

Capita Group Sales
Care UK
Circle
Interserve Developments
Serco

2 Social Enterprises:

Bristol Community Health CIC
North Somerset Community Partnership CIC

3 NHS Foundation Trusts:

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust
Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust