Coach from Weston super Mare to Tory Party Conference on 2nd October

Coach to Tory Party Conference in Birmingham - 2nd October

Leaves Locking Road car park in Weston super Mare at 7.30 am.

Returns from Birmingham at 5.00 pm, getting back to Weston at 9.00 pm.

Tickets - £10.00 waged and £5.00 unwaged.

To book your ticket contact Weston & North Somerset Trades Union Council- Phone 077 393 78 546 or email: rickpcs55@btinternet.com

This Changes Everything at the Curzon Cinema, Clevedon on 19th October

19th October at 7 pm 
Curzon Cinema, 46 Old Church Road, Clevedon, North Somerset, BS21 6NN

A film based on Naomi Klein's book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate, followed by a Q&A with:

· Chair - Paul Dunn, North Somerset Labour Party
· Molly Scott Cato, Green Party MEP
· Andrew Simms, New Economics Foundation
· Nigel Costley, South West TUC

Stalls from 6 pm: North Somerset Labour Party, North Somerset Green Party, Transition Clevedon, North Somerset Climate Coalition Group, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Positive Money, and Momentum Environment

Tickets: http://www.curzon.org.uk/

More information about the film: http://www.thefilm.thischangeseverything.org/

Funding provided by North Somerset Labour Party and North Somerset Green Party

Jean Long 4th July 1943 - 23rd August 2016

Jean Long (left) and Pat Barrett (right) at Tolpuddle Festival

We are very sad to inform you that long standing UNISON Rep for Home Care and recently retired UNISON member Jean Long died in Weston Hospice on 23rd August 2016 after a long and brave battle against cancer. Jean became a UNISON member when she first joined North Somerset Council in 1998 and became a UNISON Steward soon after. She was also a Health & Safety Rep, and held a number of branch officer positions including Assistant Branch Secretary. Jean was a stout defender of the Home Care service, and when she was a Rep she had 100% UNISON membership. She was one of the negotiating team for single status at North Somerset Council and was passionate about standing up for low paid UNISON members. Jean was also active in UNISON at regional and national level, including setting up UNISON’s National Home Care Forum. Jean supported every picket line, whatever the weather, during every dispute at North Somerset Council. She was a regular attender of the annual Tolpuddle Festival, as well as UNISON conferences. When Jean retired in 2010 she continued her UNISON activity as a retired member, supporting picket lines, attending marches and rallies, and running the branch office at various points. She will be greatly missed by all of us in North Somerset.

Jean’s funeral will take place on 8th September at 12 midday at Weston super Mare Crematorium, Ebdon Road, Worle, Weston Super Mare, BS22 9NY

Family flowers only. Donations to Weston Hospicecare, Jackson-Barstow House, 28 Thornbury Road, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 4YQ.

Why Trade Unions are important

Have a look at this great video from UNISON Eastern region on why unions are important.

UNISON is campaigning to Remain in the EU

On 23 June the UK must make a decision. The referendum gives you the chance to decide whether to remain part of the European Union (EU) or whether to leave.

It is an important decision for the UK and our future. We know UNISON members will look carefully at all the issues before having their say, but we thought it was important to let you know UNISON’s view too.

We know the EU isn’t perfect - far from it - but we have looked in detail at all the evidence from both sides and have come to the view that our members’ interests are best served by remaining part of the European Union.

As your trade union, UNISON is here to protect your job your standard of living and the public services that we rely on every day. We believe that leaving the EU will make it harder for us to do that.

Protecting you at work

The regulations we rely on to protect you at work are enshrined in EU law and upheld by the European Court of Justice. Leaving would mean that hard won rights like paid holiday, fair working hours, equal rights for part-time workers and maternity and paternity leave would no longer be guaranteed.

Protecting your standard of living

Leaving the EU would put our standards of living at risk by creating economic uncertainty. This risks investment in jobs and damages consumer confidence. It also makes the pound vulnerable, which can push up prices and interest rates.

Protecting public services

We see every day how a weaker economy leads to cuts in public spending on everything, including the NHS, local services, policing and education. We can’t afford to risk any more cuts, especially as our public services are already under increasing pressure.

These are all issues we are asking UNISON members to consider before voting on 23 June.

Please make your voice heard on this important issue and use your vote.

Find out more at: https://www.unison.org.uk/our-campaigns/eu-referendum-23-june/

Junior Doctors All Out Strike at Weston General Hospital

Junior Doctors were picketing at Weston General Hospital today, and also were on Weston High Street demonstrating CPR.

Protest against the Education White paper - 27th April

27th April at 5 pm

The NUT have organised a protest outside Weston super Mare town hall at 5pm on Wednesday 27th April.

The protest is to build momentum in the campaign against the Education white paper, and also to highlight the attacks on both education and health. The Junior Doctors are also on strike that day and will join the protest.

Please attend to show your support - it's only for half an hour.

26th and 27th April - Junior Doctors Strike

Junior Doctors all out strike - picket lines at Weston General Hospital from 9 am to 5 pm on both days. Please pop down to show your support.

The Divide at the Curzon Clevedon on 27th April

On 27th April at 7 pm the Curzon will be screening the new documentary film The Divide inspired by the acclaimed book The Spirit Level - Why Equality is Better for Everyone by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson. This groundbreaking book, based on years of research, provides hard evidence to show how in developed countries almost everything - from life expectancy to mental illness, violence to illiteracy - is affected not by how economically prosperous a society is, but how equal it is, and that societies with a bigger gap between rich and poor are bad for everyone in them - including the well-off. It also suggests how we can find positive solutions and move towards a happier, fairer future.

The Divide film tells the story of 7 individuals striving for a better life in modern day US and UK - where the top 0.1% owns as much wealth as the bottom 90%. By plotting these tales together, we uncover how every aspect of our lives is controlled by one factor: the size of the gap between rich and poor.

The Divide will be preceded by Richard Wilkinson's TED Talk on How Economic Inequality Harms Societies, and will be followed by a Q&A chaired by Paul Dunn from North Somerset Labour Party with:

· Katharine Round, Director of The Divide

· Stewart Lansley, economist and author of many books on poverty, wealth and inequality including: Breadline Britain (2015); The Cost of Inequality (2011); Top Man (a biography of Philip Green, 2007); Rich Britain (2006) and Poor Britain (with Joanna Mack, 1985)

· Paul Wheeler, Equality Bristol

A number of local organisations will have information stalls in the Oak room and foyer areas ahead of the screening, from 6 pm. They include:

· Citizens Advice Bureau
· Equality North Somerset
· North Somerset Green Party
· North Somerset Labour Party
· Somerset Savings and Loans
· Transition Clevedon

Tickets: www.curzon.org.uk

More information on inequality and poverty: https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/

More information on the film at: http://thedividedocumentary.com/

Watch the trailer

Junior Doctors Strike dates in April

The Junior Doctors will be on strike again for 48 hours starting at 8 am on 6th April.
In Weston, there will be Junior Doctors picket lines at Weston General Hospital on:

6th April - 8.30 am to 5 pm
7th April - 8.30 am to 5 pm

Unless anything changes there will be a further 48 hour strike starting at 8 am on 26th April and again there will be picket lines at Weston General Hospital starting around 8.30 am on 26th April and 8.30 am on 27th April.

Please show your support for the Junior Doctors and our NHS.

Coach from Weston super Mare to People's Assembly Demo on 16th April

Coach from Weston super Mare to the People's Assembly Demo for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education on 16th April.

Leaves Locking Road car park in Weston at 8 am, and back by 10 pm.

To book a seat please contact Richard Capps, Weston & North Somerset TUC - rickpcs55@btinternet.com

More information at: http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

Jeremy Hunt must resign - sign the petition

The North Somerset Protect Our NHS group have started a petition to demand Jeremy Hunt's resignation. The petition is addressed to our local MPs John Penrose and Liam Fox. Please sign only if they are your MPs at the following link:

https://www.change.org/p/john-penrose-mp-jeremy-hunt-must-resign

Week of Action for the NHS starting 5th March

The Junior Doctors will be on strike again for 48 hours starting at 8 am on 9th March.

Ahead of that on Saturday 5th March the Bristol People's Assembly have organised a march to protest against Jeremy Hunt's plans for the NHS - meet at The Fountains, Bristol City Centre at 1 pm on 5th March.

In Weston, there will be Junior Doctors picket lines at Weston General Hospital on:

9th March - 8 am to 5 pm
10th March - 8 am to 5 pm

On 11th March Protect Our NHS North Somerset have organised a demonstration outside John Penrose's surgery demanding Jeremy Hunt's resignation - meet at 3.30 pm on 11th March at the For All Healthy Living Centre, 68 Lonsdale Avenue, Weston super Mare

Please try to attend any or all of these event, even if it's only for half an hour or so to show your support for the Junior Doctors, and our NHS.

Demonstration calling for Jeremy Hunt's resignation - 11th March

Protect our NHS North Somerset has organised a demonstration on Friday March 11th at 3:30pm, to call for Jeremy Hunt's resignation.

It will be held outside the surgery of John Penrose MP, who will be in the For All Healthy Living Centre, 68 Lonsdale Avenue, WSM.

We will gather on the road opposite the HLC as political activities are not allowed on HLC premises.

Needless to say, it will be a polite and democratic representation of our view that Mr Hunt's actions as Secretary of State for Health, particularly in his mishandling of the junior doctor's contract, has been unacceptable.

Labour, Lib Dem and Green Parties will also be invited, together with the unions and representatives of the doctors at Weston Hospital.  The demonstration coincides with one of their 48 hour strikes as it happens.

All parties and organisations attending will be given a platform for a very brief (2 minute) speech.

We aim to show the Conservative Government that their extreme and insensitive policies are beginning to cause the progressive parties to overcome their differences.

In the (unlikely) event that Jeremy Hunt has already resigned by March 11th, the demonstration will still go ahead, in the form of a discussion of what needs to be done to restore the NHS to its former self.

North Somerset UNISON takes part in Heart Unions Week

North Somerset UNISON Reps take part in the Big Workplace Meeting

The Big Workplace meeting - our IT didn't work so we had to huddle round a laptop

Pat Barrett loves unions because they stand up for justice and fairness

Recruitment Stall in the Canteen at Castlewood, complete with coffee cups!

We're proud to be trade union members

On Weston High Street with comrades from PCS, USDAW and UNITE

North Somerset UNISON supports the Junior Drs Strike Day 2

A couple of photos from today's Junior Doctors Picket Line at Weston General Hospital. As you can see the Drs were blessed with beautiful sunshine and blue skies - must be a sign that they will win!

Heart Unions Week 8th to 14th February

Photo courtesy of South West TUC

North Somerset UNISON members will be on Weston super Mare High Street on Thursday 11th February between 12 and 2 pm to talk to members of the public about the great work undertaken by trade unions and about the nasty trade union bill, which aims to stop that.

Make Community Meals a Statutory Service - Sign the Petition

The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has launched a UK Government and Parliament petition calling for the Meals on Wheels service to be protected in statutory law. With ongoing budget cuts impacting on the Meals on Wheels provision in the UK many be closed down, or significantly reduced as a means to save money, currently this is a discretionary service (not statutory by law).

This petition is to call upon the government to consider making Meals on Wheels a statutory protected service for those considered most at risk in the community to help ensure greater provisions across England, Scotland and Wales. Meals on Wheels is currently a discretionary service – this needs to change.

The link to the petition can be found here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/111854

North Somerset UNISON supports the Junior Doctors Strike

On 13th January Junior Doctors at Weston General Hospital took strike action for 24 hours, with cover for emergency care. The doctors picketed the hospital and also were on Weston High Street talking to members of the public about why they are striking. UNISON supports the Junior Doctors - they are fighting for all NHS workers and for the NHS itself.

There are further days of industrial action planned for 26th and 27th January and 10th February. Please attend the picket line at Weston Hospital from 8 am on each day to show your support.

Here are a some photos from the day.

North Somerset UNISON Annual General Meetings

North Somerset UNISON's Annual General Meetings will take place on:

• 23rd February at 12.30 pm at Clevedon Town Council, 44 Old Street, Clevedon, BS21 6BU

• 24th February at 12.30 pm at Friends Meeting House, High Street, Weston super Mare, BS23 1JF

We are pleased to announce that this year we will have two guest speakers:

Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary of South West TUC will speak at the Clevedon meeting

Joanne Kaye, Regional Secretary of UNISON South West will speak at the Weston meeting

Lunch will be provided to UNISON members who RSVP to unison@n-somerset.gov.uk