Stop the cuts to Health & Social Care - Demonstration at the Town Hall on 21st February 2017 at 5.30 pm

North Somerset Council will meet on 21st February at the Town Hall in Weston super Mare to approve their budget for the forthcoming year, including cuts to Social Care and other essential services. At the same meeting opposition councillors are proposing a motion which asks the council to oppose the local NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan – a  5 year plan to cut millions of pounds from local NHS services, including potential cuts to Weston Hospital’s A&E department. A similar motion has been voted on recently by Bristol City Council.

Both Weston and North Somerset Labour parties will be demonstrating at the meeting, as will members of Protect our NHS North Somerset. We need as many UNISON members there as possible – we all have an interest in protecting our local Health & Social Care services.

Please come to the Town hall in Weston super Mare at 5.30 pm on 21st February to greet councillors as they arrive for the meeting. UNISON will have plenty of placards available, or feel free to bring your own.

It's Our NHS National Demonstration 4th March in London

Details of transport from Weston super Mare to be confirmed - watch this space.

Public Meeting to build support for the Demo on 7th February at 7.30 pm at the Working Men's Club in Weston super Mare.

Speakers include: Dr Richard Lawson, Dr Gabriel Scally and Joanne Kaye - UNISON SW Regional Secretary

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/