Cheshire East UNISON Branch Committee

Cheshire East UNISON Branch Committee

Tuesday, 30th October, 2012 at 1.00 pm – Municipal Buildings, Crewe

Attendance: Craig Nicholson – Branch Secretary & Chair in Phil Mason’s absence

Nina Hammill

Mike Phillips

Simon Farrall

Garry Milne

Lesley Simons

Jo Hobson

Tracey Evans

Peter Elcock

Jonathan Shaw

Regional Office: Tony Caffery

Lisa Walsh

Apologies: Phil Mason, Olga Kokkinis, Mike Kurek, Lesley Hall, Jim Jervis, Angela Wilkinson, Elaine Hitchinson, Robert Warhurst, Louise Gibson, Lesley Richards, Emma Kettle, Sue Pullan, Marilyn Houston, Anne Handby, Rose Hignett, Sally Horton-Jackson

Appointed minute takers for the meeting – Jane Cooke

Minutes of previous meeting on 18th September 2012
-  CN reiterated that Stewards must take responsibility for their own work areas.
-  Shadowing Officers at meetings was raised by TE. LW said that stewards requesting shadowing would be allocated an officer.
Minutes approved – Proposed NH and seconded TE.
Matters arising from the previous minutes:
1.  Secondment arrangements: JS has not been released by his employer. TE is still interested in the position and a proposal was suggested whereby JS and TE share the role – this was agreed in principle. CN/TC are meeting with Paul Bradshaw on 31/10/12.
TC said that JS had been elected democratically and Unison has a facilities agreement with Cheshire East Council. The argument for not releasing JS does not stack up and this will be discussed with Paul Bradshaw.
2.  Stewards Meeting Minutes: Minutes to be available prior to Branch Committee meetings to enable any matters arising to be raised at the Branch Committee.
3.  Womens’ Conference 2013: NH is still awaiting a decision from management on whether she can attend. Therefore, JH will now be changed to a delegate and NH a visitor at the conference. (NH request declined 5/11/12 and unable to attend as a visitor).
4.  Hazards Magazine: NH will ascertain how many H&S reps want a copy of the Hazards magazine. / Action
CN/TC
NH
JC
NH
2.  / Secretariat:
1.  Branch Secretary’s Report:
Number of issues ongoing including:
-  Increment freeze
-  Christmas closure
-  Congleton Single Status
-  Regular car users grievances
-  TUPE Streetscape
Staffing Committee 18th October was attended by CN, JS & TC. Despite the attached UNISON statement being presented to the Staffing Committee, the incremental freeze was agreed by the Committee in a closed session after the meeting. UNISON will challenge this as the Council have an obligation to carry out Equality Impact Assessments – not seen until after Staffing Committee. It is crucial that members are consulted on EIA’s.

[Note GMB were not active in this action but did endorse UNISON’s statement].
CN stressed to stewards that information must be circulated to members.
TC said that we are dealing with an exceptionally aggressive employer. Through Recruitment and Organisation we are looking to build the branch and give our members confidence to stand up to Cheshire East Council.
Shared Services contracts – LS asked if signed letters are still valid. CN replied that CE can re-visit Harmonisation T&C’s. TC reiterated that no T&C’s were safe.
TC put forward a proposal to seek member views to lobby councillors. NH thought this a good idea. JS suggested arranging a demonstration at the next full Council meeting and involving the media. JS also suggested Facebook/Twitter in addition to the website as communication tools.
NH/JS will help organise lobby of next full Council meeting.
Members’ meeting will be held on 20 November at Macclesfield Town Hall.
Streetscape TUPE Transfer: 128 staff will transfer to Ringway Jacobs on 18th Nov.
A meeting will be held at Sandbach Library on 1st Nov at 2 pm to discuss the transfer of services to Ringway Jacobs. CN/GM to attend.
Schools Project Plan: Visits planned to all secondary and primary schools and Headteachers will receive letters on the recruitment campaign.
Christmas closure: Cheshire East Council must make reasonable adjustment for those who want to work.
Flexi time must already be banked to take over the Christmas period.
A grievance can be raised against unsatisfactory reasons given for not being allowed to work.
Congleton Single Status raised at all Corporate meetings by CN. CN said that back pay must be sorted and on 19th Sept a commitment was made by the employer to send letters out to employees. As at 17th Oct letters had not gone out. Julie Davies/Amanda Rudham to process. TC commended CN’s work on Congleton single status and said that members’ frustration should be directed at the Council and not CN.
Regular Car User Allowance Grievance: Fostering team virtually settled; Mental Health team ongoing.
Corporate TU and Staffing Committee Meetings: CN said we have 4 places at each meeting and that full representation was important.
CN would provide Jo Hobson with dates and CN/Garry Milne would attend the next meeting on 14th November at 2 pm in the Fred Flint Room at Westfields. In Olga’s absence on leave, Jonathan Shaw would attend.
The Corporate H&S is on the same day at 9.30 am.
Regional Council Representation would be Craig Nicholson, Jonathan Shaw, Olga Kokkinis and Nina Hammill/Tracey Evans.
2.  Treasurer: (Apologies from Mike Kurek)
Office accommodation – CN reported that the lease on 25 Castle Street, Chester
expires on 31/7/2014 and we need to serve notice in January 2014. CN will present a paper detailing options at the next Branch Committee
3.  Membership/Welfare: (Apologies from Clair Edwards-Steele)
Membership is currently at 3763 (RMS database) and 2771 (Council ORACLE).
There will be a Recruitment Drive w/b 26 November, assisted by Region. LW stressed that the mapping exercise must be completed by Stewards.
4.  Health & Safety:
Report tabled by Jo Hobson.

JH cannot attend all of the H&S inspections and requested help in this area.
NH continues to have facility time problems re training. The importance of training must be stressed at Corporate H&S
5.  Equality:
JS had suggested an Equality Forum at his meeting with Amanda Rudham, HR. Amanda said there are currently no resources for a Forum but is meeting with JS on a monthly basis. (Next meeting end Nov).

JS had recently attended a UNISON NW Organising for Equalities Seminar and commented that the North West region is leading the way in Equality.

JS is actively seeking to enlist a Young Members rep and also a Young Members’ Support Group – please contact JS if you know of any young member(s) who might be interested

JS has been invited to speak on Equality at the Executive Meeting of School Governors in December.

JS is supporting CN on the incremental freeze EIA.

Article on Equality Bargaining published by Labour Research attached.

6.  International Officer:

NH went to quarterly Regional International Officers’ Meeting on 25.10.12 at Arena Point:
Palestine: Unison nationally have put money into Zaytoun Palestinian produce, especially dates. Israel now has preferential trading with the EU. Members are being asked to boycott Israeli goods, as people did with South African goods in the 1970s.
South Africa: Regional Unison visit planned to South Africa. South African trades unionists would like to look at twinning with the North West.
·  Cuba: Miami 5 prisoners campaign continues. Some are under house arrest and not allowed to see families. Early Day Motion 497 in support of campaign for MPs to sign. TC added that the Miami 5 were investigating terrorism in the US and have been imprisoned in the US.
·  USi: Organisation supported by major UK and Irish trade unions aiming to build grassroots international union solidarity using latest technology. Region looking to affiliate to this.
·  Retired members: Discussion raised isolation of some retired members and loss of knowledge and skills to branches. We should use these skills and knowledge by asking retired members to volunteer to help branches.
/ All stewards
CN/GM
CN/JS/GM
CN
CN
3.  / Recruitment/Organisation:
The second Development Day for Stewards will be held on Friday, 9 November in Crewe. Invitations have been sent to those stewards who did not attend the Development Day held in Macclesfield in September. Mapping exercise to be sent to Jane Cooke.
Recruit a Friend campaign running until 15 February 2013.
4.  / Annual General Meeting dates were approved:
Thursday 7th February 12.00-1.00 p.m. Macclesfield Town Hall, Capesthorne Suite Tuesday 12th February 5.00-6.30 p.m. Municipal Building Crewe, Council Chamber Tuesday 19th February 1.00-2.00 p.m. Sandbach Town Hall, Main Hall Wednesday 20th February 7.30-8.30 a.m. Crewe Pym’s Lane Depot
5.  / Items from Stewards:
-  Request for NH to attend Unite Against Fascism Griffin Must Go Conference in Liverpool on 2.12.12 and request for Branch to sign up to Griffin Must Go statement. Both agreed.
The question of a donation to be raised at the next meeting.
-  Stress Network Annual Conference 2012 – to be sent to Clair Edwards-Steele.
-  Unite the Resistance – The Fight against Austerity: Branch to investigate organisation. CN will get back to NH re her request to attend.
-  20th October demonstration in London: 6 branch members met up in London and carried the branch banner all the way to Hyde Park. NH will send report and photos to Robert Warhurst for website and newsletter. / JC
JC
CN
NH
6.  / Reports Tabled for Information:
Children, Families and Adults Directorate: (Apologies from Olga Kokkinis)

Places and Organisational Capacity Directorate:
-  Risk assessments for route optimisation on sat nav principle to replace paper routes.
Other items reported in agenda item 2 Branch Secretary’s Report.
Schools:
The majority of schools will be Academy status in 12 months.
Corporate and Shared Services:
-  CN attended Social Services Corporate JCNP. The Council Tax grant from Government will be reduced from 2.5% to 1.5% hence the Council will lose 1% of its budget.
-  Living Wage campaign in November.
7.  / Service Conditions/Terms and Conditions
Nothing to report.
8.  / Communications / Website
Articles for newsletter to be sent to . / Stewards
9.  / Any other Business:
Increase in bullying and harassment linked to stress. There is a lot of information available on the website
10.  / Dates of next meetings:
Wednesday 21st November 1.00 pm Sandbach Library
Thursday, 13th December 1.00 pm East Committee Room, Municipal Building, Crewe
Thursday, 17th January 2013 12.30 pm Training Suite 1, Macclesfield Town Hall
Thursday, 21st March 1.00 pm East Committee Room, Municipal Building, Crewe / All to put in diaries

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