A copy of correspondence sent to all UNISON members within Enable Scotland is detailed below:
Pay 2010/11
You will be aware that members overwhelmingly supported a pay claim of 2.5% and the adoption of the Scottish Living Wage (£7.15 per hour) as a minimum for settlement on 1 October 2010. It has taken until well in to this year to get a response from management and which is on the blog below this post which we received from Peter Scott. Although dated 31 March it was only received on 7th April, the delay in writing to you has been due to other developments in Enable and elsewhere which I will touch on below.
As you will see the response to our claim by Enable is to offer no pay increase at all. This is the second year running Enable propose to freeze your pay and as things stand there is little prospect of them making any offer on 1 October 2011. In October 2010 RPI inflation was 4.5%, it is currently sitting at 5.3% (March 2011). Inflation measures are based on averages, in many cases as our members are low paid and more of your money goes on fuel and food inflation for you and your family is likely higher than this.
There is no doubt the times are tough and organisations like Enable are having their funding slashed, ultimately at the behest of the ConDem government. That said it is the lowest paid that pay freezes impact on the most and there is a sense that the burden is not being shared fairly. Enable has said little about the cuts and in Glasgow rather than challenging the swingeing cuts coming in under personalisation have taken to advertising on Smooth Radio.
UNISON is spearheading opposition to the cuts in all their guises in all sorts of ways, and day by day it is becoming clearer more and more people are opposing the government. To find out more on all this please do visit our websites http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ ; www.unison.org.uk/million ; http://www.thereisabetterway.org/ and most importantly for Enable UNISON news follow us at http://unison-enablescotland.blogspot.com/ . Everyday more and more people are joining UNISON, including in Enable.
There is a tension though between peoples’ anger at the pay freezes and widespread concern over job security. There are no easy answers and that is why we need to take a snap shot of your views now. Enclosed with this form is a consultation exercise that allows you the chance to speak your mind on the pay situation, please take a minute or two to let us know your views.
We will take up Enable’s offer of further talks on the Living Wage but won’t rob Peter to pay Paul.
Please remember if you haven’t already done so to sign our online pay petition at: www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/unisoninenable !
Glasgow Personalisation
UNISON supports personalisation; letting people have more say over the services they need. We oppose the term being abused to mask massive cuts. On 28th April hundreds of workers, service users and carers including many from Enable rallied in Glasgow’s George Square to oppose Glasgow City Council’s cuts which have seen some care packages cut by over 70%. The links that have been made between workers, carers and service users will help us take this campaign forward and help us build similar alliances elsewhere in Scotland.
We are waiting to hear from Enable how they respond to the cuts, they hope to pick up new business and say that due to the number of vacancies they are running with they hope to avoid redundancies. We will be in touch with Glasgow members as soon as we hear from them.
We have raised our concerns about the inadequate training available to staff and the suspension of supervision. We have been given assurances this will be addressed and will be watching this space.
Enable have also advised us that they intend to close their Kinning Park offices and intend to move the services in to the Head Office building, which is not wheel chair accessible. We have raised concerns about this and parking etc (not everyone has dedicated parking spaces!) and will ensure consultation takes places before any move is finalised.
Argyll & Bute
Management have indicated that that due to losses in this contract they intend to make some swingeing cuts to some staff’s pay, especially those who transferred in from Richmond Fellowship Scotland. We have indicated that we believe this will be a breach of TUPE. Once Enable publish their proposals we will arrange consultation with members affected.
Employment Services
We are representing members faced with redundancy in Employment Services and have expressed concern about a proposal to reintroduce a bonus system for a small number of staff. Performance related pay has been proven to fail and doesn’t work in the voluntary sector, what little money there is for pay should be used for the benefit of all.
Scottish Community Conference – Glasgow, Saturday 14th May
It’s is not too late to get registered for our conference for community and voluntary sector workers. Please contact your branch if you are interested in coming.
It’s not all doom and gloom …
Our membership is growing and more people are expressing an interest in becoming active in UNISON. Opposition to the cuts is growing and alliances are being built on a daily basis. It doesn’t have to be like this and people from Venezuela to Egypt are showing this. Keep in touch with your stewards, get involved and use the blog: unison-enablescotland.blogspot.com . Together we can make things better!
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Enable Scotland response to UNISON's pay claim
Below we reprint the letter received from Peter Scott, Cheif Executive of Enable Scotland in response to UNISON's pay claim for your information. UNISON members will also receive postal communication about this issue shortly.
Thank you very much for submitting your pay claim on behalf of your members. Unfortunately ENABLE Scotland is not in a position to make a pay award at this time. I would like to assure you that we have carefully considered your claim, but the financial position of the organisation leaves us with no choice. As I outlined at the last JNC meeting ENABLE Scotland is committed to increasing the level of pay for direct support staff, and in particular to working towards meeting the demands set out in the STUC campaign for a ‘living wage for Scotland’. Although we are not in a position to make a pay award at this time (for reasons I will detail below), I would like to reassure you and your members that we are genuinely committed to finding a way of achieving the ‘living wage’ as soon as we responsibly can. We would like to work closely with UNISON to achieve this commitment.
In order for your members to understand why ENABLE Scotland is unable to offer a pay award at this time, it is important that they understand the financial reality the charity is facing. As outlined in a letter written by our independent auditors to our Finance Committee in September of last year, our charity has found it necessary to release considerable sums from our central funds to reach a break even position, and these releases “mask the overall loss of the charity”.
Clearly, and as indicated starkly by our auditors, this position is not sustainable, and action is necessary to ensure the charity operates within its means to ensure its long term sustainability.
We have taken a number of steps over the course of the last year to address these problems, and your members will be well aware of many of these measures. However, despite these efforts, we find ourselves in a position where we expect to achieve only a breakeven result in the current financial year, and so any pay award at this time would put the organisation into deficit, a position it simply cannot afford to find itself in.
We continue to make structural and other changes to our charity in order to ensure we are able to operate within our means, and to help us reach a position where we can achieve the ‘living wage’ for our lower paid members of staff. You will understand, however, that this is challenging for us in the current public sector financial environment. We no longer receive, for example, the annual funding uplifts from Local Authorities that previously we could pass on to our employees. Indeed our funders are now demanding substantial reductions in our levels of funding.
The Board and Executive Directors of ENABLE Scotland are committed to working with our staff and UNISON to find ways to achieve the ‘living wage’ target as soon as we can. Therefore, we would like to invite you to join us in a working group to explore how we can effectively work together to meet this aim. If you are in agreement, we will convene the group at the earliest opportunity.
Many thanks,
Peter Scott
Chief Executive
****************************
Thank you very much for submitting your pay claim on behalf of your members. Unfortunately ENABLE Scotland is not in a position to make a pay award at this time. I would like to assure you that we have carefully considered your claim, but the financial position of the organisation leaves us with no choice. As I outlined at the last JNC meeting ENABLE Scotland is committed to increasing the level of pay for direct support staff, and in particular to working towards meeting the demands set out in the STUC campaign for a ‘living wage for Scotland’. Although we are not in a position to make a pay award at this time (for reasons I will detail below), I would like to reassure you and your members that we are genuinely committed to finding a way of achieving the ‘living wage’ as soon as we responsibly can. We would like to work closely with UNISON to achieve this commitment.
In order for your members to understand why ENABLE Scotland is unable to offer a pay award at this time, it is important that they understand the financial reality the charity is facing. As outlined in a letter written by our independent auditors to our Finance Committee in September of last year, our charity has found it necessary to release considerable sums from our central funds to reach a break even position, and these releases “mask the overall loss of the charity”.
Clearly, and as indicated starkly by our auditors, this position is not sustainable, and action is necessary to ensure the charity operates within its means to ensure its long term sustainability.
We have taken a number of steps over the course of the last year to address these problems, and your members will be well aware of many of these measures. However, despite these efforts, we find ourselves in a position where we expect to achieve only a breakeven result in the current financial year, and so any pay award at this time would put the organisation into deficit, a position it simply cannot afford to find itself in.
We continue to make structural and other changes to our charity in order to ensure we are able to operate within our means, and to help us reach a position where we can achieve the ‘living wage’ for our lower paid members of staff. You will understand, however, that this is challenging for us in the current public sector financial environment. We no longer receive, for example, the annual funding uplifts from Local Authorities that previously we could pass on to our employees. Indeed our funders are now demanding substantial reductions in our levels of funding.
The Board and Executive Directors of ENABLE Scotland are committed to working with our staff and UNISON to find ways to achieve the ‘living wage’ target as soon as we can. Therefore, we would like to invite you to join us in a working group to explore how we can effectively work together to meet this aim. If you are in agreement, we will convene the group at the earliest opportunity.
Many thanks,
Peter Scott
Chief Executive
Thursday, 28 April 2011
No if's, no but's, no disability cuts!
A very succesful protest was held today under the umbrella of the Defend Glasgow's Services campaign.
The protest which brought together trade unions, campaign groups, service users, families of service users and workers providing services heard a range of speeches from the broad range of people in attendance on how Glasgow city council's shameful cuts under the guise of personalisation are impacting upon service users, their families and cuts hours and wages for staff.
We hope it's the start of a unified campaign to fight these cuts, disguised as personalisation!
You can contact Defend Glasgow's Services on 0141 552 7069 or follow them on Facebook.
The protest which brought together trade unions, campaign groups, service users, families of service users and workers providing services heard a range of speeches from the broad range of people in attendance on how Glasgow city council's shameful cuts under the guise of personalisation are impacting upon service users, their families and cuts hours and wages for staff.
We hope it's the start of a unified campaign to fight these cuts, disguised as personalisation!
You can contact Defend Glasgow's Services on 0141 552 7069 or follow them on Facebook.
Scotland’s most vulnerable young people under attack as services face the axe
SCOTLAND’s most vulnerable young people are under attack by government cuts as thousands of staff in the community and voluntary sector face redundancy.
UNISON, Scotland’s largest union in the community and voluntary sector, said urgent action must be taken to halt these drastic cuts and urged the country’s politicians not to throw our young people on the scrapheap.
Councils across the country are being hit with the biggest spending cuts in living memory. No service is safe – but one of the hardest hit is services for young people.
This week alone, more than 2,000 workers from the voluntary and community sector have been threatened with redundancy, while others face attacks on their pay and conditions.
One Scottish charity, Quarriers – which was originally set up to look after orphaned and destitute children – yesterday issued 90 days’ notice to all of its 2,000 staff. The move comes as the charity announced plans to cut its staffing budget by £2.5m – almost twice as much as their own figures (£1.3m) claim are required.
Elsewhere, services to vulnerable young people are also under threat as the Cora Foundation – a voluntary organisation that runs three secure units for young people – issued letters to hundreds of workers threatening them with redundancy. This leaves staff at three of the country’s five secure units (St Phillip’s in Plains; St Mary’s Kenmure in Bishopbriggs; and the Good Shepherd in Bishopton) facing the axe. If secure units run by Cora close, then the courts will be left with no option but to send young offenders to institutions like Polmont, at a much greater cost to the taxpayer.
UNISON has also condemned moves by youth justice charity, Includem, which has refused to negotiate with the union and has instead unilaterally imposed a 9.5 per cent pay cut on its staff.
Simon Macfarlane, regional organiser with UNISON, said: “We’re calling on Scotland’s political parties to focus on the real issues in the week ahead and to prioritise putting a stop to these outrageous cuts. We also need voluntary organisations to act in a responsible manner, to engage constructively with UNISON and not to capitalise on the situation to make unwarranted attacks on low-paid workers.
“Our members work hard to provide services that make a huge difference to the lives of young people and cutting them will only store up problems for generations to come. Services for our vulnerable young people are vanishing and, once these services are destroyed, they will take a long time to recover. Surely every young person deserves a fair chance?”
UNISON, Scotland’s largest union in the community and voluntary sector, said urgent action must be taken to halt these drastic cuts and urged the country’s politicians not to throw our young people on the scrapheap.
Councils across the country are being hit with the biggest spending cuts in living memory. No service is safe – but one of the hardest hit is services for young people.
This week alone, more than 2,000 workers from the voluntary and community sector have been threatened with redundancy, while others face attacks on their pay and conditions.
One Scottish charity, Quarriers – which was originally set up to look after orphaned and destitute children – yesterday issued 90 days’ notice to all of its 2,000 staff. The move comes as the charity announced plans to cut its staffing budget by £2.5m – almost twice as much as their own figures (£1.3m) claim are required.
Elsewhere, services to vulnerable young people are also under threat as the Cora Foundation – a voluntary organisation that runs three secure units for young people – issued letters to hundreds of workers threatening them with redundancy. This leaves staff at three of the country’s five secure units (St Phillip’s in Plains; St Mary’s Kenmure in Bishopbriggs; and the Good Shepherd in Bishopton) facing the axe. If secure units run by Cora close, then the courts will be left with no option but to send young offenders to institutions like Polmont, at a much greater cost to the taxpayer.
UNISON has also condemned moves by youth justice charity, Includem, which has refused to negotiate with the union and has instead unilaterally imposed a 9.5 per cent pay cut on its staff.
Simon Macfarlane, regional organiser with UNISON, said: “We’re calling on Scotland’s political parties to focus on the real issues in the week ahead and to prioritise putting a stop to these outrageous cuts. We also need voluntary organisations to act in a responsible manner, to engage constructively with UNISON and not to capitalise on the situation to make unwarranted attacks on low-paid workers.
“Our members work hard to provide services that make a huge difference to the lives of young people and cutting them will only store up problems for generations to come. Services for our vulnerable young people are vanishing and, once these services are destroyed, they will take a long time to recover. Surely every young person deserves a fair chance?”
**********************
The above press release was picked up by a number of media outlets including The Herald
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Cuts to social care provision should not be disguised by words such as ‘personalisation’ and ‘reform’, says UNISON.
In a speech to the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Ayr this morning, Lilian Macer, the UNISON Scottish Convenor, said that direct payments must complement a range of public services and should not be used to cover for inadequacies in public provision.
Lilian Macer told the Congress: “The ConDem Government is planning to slice into social care provision and try to cover up the wound with sticking plasters, labelled ‘personalisation’ or ‘reform’. Let’s be clear, we have nothing to fear from reform. But when the first question isn’t ‘how do we make a better service?’ but instead ‘how do we make a cheaper service?’, then it’s not about reform, it’s about attacking services.
“And it’s a low, mean, dishonest trick to try to implement cuts to the services of the most vulnerable people in our society. We believe that everyone should have as much independent, choice and control over their care as they want. But this has to be real choice, not the only option because other facilities and arrangements have been closed or made unavailable.”
In moving a motion to ensure vital services provided for older people are protected under these cuts, Lilian Macer told delegates that personalisation should be an option, but not a cheap option.
She continued: “There are those that see personalisation as a wonderful way of fabricating millions out of social care budgets. They think that by passing money to people directly - that they won’t notice it’s less than they used to rely on. Congress, we need to send a clear message to the politicians and decision makers in Holyrood and council chambers, that they need to accept responsibility for the decisions they take about peoples’ lives. And that we expect more from our parliament and councillors, than a rubber stamp on David Cameron’s cuts agenda.”
Lilian Macer told the Congress: “The ConDem Government is planning to slice into social care provision and try to cover up the wound with sticking plasters, labelled ‘personalisation’ or ‘reform’. Let’s be clear, we have nothing to fear from reform. But when the first question isn’t ‘how do we make a better service?’ but instead ‘how do we make a cheaper service?’, then it’s not about reform, it’s about attacking services.
“And it’s a low, mean, dishonest trick to try to implement cuts to the services of the most vulnerable people in our society. We believe that everyone should have as much independent, choice and control over their care as they want. But this has to be real choice, not the only option because other facilities and arrangements have been closed or made unavailable.”
In moving a motion to ensure vital services provided for older people are protected under these cuts, Lilian Macer told delegates that personalisation should be an option, but not a cheap option.
She continued: “There are those that see personalisation as a wonderful way of fabricating millions out of social care budgets. They think that by passing money to people directly - that they won’t notice it’s less than they used to rely on. Congress, we need to send a clear message to the politicians and decision makers in Holyrood and council chambers, that they need to accept responsibility for the decisions they take about peoples’ lives. And that we expect more from our parliament and councillors, than a rubber stamp on David Cameron’s cuts agenda.”
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Personalisation of Care Services in Glasgow
About personalisation
Last summer Glasgow City Council started a process called ‘personalisation’ and ‘self-directed support’ across services provided by Social Work. We support the principles of personalisation, which are about providing people with more independence, control and dignity. However, this is not what is happening in Glasgow. Right from the word go, the council was explicit in its ‘working assumption’ that at least 20% savings would be made.
The process is well advanced for learning disability services, but will be rolled out in time to those with physical disability, children with disability, mental health and eventually older people. In the autumn of last year providers of services, mainly charities and private companies, were asked to fill in Self Evaluation Questionnaires (SEQ) on behalf of the people with learning disabilities they support.
Defend Glasgow Services is aware from speaking to union members involved in providing care services, that on many occasions these forms were completed without direct input from the service user (not always possible), their family or guardians or their key worker. The forms were then put through a resource allocation system, which allocates individual budgets to those who need support, resulting in some seeing a cut of almost 80%. Most providers in the city are facing overall budgets cut of 35 to 40%. Additionally, in most cases, the Individual Budget now has to cover provision for activities and services during the day as the council will no longer provide day services to most people with learning disabilities, presenting a further strain on budgets.
There is no formal appeals process to these cuts in budgets. There is an opportunity to have matters looked at again by a Risk Enablement Panel, however, there is little evidence so far that this process is substantially altering the overall picture of massive cuts.
What does this mean for individuals with learning disabilities?
Wide scale loss of sleepover provision: people with learning disabilities often need someone available at night to assist them with toileting, helping them get in and out of bed, and generally to be on hand should anything untoward occur. Having a presence at night also stops vulnerable people being a target for those who would seek to exploit them.
Massive reduction in care packages: People who previously had 24/7 care are now going to have care for only a few hours a day. There is a danger people will become isolated in their homes with no support to lead a full and active life. Beyond this the level of cuts are so severe that independent living will no longer be viable for many and people will be forced to move in with other people in order to pool support, this is completely contrary to personalisation and for many will be a regressive step.
Lost education opportunities: Many people with learning disabilities need support to attend college courses and access other training. Without the money to pay for the support needed they will not be able to go. As a UNISON member put it ‘this is an accident waiting to happen’.
What does this mean for workers?
Workers providing care and support to those with learning disabilities in Glasgow are seeing a range of attacks on their terms and conditions. This is creating widespread concern among care workers. So far we have seen:
• Redundancies;
• Cuts to sick pay schemes;
• Reduction in hours;
• Threats to hourly rate;
The wider cuts agenda
Like us all, people with learning disabilities depend on other public services (e.g. Department of Work and Pensions, Further Education)and indeed often need them more, so as well as their own services being cut they will suffer from reduced public provision. Add to this the onslaught on benefits and the welfare state and it is clear that we are not all in this together. The cuts hit the poor, vulnerable and voiceless the hardest.
What can we do?
• Lobby the Council against these cuts: on 12.30 pm Thursday 28th April 2011, Glasgow City Chambers, George Square
It’s time to unite workers, service users, their families and friends to show mass opposition to these attacks on some of the most vulnerable in our community. The council needs to halt the process, maintain funding and engage in meaningful and genuine consultation with service users.
• Raise the issue with politicians they are chasing you vote for the Scottish Parliament elections and go and see your Councillor or write to them, details available from your library of visit www.writetothem.com
• Ensure someone is sticking up for people with learning disabilities
If they can’t themselves, workers will be restricted in what they can do for clients they support, but there are groups such as Learning Disability Alliance Scotland (http://www.ldascotland.org/ 07920 141823 ) and the Coalition of Carers in Scotland (http://www.carersnet.org// 01786 825529) that can help those with learning disabilities and their families. There are also a number of advocacy organisations that can help people in these situations, more information on local groups can be found via the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (http://www.siaa.org.uk// 0131 260 5380).
• Get active, get organised, get involved. Join a union and join the campaigns!
For more information log on to http://www.thereisabetterway.org/
Last summer Glasgow City Council started a process called ‘personalisation’ and ‘self-directed support’ across services provided by Social Work. We support the principles of personalisation, which are about providing people with more independence, control and dignity. However, this is not what is happening in Glasgow. Right from the word go, the council was explicit in its ‘working assumption’ that at least 20% savings would be made.
The process is well advanced for learning disability services, but will be rolled out in time to those with physical disability, children with disability, mental health and eventually older people. In the autumn of last year providers of services, mainly charities and private companies, were asked to fill in Self Evaluation Questionnaires (SEQ) on behalf of the people with learning disabilities they support.
Defend Glasgow Services is aware from speaking to union members involved in providing care services, that on many occasions these forms were completed without direct input from the service user (not always possible), their family or guardians or their key worker. The forms were then put through a resource allocation system, which allocates individual budgets to those who need support, resulting in some seeing a cut of almost 80%. Most providers in the city are facing overall budgets cut of 35 to 40%. Additionally, in most cases, the Individual Budget now has to cover provision for activities and services during the day as the council will no longer provide day services to most people with learning disabilities, presenting a further strain on budgets.
There is no formal appeals process to these cuts in budgets. There is an opportunity to have matters looked at again by a Risk Enablement Panel, however, there is little evidence so far that this process is substantially altering the overall picture of massive cuts.
What does this mean for individuals with learning disabilities?
Wide scale loss of sleepover provision: people with learning disabilities often need someone available at night to assist them with toileting, helping them get in and out of bed, and generally to be on hand should anything untoward occur. Having a presence at night also stops vulnerable people being a target for those who would seek to exploit them.
Massive reduction in care packages: People who previously had 24/7 care are now going to have care for only a few hours a day. There is a danger people will become isolated in their homes with no support to lead a full and active life. Beyond this the level of cuts are so severe that independent living will no longer be viable for many and people will be forced to move in with other people in order to pool support, this is completely contrary to personalisation and for many will be a regressive step.
Lost education opportunities: Many people with learning disabilities need support to attend college courses and access other training. Without the money to pay for the support needed they will not be able to go. As a UNISON member put it ‘this is an accident waiting to happen’.
What does this mean for workers?
Workers providing care and support to those with learning disabilities in Glasgow are seeing a range of attacks on their terms and conditions. This is creating widespread concern among care workers. So far we have seen:
• Redundancies;
• Cuts to sick pay schemes;
• Reduction in hours;
• Threats to hourly rate;
The wider cuts agenda
Like us all, people with learning disabilities depend on other public services (e.g. Department of Work and Pensions, Further Education)and indeed often need them more, so as well as their own services being cut they will suffer from reduced public provision. Add to this the onslaught on benefits and the welfare state and it is clear that we are not all in this together. The cuts hit the poor, vulnerable and voiceless the hardest.
What can we do?
• Lobby the Council against these cuts: on 12.30 pm Thursday 28th April 2011, Glasgow City Chambers, George Square
It’s time to unite workers, service users, their families and friends to show mass opposition to these attacks on some of the most vulnerable in our community. The council needs to halt the process, maintain funding and engage in meaningful and genuine consultation with service users.
• Raise the issue with politicians they are chasing you vote for the Scottish Parliament elections and go and see your Councillor or write to them, details available from your library of visit www.writetothem.com
• Ensure someone is sticking up for people with learning disabilities
If they can’t themselves, workers will be restricted in what they can do for clients they support, but there are groups such as Learning Disability Alliance Scotland (http://www.ldascotland.org/ 07920 141823 ) and the Coalition of Carers in Scotland (http://www.carersnet.org// 01786 825529) that can help those with learning disabilities and their families. There are also a number of advocacy organisations that can help people in these situations, more information on local groups can be found via the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (http://www.siaa.org.uk// 0131 260 5380).
• Get active, get organised, get involved. Join a union and join the campaigns!
For more information log on to http://www.thereisabetterway.org/
Thursday, 7 April 2011
SCOTTISH COMMUNITY CONFERENCE – SATURDAY 14TH MAY
The 2nd Scottish Community Service Group Conference will take place on:
This will be an important opportunity for members from the community, voluntary and housing association sectors to come together and discuss the current challenges they face and how UNISON can best respond. These sectors are experiencing massive challenges due to issues such as funding cuts; personalisation/self-directed support; housing benefit reforms; and Protection of Vulnerable Groups. There will be an opportunity to discuss all these issues and more on the day.
There will be a range of speakers and sessions to ensure members get a chance to learn, contribute and feel empowered to help represent community members when they return to the workplace.
Given the unprecedented situation in terms of cuts we have decided to run the Conference as open as possible to encourage as broad and as large an attendance as possible. Branches are asked to appoint as many delegates as possible, there is no limit; we would though ask you to identify a lead delegate. This is so that if there is a contested election for the Committee the lead delegate will be handed a ballot paper, voting will be weighted dependent on the number of Community members in the branch rather than numbers of delegates.
Contact you branch if you wish to attend.
Saturday 14th May
10.30 am
UNISON House,
14 West Campbell Street,
Glasgow
G2 6RX.
This will be an important opportunity for members from the community, voluntary and housing association sectors to come together and discuss the current challenges they face and how UNISON can best respond. These sectors are experiencing massive challenges due to issues such as funding cuts; personalisation/self-directed support; housing benefit reforms; and Protection of Vulnerable Groups. There will be an opportunity to discuss all these issues and more on the day.
There will be a range of speakers and sessions to ensure members get a chance to learn, contribute and feel empowered to help represent community members when they return to the workplace.
Given the unprecedented situation in terms of cuts we have decided to run the Conference as open as possible to encourage as broad and as large an attendance as possible. Branches are asked to appoint as many delegates as possible, there is no limit; we would though ask you to identify a lead delegate. This is so that if there is a contested election for the Committee the lead delegate will be handed a ballot paper, voting will be weighted dependent on the number of Community members in the branch rather than numbers of delegates.
Contact you branch if you wish to attend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)