UNITY-Spring-Summer-2014-FINAL.pdf-for-web

UNISON Devon County Branch
NEWS
IN BRIEF...
Employment tribunal
fees appeal
UNISON has announced that it
will apply to the Court of Appeal
for permission to appeal the
High Court’s ruling rejecting
its claim for Judicial Review of
the Government’s decision to
introduce tribunal fees.
The union will ask the Court of
Appeal to consider the shocking
figures released last month that
revealed Employment Tribunal
claims dropped by 79% in the first
six months after the Government
imposed fees on workers bringing
a claim. To read more, visit:
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/unison-
announces-appeal-over-employment-
tribunal-fees
UNISON joins calls to
move 2022 World Cup
UNISON is urging members to
sign a petition calling on world
football governing body FIFA to
re-run the vote for the choice of
venue for the 2022 World Cup and
move to a venue where workers’
rights are respected.
This call comes in the wake of
the news that 1,200 workers have
already died in the preparations
for the 2022 tournament in Qatar,
as workers’ safety and rights are
ignored in a reckless effort to try
and get things ready in time.
The International Trade Union
Congress (ITUC) estimates that
up to 4,000 workers will die before
2022 unless FIFA reverses its’
decision.
The situation in Qatar is made
worse by the ‘kafala’ system under
which migrant workers are bound
to their employer, making it harder
to challenge abuse.
Passports and visas are also
often confiscated by the employer,
so the worker cannot leave the
country without their permission
To read more and sign the
petition, visit: http://tinyurl.com/kqg4xp7
UNISON submission
to care sector review
In its submission to the Kingsmill
Review on exploitation in the care
sector, UNISON has called for the
union’s Ethical Care Charter, or
the principles in it, to be promoted
to all local authorities as a way
of improving the delivery of
homecare services.
The charter includes a pledge
to avoid the practice of notorious
15-minute visits.
The union’s response also
stresses the inappropriateness
of zero-hours contracts and the
known risk of non-compliance
with the national minimum wage
in the sector.
And in an article for TUC blog
Touchstone, as part of Fair Pay
Fortnight, the union made the link
between low pay and quality of
care.
After 15 years of the national
minimum wage, which it
described as “a landmark
achievement for the trade union
movement” that “provided a wage
floor for millions of workers”, the
article stresses that “many are
still slipping through the net” ...
and “none more so than in social
care.”
UNISON pledges to
continue fight for full
equality
UNISON has pledged to keep
campaigning for equal marriages
after the first equal marriages
took place in England and Wales
at the end of March.
UNISON LGBT equality officer
Carola Towle, said: “We are still
calling for same-sex marriage in
Northern Ireland, for full equality
in survivor pension benefits and
for civil partnership to be opened
up to mixed couples.
“We are also campaigning for
an end to the spousal veto on
gender recognition in England
and Wales – we congratulate
campaigners in Scotland for their
victory on that.”
To read more, visit: http://tinyurl.com/
l49dx3g
New rules helping
children with medical
needs
UNISON has welcomed the
introduction of clearer legal
guidance designed to help
pupils with long-term medical
conditions and the staff who
support them. The union has
campaigned long and hard to
address inconsistencies in the
provision of health support and
the administration of medicines,
which has left both pupils and the
staff that provide these services
vulnerable.
To read more, visit: http://www.
unison.org.uk/news/pupils-andstaff-to-benefit-from-new-ruleshelping-children-with-medicalneeds
UNISON calls for
higher education race
equality charter
UNISON has submitted evidence
to the Equality Challenge Unit
on establishing a race equality
charter mark for UK universities.
While there are Black workers
in higher education, many
struggle to make career progress
in the sector.
There is growing recognition
that an ethnically-diverse higher
education workforce positively
affects the ability of institutions to
deliver core services to diverse
student population.
A National Union of Students
survey has revealed that
Black students want a more
representative workforce, diverse
teaching practices and more
Black role models.
But there is extensive
evidence that Black staff are
under-represented at all senior
levels in higher education.
UNISON believes a race
equality charter mark will address
inequalities and get universities
to think about race equality by
examining their own practices
and institutional culture,and
developing actions plans.
Branch speeds ahead with equality
If you’re tussling with equality issues at work then you might well need the help of
Warren Speed, the Branch’s new Equality Officer. Here, Warren reveals why equality is
close to his heart.
Contact Warren on: 07732529783 or
email: warren_speed@hotmail.co.uk
Jack
Hughes
Yes Ed, the thought of another five
years of a Tory government makes
me sick but as I have said before
what exactly is Labour doing ?
Farage seems to pop up on a daily
basis on the news, pint in hand and
an oily smirk on his reptilian face
as he witters on about being the
voice of the common people and
that there will be an ’earthquake in
British politics’ when UKIP sweep to
victory in the forthcoming elections.
Which reminds me – Mrs Hughes
asked me the other day why, if
UKIP is so opposed to Europe, is
Farage et al putting forward MEP
candidates ?
Pictures of Dave on holiday in
Lanzagrotty were splashed all over
What made you decide to apply
for the role of Equality Officer?
I’m genuinely interested in equality
and I have previously worked on
equality issues at NASWT where I
was an equality activist.
What skills do you bring to the
job?
Whilst I was in a previous union
I was part of consultational
conferences on equality policy in
the teaching environment. I was
also an activist for disability and
LGBT groups and, more recently,
equal pay for young people.
What do you hope to achieve in
this role?
I’d like to make sure all groups of
people are treated fairly and equally
and help people with their issues in
a positive way.
What do you think are the 3 most
important equality issues at the
moment?
Mental health and well-being;
young people and pay (especially
zero hours) and LGBT (mental
health in particular).
Who do you admire for
promoting equality issues?
Most recently Malala Yousafzai
who was a Pakistani school girl that
ignored threats from the Taliban to
campaign for the right to education.
Malala is now a worldwide advocate
for human, education and women’s
rights.
If you could do one thing to
improve equality, what would
that be?
I’d ensure all workplaces have a
mental health and well-being policy.
I have just completed a survey sent to me by the Labour
party and by return received a request asking for a donation.
This has gone down about as well as Nigel Farage speaking
at his local mosque.
the papers, even Cleggy has had
coverage – Ok, not positive, but at
least he is visible.
Which brings me to what has
always been the true voice of the
common people, the Labour Party.
Just months away from a General
Election, they are neither being
heard or seen. Is this why I am
being asked to donate? Is Ed being
held hostage by his brother and we
have to fund the ransom ?
To my simple mind, there are
numerous open goals being left
wide open by Farage, Cameron and
Clegg - Labour is not even hitting
the corner flag.
Chez Hughes has seen numerous
leaflets being pushed through the
door from various political parties
angling for the Hughes vote – not
one from Labour.
The doorbell rings in the early
evening and one is presented with
the prospective local candidate
from seemingly every party but
Labour.
Has the Hughes house been
moved tardis fashion into an
alternate reality?
Labour seems to have
disappeared in a puff of red smoke.
Bevan, Benn and Wilson must be
spinning in their graves.
The views expressed in this column are not
necessarily the views of the Branch - but
they are very close.
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