Just a quick message to say that we have updated the list of local branch representatives.  If you need to speak to someone from the branch, you should see there details here:

http://blog.yorksj.ac.uk/unison/your-reps/

Just a quick update to let you know that the branch accounts are now available on the AGM documents page.

UNISON Branch AGM is on the horizon – here are the details:

• When: 10:00 to 11:30 on Wednesday 6th February 2013
• Where: DG017 (ground floor of the De Greys building on the Lord Mayor’s Walk campus)

We hope to see you there

The minutes from last year’s AGM and other documents can be found in our document area.

I’ve done a bit of a refresh of the web site.  Everything that was there before still is but I have switched the focus onto the latest branch news and I’m hoping to get a bit more information out this way   If you’ve got any comments or questions please do fire them my way: g.jenkins@yorksj.ac.uk

Just a quick note to say that our folks at national level has asked us to draw your attention to the campaign against the very damaging NHS Bill.

You can find out more about the Bill and why it is such a disaster here: http://unison.org.uk/ournhs/

You can also take positive action by completing this petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22670 or by visiting this page on the unison web site: http://unison.org.uk/ournhs/adopt.asp.

It’s that time of year again and our branch AGM is almost upon us.  The AGM will be taking place on Friday 30th March at 10:30am – 12:30 in the Fountains Lecture Theatre (FT/002).  HR have been informed and will be contacting managers to encourage them to make every effort to ensure that everyone can attend.  If you are unable to attend for some reason please let us know so that we can do our best to make the event as accessible as possible buth this time and in future years.

Last year’s minutes are available at http://blog.yorksj.ac.uk/unison/2011/03/17/agm-2011-minutes/. If you are unable to access them for some reason then please speak to one of our union representatives (listed below) and they can arrange for you to get a paper copy.  A limited number of copies will also be available on the day.

The agenda this year follows the usual pattern and is currently as follows:

• Apologies
• Minutes of the 2011 AGM
• Matters arising from the minutes
• Chair’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Health and Safety Report
• Other items:
  • Amendments to branch constitution
    • To allow multiple people to hold the role of Branch Secretary.
• Honoraria: Do we keep them or drop them?
  • If we keep them, are the current levels appropriate?
• Pensions: we hope to have an offer from the government to discuss with you by the AGM.
• Smoking Policy
• Election of Branch Officers
• Any other business or points of interest from the floor

If there are any items you would like added or clarified please let us know.  If you wish to nominate or second anyone for a position as a branch office and are unable to attend the AGM in person then please let us know either by email (unison@yorksj.ac.uk) or by contacting one of your representatives (listed below) who will be able to assist you in making a nomination.

Lastly – please note that the current branch constitution can be found at http://blog.yorksj.ac.uk/unison/files/2011/03/Constitution-2011-03-09.pdf and if you require it in printed format please contact us directly at unison@yorksj.ac.uk or via one of our representatives (listed below)

You can also contact us via our official mailbox: unison@yorksj.ac.uk

A copy of the minutes can be found by clicking here. If you spot any inaccuracies or omissions please let us know.

Nationally we’ve been fighting cuts, pensions changes and other attacks on public services.  Please take the time to visit the national UNISON website to see the latest news.

Locally we’ve had an agenda full of restructures, financial resilience, smoking policy, car parking, building alterations, workload/stress and all of the usual individual cases of advice, grievance, disciplinary and so on.  We have also drafted a new branch constitution – but more on that as we approach the next AGM.

All in all – we’ve been busy and that’s not likely to change for a while.

Not really as weighty as a lot of the things we post here but… we’ve been notified that our regional folks have negotiated a discount for members at Lighterwater Valley (http://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk).  Show your Unison membership card at the gate any time up to 31 October 2010 and you’ll get tickets at £11.95 (rather than £19.45).   One card entitles you to up to 6 discounted tickets per visit so your friends and family can benefit too.

If you need a replacement membership card please let one of your Stewards know or email unison@yorksj.ac.uk and we’ll get one in the post to you.

Our Ref:      LL/JPC/WW/TCS                                                                                12 July 2010

To:               Branch Labour Link Officers

Copy to:      Branch Secretaries

Regional Labour Link Committee

Dear Colleague

LABOUR LEADERSHIP HUSTINGS AND BALLOT ARRANGEMENTS

You will be aware that the Labour Party are currently in the process of selecting a new Leader.  UNISON Members, who are affiliated Political Fund Levy Payers, are entitled to participate in the selection of the new Leader.

The process which UNISON is using is to ballot each Labour Link Levy Paying Member in order that they can make their individual choice.  To assist them in making an informed choice, the recent Labour Leadership Hustings, held during the UNISON National Labour Link Forum, have been put onto the UNISON website, which is available for viewing by individual Members (http://www.unison.org.uk/labourlink/video.asp).  You will see from this that a number of questions were asked of each of the Candidates, covering many of the key issues affecting UNISON Members.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints, it was not possible to ask all of the questions which had been prepared.  However, the Hustings should provide some information to assist Members in making their choice.

As an alternative to viewing the Hustings Session individually, three sessions have been arranged for later this week, where individual UNISON Members, who are Labour Link APF Levy Payers, can attend to view the Hustings Session with colleagues.  These are:

• Wednesday, 14 July 2010 at UNISON Sheffield Met Branch, (Branch Office Meeting Room), Arundel Gate Court, 175 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2LQ between 5.30pm-7.30pm
• Thursday, 15 July 2010 at UNISON Regional Office, (Conference Suite), Wade Lane, Leeds LS2 8NJ from 5.30pm-7.30pm
• Friday, 16 July 2010 at UNISON Hull City Branch, (Downstairs Conference Room), Town Hall Chambers, 39 Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AF from 5.00pm-7.00pm

I apologise for the short notice involved in publicising these sessions, but this was unavoidable.

At these sessions, a DVD of the full Hustings Event will be shown and Members will obviously be able to discuss views with colleagues.

We have been able to obtain a limited number of copies of the DVD and if Branch Labour Link Sections wish to organise their own viewing sessions, copies can be made available to them.  If Labour Link Officers are intending to arrange such sessions, they must contact Wendy Walton at the above office address, (DD: 0113 2182342) to obtain a copy of the DVD.  Systems must be put in place to ensure that only UNISON Members who are Labour Link/APF Levy Payers are involved.  Where the intent is to hold these sessions in conjunction with another Branch, then systems must again be put in place to ensure that only Labour Link/APF Levy Paying Members of these Branches are involved in the process and participate in the meeting.

No vote will be held to determine which Candidate, if any, the UNISON Labour Link would support for the Leadership, this decision will be taken by the Labour Link National Committee.  However, Branch Labour Link Officers can indicate the views of their Membership to the Regional delegates to the National Labour Link Committee.  Given the voting process as described below, it would seem sensible to give an indication to the National Committee Members of the support for each of the five Candidates arising from your local event.

What Next?

The UNISON National Labour Link Committee will meet on Wednesday, 21 July 2010 to decide which, if any, of the Candidates UNISON would be prepared to support for Labour Leadership.  If a decision is made to support a particular candidate, Members will be advised of this as part of the ballot process.

During the course of August ballot papers will be sent to individual Labour Link Levy Paying Members, enclosed with the Autumn Edition of ‘U’ Magazine.  Members will be able to vote for a Labour Leadership candidate of their choice and if UNISON National Labour Link Committee have decided to support any particular candidate, they will also be informed of this.  Full instructions of the voting process will be included with the ballot papers.

Once the ballot period has closed, the individual Members’ votes will be counted for each Candidate and UNISON Labour Link will then cast its share of the votes at the Labour Party Leadership Electoral College, directly in proportion to the votes cast by individual Members for each of the Candidates.