Peter Ballard; Branch Secretary

Colleagues

By now you should have received details of our Branch AGM, please make a note in your UNISON diary. If you haven’t received your notification in the post contact the office, 529 3232

What is an AGM? AGM stands for Annual General Meeting; it is the most important meeting in the local calendar. It is when your Branch representatives are held accountable to their members, and when elections to the various Branch Representatives’ posts are conducted.

Reports on the Branch activities for the year are given, and the Branch financial accounts are presented for scrutiny to the members.

We also hold a prize draw and those who attend are given the opportunity to win cash prizes of up to £100. A free buffet is also provided.

There is also a bit of good news. If you remember from my last newsletter, I drew attention to the attack being made by the Government on “facilities time” for local Trade Union Rep’s. There was an attempt to stop employers paying Shop Stewards for the time, whilst in work, that Stewards spent representing members on such things as disciplinary, grievance’s sickness procedures etc. I am glad to report that following a vigorous campaign by the Unions this crazy measure was defeated in the House of Commons.           

Capita Transfer

 The Branch has, satisfactorily, concluded the negotiations that will see the transfer of payroll and transactional HR staff from 12 NHS Trusts to the private company “Capita” From 1^st January 2012.

For the time being staff will remain in their current location, and probably within the next three months will relocate to new premises in Dunnings Bridge Road, Bootle

This means that staff currently employed by the NHS in these functions will become employees of Capita. The transferred staff are covered by T.U.P.E

NHS Pensions

The final proposals on the NHS Pensions Scheme and UNISONS position are expected very shortly,

it is expected that a further ballot of members will be held to determine whether to accept or reject

the final offer.

 Did you know that Two Giant Pandas have recently been lent to a Scottish Zoo, this means there are now more Giant Pandas in Scotland than Tory MP’s?