UNISON NEWSDESK
OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY UNISON BRANCH NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2009
Dear Colleague
W
e hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and the UNISON Branch Committee wish
you a happy New Year.
As you have obviously noticed, we have produced and designed this month’s newsletter
in colour and in a different format which we hope you will enjoy reading as some of the
contents cover our achievements in 2008 as a branch of UNISON here in Oxford Brookes
University.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS’
Wheatley – Mon 23 Feb, 9.30, B107
Haqrcourt – Mon 23 Feb, 12.30, BG25
Gipsy Lane – Tues 24 Feb, 9.30, BR1
Please do in big box v large font on front page
. This is your opportunity to vote for the nominated union positions and to have your say.
We on the committee make the effort all year round in running your branch, so please, on
this one yearly occasion, do make the effort and support your AGM, when matters of pay,
HERA, pension, conditions and safeguards of employment at Oxford Brookes University
are discussed.
DECEMBER 2008 COMPETITION WINNER
We are grateful to the Hartwell Group plc for donating a free full winter 12,000 mile
service for a member’s car including all materials and labour. The Hartwell Group is
one of the largest motor retailers in the United Kingdom with 10 franchises. Their head
office is based locally in Faringdon Road, Cumnor. As well as being one of FORD’S
largest distributors in the UK, they sell other manufactures new and used vehicles priced
from £3,000 to £30,000 with extended warranties. They also sell Land Rover vehicles
which are competitively priced and covered with a guarantee. You can arrange to have a
test drive on any of their vehicles and they also run in conjunction particularly with Land
Rover, competitions for 4x4 vehicles off road driving days with full hospitality provided.
Therefore, with an excellent local and long standing heritage of business, their after sales
service is second to none, giving you peace of mind in the event of an unfortunate
mechanical breakdown because– Hartwell Group will be there to get you back on the
road in no time. We have also spoken with UNISON members who have had their car
serviced by the Hartwell Group and they endorse this advertisement.
The question posed for this particular prize was: correctly identify how many times
UNISON name was mentioned in the December 2008 newsletter.
So, on concentrating and with an eye glass ready you should all have counted the correct
figure of 75. If you still have your old copy you can check. Figures in brackets. On page
1 (9), page 2 (6), page 3 (19), page 4 (6), page 5 (9), page 6 (3), page 7 (2), page 8 (3),
page 9 (3), page 10 (7), page 11 (4) and page 12 (4). Add, 9,6,19,6,9,3,2,3,3,7,4 and 4 =
75. We had 125 entries with 5% counting between 62 and 65, 20 % between 66 and 72,
75% with 73 and only one member counting more with 74. However, as no member did
count 75, instead we have decided to award the prize to the closest, which was Val Price
from the Student Union who counted that 74. Those that scored 65 or lower please do not
apply for a job proof reading!
You may however have better luck though in this month’s competition prize which is for
the latest 22 inch digital flat screen colour television offered by CURRYS plc. Please see
back page for details.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Are Your Risks Assessed?
As the corner stone of health and safety, do you have suitable and sufficient risks
assessments in place at work and applied, monitored, and periodically reviewed?
Last year, the European Health and Safety week took place and was part of a two year
campaign running through 2009 on risks assessments/risk assessing (RA) process by
neither showing that it is not necessarily complicated, bureaucratic, nor a task only for
experts.
By raising awareness, and providing information and practical advice, the campaign last
year encouraged activities that have a positive impact in the workplace, and identify and
recognise good practice. Within the UK the TUC have held specific training events for
safety reps, whilst the EEF has held regional seminars for employers.
So what is a Risks Assessment? “Risk assessment is the process of evaluating health and
safety risks arising from hazards in the workplace.
.
A hazard is anything that may cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity, machinery,
equipment, an open drawer, or aspects of work organisation, etc.
.
The risk is the chance or probability, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by these and
other hazards.
A risk assessment is therefore a careful; and systematic examination of all aspects of the
work undertaken to consider what could cause injury or harm, whether the hazards could
be eliminated and, if not, what preventive or protective measures are, or should be in
place to control the risks. First eliminate the hazards and if (that) is not possible (,)
control the risks.”
A reminder to all our UNISON colleagues on Health and Safety
But first, we were sorry to learn that the Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University was
electrocuted after touching a live electric cable. The power company Western Power was
fined £200,000 with £70 costs for mistake that led to the death. The company was warned
about the danger two hours earlier but failed to take action after its call-centre staff
lodged it as “low priority”.
We would urge all UNISON members not to take chances. Even domestic household
electricity of 240 volts or even under can kill or seriously injure you.
THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY SAY THEY ARE AFTER YOUR PENSION
UNISON has in the past encouraged members to think about the implications of who they
vote for in general elections, while recognising of course that choice is entirely up to you.
But we have to advise you of what is on the political horizon in the near future and it is a
fact, that if the Conservative Party become the next government, they said they will
change our pension from a defined benefit scheme to a defined contribution scheme. This
would undermine our existing pension scheme, transfer all thr risk from the employer to
us, the members, and significantly reduce the benefits to us that we currently have.
PROTECT OUR PENSIONS- IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has begun a statutory
consultation exercise over draft proposals to amend both the Local Government Pension
Scheme (LGPS) (Benefits, Membership and Contribution) Regulations 2007 and The
LGPS (Administration) Regulations 2008.
The deadline for responses is 23 January 2009 with the potential amendments taking
effect from 1 April 2009. The proposed amendments are as follows:
.To delete Regulation 40 of The LGPS (Benefits, Membership and Contribution)
Regulations 2007 which requires that “Administering and employing authorities shall
have regard to guidance to be issued by the Secretary of State, before 31 March 2009, as
to the manner in which the costs of the Scheme will be met after 31 March 2010”
And to insert into the LGPS (Administration) Regulations 2008, which will impose the
following requirements:
.Authorities have regard to guidance on how future costs will be met [36A (1)]
.Administering Authorities provide the Secretary of State with the financial and other
data by 31 July 2010 to enable the future service costs of the Scheme to be calculated
[36A(2)]
.GAD carry out actuarial valuation of combined English and Welsh funds, and produce
an overall future service cost certificate for the Scheme by 31 December 2010,which sets
out cost of future accrual of pension liabilities for next triennium[36A (3) and (5)]
.The valuation leading to the production of this certificate must set out the assumptions
used [(36A (4) and (6)]
What does this all mean?
The purpose of the above amendment is to pave the way for the creation and
implementation of a “model fund” to be used by the Secretary of State to determine the
notional costs of funding the LGPS to aid in future cost-sharing analysis and decisions.
This potential amendment effectively places a duty on funds to provide CLC with the
same data which is made available to their scheme actuaries as at the 2010 and
subsequent actuarial valuations. This is necessary to ensure that the data used in the
modelling and cost-sharing exercises is both comprehensive and accurate.
Clearly the amendment, if adopted, also provides a more specific timetable in relation to
the provision of what information is needed and when it is needed by so that the necessity
of any changes can be identified and implemented.
Unison’s Views
Our initial view of CLG’s proposed amendments is that they should ensure that future
cost-sharing reviews are based on comprehensive and accurate data. UNISON and the
other unions have been pushing for some considerable time for the LGPS to be more
transparent to scheme members and the unions. Furthermore, the specified timeframes
governing the provision of the necessary information mean that any cost-sharing
provision – such as an increase in member contributions – is unlikely to occur for some
considerable time-and probably not until 2013 or 2014.
The “new” LGPS was established on the basis that the cost-sharing arrangements could
be introduced from as early as 2010 so as to satisfy the Government’s promise for the
new look scheme to be affordable, viable and fair to tax-payers. We accept that in the
current environment of increasing longevity and pension costs that there may need to be
some adjustments to contributions to preserve the LGPS in the future, as in the case with
all public sector schemes and private sector final salary pension schemes. However, we
certainly do not want a rigid cost-sharing formula to be implemented and would want any
potential adjustments to be agreed and negotiated following each round of valuations.
This has always been the Trade Union Side’s position. Furthermore, we will continue to
argue strongly that the past service deficits caused by past under-funding should not be
included in any cost-sharing review.
Campaigning to keep the LGPS as it is.
UNISON will launch a major campaign in the New Year to counter the hostile
propaganda coming from David Cameron and Eric Pickles on behalf of the Conservative
Party. Both insist that the (LGPS) is unsustainable in the long-term and should become a
defined contribution scheme-not a defined benefit scheme as at present. Their view is that
there is “pensions apartheid” between private and public sector pensions and that the
taxpayer should not be asked to fund the LGPS and other public sector schemes.
UNISON will be telling them that the LGPS is a public good, not a drain on public
finances
UNISON MEMBERS APPLYING FOR CRSPs
We would encourage all our members, who having reached the top of their existing pay
and our subsequently entitled to apply for an award of contribution salary point, to do so.
But, if you do become richer as a result (very unlikely) do please remember and bear this
chapter in mind from the Bible: “Again I tell you, it easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” Matthew 19:24.
GO – AHEAD, GOSSIP – WE SAY THE FRENCE ARE LIKE US - BEHIND THE
TIMES
We have studied a report from the Audencia Nantes Business School in France. This is
what their researches have said: “Companies should harness “water-cooler” gossip to test
business ideas. Bosses could use trusted staff members to spread gossip and gauge the
reaction”.
Look, businesses have been using members’ of staff in the UK for as long as one can
remember, but it is not to test “business ideas” coming from the shop floor! However, it
would be nice to see our management at Oxford Brookes University harnessing workers
ideas. But would there then be a need for the top heavy supervision and middle
management here?
BRANCH SUCCESS IN REPRESENTATION
One of our members was threatened with dismissal for not reporting their absence from
work. However, UNISON Representation meant that our member was given a written
warning instead. We want to make it absolutely clear to our members, that they should
always follow the correct reporting procedure when notifying the University of any
unauthorised absence, no mater how short. Whilst representation is available to all our
members, it is better if it is not needed and members should follow to the letter what is
expected of them which applies to all members of staff and is detailed in the University
Policy Guide.
DO YOU REMEMBER MG?
Some of our present UNISON members worked for MG in Abingdon. You may recall it
resurrected itself in Longbridge in 2000 after 4 directors known as ‘The Phoenix Four’
led by the former Rover boss John Towers brought it for £10 from Rover. Did you know
though, that you as a tax payer have so far paid £13.8 million into an official enquiry
over those 5 years and it is still ongoing to establish what on earth went wrong? MG
Rover became bankrupt by £100 million, and 6,300 employees some of who are present
UNISON members lost their jobs and pension in April 2005? But believe it or not, the
four directors pocketed an estimated £42 million in pay and pensions in those 5 years.
The directors’ pension pot was £17 million while the workers pension fund ended up
£470 million in deficit, you may recall after the joint venture deal with Shanghai
Automotive failed.
UNISON Newsdesk reports what the former chairman John Towers said: “When we took
it over the ‘thing’ (meaning the company) was dead” (that’s strange). He further said:
“What do people expect? That we go and manage it for 5 years and go with nothing and
come out with nothing? Yes John – exactly that, the 6,300 workers did and some of them
came from Abingdon to work daily at Longbridge!
MEMORY LANE - THE PAST YEAR December
2007 – December 2008
DECEMBER 2007 NEWSLETTER:
UNISON MEMBERS RECEIVE THANKS
Oxford City Council had written to Clive Booth and Morrell Hall Manager Gary Carter,
and copied our Vice-Chancellor in the process of thanking Unison members for saving
Oxford City Council £2,480 of which those savings will be passed onto you - the
ratepayer! Our members located 4 special serialised Oxford City gold and black motif
waste bins that normally would stand proud in the main city streets. These litter bins, by
the way costing £620 each; are very heavy, fire proof and were taken by someone and left
on our campus. The City Council wrote: “It’s nice to know that there are still some
responsible and conscientious teams around”. We never heard back from the halls
manager, but the Vice Chancellor individually wrote to our members to thank them for
their excellent commitment.
APRIL 2008 NEWSLETTER:
OUR PAY DEAL 2006 to 2009
As you are aware in 2006 we entered into a 3 year pay agreement with our employer.
This agreement therefore runs through to 2009 when the next round of negotiations will
take place during Spring 2009. If one takes a look back over the past 6 years, one will see
that there has been an overall increase of 35% in pay and over the same period a 40%
increase in pay for the lowest earners, which in anybody’s language is a very good deal
and, what’s more, shows the importance that a strong negotiation body like Unison really
is, moreover the importance of being a member and, not just over pay, but to maintain
our defined pension benefits in the (LGPS) Local Government Pension Scheme by
having representation by Unison on pension matters.
MAY 2008 NEWSLETTER:
The New Look Local Government Pension Scheme was launched from April 1st 2008
detailing the new improvements and safeguards put in place.
New Employment Regulations
Whilst we did not cover all 82 new rules we did nevertheless cover those relevant to you
under Corporate Manslaughter, Sexual Harassment, Maternity Leave and Information
Rights in the workplace.
JUNE 2008 NEWSLETTER:
TRASH TO CASH
A group of UNISON members did us all proud, when some in their own time spent it
sorting out good quality clothing that management had told them to throw away. Rather
than do that, they got together to sort, bag and finally deliver to Cancer Research UK in
Headington. So much was their effort, the Oxford Mail was impressed to run a story and
a photograph was taken of them with all the clothing, which was printed in the Oxford
Mail on Saturday May 31 2008. It goes to show that with a little effort a lot can be
achieved. Let us hope that management have something in place next year and not be so
wasteful of unwanted left behind student clothing simple because they have limited room.
More like limited desire if you ask us!
JULY 2008 NEWSLETTER:
OUR BRANCH WINS LEGAL CASE AND COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERS
Branch committee members took up the case of two members who came to us for
assistance.
Firstly, one member who had tried for a year from 2007 to get her money back after
purchasing from a student a computer off the Oxford Brookes notice board, which turned
out to be totally useless. We approached management locally initially who felt it wasn’t
their problem. UNISON took the case through the Courts and, to cut a long story short;
resulted in a cheque in our members name that was duly offered and accepted which
included; original purchase price, 14 months of interest and court costs and an apology
from the student
Our second case was that of a member who again had tried for six months to settle her
insurance claim that was taken out in the event of a cancellation, which unfortunately for
her came about after a bad accident at home. UNISON Newsdesk took up the case and
within 5 days a cheque duly arrived from which the company had deducted an excess.
UNISON Newsdesk wrote to the company and pointed out once again the poor
administration from her original claim date and the lost claim file over many months.
Yes, you guessed correct, our member then received a full refund of her excess.
NHS 60TH ANNIVERARSY – July5th 1948
In this months newsletter we wished the National Health Service a Happy Birthday in its
sixtieth year. All down to a Labour government in 1948 and may it long continue.
OCTOBER 2008 NEWSLETTER:
OUR NEW CHANCELLOR UNDER THE COSH BY THE MEDIA
You may recall we defended our Chancellor under the Human Rights Article 3
Convention.
WELL DONE BARRY
One of our UNISON Representatives negotiated an improved severance package from
£4,000 to £15,000 to our member.
DECEMBER 2008 NEWSLETTER:
Recruitment Drive at Gispy Lane
With pictures and competition won by a new member.
Marking UNISONS’ member 25 year employment service by the Vice Chancellor.
A member’s story of injury, and the important benefits that UNISON offered them.
Through last year we also covered many questions and given answers on health,
employment law, consumer law, matrimonial law and finance amongst other things. We
also ran monthly competitions’ whereby our members won prizes ranging from tickets to
watch Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, dinner for two at a world renowned hotel, hair
makeover at a national award winning salon and a 12,000 mile winter car service
including all materials and labour at a leading car distributor. This year so far we have
lined up a plasma flat screen colour television (in this edition), a fridge/freezer and a day
at a well known health club spa in Northants in our forthcoming competitions.
QUESTION TIME
AN APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR
Q. Can we get any help towards loft insulation?
A. Colleague it depends. If you have to own your own home or rent it from a private
landlord, you may be eligible for a grant under government-funded schemes. To be
eligible though you must be aged 60 plus and be in receipt of either a means tested
benefit such as Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, or receiving a
non means-tested disability benefit like Attendance Allowance or the Disability Living
Allowance. As you are still working, then some of these or all would not apply in your
case, but I guess you were enquiring for a member of your family, in which case they
may be able if the above applies to them and the following, which may also apply to
our retired UNISON members:To find our more of this scheme in the UK called Warm Front, please call the Eaga
Partnership (freephone 0800 316 2805). Warm Front provides a package of insulation
up to the value of £2, 700, or£4,000 if oil central heating is recommended. If you know
of someone that the above applies to then if they own their own home and it has
adequate heating system and they are awarded a grant for loft insulation, but the cost
of the insulation come to less than the total grant, they can apply for the remaining
balance of the grant towards the cost of a new boiler. This colleague only applies if you
boiler no longer works, or is condemned and this is verified by a Warm Front surveyor.
If a person couldn’t afford this, then it may be possible to get a grant from the Council
Housing Department or help via your local Home Improvement Agency. They could
also seek help from charitable funding or consider a Home Income Plan.
Other grants are available through the utility companies. You can find out details of
these from The Energy Saving Trust and they don’t necessarily have to be a customer
of a particular supplier to benefit. Call 0800 515 012 or visit
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
Beat the cold
‘Keep Out the Cold’ is a free advice booklet produced by Help the Aged, containing
information about keeping your home warm and grants available to help. For a copy
call 020 7239 1845 or send an A5 SAE to Information Resources (KOTC), Help the
Aged, 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ, or it can be downloaded from
www.helptheaged.org.uk. There is also a 50plus Handyman. Services include plumbing
and electrically work, odd jobs, decorating and general maintenance inside and outside
the home. Prices start from £11 per visit for small tasks and discounts are available for
pensioners. Call 0845 225. 0495 or visit www.the50plus.co.uk
Q. Sorry to burden you with my question. My daughter divorced after a difficult
marriage. Her husband disappeared after moving abroad, leaving her in financial
difficulty and homeless after their house was repossessed. She now settled again with me
in Wheatley, but has received a demand for £45,000 from the mortgage account over
their property sale. Is she liable? And why should her ex-husband get away with paying
nothing?
A. We are sorry that this has happened to your daughter is the first thing to say.
Secondly, we don’t feel burdened. The third is to tell you what the law says and that is
a mortgage debt comprises not only the whole borrowed sum and outstanding interest
due, but also sale costs and administration charges.
Properties repossessed by a lender typically achieve less on resale than those sold direct
by owners. Negative equity, where the sale price doesn’t clear the whole of the sums
due to the lender, is legally possible and hard to challenge. Your daughter should look
through the charges to see how they’re made up in case she can contest them, but it’s
unlikely they’ll be wrong. The likelihood is the sums are due under contract forming
the basic mortgage agreement. As this agreement will undoubtedly be joint between
your daughter and her ex- husband, each bears responsibility for the whole debt. Many
people think they can simply pay their half and leave the bank to chase the other party
directly for ‘their share’. Unfortunately this is not true. The lender is entitled to require
your daughter to pay back the whole amount. If she thinks her ex should pay a
contribution, the legal responsibility passes to her to find him and collect it.
The bank is within its rights to say that this debt is solely your daughter’s liability if her
ex-husband can’t be found to make his contribution. She should be aware that the debt
may be enforced against her and her assets, including any new property, even if it’s
jointly owned with a new partner. All she can do is negotiate with her bank in
Headington to agree some means of clearing the debt. Realistically, it seems her exhusband is not going to be available to meet any Court Order made against him. I
appreciate this is not good reading in Newsdesk for you, but it is reality as far as the
law is concerned, I’m afraid.
Q. Can I be prosecuted for having no lights fixed to my bicycle if I have them fixed to my
person?
A. Yes because it is the bicycle that must be lit. This is covered under The Road
Traffic Act and the Highway Code Book PCUR Law RVL18 Reg 6 and 10 and
RVLR Reg18. Which stipulates: One clear light at the front and one red light at the
rear? It is also a legal requirement to have a red rear reflector fitted. Of course it is
very useful to have additional lights on your person, for example, a clear light at the
front. Some clear lights you see are easy attached to a cycle helmet, and one red light
attached to your back via a form of a belt. But make sure these additional lights can
be seen as some of them are hidden from view by other clothing moving about either
in front of you or behind.
You can buy these additional lights from bicycle shops; however these are only an
added safety addition, like a florescent jacket. They must NOT be used in place of
what are the basic legal requirents of FIXED lights to the front and rear of a
bicycle. Some of these legal fixed lights have removable catches so that you can take
them off quickly after securing your bicycle, ideally with a strong lock, and together
to a secure fixed point, say bike racks, metal posts etc when leaving the bicycle
unattended, no matter how long for.
Q. What are my consumer rights with all these sales around on guarantees? I was in a
shop and the price label was marked with a lower price but the shop would not sell it to
me. Should they have done?
A. Consumers denied the repair or refund of faulty goods after a one-year
guarantee has expired is just one of the typical reactions you get. Retailers go to
enormous lengths to claim that manufactures are responsible for faulty goods or
goods are only guaranteed for one year is another example. Some of these claims are
completely false yet ubiquitous claims that prevent many consumers from seeking
compensation they are entitled to, which in law could be up to six years from when
goods were purchased.
Retailers are legally liable for the durability of products they sell and must replace
or repair products if they do not work for a reasonable time: this might be far more
than a year for a car clutch or gearbox, or for ball bearings in a washing machine,
for example. You do not necessarily need to have a receipt to return goods. Any
reasonable proof of purchase – such as a credit-card or debit-card statement-should
suffice.
It is also illegal to deny consumers the right to return sale goods, whether faulty or
not as described. Signs saying “No Return on Sale Goods” are illegal. Retailers of
kitchens or computers often claim that bespoke goods cannot be rejected by the
consumer. However, the Office of Fair Trading says that it does not consider goods
that have been assembled from standard components as being built to customer
specification. Many internet mail-order companies charge consumers “restocking
fees” for the return of non faulty-goods, yet this practice is illegal. When buying
online, consumers are entitled to return goods, under distance-selling regulations,
up to seven days after receipt, after which retailers must refund the purchase price
within 30 days.
Also, asking for a gift receipt for all your purchases will ensure your family won’t
face a big cut in the value of goods if they or you want to take goods back. One only
has to go to Oxford centre to see huge discounts and these are expected to get even
better so you need to keep the documentation to make sure the price you paid is the
price returned.
On your last question, no you can’t insist colleague on buying something at an
incorrectly advertised price. This is because price tags are viewed as “an invitation
to treat”, not as legally binding. You can inform the shop that you will report it to
the Office of Fair Trading. However, do please bear in mind that we have to be fair
with the retailer as some dishonest shoppers change the price labels and get away
with not paying the correct selling price. This and shoplifting puts huge strain on
the balance sheet and in times like this the last thing we need is to put more workers
out of jobs. So be fair and understanding with them and hopefully they will be fair
will you.
Lastly with MFI closing down in Botley Road you will want to know that if a
company like this becomes insolvent, it no longer has money to pay its creditors, but
paying by credit card will protect you. We have checked Section 75 of the Consumer
Credit Act and it says that credit-card providers are “jointly and severally” liable
with retailers. This means you have the right to reclaim money on goods worth
between *£100 and *£30,000 that fail to turn up or are faulty. You simply claim
from your card issuer if the retailer refuses to pay or has gone out of business. On
further checking Section 75 it was recently extended to cover transactions made
oversees or with foreign companies. This includes buying goods overseas by
telephone, mail order or over the internet.
This protection also covers store cards. If you pay by cash or debit card, you
generally aren’t covered, although some Visa debit-card providers will make good
the loss.
The rules tend not to apply if the company that processed your transaction was not
the same company that provided the goods or services. A good example of this is
PayPal. Shoppers should try to avoid using debit cards or cash foe expensive
purchases as you are unlikely to recover your money if the company becomes
insolvent like the one above.
If you are protected, and a company becomes insolvent, go to its website to check
the updates on the situation from the administrator. These notices will let you know
when you can apply for a refund and what, if anything, you are likely to get back.
So, do though enjoy what you can of the market conditions at present. But if you do
pop down to Cornmarket Street make sure you keep an eye out for the pickpockets
as an unfortunate lady from Kidlington lost her money after somebody purposely
bumped into her and the next she knew her bag was gone! Happy shopping!
CURRYS DIGITAL FLAT SCREEN 22
inch COLOUR TV COMPETITION
CURRY’S THE NATIONAL COMPANY WITH LOCAL STORES NEAR YOU!
We are pleased to have Curry’s as our sponsor in this months’ competition when they
will be offering a UNISON member at Oxford Brookes University a chance to win the
latest 22 inch digital flat screen colour television.
As you are aware Currys on the high street have been around a long time selling a whole
host of electrical equipment from shavers to the latest high tech technology items.
We chose Currys before any other electrical retailer having consulted the memberships
who say they offer an excellent range of electrical items at competitive prices. Also, they
have an excellent backup service second to none should an item fail.
As well as all of this they currently have some fantastic offers on such as a free laptop
when you sign up for a mobile broadband account and buy now and pay 12 months later
on all purchases over £249.00 pounds.
As you would expect from a retailer that is so customer focused, that they even guarantee
to sell their goods at the lowest price on the high street, offering a price match promise in
the unlikely event that another retailer is cheaper.
Currys will also deliver your purchase nationwide and usually next day at a time that
suits you for a standard fee of £24.54 inc VAT which we think you will agree is a great
service to offer in today busy society when everyone’s time is precious
To have a look at their product range and many more great offers currently on at Curries
pop along to your local store which is:
Currys at Headington Horsepath Driftway. Tel no: 0870 6097175.
In today’s’ turbulent business times colleagues we must support the local shops who
support us. We understand prices and good after sales service matters to our members.
This is why our membership is encouraged to support the generosity of our sponsors
Currys now and in the coming months which will support all workers jobs whether they
are in the private or public sector.
COMPETITION QUESTION:
As you work for a university supplying higher education to our students, have you got
what it takes to clunk click, check your mirrors, release the handbrake, put your mind
from neutral into gear and think!
This affects all our members and their families. It was reported recently in the Oxford
Mail of the 2008 death and serious injury toll on our roads in the Thames Valley area.
Tell us how you think it would likely be that your idea/comment would reduce the road
death and serious injury toll overall in the Thames Valley area.
The idea/comments will be judged by Sara Taylor, the Deputy Editor of the Oxford Mail
and which in her opinion, the idea chosen would likely reduce the death and serious
injury toll in the Thames Valley area, will win the 22 inch colour flat screen television.
The winner will be expected to attend the presentation and photographed being presented
with the prize in our main foyer in Gipsy Lane. We are grateful to the Oxford Mail for
their coverage. Send your suggestions to mholder@brookes.ac.uk. Or text 07833703998
or send by internal mail to Clive Booth Hall.
Next month’s competition prize will either be a fridge/freezer, two places at a world
famous health farm club or box tickets to a premiership football club that plays its home
games at Old Trafford. I wonder what team that is.
This newsletter is published by the Oxford Brookes University branch of UNISON. The
views expressed are not necessarily those of the branch or of UNISON nationally unless
explicitly stated. While every effort is made to ensure that the information included is
accurate, it should not be relied on without seeking appropriate professional advice.
Michael Holder (Chief Reporter). Editorial Team: Jon Appleton and Marie Jones.
Special thanks to Becky Horton for layout.