AGM 3rd
March 2015
Attendees: Lloyd Hudson-Smith, Julie Bowater, Jayne Corbett, Lisa Murray, Linda
White, Nigel Self, Jacquie Holligan, Michael Rockney, Harvijay Kainth, Maxwell
Tsopo, Andy Kempson, Joy Millward, John Hancock, Michael Callaghan, Helen
Wilson
Apologies: Alyson Brenchley, Shelia Wellsbury, Debbie Mackellar, Chris Morgan,
Steve Francis, Lance Brown, Mukesh Patel.
Minutes Agreed from AGM held Match 2014 and no matters arising
Branch Officers elected:
Branch Secretary: Shared post, Chris Morgan and Steve Francis elected
Chairperson: Michael Callaghan elected
Treasurer: Harvijay Kainth elected
Education Co coordinator: Debbie Mackellar elected
Equality Officer: Not filled
Health and Safety Officer: shared post John Hancock and Andy Kempson elected
Communications: Helen Wilson elected
Membership Officer: John Hancock and Helen Wilson elected
Welfare Officer: Not filled
Retired membership Officer: Nigel Self elected
International Officer: Mukesh Patel elected
Young members Officer: not filled
Michael Rockney and Jacquie Holligan (new reps) are thinking about equality officer
can be voted in at a later date at branch meetings. Advised to attend branch
meetings.
Work place Reps
Lloyd Hudson-Smith
Lance Brown
Lisa Murray
Jayne Corbett
Geraldine Whelan
Lynn Ladkin
Jack Wilkinson
Alyson Brentchley
Branch Rules
Rules updated all agreed on amendments.
a) 17. Honoraria In exceptional circumstances where an officer has no
access to facility time, then the committee may approve an honorarium
payment for essential work carried out by the officer in their own time, with
the prior knowledge and approval of the committee
b) If this criteria is met, the payment will be reviewed regularly and payments
will be made retrospectively
16. Donations. The branch will consider donations for charitable causes, they will be
discussed and voted on at branch meetings. Up to 5 donations not exceeding £100
may be donated in one calendar year.
A member asked how donations where decided upon, the reply was that they are
considered and voted on at branch meeting. Suggestion put forward that one request
per quarter could be considered as we may get 5 requests in the first few months.
This could be considered if the branch has an influx of requests but to date for the
last year there were only 3.
11. Section c branch officers will support any industrial action that has been voted for
and agreed by national membership.
Branch Secretary Report:
Chris and Steve both sent apologies so report read by Michael Callaghan
Currently have 1314 members on record, work places members are from:
Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
NHS ENGLAND
CSU
CCG
Exemplar Health care PLC
BUPA
NHS Property Services LTD
Selbourne Care LTD
Priory Group LTD
Reps from some of the workplaces above take on work which involves representing
members in disciplinary, grievances, capability issues, sickness, flexible working and
various other issues.
Local Organiser: unfortunately the Local organiser post did not work for the branch
and Tracey Wood the regional Officer has submitted a further bid to the fighting fund
for an area organiser shared with another branch.
Conference: Delegates represented the branch both at national and health events.
This year the national conference is at Glasgow and Lisa, Mick, Nigel and possibly
Jacquie are attending. The Health Conference is at Liverpool and Chris, Mukesh,
Jayne and Debbie are attending.
Jabra
This is the branches goals for the year agreed with regional officers.
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Communication
To support the Non-core group of members the appointment of an Area
Organiser if the bid to the fighting fund is successful. Thank you to Anne
Quinn for her interim support.
Supporting new reps and mentoring/training reps to take on more complex
case work. Helen and Chris are developing guidelines to help support new
reps which will be added to the reps handbook which Anne completed last
year.
Industrial Action Up date
At the time of the AGM, no update available.
Treasurer Report
Report given by Harvijay Kainth
As a branch we now enter our accounts on OLBA (On Line Banking Accounts). This
makes the accounting very easy and simple to do as it automatically finalises the
accounts details when all data has been inputted.
Account Info
Currently in the branch bank accounts there is approx. £101.000.00 (in unity and
three Alto Master Cards).
Moving Forward as a Branch
I went to London last year and completed an OLBA course, this course enables me to
input all income and expenditure onto their banking system as requested by Unison.
This makes the accounting simple to input and has various options to view
expenditures, incomes and forecasts.
Money Spent on Past 12 Months
In the last 12 months we have had an income of approx. £28542.78, these were from
unison subs and retired member subs.
Previously we forecasted to spend £37K but we spent £23551.18 for financial year
14/15 on:
Admin
£15K but we spent
£2482.62
Conference
£8k
but we spent
£10069.39
Area Org
£5K
but we spent
£5949.35
Recur/Train/Edu
£9K
but we spent
£1516.49
Equipment
£
we spent
£1905.84
Reps Expenditure
£2K
but we spent
£1627.49
Forecast 15/16
Admin
£18K (Admin costs are being increased due to employing an organiser
to work within the branch.
Conference £12K (we slightly went over budget on conference, this is why I have
increased budget for this new year, this is due to more reps members attending
conferences.
Area Org
£6K (I have increased this as we went over to what was forecasted in
the previous year)
Recruit
£5K (As we used a lot less than forecasted, I have reduced the
forecasted amount to previous year)
Reps Exp
£2K
(Remains the same as last year)
This gives a total of £43Kforecasted to spend.
We currently have approx. £100.000.00 over 4 bank accounts.
Communications
Report given by Helen Wilson
In the last 12 months:
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The website has been set up for all members to access. This has contained
information on campaigns, international news as well as pages with useful
Union information on with links to the main unison website. I would like to
thank all Reps and officers who have been forwarding information for the
website.
Making sure minutes and agendas get to reps prior to the branch meeting
With help from Anne Quinn making sure we have up to date rep information
and an up to date list of reps across the branch
Emailing members with relevant information
For the next 12 months:
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Continue keeping the website up to date as a central point of access for
members of the branch
Work across the branch for members to get their details up to date
Engaging members in the branch and improving communication to all
members
A protocol for new reps to ensure all who need their contact details have that
information and that there is a clear process to follow so the branch supports
new reps as fully as possible. (To be developed with the other branch
officers.)
Make sure key campaigns are communicated to members effectively
International Officer
Mukesh Patel sent apologies report read by John Hancock
Over the last 12 months I have as international officer been taking the lead on
providing information to the branch on challenges faced by trade unions from across
the Globe.
As recently as December 2014 the remaining Miami 5 have been released from
prison in the United States. They were a group of Cubans who were informing the
United States officials about attempts by Cuban Exiles in Miami who were staging
attacks on Cuba. The Miami 5 themselves were arrested on terrorist charges. Unison
paved the way for a commission of inquiries to take place in London in 2014. The
Union criticised the government refusal to grant a VISA to Rene Gonzalez to give
evidence to the enquiry, he had already been released from Prison.
In recent years we have had the collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, many
lives were lost and Unison has supported a campaign for these workers to get
compensation. Unison works with other unions and global union federations to
defend the rights of workers, defend public services and fight against austerity
around the world. Unison branches are encouraged to affiliate to organisations that
support justice, fair wages, fair trading and good health and safety in the workplace.
We are affiliated to labour behind the label, they are fighting for compensation for the
families of those killed in the Rana Plaza as well compensation for those who were
injured. Companies such as Primark, Benetton, wall-mart, GAP, mango, Matalan,
just to name a few. Follow the campaign at www.cleanclothes.org/ranaplaza
Our Branch has also chosen to be affiliated to 5 other organisations and would like to
seek members’ approval for this to go ahead.
ACTSA
This is the Successor organisation to the anti- apartheid Movement. Unison ask
branches to support this organisation and the work they do in South Africa. The
national committee has prioritised the work in Swaziland and the appalling situation
for democracy activists, trade unionists and women. ACTSA are bringing the general
secretary of the Swaziland TUC to the UK in March to meet with UNISON and
politicians to discuss these issues.
Banana link
UNISONS Affiliation arose out of members’ links to Central America and the growing
violation of the rights of plantation workers who produce the bananas and pineapples
that end up in our UK Supermarkets. UNISONS international development Fund is
supporting trade unions in Costa Rica and previously Peru, they are subject to
violence, exposure to poisonous chemicals, union busting and poor pay and
conditions.
Cuba Solidarity Campaign CSC
UNISON has a longstanding relationship and year after year motions are passed to
support the work of the CSC. UNISON worked with CSC to get the Miami 5 released
they have also helped to change international policy on Cuba.
NSCAG Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group
UNISON have supported the work of the NSCAG and several branches and
members have sent delegations to Nicaragua. The west midlands hosted a visit
from the health union in Nicaragua which was facilitated by NSCAG. Affiliating to
sister unions in Nicaragua allows UNISON too maintain these links.
PSC Palestine Solidarity Campaign
UNISON has supported the PSC through affiliation, delegations and lobbying.
Members feel strongly about the treatment of the Palestinian people; much of the
treatment is illegal in international law. Palestine is a priority for the international
committee and this includes asking branches to affiliate to the PSC.
All at meeting voted in favour to affiliate to all the above organisations.
I attend the quarterly regional international Officers meeting which takes place in
Birmingham. We discuss current international affairs and how we can support these
organisations and branches. We have guests from various countries to discuss their
experiences of challenges to raise the profile and gain support form trade unions.
I have been attending the quarterly Regional Health Committee for our branch.
Representatives from all health sectors meet. Feedback from meetings is brought
back to branch meetings.
Retired Officer Report
Report Given by Nigel Self
During the year I attended the Retired members conference held at Southport and
have since explored ways in which we can help inform our members and would
extend an invitation for them to become more active in the work of the branch if they
so wish. This could include help with any future industrial action and with admin
support for example.
Following on from two of the main issues highlighted at the conference, the sharing
of information and Prostate cancer, I have now established contact with two national
charities, Independent Age and Orchid, based at St Bart’s hospital London.
Independent Age have supplied us with information and booklets such as
“Advice for later life, support and entitlements for the over 65s and “Extra help
at home, essential advice for over 65s to live independently ,which, after
consideration of suitability I hope, can be distributed to each of our members.
Orchid are concerned with Men’s cancers and with this in mind I have brought with
me some badges and bracelets which can be purchased from me today to help raise
much needed funds and to raise the profile of the charity.
Our work with the National Health Service, Retirement Fellowship continues and I
have asked for copies of the booklet “Retire from work not from life, to be sent to
all our members.
The fellowship offers social support and help to all NHS retirees via a one off
payment of £15 per year.
In the next couple of months I also aim to make available all relevant and up to date
information regarding the forth coming changes to the pension scheme and the
options which will be available to those members who are considering taking any
pension they may be entitled to.
I will aim to attend this year’s conference, which is to be held in Brighton in October.
Any Other Business
Litter Watch have asked if the branch wants our Logo put on vests, vans etc…This is
to be discussed at next branch meeting to give full consideration.
Andy Kempson asked for the Facility Agreement be communicated to managers as
we give fair notice on time needed but facility arrangement not supported by
managers. (This relates to Black Country partnership reps only) Recognition
agreement is available on the intranet.
Actions:
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To be put on agenda for branch meeting
To be put forward for staff forum agenda
Consideration for the recognition agreement to go on website to be discussed
further at branch meeting.
Charitable Donation
Robert Aros from Penn is a medical student at the University of Bristol. He will be
volunteering for a Charity Moving Mountains. He will be doing work in a clinic in
Nepal offering free medical and dental treatment as well as education.
All agreed to support this application
Next AGM March 2016