HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE IMAGES FROM UNISON'S HOPE NOT HATE FESTIVAL - OVER THE 3 DAYS, AROUND 25,000 PEOPLE CAME, 300 SIGNED UP TO DELIVER ANTI-BNP NEWSPAPERS AND WITH SUCH AS CHINA CRISIS, THE REAL THING AND THE CHRISTIANS ALL PLAYING IN THE SUNSHINE, WE KNOW WE KEPT THE BNP VOTE EXTREMELY LOW IN SEFTON. WHY NOT VISIT THE HOPE NOT HATE WEBSITE AND VIEW SOME FOOTAGE OF THE WHOLE EVENT? 

I would like to thank all UNISON Members in the UK who voted for me in the recent NEC Elections - I received nearly 24,000 votes which, for a 'first-timer' is a fantastic achievement. On this ocassion however, it was not quite enough and a colleague from Bromley who has been on the NEC for many years, was successful achieving 28,000 votes. I would like to congratulate Glenn Kelly on his re-election and thank all those who voted for me.

I will continue to work on the Service Group Executive and represent Members from the North West in Local Government at a national level and hope to build an even bigger vote for the next NEC election in 2 years time.

The full results can be viewed on the UNISON National website:www.unison.co.uk

Glen Williams,

Branch Secretary,

Sefton UNISON

CAR MILEAGE

UNISON has been elected to represent all Council union Members on the Car Mileage Working Party. The task set by the Elected Members was to cut expenditutre by £125,000 by April 2009. The Council proposal was simply to remove the top band of allowance for mileage for the bigger cars, leaving only 2 bands of car user. UNISON argued successfully that at a time of rising fuel prices and economic uncertainty:

 (a) this would create major industrial relations with 1,500 members of staff who would lose out,

(b) this would not achieve the 'green' transport agenda that UNISON and the politicians sought and

(c) the entire essential v casual categories needed reviewing as the scheme was seen as simply a 'perk' for Senior Officers, most of whom do not need a car and do very low annual mileage.

UNISON persuaded the politicians and the Council to back off from the threat of immediate removal of the top band and instead we entered into a joint and productive exercise of exploring fair, greener and more transparent strategies for achieving the savings whilst also promoting a green transport aganda.  This piece of work is now nearly complete subject to further potential amendments following consultation with our Members. The removal of Essential Car User Allowance with the accompanying lump sum will be phased out over a year, whilst the top band of car engine size will be phased out over 3 years, all users will move onto the higher Casual Mileage rates. Reasonable, green friendly alternatives will be offered to all those who lose the Essential Allowance and further talks are planned to resolve such as Pool Cars, Lease Cars and car parking. We will keep you informed.

Please contact the Office if there are any questions.

Glen Williams,

8th May 2009

UNISON Officers and Stewards, and, I am sure, UNISON Members are often told 'there is no point being in a union'.

In Sefton, thousands of UNISON members of staff will tell you that this is simply not true unless of course you:

1. Never go off sick
2. Get on perfectly all the time with your boss, employer and colleagues
3. Have never been passed over for promotion
4. Are overpaid for what you do and
5. Never face the prospect of being bullied, disciplined, made redundant or even dismissed.

If you are in these categories, you clearly do not work for the same local authority as all other Sefton Colleagues.

UNISON is not only about defending Members' rights, it is about campaigning for better conditions of service for all Members as well as the many additional benefits of being part of the biggest public service union in the UK. If you are not in UNISON, you are not insured against some of the potential negative prospects referred to above. The cost of joining is outweighed, not just by peace of mind membership brings, but economically by the savings that are made in many local shops, simply by being a member of UNISON.

If you wish to join, simply call 0151 928 9911 it is that easy.

10 Good Reasons to join Sefton UNISON

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