17th July - PENSIONS MAY LEAD TO DISPUTE - have you seen this fantastic video of 26th March:

 http://grahaminunison.blogspot.com/2011/07/ndc-26th-march-video.html

There can be no doubt that UNISON and several other public sector Unions are on the road to Industrial Action over pensions, if negotiations at a national level do not produce a satisfactory outcome. A massive operation of ensuring our membership details are up-to-date is already underway as we know the law courts will be the first point of contact for the Employer if talks fail. PAY MORE, WORK LONGER AND GET LESS sums up the outcome for our Pensions if talks do not produce a fair outcome. Contact the Branch Office if you want more information or offer to become a' Pensions Contact' or 'Champion' for your workplace. There is much rubbish spoken about our Pension scheme, The truth is our scheme (LGPS) is fully funded and totally financially sustainable for the next 20 years. In brief, it is not broken so does not need fixing.

ACADEMIES - Under the delusion of more money and greater autonomy, 7 secondary schools in Sefton are proposing to go for Academy status. Chesterfield High, Formby High, Range High, Greenbank High, Birkdale High, Deyes High and Maghull High are all choosing to ignore the preferences of the staff and parents, trade unions and pupils (as well as their respective feeder schools) and follow the false promises of central government and opt out of local authority control. Taxpayers will be paying for these schools to, in effect, be private enterprises and no taxpayers will have a say. Except for 1 school (who ignored the outcome of the ballot), all others have refused even to adopt the Council's advice to hold a parental ballot. Staff have been threatened with disciplinary action for simply presenting counter arguments against moving to an Academy! Whilst the salary of the Head teacher is set to increase, all other' benefits', educational, financial and developmental are entirely unfounded.Such is the concern of the Council that it has been agreed that the Scrutiny Review urgently review how consultation of parents is being held (or not as the case may be) by these schools.

 ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC STRATEGY - Visit the TUC Website and watch the Cuts Are Not the Answer video:

Want to get involved or find out more - contact the Branch Office.

September28th  2011 

MARCH AND RALLY - Sunday 2nd OCTOBER - Join thousands of other trade union members from across the country in Marching on Manchester who host the Conservative Government's Annual Conference.

FREE Transport will be arranged for Sefton UNISON Members to get to Manchester from Sefton leaving approximately 10am and returning in the afternoon. To book a place simply call the Branch Office - 0151 928 9911. Following on from the massive success and enjoyment of 26th March TUC event in London, we need to keep on the pressure of this coalition government - please come to what will be a great day out. 

PENSIONS Ballot (local govenment)Timetable- 

28/9/11 - ballot notices despatched to the Employer - this is a legal notice telling the employer who is being balloted and when

11/10/11 - ballot papers posted to members' homes - not got one by 17th October, or something missing call UNISONdirect on 0845 355 0845

17/10/11 Not received a Ballot paper? - call UNISONdirect on 0845 355 0845

31/10/11 - NOON is deadline for any members requesting a ballot paper via UNISONdirect

3/11/11 - ballot closes

 UNISON Members will be aware that our Pensions are under attack from this coalition govenment. A national ballot of 9,000 employers and over 1,000,000 Members for industrial action was called by Dave Prentis, Genral Secretary of UNISON to defend our totally funded Pension scheme. Conference Policy means this action will be linked into national action being taken by other public sector unions and Unite, GMB along with the FBU also announced  at the TUC their intention to ballot their members. The message over pensions is clear - we will not pay more, work longer and take out less and this government needs to start listening to the millions of ordinary working people who have already suffered as a result of their ideologically driven economics, ignoring the alternatives. Join in the protest on 2nd October, stop the Pensions robbery and check out the ballot details above leading towards 30th November day of action.

SND - UNISON Members in Sefton New Directions will be balloted next week (29/30th Sept) over final proposals to their terms and conditions. After months of negotiating UNISON now has the final report that will be sent to all Members' homes with a ballot paper enclosed. Mass meetings have been called during the ballot period to address any questions Members may have in relation to the final proposal and details of the process will also be emailed to our Members. The Meetings will take place as follows:

Tuesday 4th October - 5.30-7pm Upstairs in The Victoria Pub, Waterloo and

Thursday 6th October - 5.30-7pm at The Devonshire Social Club, Southport

All details will be sent out next week to all Members' home addresses.

Thompsons Solicitors will  write to all claimants with individual details of their claims once the decisin of the ballot is known and will attend the meetings to take any general questions in relation to those claims.

AUGUST 2011 

PENSIONS DISPUTE

It seems clear that we are heading towards a national dispute with the ConDem Government over our Pensions. It is crucial that our membership details are up to date in order to avoid legal challenges from some of the thousands of employers where UNISON members work. In Sefton we have emailed all members and will be writing to others simply asking them to send us your current details, name, address, workplace, job title and the name of the Pension Scheme you are in.

Please do not wait to be asked - call 0151 929 9911 NOW and leave your details to ensure any ballot cannot be successfully challenged for us not having up-to-date records.

ACADEMIES - 7 'Senior' schools in Sefton are determined to plough ahead with their plans to become Academies, despite a lack of any meaningful consultation. Where even limited consultation has taken place it is clear there is massive opposition and uncertainty. Acadamies are essentially privatised educational facilities that the taxpayer funds but has no control over or input into. Want to know more or get involved? - Contact the Branch Office.

Sefton New Directions - Following months of uncertainty and anxiety for staff and service users, talks between SND and UNISON have achieved significant progress and all staff have been provided with a copy of a joint statement indicating a settlement has been achieved. All UNISON members' individual claims will now be processed via our Lawyers and the final details will be made available over the next few weeks. UNISON will then be calling mass meetings to explain the new position of the claims and the future of the company as the final Plan C is progressed in relation to terms and conditions over the next 12 months and beyond.

Job Evaluation - Appeals continue on a regular basis and UNISON continues to present cases on behalf of its Members with some notable successes. If you have a query about Job Evaluation, please contact the Branch Office for an up-date.

Council Budget - Talks have now begun in relation to potential savings to be made by the Council. It is clear there will be further significant changes to the way the Council provides services moving ever closer to a commissioning body and away from a direct provider model. UNISON meets every week with the Council to work through the plans and will keep members informed. It is clear there are implications for all council-related organisations whether you be in arvato, Capita Symonds, Autism Initiativies, SND, OVH or any other employer that provides a public service. Want to get involved - contact the Branch Office - 0151 928 9911.

Workplace Meetings - Do you want to find out more of what's going on? Contact the Office and ask for a workplace meeting to be arranged and we will do the rest. Non-Members willing to join will also be welcome.

Friday 3rd June

Website Revamp - Officers of the Branch have met with the web designer and as a result a new far more accessible all singing all dancing website will soon be here. Once it is here we will be seeking further ideas for additional improvement.

FINANCIAL SURGERY - UNISON MEMBERS ONLY - These are financially challenging times particularly with threats to our jobs, pay and pensions. UNISON has set up specialist advice sessions FREE for our Members as follows:

- Southport Town Hall, Marshside Room - Tuesday 14th June 9-5 (all 30 Mins appointments)

- Sefton UNISON Branch Office (38 CHurch Road Waterloo) - Wed 15th June 9-5 and

- Magdalen House syndicate room 2, 4th Floor Thursday, 16th June 9-5

To book a FREE 30 minute appointment please call Sian Summers on 01273 523 708 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Redundancy Threat - If you are told you are at risk or written to please contact the Branch so we can ensure you get proper advice and representation.

Monday 16th May

 This has certainly been a busy few months for our Branch and the following are examples of what has happened and what is coming up. Please make a decision to get involved.

1/ Academies in Sefton - 7 schools in Sefton are looking to become Academies - this is privatisation of our education system by another name. For the perspective Head Teachers refuse to share with parents, staff and governors, please visit the anti-academies alliance website (just search the name). Sefton UNISON is heavily involved in opposing any move to academy status and public meetings, lobby of Governor's Meetings and petitions are already underway. Contact the Branch Office for more information.

2/ Fib Dems get hammered! - Across the country and in Sefton especially, the Fib Dems were punished for their broken promises and power hungry coalition with public sector slashing Tories. To everyone who has attended a lobby of Council meetings, written a letter to MPs or Councillors, signed a petition and/or marched on 26th March, congratulations as the first part of the strategy has been a massive success. We have begun to shake this local and national coalition to its knees. In Sefton this means we now have Labour as the majority Party with a Labour Party Leader. It remains to be seen how the Labour group will manage the budget and how the other two minor parties will respond, but a clear message has been sent - public sector workers are fed up of being punished for the greed of investors and bankers.

3/. Pensions - The Coalition Millionnaires Club is now coming for public sector Pensions. Discussions are well underway already between thepublic services unions about national co-ordinated industrial action. Pension' Champions' and 'Contact's are being set up in every Branch - interested? - Just contact the Branch Office - 928 9911

4/ Job Evaluation  - Rememebr that? The JE Officers are presently completing the moderation and 'snagging' process to resolve cases that should not need to go to any Appeal. This is finally coming to an end and the first Job Evaluation Appeals should occur at the end of this month.

5/ Redundancies - Reviews- UNISON continues to meet every Wednesday with the Council to work through all implications of reviews and any potential redundancies. If you are sent a letter relating to being 'at risk' please contact the Branch Office to ensure we can represent your views at the regular meetings.

UNISON is grateful to all Members for their patience during these worrying times - there will be some of your colleagues not in UNISON, we need more to join as more members means more influence. Ask them to join and we will do the rest.

30th June

 Strike Action - UNISON members are encouraged to support all the industrial action taking place today by NUT, ATL, UCU and PCS in defence of Pensions. This is the beginning of the fight back. UNISON members have already been sent guidance on the legitimate ways to support our sister unions, but if there are any questions simply contact a Steward or the Office. General Secretary, Dave Prentis, at UNISON Conference last week made it very clear, if negotiations in relation to our Pensions do not produce an acceptable outcome we will be balloted for Industrial Action.

Job Cuts - UNISON met yesterday with the Council who advised that next week plans for potential further cuts would be shared. It is likely that these will be general headings and we have asked for specific time each week to look at the budget in detail. UNISON members will be sent the details as they arise and reports to those presently going through the review and potential redundancy process will continue to get weekly bulletins sent to them. If you are not receiving these, pease contact the Office.

Job Evaluation Appeals - These are now underway and dealing with those workers who lost money -A UNISON Officer presents our Members' Appeals and another UNISON Officer sits on the panel along with management. It is clear we are already having some success in changing the initial score for the post.

Recruit a colleague - If ever there was a time to join a union this is it! Ask one of your colleagues whether they will join us as it adds strength to us all the greater we are in number.