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UNISON's e-mail newsletter for the community and voluntary sector
In this edition: news of our latest work with national target employers; information and guidance on challenging racism, procurement, and the Independent Safeguarding Authority; a new recognition agreement for members in Adepta; an activists' network in the South East region; a petition on funding for the sector in Scotland; a provisional date for a national seminar next year; and a special article on Skills for Life.
For further information on UNISON's work in the community and voluntary sector (CVS), visit the website:
www.unison.org.uk/voluntary <http://www.unison.org.uk/voluntary>
National target employers
UNISON's National Community & Voluntary Sector Unit has a number of employers which are national targets. This means that we co-ordinate the activities of regions and branches in those employers, put extra resources into recruitment and organising initiatives, and approach the employers nationally on questions of terms and conditions.
We are currently reviewing what our national targets should be, and would very much welcome input from organisers, branches, activists and members. If you have any suggestions as to which employers we should target, please get in touch, providing as much background information and justification as you can.
There are many reasons why we might select a particular employer - such as an existing membership base, a group of activists who are keen to get more involved, an employer where you think we might be able to achieve a recognition agreement, or interest from non-members who we think we might be able to recruit.
Contact: m.short@unison.co.uk <mailto:m.short@unison.co.uk>
Challenging racism in the workplace
A copy of UNISON's Challenging Racism in the Workplace toolkit is attached. The toolkit contains lots of advice on what the law says with regard to race equality, assessing how committed your employer is to equality, collective bargaining around equalities issues, developing a practical course of action, and information on legal enforcement. You are strongly encouraged to discuss the toolkit with your branches, so that you can develop bargaining and organising strategies around race equality in your employers.
Contact: p.akhtar@unison.co.uk <mailto:p.akhtar@unison.co.uk>
Procurement
UNISON will very soon be publishing a guide to Procurement for branches and organisers. This will be a comprehensive document, explaining the various stages in the process of public sector bodies commissioning and paying for services from the voluntary and private sectors. It will contain advice on submitting in-house bids, ensuring terms and conditions are protected, promoting equalities, and recruiting and organising.
In the meantime, the Office of Government Commerce has published guidance on dealing with social issues in procurement. This may be of interest as you seek to persuade local authorities, NHS Trusts and voluntary sector employers that contracts shouldn't just be about who can provide a service cheapest. Click here to read the guidance: http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Social_Issues_in_Public_Procurement.pdf
Contact: m.short@unison.co.uk <mailto:m.short@unison.co.uk>
Independent Safeguarding Authority
From October 2009, all individuals working or volunteering with vulnerable adults or children will be required to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), a new non-departmental public body which has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable people. This will affect over 11 million people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland an aligned scheme is being set up under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) (Scotland) Act 2007.
There is plenty of information about the scheme on the UNISON website - click here http://www.unison.org.uk/professionalservices/pages_view.asp?did=7547 to be signposted to guides for members and branches, as well as updates on the campaigning we are doing on this issue.
UNISON's main concern about the scheme is the cost of £64, which will have to be paid my individual workers. In our view this is not fair to staff, many of whom are very low paid.
We would be very interested to hear from activists and members about what steps their employers have been taking to prepare for the implementation of the ISA scheme.
Contact: m.short@unison.co.uk
Adepta - new recognition agreement
Members who work for Adepta, a provider of support services for people with learning disabilities, will know that their employer has recently merged with Dimensions - an organisation providing similar services. UNISON has a recognition agreement with Dimensions, under which all terms and conditions are negotiated with UNISON reps. As a result of the merger, members in Adepta will now come under this agreement - this is good news, as it means negotiating rights have been gained for 170 more members.
If you work for Adepta and would like to get involved as a negotiator, steward or workplace contact, please get in touch as soon as possible! It is important that we build on this development and increase our membership.
Contact: m.short@unison.co.uk
Joint meeting of National Forum and Regional Organisers
The National Community and Voluntary Sector Forum (UNISON's national committee for the sector) and the lead Regional Organisers for the sector recently came together to discuss organising strategies and share best practice. It was a very successful day: the National Forum is now larger than ever, with most regions represented, and many regions have developed innovative ways of recruiting members and identifying reps in voluntary sector workplaces which are hard to get to. Those present stressed the importance of using UNISON's new Area Organisers and Local Organisers, developing projects with clear organising targets, and campaigning on key workplace issues like pay, facility time, safeguarding and sleep-ins. The meeting also heard from Paul Regan of London Citizens, who talked about his organisation's successes in bringing together community groups, unions and faith groups in order to provide a broad base when campaigning for 'living wages' and other social priorities.
Voluntary sector funding in Scotland
UNISON Scotland has been working with the Scottish TUC, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Community Care Providers Scotland and Unite to take forward the issue of funding for the voluntary sector and improved pay and conditions for voluntary sector workers.
A petition has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament, calling on the Parliament to urge the Government to support the voluntary sector.
The petition has received good coverage, for example this article in The Herald: http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2459886.0.voluntary_groups_in_calls_for_fairer_funding.php
Readers in Scotland can sign the petition by visiting http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/list_petitions.asp - it is important though that you only sign one petition.
Contact: s.macfarlane@unison.co.uk
Calling everyone in the South East!
UNISON's South East region will be setting up its own e-mail distribution group for the community and voluntary sector, so that you can be kept informed about what's happening in the region. If you would like to be added to this list, please e-mail your details, and those of anyone else who may like to be included, to: d.houlihan@unison.co.uk
National seminar - date for your diary
The National Community & Voluntary Sector Forum intends to hold a national seminar for UNISON activists in the sector in 2009. This will be a great opportunity for you to meet colleagues from all around the country, discuss government policy relating to the sector and UNISON's response to it, and make plans for how we are going recruit, organise an negotiate as we seek to represent members in the sector. The provisional dates are Friday 13 and Saturday 14 March 2009 - make a note and keep the days free!
Skills for Life: by Davinder Sandhu, UNISON Learning & Workforce Development Officer
New to UNISON
Hello my name's Davinder I am UNISON's new Learning & Workforce Development Officer, specialising in Skills for Life. I'm new to working with a union but have had extensive experience of Skills for Life work as a practitioner and a manager.
A bit of background
In the past I have worked as a Careers Adviser, as a Training Officer in a homeless hostel supporting people to developing literacy and job search skills, and for an environmental charity supporting unemployed people overcome multiple barriers to work i.e. issues with drugs or alcohol, ex-offenders, low self-esteem, and learning difficulties. As a Learning Mentor I supported pupils that were under-achieving.
Most recently
I worked for a local authority as a Curriculum Manager for Skills for Life & Family Learning. I set up the Skills for Life department working with the community and voluntary sector to recruit tutors, establish need, develop innovative programmes and tackle the Skills for Life needs of residents. I worked in partnership with a social enterprise group to provide childcare in remote locations. I have experience of embedding confidence and enterprising skills within language courses, embedding numeracy within a sewing course and setting up courses like 'Raising Self-esteem through Art'.
To present day
As a Learning & Workforce Development Officer for UNISON I am seeking to use my practical hands on experience of Skills for Life issues to have a more strategic impact. We are all aware that the lack of literacy, numeracy or language skills is a huge barrier to people progressing in their lives.
So I look forward to working jointly with community and voluntary sector members and activists to find ways in which we can break down the Skills for Life barriers and empower members to fully realise their potential. Do feel free to contact me to discuss how Skills for Life needs can be addressed in your area.
Contact:
D.Sandhu@unison.co.uk
CALLING ALL ORGANISERS AND STEWARDS! If you have any news items for inclusion in the next edition of CVS e-news, please contact Mike Short at m.short@unison.co.uk <mailto:m.short@unison.co.uk> .