unison u magazine – winter 2012

WIN

TER

2012

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALL UNISON MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

All the news andpictures from 30 November

The tradeunionistbeaten for his beliefs

What differencedoes UNISONmake to Labour?

New faces on the picket line

‘why we had to do it’

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WINTER 2012U MAGAZINE 3

Welcome toWINTER 2012

DAVE PRENTISUNISON GENERAL SECRETARY

Entering the New Year, I feel so proud of UNISONmembers. I’m proud of the stand you have taken in defence of your pensions. And I’m proud of theextraordinary public services that you continue toprovide, despite personal pressure and hardship.

November 30 was an historic day. By taking strikeaction, you made your presence and your feelingsfelt across the country.

I want to say a personal thank you to everyone whotook part, or provided emergency cover on the day.Many of you had never taken strike action before, and I know it was a hard decision to make. But yourcourage was inspirational – with literally thousands ofnew members queuing up to join UNISON as a result.

Your show of strength has also forced ministers toengage in serious negotiations over public servicepensions. We remain determined to win a fair dealfor all of you.

Of course we face other challenges this year, withcontinued threats to jobs and conditions, and to theservices you provide. Your commitment and resolveare as vital as ever. And please keep talking to yourcolleagues – the more members we have, thestronger our voice.

Here’s to a successful 2012.

Volume 19, number 4 U is published by UNISON – the publicservice union – and distributed to every member. Non members pay £30 a year.Editorial enquiries The Editor, UNISON centre, 130 Euston Road,London NW1 2AY Tel: 0845 355 0845; Textphone 08000967968 Email: [email protected] Advertising Redactive Media Group, 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP020 7880 6200; [email protected] every effort is made to ensure the reliability of advertisers,UNISON cannot accept any liability. Inclusion of advertisements doesnot imply any recommendation. Design www.design-mill.co.uk Cover photo Paul Box/Report Digital Print TU ink Paper 100% Post-consumer wastePolywrap Oxo-degradable polythene U magazine is available in audio format by contacting Pat Payne, UNISON communications, at the address above.

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TALK TO US: PHONE 0845 355 0845Monday to Friday 6am to midnight and Saturday 9am to 4pm. If you want to change membership details, call this number, visit the website or get in touch with your branch or region. Calls may be recorded for training purposes. Textphone 08000 967 968VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

Features4 Pensions day of action

What next for UNISON members and their pensions5 Enough is Enough

Strike coverage from the 12 regions19 The struggle will be heard

Quinton Dlamini, a Swazi trade unionist, tells of hishopes for a better future

22 Murder maybe, divorce neverThe relationship that’s sometimes stormy but always there

26 Meals on wheels service savedWhen 100% price rises are hard to swallow

Regulars28 Me and my job31 Bouquet to a member32 Letters36 Puzzle fun!

4 U MAGAZINEWINTER 2012

The 30 November was anhistoric day – millions ofpublic service workersunited to say: “Enough isenough” in reply to the

attack on their pensions. From midnight onwards picket lines

were set up, and as dawn broke the strikewas well underway. In a mood of calmdetermination, thousands of members –many of whom had never taken strikeaction before – took a stand for theirpensions, and the pensions of futuregenerations. Around midday, the strikersjoined sympathetic members of thepublic to march together to rallies in city centres all over the country.

UNISON general secretary DavePrentis said: “The day will go down in history as the largest coordinatedindustrial action, the biggestdemonstration of determination anddefiance, that this country has witnessedfor almost a century. It was a great dayfor UNISON and my proudest day asgeneral secretary.”

Thousands of new members joinedUNISON in the run-up to the strike, andeven on the day itself, as they realised thatthey needed protection from the attackson their terms and conditions.

But where do we go from here?The strike achieved its aim of gettingministers back into meaningfulnegotiations. Since 30 November, centralnegotiations, led by Dave Prentis, haveresumed and negotiations are takingplace around the specific schemes.

The TUC public sector liaison groupmet in December to plan the wayforward, and it decided that sectornegotiation is the best way forward,

with unity within sectors being crucial.UNISON’s service group executives hitthe ground running after the New Year,meeting to decide the next steps to take,and holding the union’s third pensionssummit on 10 January.

All agreed we need to keep themomentum going, keep campaigning,build on our recruitment successes andprepare for further action if necessary.

The situation changes from day to day,so keep checking the UNISON websiteat unison.org.uk but here are the broadareas of progress to date.

Local governmentNegotiations over the LocalGovernment Pensions Scheme (LGPS)for England, Wales and NorthernIreland are continuing. The LocalGovernment Association (LGA) andLocal Government Employers (LGE)have agreed principles and a timetablefor negotiations to defer any changewithin the LGPS until 2014. Thesenegotiations cover both short and long-term changes to the LGPS in order tofind solutions that are appropriate tothe LGPS membership and thestructure of the scheme itself.

UNISON and the other 10 LGPSunions have managed to reach aconsensus with the employers, actuariesand fund managers that the coalition’sdemand for £900m short-term savingsfrom the LGPS could not be met withoutharming the scheme. Alternative ways ofrealising the ‘savings’ are being looked for.

Both the Department of Communitiesand Local Government (DCLG) andLGA proposals contain changes to theaccrual rate to achieve this.

The longer-term changes to all public

sector pensions from 2015, put forwardby Danny Alexander, calls for an accrualrate of 1/60 – the same as the currentLGPS – linked to a career average scheme.

It also provides for protection ofbenefits and retirement ages for thosewithin 10 years of retirement and sometapered protection for those just outsidethe 10-year limit.

HealthAfter the success of 30 November, talks on the health service pensionscheme resumed.

A Heads of Agreement – a frameworkfor talks – was reached. This is not a deal– it simply paves the way for detailednegotiations to take place.

Formal negotiations on the NHS pension scheme in Scotland have not yet started with the Scottishgovernment.

The government seems intent onmoving from final salary to career average(CARE) schemes across the public sector.UNISON does not oppose CAREschemes in principle as they often benefitwomen and lower-paid members.However, the type and value of the CAREscheme is important, and various modelsare being considered for the NHS.

For all members, your electedrepresentatives will continue to meet todiscuss the way forward and any finaldecision will be made through theunion’s democratic structures.

To keep up to date with events andtalks as they take place, stop off at theUNISON website at unison.org.uk tocheck the latest news. UClare [email protected]

STRIKEWHAT NEXT?

Pensionsday of actionWHAT NEXT FOR UNISON MEMBERS AND THEIR PENSIONS?


UNISON general secretary Dave Prentisbrought a packed National Indoor Arena to its feet in Birmingham on 30 November as he praised workers fromacross public services for taking action to protect their pensions.

And on what he described as anhistoric day, he reiterated the call tomake the bankers pay for the financialcrisis that they caused – not those peopleproviding vital public services.

Mr Prentis told the packed meeting in Birmingham that, since early in themorning, he’d been “touring workplacesand receiving reports from around thecountry. The day is still unfolding, butit’s already clear that it will go down inhistory as the largest coordinatedindustrial action, the biggestdemonstration of determination anddefiance, that this country has witnessedfor almost a century.”

He told them that history was beingmade, “not by politicians – not bybankers and business leaders, but by themillions of ordinary men and women;few of them militants or hardenedactivists, many thousands who havenever taken industrial action before,who, with courage and quiet resolve have said: ‘enough is enough’.”

Mr Prentis condemned the bankers,and the way in which they are beinghanded the reins of power in countriessuch as Greece and Italy.

And he had a simple message for thegovernment: “Hands off our pensions,hands off our public services and, whileyou’re at it, you can hand back the keysto Downing Street.

“Be in no doubt,” he told his audience,“that day will come.

I can’t give you an exact date, but I knowthat today, with this magnificent show of spirit and strength, you’ve certainlybrought it closer.”

And saying that “this is the day weturned the tide”, he urged them to “take heart, take courage”. UAmanda [email protected]

Dave Prentis addressesBirmingham rally

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Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary in Birmingham

‘Enough is enough’

UNISON general secretary DavePrentis got on theUNISON bus at5.45am to visithospital workersstriking at Guys andSt Thomas’ hospital

US nurses led protests outside BritishEmbassies in Washington DC and fiveConsulates. UNISON members werealso sent messages of support bytrade unions in Canada, Bangladesh,Holland, Russia, Spain, Ireland,Nicaragua, France, Australia, thePhilippines, Norway, Lithuania,Poland, Sweden, Croatia, Korea and Bermuda amongst others.

International friends

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Andrea Hallam fears for the future of herfamily. The mother-of-three is alreadyholding down three jobs and still life is a struggle. She took her very personalmessage to the picket line at Queen’sMedical Centre in Nottingham.

Andrea is a phlebotomist working forGP practices, a health care assistant andtakes out-of-hours calls for emergencymedical services, yet still her annualearnings only come to £17,000.

With her 19-year-old daughter atuniversity and sons aged 17 and 15, the bills are just getting higher.

“I’m really feeling it now,” Andrea said,“more than ever. Everything is going up.I’m on really hard times now, every pennymatters and it is only going to get worse.

“The other workers at my surgery havebeen very supportive of my action today.I am here now because it is affecting mylife. I’m working full time and gettingless money.”

Everyone that walked past Andrea asthey went into the hospital took a leafletfrom her, many giving a smile and sayingthey would read about her message.

“I don’t agree with what the governmentwant to do,” Andrea said: “If we have towork until we are 68, I don’t know if I will be able to do all my jobs then.”

Now aged 46, she fears that her long

term prospects are bleak. “I just don’tknow about the future. I worry for mychildren. My daughter is at uni and myson is at college but he cannot get a parttime job – there is nothing out there forthem. It is a frightening future, I justdon’t know what will happen.”

Andrea gets support from herchildren’s father and her fiancé butmoney is still tight.

She is angry with the government overthe pension proposals. “Before they gotin, they said they would not touch publicworkers but that is exactly what theyhave done and I cannot see how it willget better. It is totally wrong what theyare going to do.” UAnne [email protected]

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STRIKEEAST MIDLANDS

Andrea Hallamin Nottingham

Andrea Hallam, a healthcare workerin Nottingham

‘I worry formy children’

Bronwyn McKenna, UNISON assistantgeneral secretary, denounced MichaelGove’s attack on union members at a rally in Cardiff, saying: “UNISONmembers are on strike today not because they are making wild demands. Our members do the jobs which make our society decent.All they want is dignity in retirement.”

No ‘wild demands’

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Everyone deservesa decent pension


Craig Mooney is an assisted livingsupport worker with two disabled clients.He has been doing the job with VAMW(a Lanarkshire-based voluntaryorganisation) for 10 years after sevenyears with the ambulance service. At7.30am on 30 November he was on apicket line at his organisation’sheadquarters in Motherwell, striking forthe first time, along with some of hiscolleagues.

They are part of a number of non-public sector workers whose pensions arepart of the local government scheme.

He fully supported the strike and thefight that UNISON and the otherunions are putting up. He said “I thinkpeople have had enough. They are tiredof being pushed around, and made tocarry the can for a crisis they didn’t cause.Voluntary sector workers are poorly paid– we haven’t had a pay rise for five years,and even before that average pay wasonly £14,300 a year – and we cannotaccept further cuts to our pensions. Thebanks caused the financial crisis, andthey should stop raiding public servicesto subsidise their bonuses.”

Later U magazine caught up withCraig at the 1,000 strong rally outsideMotherwell Civic Centre. He had beenpleased with the support in hisorganisation, with the numbers on thepicket line growing over the morning.

Many low-paid workers outside the ALAN

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Craig Mooney, a support worker from Lanarkshire

Craig Mooney joinsthe picket line at7.30am

‘I think people have had enough’

public sector, like Craig and his colleagues, willdepend on a decent pension scheme to stopthem having to claim benefits when they retire.For them the struggle for a decent publicsector pension, is directly a struggle for adecent pension in the voluntary sector too. UChris [email protected]

In Newcastle nurse Maddy Nettleshipsaid: “as a nurse that works in thecommunity, I know that the patients Isee in their own homes appreciate thecare that they receive from the NHSand I am the person that delivers thatcare to them. They have told me thatthey support the reason why I am onstrike today.”

Patient supportPublic service workers are taking action in aweek when bankers’ bonuses are running at£4.5 billion, the government has announcedanother pay freeze and that a total of710,000 public service jobs will go, DavePrentis told the Radio 4 Today programme,in a day on which the UNISON generalsecretary took part in a media blitz.

Media blitz

Child socialworker AnnHarringtontaking actionin CardiffPA

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Among those taking action for a decentpension was nurse Sue Highton, on thepicket line at Grenoside Hospital outsideSheffield in South Yorkshire.

Sue, 58, has worked for the NHS for36 years. “I started off as a domestic,then as a support worker,” she said.

She believes the attack on pensions left public service workers with no choice but to strike.

There are the changes planned forincreasing retirement age. “Now peoplecan retire at 60 but they will have towork until they are 66,” she said. “Overthe next two years they will also have topay another 3% of their earnings, andtheir pensions will be reduced.

“Even people on decent wages willthink twice about joining the pensionscheme. It will become unaffordable –pay the mortgage or rent, put food onthe table, or pay for your pension. Theywill just stop paying it. Even now peopleare paying 6% of a low wage. It will goup to 9%. That’s a lot of money.”

She believes everyone – working inpublic service and the private sector –should be entitled to a fair pension:“We should be fighting for a fairpension for everybody.” And of herpublic service colleagues she said:“People go into the public services. It’s24-hour services, 52 weeks a year. We

accept that. It is public service and weall love doing it. But you knew you weregetting a proper pension and they aretrying to take it away. Our people workfrom 18 to 60 and they walk away witha £7,000 lump sum and a £2,000 a year pension.

“Compare that to the pensions NickClegg and David Cameron will get. Yettheir ministers say their offer is generous.This cannot be fair.” UPeter [email protected]

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On the picket line atSheffield health and

social care headquarters

Sue Highton, a nurse from Sheffield

‘This cannot be fair’

‘ ’Everyone – working inpublic service and theprivate sector – should beentitled to a fair pension

“There are nearly three millionpeople across this land outdoing the same as you,”UNISON assistant generalsecretary Karen Jennings tolda rally in Brighton. And thecrowd were further buoyed byher parting message: “Go inpeace – and I’ll see you againif this government doesn’tcome to heel!”

‘Go in peace’

Rory Mountford Lisle, aged 3,enjoys the free kids’ activitysession run by UNISONmembers in Nottingham

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“People are going to realise what publicservices really are today,” announced Alix Brodie-Wray at the University ofBrighton on 30 November.

The research office worker reflectedthat there’s a tendency to think publicservices are made up of “people in suits,but today they’ll see who we all are.”

Alix had never been a union member,but she decided to join UNISONabout a year ago and now she thinksthat there are “a lot of threats at themoment, so it’s a good idea for me tohave representation for the things that are coming.”

The university had picket linesorganised for all the entrances to itsmany different sites, but when thestudent union advised students not to go in on the day of action, the decisionwas taken to close the whole university.

But Alix still turned out with herUNISON flag at 8am to give a publicshow of support for the strike.

“It seems like the right thing to do,and it’s good to be doing something. I’mhappy to talk to members of the publicabout it because it’s easy to explain –basically, it’s wrong,” she said. UClaire [email protected]


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Alix Brodie-Wray, research office worker from University of Brighton

‘’I’m happy to talkto members ofthe public aboutit because it’seasy to explain –basically it’swrong

‘It seems like theright thing to do’

Alix Brodie-Wray atBrighton University

Look out for pension robbers in the West Midlands

GLA workers defied Tory Londonmayor Boris Johnson to take action.“These are key workers for the mayor of London, a high profile Tory politician in the frontline of Tory policy. Boris was determined to keep City Hall open today. We haveeffectively ensured that 90% of staffjoined the strike. It shows howdetermined these people are toprotect their pensions,” said Londonregional secretary Linda Perks.

Boris bashed

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Josie Bird, a finance assistant atNewcastle city council, was showing her support for the day of action despitebeing on maternity leave: “I couldn’tmiss being on the picket line with myson Joseph (six months), wearing his t-shirt saying ‘My Mummy deserves a decent pension’.

“As a new mother who will bereturning to work in January, my pension is really important to me,” Josie continued, “but I worry about theincreased contributions that I am beingasked to pay, because with a youngfamily every penny will count.”

Josie worried about paying 50% moreinto her pension every month. As sheexplained: “I don’t earn much but Iwork hard, and I believe that theservices provided by me and my publicsector colleagues are an essential part increating a civilised society where thevulnerable are protected. Ouremployment and our pensions are not a drain on society.”

“My husband works in the privatesector. So for me this fight is not justabout public sector pensions but privatesector pensions too. We should all havedignity in retirement.” URuth [email protected]

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Joseph and Josie

‘We should all have dignity in retirement’Josie Bird, a finance assistant from Newcastle

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Teaching assistant Debbie Theuma: “We are being asked to pay for what

the bankers did and that is wrong”

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Flying theUNISON flag forfair pensions inCambridge

In Nottingham a 62-year-oldauxiliary nurse, who did not wishto be named, described how shecried as she left her night shift to join the strike. “I made surethere was cover for the patientsand then left. I was crying athaving to do it but I felt sostrongly. The government hadpromised people who don’t getgood wages a good pension. It’s just dreadful.”

‘I was crying’

Eddyna Danso from London’s StThomas’ hospital has been an operatingtheatre practitioner for 37 years. On 30November she said she felt “passionateand angry” about the attacks on her andher children’s futures.

“I’ve paid my pension all these yearsbecause in my old age I did not want tolive off the state. Now I don’t know whatwill happen, but I do know that I’mgoing to have to work longer and thateveryone coming after me will have towork longer and get less.”

Ms Danso said that for her whole lifeshe has worked “non-stop, really hard. In the 1970s and 80s when I had mythree children you only had six weeksmaternity leave so I was back in theoperating theatre six weeks after havingeach of my three babies.

“But I had a work ethic. I did notwant to be a single parent living onbenefits – I wanted to keep working.

“Mr Cameron talked about fairnessand how we are all in this together. Butthis isn’t fair.”

Ms Danso said that one of herchildren now works for local governmentand is also on strike today.

“His pension will also be affected. Hewill have to work longer before he canget it. But there’s also no way he canafford to buy a home or anything likethat in this climate.”

UNISON had worked with hospitalmanagers to ensure that emergencyservices would not be affected along withLondon ambulance staff who had alsomade sure that there was plenty of coverfor emergency calls.

David Lang, the UNISON rep for 150 members at three stations explained:“We could not just walk out and leaveLondoners without an ambulanceservice. We have a duty of care. We dothis because we love it. Although we had

reduced cover, we still had enoughpeople to answer calls.”

Mr Lang says he and his colleagueswere united in their surprise at theministers’ assertions that the NHSpension scheme – £2billion in the black– was in need of extra contributions.

“I now have got to work till I’m 66.Apparently, younger members are goingto have to work till they’re 69. This is atough job, with a lot of lifting ofpatients. As far as I’m concernedparamedics should be given the sameconsideration as police and firemen, whoretire at 60. This is putting us at risk, andpatients at risk. A 69-year-old hauling aperson up the stairs is absurd. No-onehas thought about that.” UDemetrios [email protected]


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STRIKEGREATER LONDON

Eddyna Danso, an operating theatre practitioner from London

‘ ’Mr Cameron talkedabout fairness and howwe are all in this together.But this isn’t fair

‘In my old age I don’t want to live off the state’

Eddyna Danso at St Thomas’ Hospital

Speaking at a rally in SwindonUNISON assistant general secretaryRoger McKenzie urged members to“stand strong, stand tall and standfirm” so that “together we will win thisbattle.” He had a clear message forchancellor George Osborne: “Listento the people. We demand the rightto decent pensions, we demand theright to decent services and wedemand the right to decent terms and conditions in the workplace.”

Listen to the people

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On the picket lineat the University

of Brighton


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‘The largestgathering sincethe peace rallies’15,000 on the streets of Belfast

The day of action on 30 Novemberproduced a solid strike across the publicservices in Northern Ireland.

Hundreds of venues were picketed asplenty of members of the public showedsupport to public service workers.

A portable stove top meant bacon buttieswere on the go at the health and social careboard at Linenhall Street in Belfast, whilegreedy looking bankers threatened to takeaway hard working UNISON members’pensions at the Belfast rally.

In terms of the media, UNISON ledagainst the CBI on the morning’s main liveBBC radio programme, came out trumpson a UTV anti-union radio show, and sawmembers featured on BBC and ITV, withextensive local press coverage in allcounties.

A rally at Belfast city hall was the largestsince the old trade union peace rallies,with UNISON playing the leading role as 15,000 people came together to voicetheir opposition to the attacks on theirpensions. UU [email protected]

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A pensioner of tomorrow believeseveryonedeserves a decent pension

Action in Scotland started early, with a piperand reception committee welcoming thesecurity guards at Glasgow CaledonianUniversity who walked out on strike at midnight.Pickets were also out at midnight at TaysidePolice HQ, and many other 24 hour services.

As the morning unfolded, pickets fromStornoway to the Borders raised the UNISONflag at council offices, health centres, hospitals,police headquarters, universities and colleges,including Glasgow’s iconic Rennie MackintoshSchool of Art.

Piper’s picket

“The message has got through that we’regoing to have to work longer and paymore,” said council worker Phil Chan,45, out on strike at Bristol city counciland one of many with fears about thefuture uppermost in their minds.

The consultation and research officeradded: “If these changes go through it’s athreat to the pension fund. The scheme issustainable at the moment – the concern isthat will change if the added contributionsmean more people leave the scheme.

“The government ministers aren’tinterested in providing pensions for thepublic sector. What we want are fairpensions for everyone.”

He was joined by council conservationofficer Liz Smith, who stated: “I’m hereto support the union and to support ademonstration against the effect ofgovernment ministers’ decisions on us.“It’s the paying more contributions thatwill really affect us. We’ve had a payfreeze and we’re not expecting anotherpay rise for some time after yesterday’sannouncement by George Osborne.”

Ms Smith noted that many membersof the public had been supportive as “thepublic are realising more and more justwhat’s going on.” USteve [email protected]


Health workerRachel Noble:

“It’s unfair thatwe are beingpenalised for

other people’smistakes”

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Phil Chan, a consultation and research officer from Bristol

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‘What we want are fairpensions for everyone’

Phil Chan outside Bristol city council

early on 30 November

’The scheme is sustainableat the moment – theconcern is that will changeif more people leave thescheme

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“We’re not doingthis lightly – strikeaction is notsomething thatwe do,” saidUNISON presidentEleanor Smithjoining workers at Birminghamhospital as theybegan the strikeat midnight.

Pickets appeared from 6.30am outsidehospitals, health centres, town halls,libraries, schools, police stations, andcourts, in every town and village in thenorth west from Crewe to Carlisle.

The mood was determined andoptimistic as torrential rain and galeforce winds swept across the region onTuesday night but gave way to sunshineon the day.

There were 12 marches across theregion. The two largest were held inLiverpool, where 15,000 marchedthrough the city. In Manchester one ofthe biggest demonstrations the city hasseen in years saw over 35,000 walk fromLiverpool road in the city centre toWhitworth Park opposite the region’sbiggest hospital.

The marchers’ ranks were swollen bylarge numbers of doctors and nursesfrom the hospital who wanted to showsolidarity with our cause. There was amassive display from UNISON branchesand members. UPaul [email protected]

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Everyonedeserves a fair

pension inManchester

‘’Picketsappeared inevery townand villagefrom Creweto Carlisle

Members come out for decentpensions in the north west

‘15,000 march inLiverpool, 35,000 in Manchester’


Political support came in from councillors and MSPs across Scotland. Strathclyde PoliceStaff were joined on the picketline by Chair of Police Board,Labour Cllr Stephen Curran –bearing bacon rolls.

Bacon rolls

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Ambulanceworkers at

Middlewoodambulance

station


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STRIKEWALES

Lynn Landeg atcounty hall in Cardiff

‘We are being asked to pay for whatthe bankers did and that is wrong’

’‘The government should behitting the bankers hard

“I think it is important that we aretaking this action. If these governmentministers think they are pushing at anopen door then they are going to makeit even worse.”

School worker Lynn Landeg said thatshe expected to receive only a pension of£3,000 a year. “The government shouldbe hitting the bankers hard. I don’t thinkthe government is looking at all thealternatives to cutting the deficit. Withthe pay capping announced yesterday, itis not going to get any better.” UPhillip [email protected]

For Debbie Theuma, a teaching assistantin Cardiff, it was the first time on strike.“We are being asked to pay for what thebankers did and that is wrong. People arebeing asked to work longer to 67, paymore and get less at the end of the day.”

She was outside county hall in Cardiffearly in the morning of 30 Novemberwith Ann Harrington, a social worker inchildren’s services, who has worked forCardiff council for 27 years.

Debbie Theuma, Ann Harrington and Lynn Landeg in Cardiff

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Three generations take action in Scotland:Christine Calder, her mother Catriona Masonand her daughter Rachel Calder

In addition to not being charged in McDonalds at Liverpool HopeUniversity the pickets were fed bylocal nuns. The West MidlandsPolice HQ pickets had tea, coffee,toast brought out by police officersworking inside. Members of thepublic at Wishaw hospital inLanarkshire kept picketers warmwith a delivery of hot sausage rolls.UNISON staff delivered chocolatesto picketers at Camden council.

Nuns on side

Northern Ireland took strike action for thesecond time in eight weeks. Hundreds ofvenues were picketed as UNISON officialsand reps spoke at rallies in Derry, Omagh,Newry, Downpatrick, Ballymena; thousandsgathered outside Belfast city hall; and therewas a total shutdown of rail and bus services.

Rallies across Northern Ireland


PETE

R SM

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May Smart, a receptionist at Addenbrooke’shospital Cambridge is angry.

“I’ve another ten years to work at least and there’s not going to be a lot of pension when I retire. I just want tosurvive – I don’t want my kids to have tobail me out. And then who will bail themout? Because the youths don’t have jobs.It just keeps going on and on. It’s anupside down pyramid.”

May was one of several NHS workersgathered outside the entrance toAddenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on30 November. She was joined by HelenInnes, a medical secretary and her partnerAndrew, a nurse, who were there from 7am.

“The pensions pot I have paid into isbeing raided to pay off bankers’ debts thatare nothing to do with me,” Helen said.

Andrew, who joined the demo on hisday off to lend support, agreed: “I amangry that they are continuing to givebankers bonuses at Christmas.”

Marching on to the Cambridge rallywere teaching assistants Elaina Petrovichand Sammie Byrne. “I’m here to protectour pensions, which will be worth apittance by the time we are allowed toretire, and to protect the pensions offuture generations,” Elaina said. “I’ll benearly 70 before I can retire.”

Her colleague Sammie, aged 19, said:“I’ve never been on strike before and it

was a hard decision, but the best decisionto make. We need to make a stand.”

Also at the rally was Richard Johnson,a student at Jesus College Cambridge,and a member of Cambridge UniversityStudent Labour Club: “The reason I amdoing this is I have family and friendswho work in the public sector.”

Charlotte Garrard, care manager ofthe social care team for older people inSouth Cambridgeshire, explained: “I amon the demonstration today because Ifeel strongly that all people’s pensionsshould be protected.

They were joined by Carol Procter: “I retired on my gold-plated pension andhad to come back to work again becauseit is not enough to live on. After 15 yearsas a medical secretary my pension is justover £250 a month – that plus my statepension just about pays my rent.”

The NHS worker explained she was“angered that MPs’ pensions after 15years are over twice as much as a band 6 nurses’ pension after 40 years.”

All the main entrances toAddenbrooke’s hospital were picketedthis morning, except for A&E andoncology, which the unions agreed notto picket.

Ms Proctor added: “We regret havingto take action, but no way is this aimedat the patients.”

‘I don’t want my kids to have to bail me out’May Smart, a hospital receptionist from Cambridge

May Smart, a receptionist at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge

PETER SMITH

STRIKEEAST OF ENGLAND

‘ ’The pensions pot I havepaid into is being raided topay off bankers’ debts thatare nothing to do with me

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Quinton Dlamini, a Swazi trade unionist threatened and beaten for his beliefs, hopes for a better future

‘The strugglewill be heard’

Britain’s trade unionists havegood reason to feel underthe cosh: they are currentlyexperiencing attacks on pay,on their pensions, on the

very services that they’ve devoted theirlives to providing. Austerity Britain is atough place to be a public service worker.

Yet we should spare a thought forcolleagues in other countries, where notonly are basic living conditions muchworse than those in Britain, but thefreedom of trade unionists doesn’t comeclose. In countries as far afield as Burmaand Colombia, Zimbabwe and Iran,

trade unionists are either bannedoutright, or repressed – intimidated,jailed, even killed. For workers and theirrepresentatives, there was a crisis longbefore the financial one that has crippled the west.

Swaziland, Africa’s last absolutemonarchy, is a case in point. KingMswati III has presided over thecomplete economic collapse of hiscountry. While the king’s wealth isestimated at between $100m and 200m,most of the 1.4 million population livein absolute poverty. Swaziland doesn’thave enough money for wages, health

care or fuel. Unemployment is around45%. The king and his ministers aredoing nothing to combat the HIVpandemic in their country.

To make matters worse, politicalparties are banned and trade unionsforbidden to discuss public policy.

“The government is demonic – andyou can’t even respond,” says QuintonDlamini, the president of Swaziland’spublic service union NAPSAWU, whosemembers struggle with very low pay andpoor conditions, feeling the brunt of theworst economy in the region. “Journalistshave been told that if they print or say

Quinton Dlamini speaks at UNISON’s national delegate conference in June 2011

STEVE FORREST/IW

ORKERS’ PH

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anything negative about the king, theywill be crushed”.

Last year was particularly tough for the Swazi trade union movement. Theunions increased their campaign for thedemocratic reform that is the necessaryfirst step in solving their problems. Butthe more vociferous they became, thegreater the crackdown against them.

Mr Dlamini has felt the cold hand of the government’s repression himself,notably during what was meant to be a national day of peaceful protest, last spring.

The union leader expected to play akey role. But before he could even reachthe demonstration in the town ofManzini, he was ambushed by police,beaten, and thrown into a solitaryconfinement cell. Instead of being on thestreets with his compatriots, he recalls, “I didn’t see the sun for two days.”

Mr Dlamini, who was an internationalguest at UNISON’s national delegateconference in Manchester last year, toldU magazine that soldiers and policeerected road blocks two days before theprotests. Buses carrying demonstratorswere turned around, individuals were“thrown into the bush” and union leaders jailed.

“When I arrived in Manzini, the firstthing I had to do was meet with my sonThulani,” he recalls. “He was not goingto participate in the demonstrationbecause he had a college exam. He justwanted to get some money from me.

“Looking back, they were obviouslyfollowing my car. Because as I wasgetting out, Thulani called out to me,and suddenly about 20 police officerspounced on me. They were pushing mewith the backs of their guns – I wasflying all over the place.


JIN

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‘ ’They were trying to instillfear in all of us. Manywere detained. Peoplewere beaten to a pulp,either by the military or by the police

“At the same time as they arrested me,my son was put into a very big truckwith some other people. They weredriven 80km away from town, dumpedon a mountain, and told to walk back.After they’d been walking for a while, thetruck returned, chased them, and tookthem to another mountain.

“They were trying to instill fear in allof us,” he adds. “Many union leaderswere detained, in different places. Peoplewere beaten to a pulp, either by themilitary or by the police.”

While continuing to lead the high lifewith his 13 wives, the king has turned acriminally blind eye to the HIVpandemic that is devastating the country.Swaziland has one of the world’s highestrates of HIV/AIDS, with the pandemicaffecting more than 25% of the adultpopulation.

“I have lost a number of relatives fromAIDS, as well as colleagues in the tradeunion movement and in my own union– that’s how widespread the situation is,”Mr Dlamini laments. “But the moneyfor HIV treatment and preventionmeasures comes from global funds. Little is put in by our own government.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough, inNovember the IMF revealed that thecountry has failed to pay more than £6min grants to AIDS orphans.

Such horror stories explain why theunions remain undeterred in their fightfor democratic reform. And in theabsence of political parties, unions areleading that struggle. Last year continuedto see unprecedented streets protests.Where once hundreds took to the streets,now it is thousands.

“People are just fed up,” says Mr Dlamini. “We’re saying, enough is enough.”

Mr Dlamini is very aware of theproblems faced by UK workers. But he also notes the difference in tradeunion rights.

“You are challenging your governmenton the pension issue. We can’t do that inSwaziland. We can’t say anything aboutpublic policy. And we certainly can’t goon strike over it.”

He and his fellow trade unionists areworking hard to change that. Swazilandcurrently has two trade unionfederations, with the governmentcreating divisions between the two. Withthe help of the TUC, the individualunions plan to launch a single federation.

NAPSAWU is also continuing to fightagainst salary cuts imposed on all publicservice workers. And it is making itsvoice heard in negotiations over potentialloans to their country, insisting that theycome with political conditions.

Quinton Dlamini is undeterred. “We are optimistic. We are determined.There is no struggle without casualties.They may kill us, but the struggle will be heard.” UDemetrios [email protected]

About 1,000 protestersmarch toward thecenter of Manzini,Swaziland's main city,on 7 September 2011.Protesters wereblocked by a policecordon from reachingthe city center.

actnowFor more information onUNISON’s international work goto unison.org.uk/international


‘ ’We are optimistic. We are determined. There is no struggle withoutcasualties. They may kill us, but the strugglewill be heard

In the last years of the Labourgovernment, the relationshipwith the trade unions becameincreasingly strained, as riftswidened over privatisation and

marketisation, foundation hospitals and academy schools. Turning a deaf ear to their union members, the Labourleadership was unwittingly opening the door for the Tories and LiberalDemocrats to unleash their

unprecedented attack on public services,education and the NHS.

More recently the party failed to offerfull support to UNISON members takingaction to defend their pensions – waitingfor the day of the strike for Ed Miliband to comment “I’m not going to condemnpublic servants who feel they’re in animpossible position. It is the government’sfailure that has led to today’s strike.”

Nonetheless, under Ed Miliband,

Labour has immersed itself in a “listeningexercise” on a grand scale, with the aim ofaddressing the weaknesses that led to itselection defeat, refashioning itself as acampaigning, community-based party and,most of all, reconnecting with its members– many of whom are UNISON members.

It seems a good time, then forUNISON and Labour to reflect on the relationship between the twoorganisations.


‘MURDER MAYBEDIVORCE NEVER’LABOUR’S GENERAL SECRETARY AND UNISON LABOURLINK’S CHAIR ON THE RELATIONSHIP THAT’S SOMETIMESSTORMY BUT ALWAYS THERE

PA P

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‘ ’There’s always going to bedifferences of opinions –that’s politics

“To be fair, we always have tounderstand that when the Labour Party isin government, it has to run the country,”says Steve Warwick, who has been chairof UNISON’s Labour Link for eightyears. “And they did some good things,for example on the minimum wage.

“But I think the fundamental mistakethat the last Labour government madewas that they became arrogant, theybegan to believe that they knew best.PFI is a cracking example of that. It was a huge mistake. But Labour did not listen, they had this idea that theycould run the market. And suddenlythese mistakes dawned on them, whenit was too late.

“I’ve said to Ed Miliband that whenour members are angry, they’re angrynot just for themselves but also for theservices and the people they serve, inhospitals, schools, local government, the police. But it was so difficult toconvince a lot of Labour politicians in government that we weren’t talkingfrom vested interest, we were talkingabout concerns that often the publicwas conveying to us.”

Mr Warwick says he has beenencouraged by the new Labour leader,not least his speech at the Labourconference, “where he talked about what I saw as ending the neo-liberalist,market-knows-all attitude. That’s whythe press attack him so much, becausethey’re frightened by what he mightactually come out with. I just think heneeds to have more courage in puttingsome meat on those bones”.

The Labour Party’s new generalsecretary, Iain McNicol, who wasformerly the national policy officer of the GMB, is optimistic that the partyand the unions can move on.

“Jack Jones had the famous quote fromthe seventies: ‘Murder maybe, divorcenever’. The Labour Party and the trade

unions have had a long and strong history.When you’re in government there’s alwaysgoing to be differences of opinion. That’spolitics, I think it’s healthy. What isimportant is having shared values, andagreement on the priorities for our society.And I believe many of those are sharedacross the labour movement.

“How bad did it get? It was definitelynot irreparable. The relationship can beworked on and can be rebuilt. And Ithink we’ve seen that happen over thelast 18 months, in terms of theengagement between the party and theunions, and the discussions and sharedcampaigns on issues such as educationand health.”

Both men agree that, as Mr Warwickputs it, “Sometimes there is a reluctancefrom the union and the Labour group totalk to each other.

“This is where Labour Link should beplaying an important role, in trying toconnect the dots,” he adds. “WhereLabour Link is effective at the momentis nationally and regionally, where we arevery involved with local MPs andconstituencies. Our important goal is to have a Labour Link officer in everybranch.

“Most of the time MPs are veryaccessible. And there are a lot of Labourcouncillors and Labour groups, whowould welcome our input. Where thereare difficulties, Labour Link shouldfacilitate that contact.”

Says Mr McNicol: “Labour is justshort of three million political levy payersin the UK. I know many MPs who reallywant to get in touch with thosemembers. But there are many hurdlesput in the way of that. It’s going to take ashift in terms of how the Labour Partyengages, but also a shift in how theunions engage, for example by simplygetting the branches to invite MPs along

and talk about the issues. It does happennow, just not as much as it should.”

Mr McNicol adds that one of hispersonal priorities is to return “trust,respect and engagement” into the heartof the party.

“The only way we are going to get themost, the best from our members is if welisten to them, and we engage them –not just in policy, but on campaigns, onhow we develop and work with themlocally, across the whole country.

“There’s been a lot work across theunion movement and across the LabourParty in terms of how we organise, with a focus on community organising. Andcommunity organising is not aboutasking our activists and members to hand out leaflets, but engaging them inchanging the opinions of others, bothwithin the workplaces and the localcommunities.”

Concludes Steve Warwick: “LabourLink shouldn’t just be about getting theLabour Party reelected, because at theend of the day we need to know whatLabour government we’re going to have.So we need to get into the constituenciesand make sure that the policies and themanifesto are ones we can support.

“Also, Labour Link should never beseen by the rest of the union as theprotectors of the Labour Party. That’s not our role. Our role is to pushUNISON’s policies and the interests of UNISON’s members within the party.

“So it shouldn’t be about grace andfavour. It should be businesslike,constructive, with both sides gettingsomething out of that relationship.” UDemetrios [email protected]

Above: Jack Jones,general secretaryof the TGWU and

Vic Feather,general secretary

of the TUC picturedwith Harold Wilsonat Congress House.

actnowFor information on UNISON’sLabour Link and how you canmake your voice heard within theLabour Party go tounison.org.uk/labourlink

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A nn Smith’s daily visitfrom Meals on Wheelsdoesn’t just provide herwith a well-balanced hotmeal each day. “I look

forward to it. It’s somebody to talk to,and one of the young ones takes mygarbage down at the weekends.”

Ann is unable to get to the shops to buy food and has limited cookingfacilities in her home.


MEALS ONWHEELS SERVICE SAVED

BRANCH CAMPAIGN SAVES SERVICETHREATENED BY 100% PRICE RISE

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“I don’t have a cooker – it’s beendisconnected because I‘ve had variousburns and I’ve got arthritis so I tend tofall a lot.”

Two years ago, when Ann’s weightdropped to eight stone, her daughtercontacted social services. They arranged fora daily visit from Meals on Wheels for her.

“I know I’m getting a proper, well-balanced meal. It means a lot to me,”Ann says.

But without UNISON’s interventionAnn’s Meals on Wheels could have beentaken away.

In May this year, Harrow councilproposed massive hikes to the price of meals.

Assistant branch secretary of HarrowUNISON Darren Butterfield says thatwhen they first heard about the changesthat would have seen some of Harrow’selderly paying more than £2,200 extraper year they were “aghast. I thoughtthey can’t be serious about this”.

They were concerned that if theresidents of Harrow stopped using Mealson Wheels because they couldn’t affordthe price rises the service would have toclose. This not only threatened residentsbut also the jobs of the staff who workthere.

“Historically in Harrow when they put up meal prices, people have left theservice because they can’t afford it – they go to other means such as fast food, frozen meals, supermarkets,” Mr Butterfield says. “On paper they arecheaper, but that’s not what it’s all about.It’s about the social interaction, thecheck service – I call it a quasi-home care service because our members go out all year – they are the conduit to the wider world.”

The branch began a campaign thatdrew on links with the local community.As part of the union’s response to theformal consultation document, thebranch invited the local press to do aphoto shoot to generate publicity andthen gathered together 200 signatures,from the public, UNISON membersand voluntary organisations, rejectingthe price rises. Talking Pages, avoluntary organisation that organisesvolunteers to read newspapers and booksto elderly and disabled people, provideda response of over 30 people toUNISON: “they sympathise with people who live alone on fixed incomes”, Mr Butterfield says.

Many of the Meals of Wheels userscouldn’t attend the council meetings todiscuss the options and put forward their case because many of them are“vulnerable, frail and elderly… so youend up becoming an advocate for thevoiceless,” Mr Butterfield says.

The branch focussed on lobbying the Labour members of the cabinet – “I thought: ‘We’re not going to get muchsupport from the officers so we need todirectly lobby the people who make thedecisions.’”

“They needed to be reminded of theirparticular manifesto commitments toprotect frontline services and that’s whatwe hammered home.”

Following the huge response againstthe changes Harrow Council has nowabandoned its plans for the massive pricerises and the price of meals will stay thesame for at least the coming year.

For Ann Smith it’s a welcome relief. “I was very pleased to hear that they’renot going to stop the Meals on Wheelsand very pleased that they’re not going toput the prices up,” she says. “If I don’tget my meals on wheels, I don’t get hotmeals – it’s as simple as that.”

As for the branch, their response issimple: “We’re well chuffed”. UCelestine [email protected]


actnowJoin A Million Voices for PublicServices, UNISON’s campaign for public services atunison.org.uk/million

‘ ’I was very pleased to hearthat they’re not going tostop the Meals on Wheelsand very pleased thatthey’re not going to put theprices up. If I don’t get mymeals on wheels, I don’tget hot meals – it’s asimple as that.

Providing a service tothe people of Harrow


MAR

CU

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I’m a paediatric occupationaltherapist in a children’soccupational therapy service.There are two parts to my job: I work with children on a neo-

natal unit that are born early and I workfor the community paediatric servicewith children that have special needs.Our main role is to enable children toparticipate in daily life.

A baby in the womb would notexperience handling or painfulprocedures… so for pre-term babiesbecause they’re born too early theirnervous system isn’t really ready to deal with the outside world.

For pre-term babies you look attrying to make the environment as womb-like as possible…because the expectation of the baby’s developing brain is that they would be experiencing the mother’s womb for a further few months or weeks. The reality of the neo-natal unit iscompletely different, so the occupationaltherapist’s main role is to monitor noiselevels, look at the baby’s daily activitiesand give advice on how much the babyis handled.

Premature babies have a correctedage… so you’d expect a baby that wasborn three months early seven monthsago to be at a four-month stage ofdevelopment.

The great thing about being anoccupational therapist is… we’retrained in mental health skills as wellas the medical side of things. I justthink in my role it’s an opportunitywhere I get to use all my training andall my skills.

Paediatrics is quite different fromother aspects of occupationaltherapy… it’s really wide: you can bereferred a child with development delay,with cerebral palsy or with coordinationdifficulties – so I think it takes quite along time to become experienced inpaediatrics.

The most stressful thing is whenparents are given bad news… whenthey’re given a new diagnosis or whenthere’s things that aren’t going so wellwith the child – that’s really tough.

Sometimes the parents are almostgoing through the grief process…while they come to terms with theirchild’s condition. It’s very emotional forthem and it takes a while to adjust. Inthe meantime somebody like me mightbe going in to provide therapy for thechild and I think that’s where the mentalhealth skills come in.

Being a mother myself my heartgoes out to the parents... a big part ofmy job is to demonstrate to the parents,even when their child has an ongoingdifficulty, what their child is able to doand to look at the child’s strengths aswell as any weaknesses.

When you see a child learning newskills for the first time… that’s reallyrewarding.

Sometimes it’s providing a piece of equipment that makes adifference… a big part of our job isrecommending, for example, appropriateseating. There was a seven-month oldchild I was working with who hadcerebral palsy and couldn’t sit up bythemselves. I provided a seat and they

were able to sit up for the first time. His mum was absolutely thrilled to bits.

Some parents see a piece ofequipment… that doesn’t look normalin any way and that’s quite distressing forthem. Some parents may find it reallydifficult to come to terms with theirchild requiring the equipment.

Some of the children that we workwith… if they didn’t receive ourinterventions they’d be unable toparticipate in daily activities that theyeither need to or want to do. That’s thekey thing – it’s enabling children toparticipate in daily life.

If you’ve had a particularly upsettingcase… my team are hugely supportive.We have a formal clinical supervisionprocess where we meet up regularly and we get the chance to talk throughdifficult cases. It’s really important to talkabout it and then that helps you to gohome to your own family.

When you’ve got your own familyyou come home and life’s crazy…it soon takes your mind off the job. UCelestine [email protected]

This occupational therapist works with premature babies and children with special needs to ensure they can take part in daily life

Amanda Lawes


ME AND MY JOB:

actnowIf you think Amanda’s job isworthwhile you can join A MillionVoices for Public Services,UNISON’s campaign for publicservices at unison.org.uk/million

If you’d like to tell us about yourjob contact us [email protected]

With rising fuel costs and another cold winter

many members are worried about how they’re

going to pay this year’s winter fuel bills.

HELP IS ON HAND‘There for you’ has set up a limited fund

to help UNISON members on low income by way

of a one-off payment of up to £50.

To apply or find out more about other help that is available and how to reduce your costs in the future visit www.unison.org/thereforyou or call 020 7121 5620. Alternatively email [email protected] quoting WF12.

PS: If you know someone else who needs our help, please pass this on!

WORRIED ABOUT

WINTER FUEL BILL? PAYING YOUR

‘There for you’ is the working name of UNISON Welfare, Charity registration number 1023552/SCO38305

Pays out if you die.but gives you money back

if you don't.*

Life Cover forUNISON members

Go online at

www.UNISONprotect.org.uk/life to choose a level of cover to suit you or call 0800 014 7017

* Money back if you keep the plan to age 70 and no claim is paid. Amount of money back depends on age when policy starts. **Acceptance guaranteed if you are a UK resident aged 18 - 65.

W e think all our membersdeserve a bouquet. Andalthough we can’t sendone to all 1.3 million of

you, every issue we do send a bouquet offlowers to one member, nominated byfriends, family or colleagues, as a token to all those members doing somethingspecial – or even something ordinary.

We had lots of nominations for this issue– every one of whom deserves a bouquet.So we had to make a tough choice.

But the winner of this issue’s bouquetis Rona Hendry, branch secretary atUNISON Peterborough city council.Rona was nominated by her friends andcolleagues Robert Fowler and Mark Burn.

Robert and Mark have known Ronafor a number of years and have workedwith her for the last three. One daythey stopped to think about the workRona had done for her local UNISONbranch and decided that she’d done “a stunning job.”

They asked us to send Rona someflowers “because she is helpful, considerateand kind but most of all; she always putsher staff and members before herself.”

Robert and Mark would like Rona to know that “with her stunning andunwavering leadership within a difficultenvironment, she has shown humanityand has all our respect.” U

CH

RYSSA PANO

USSIAD

OU

Bouquet to a member

actnowIf you’d like us to send someone abouquet, write to us, marking yourenvelope ‘bouquet to a member’,saying why your nominee deservesa bouquet, and giving their nameand address and your contactnumber. We will pick out a luckywinner and send them the flowers.

Write to Bouquet to a member, U magazine, UNISON, 130 EustonRoad, London NW1 2AY or email us at [email protected]


Robert Fowler and Mark Burn nominate Rona Hendry, who is ‘helpful, considerate and kind’

Mark Burn, Rona Hendry andRobert Fowler

A MUM’S DILEMMAI have worked for the council fornearly 19 years, virtually all myworking life.

I am now mum to a six and twoyear old, and took the decision toreduce my hours to three days perweek in order to be able to spendmore time with them.

I made the decision to vote ‘yes’in the ballot because the pension I have contributed to and workedhard for and the contract we werepromised when joining will bedecimated by the governmentministers’ proposals.

Like many other members whoare parents, I am worried aboutaffording presents for my childrenthis year and losing a day’s pay isgoing to make a big impact on thefamily. My husband works in thecharity sector and his job is at risk,so every penny counts.

However, I feel I have no choicebut to strike to show the governmentand the community that theseproposals are unjust.

I am also doing this for mychildren so they don’t end upsupporting me and their dadfinancially in our retirement, and I hope they will understand that.Catherine Connors, Salford

ANYTHING BUT IRRESPONSIBLEI heard David Cameron say that the people who strike areirresponsible. This really upset me. I am 57 nearly 58. I have workedvery hard to improve my skills.

I got a full-time post when I was50 after bringing up four childrenon income support and wanting to

come off it. I got a degree at 30,and my adult teaching qualificationsto teach English as a secondlanguage in the last five years.

I am anything but irresponsible. I work very hard, and havestruggled to keep my home going, I love my ESOL teaching, but now I am going to be £20 a month lesswell off as it will go towards mypension which I have only beingpaying into for ten years.

I did not know whether to strike or not because I am a law-abidingcitizen and also very loyal to myorganisation and learners who are trying to learn English.

A lot of us work in care industrieswhere we are giving out to others. I do my job because I enjoy it, butthere comes a point where I nowhave to think about who will supportme when I retire? I will have tosupport myself. This is a little bit of my story.Babs Lee, Whitton nearTwickenham

CARING FOR THE CARERSI want to thank UNISON for thehelp you have given me and my colleague Lourdes Somera. We both came here from thePhilippines to work as carers fiveyears ago. After that time, weshould have been entitled to applyfor indefinite leave to remain. Butfour years ago the governmentintroduced a new requirement formigrant care workers from outsideEurope to show they earn at least£7.02 per hour in order to get orrenew a work permit.

Our employer Southern Cross

had not been paying us £7.02 perhour, and given the financial turmoilin the company it proved impossiblefor either of us to get £7.02 perhour despite our years of service.

Pay in the privatised care homes is shamefully low. While it is truethat Southern Cross faced a specificproblem government underfundingof the sector has made low payendemic.

After five years here, instead ofbeing entitled to indefinite leave toremain, we found ourselves facedwith deportation.

As UNISON members we gotsupport to fight the ruling. UNISONplayed a very vital role in helping uswin our appeal for settlement. Theystood by us, giving us advice andpointing us to one of the mostexperienced immigration lawyers in the country.

Both Lourdes and I won the right to settle in this country on appeal.UNISON’s assistance has beeninvaluable during this process.Rosemarie Monterola,Darlington and Lourdes Somera,Glasgow

LIBRARY VICTORYI have been organising and leadinga dispute for library assistants postSingle Status that has endedpositively.

Library assistants in Sandwell were angry when they were the onlygraded jobs in the library service not to gain from Single Status.

After going through the internalappeals process and beingunsuccessful members agreed to press their points home byundertaking a work to rule on the duties that they had not beenrecognised for which theyundertook.

Members voted 97% for a workto rule. After seven working days ofa work to rule management madean offer to create a new gradewhich would mean at least 70% ofstaff improving their pay and grade.

In conclusion, 80% of libraryassistants who applied for the new

graded jobs were successful. Given the current climate

of bad news this is proof thatorganising and action in UNISONcan get results even during aneconomic crisis.Tony Barnsley, Sandwell

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMME: SLAVE LABOUR?I wondered what opinions peoplehad about the government’sintroduction of the CommunityAction Programme for the “verylong-term unemployed”.

The Job Centre staff described it as “working for benefits,” whichit plainly is not since one alreadyreceives benefits by virtue of beingunemployed, which are intendedto help one until employment isgained.

The requirement to work near full-time for up to six months withoutpay I regard as merely free work foremployers, and is tantamount toslave labour; the punishment forrefusing to work for no pay beingloss of benefits.

I have already spoken to peoplewho have said they have nointention of working for nothing but I have not heard any unionresponse at all.

Does anyone actually support the idea of forcing people to workwithout pay with the threat of loss of benefits for refusing?Harold Wesley, North Walsham,Norfolk.

LEGAL CHALLENGE I very much agree with NeilSpithray (letters, Summer 2011).The change that the governmenthas made in the index linking ofour pensions from RPI to CPImeans that those of us who areretired are not getting the pensionswe have paid for. It really doesseem to be a Trades DescriptionsAct style issue. I would like to askUNISON to give consideration tomounting a legal challenge on ourbehalf.

LETTERSU welcomes readers’ letters


Please send them to The Editor, U magazine,UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, NW1 2AY or email them to [email protected].

Please include your full name and addressalthough we will not print it. We reserve the right to edit contributions.

I note that at the time of writing,(Aug 2011) there is an epetition onthe government website. The link is at epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1535.

I would invite all concerned or with strong feeling on the matter to sign it. John Lawrence, SouthamptonNote from editor: UNISON isone of six unions who havemounted a legal challenge in the High Court against theswitch from RPI to CPI.

AUTISTIC AWARENESS I would like to inform you about a success story at work. It was therunning and delivery of two sessionsof Autistic Awareness Training thattook place on 20 September atStevenage Borough Council.

I am a UNISON member workingfor Stevenage Borough Council. I am rep on the Eastern region’s

disabled members’ self organisedgroup and on the Labour Linkcommittee for the region.

The training involved 20 otheremployees I mainly interact with in my grounds maintenance work inFairlands Valley Park. I can firmly saythat it was a success and now thereis a monitoring and developmentgroup to support me at theworkplace.

I am also getting time off forindividual training for autisticemployees on awareness coursesthrough Access to Work. I am verypleased as this is giving me support I have always needed.Kevin Rogers, Stevenage

RETIRED BUT NOT RETIRINGIn September 2011 over fiftymembers and guests celebratedthe 25th anniversary of theformation of the City of YorkRetired Members Group.

Presiding at the event was thegroups’ chairperson and foundermember Mr Herbert Hamilton-Smith who at 89 years is likely tobe one of the oldest chairpeoplenationally. Members and guestsenjoyed a two course lunchfollowed by a sing-song led byour own Mr Fred Ring. Ourmembers were very appreciativeof the efforts of our chair MrHamilton-Smith, Treasurer MrsJoyce Foster and myself assecretary in making the event so successful.

A very special guest was MrsSheila Crosby. Sheila, back in1986, was secretary to the NorthYorkshire Retired Members Groupwhich comprised York,Scarborough, Selby andHarrogate as sub-groups. She wasinstrumental in establishing eachsub-group as separate groups intheir own right, and worked withMr Hamilton-Smith who became

secretary to establish the YorkGroup as it exists today.

The Retired Members Group ofthe York City branch continues tothrive, providing representation atbranch, regional and nationalconferences. It meets each monthto discuss matters of concern andinterest on issues affecting theelderly, and has a full andsuccessful social calendar; withcoach trips each month and 2011saw several members visit LakeGarda, Italy. The future is lookingvery bright for our group and it isthe hope of us all that some of uswill be able to celebrate a goldenanniversary in 25 years’ time.

The York Group receivestremendous support for the YorkCity branch and responds to thissupport by assisting the branch inwhatever way it can be of help.Barry Beckwith, York

UNISON MEMBERS CAN SAVE

WITH UNISONPLUS£250!

holidays mortgages savings motoringinsurance

For more information visit www.unison.org.uk and click on the Unison Plus logo or call 0845 355 0845

UNISON members receive superb membership benefits that can save them money and give added value on a wide range of services.

Has your accident left you feeling isolated?

UNISONdirect0845 355 0845

to claim onlinewww.thompsons.law.co.uk/unison.htm

An accident can be shocking.

The physical pain and emotional trauma can be

hard to bear.

But it’s the costs of an accident that can be long

lasting too.

Lost wages, lost promotion, travel to and from

medical treatments, special care needs and more,

can all put a strain on your financial resources.

Which is why UNISON and Thompsons, our

appointed solicitors, are here to get you

compensation for everything your accident has

cost you.

In recent years as a result of work-related

accident claims UNISON has negotiated safer

systems of work that have saved lives and reduced

injuries to members.

If you can show that your injury has resulted

through someone else’s negligence, then you may

be able to claim compensation.

Thompsons will ensure your claim is properly

valued and that you get the right compensation.

We can also help your family with accidents

outside of work.

We’ll help whether your accident is at work, on

the road (as a driver, passenger or pedestrian),

while on holiday - or for any other personal injury.

This service† is completely FREE and you keep

100% of the compensation.

† Qualifying period and exclusions apply. Accidents outside of the UK are covered where we can pursue the case through the courts in England/Wales.Family members are covered for accidents outside of the workplace. Thompsons Solicitors is a trading name of Thompsons Solicitors LLP

and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Image used for illustrative purposes only, picture is posed by a model.

BUT UNISON STILL SUPPORTS LIFELONG LEARNING

GOVERNMENT CUTS WILL END FREE TUITION FOR MANY ADULT LEARNERS

� Learn for FREE with UNISON programmes like Return toLearn and Women’s Lives

� Learn at Work with UNISON/employer partnerships� Get UNISON discounts from leading distance learning

providers

Find out more from your Union Learning Rep or your branch or visit www.unison.org.uk/laos

Phone UNISONdirect on 0845 355 0845 for your branch and regional education team contact details.

If you want to make an equal pay claim, you should contact UNISON as soon as possible.

There is a strict time limit on making a claim. You have only six months from any change in your employment situation.

So you must contact UNISON urgently if you have for example in the last six months:

� ended your employment (eg you retired or resigned);

� changed your contract or terms and conditions (eg the number of hours you work);

� changed job, but stayed with the same employer;

� stayed in the same job, but transferred to a new employer (sometimes known as a TUPE transfer).

If you have already made a claim, you must tell us whenever your circumstances change (eg you move address or there is any change to your employment situation).

We cannot help you unless you register your claim and keep us updated.

Has your council implemented Single Status? If it hasn't you may have an equal pay claim!

Has your council implemented Single Status and given protection payments to people on the grade you've been been placed on, but not you? If it has you may have an equal pay claim!

Do you have an equal pay claim? Make sure you check the time limit!

For more information, or to request a claim form or fact sheet, call UNISON on 0845 355 0845 (textphone 0800 9 967 968)* or contact your regional offi ce on:Eastern 01245 608 918East Midlands 0845 355 0845Greater London 0845 355 0845Northern 0845 355 0845Northern Ireland 0845 355 0845North West 0161 661 6740Scotland 0870 7777 006South East 0845 355 0845South West 0117 968 9479Cymru/Wales 029 2072 9415West Midlands 0121 685 3127Yorkshire and Humberside 0845 355 0845

* lines are open 6am to midnight, Monday to Friday; 9am-4pm Saturday.


PUZZLEfun!BY CAPER

The last issue of U magazine was the pension ballotspecial, which did not include the normal puzzlepages, so there are no answers or winners from thelast issue. The competition winners from the summerissue, though, have received their digital radios.

WIN A DIGITAL RADIOFor your chance to win a digital radio, pleasesend your filled-in grids for all three of thisissue’s crosswords in one envelope, togetherwith your name and address, to U magazinecrossword competition, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY to reach us by Thursday 1 March.

answers FROM LAST ISSUE

ACROSS 1 Food dissected for old bird (4)3 Wilma faints at a Disney film (8)9 Rotten meat hums – what

a gas! (7)10 Arm busted in lively dance (5)11 Out-of-date peas stink (5)12 Coins are gambled here (6)14 Had a nightcap too (3)16 Plastic oar hits fish (5)18 Eggs for Easter (3)19 Mints attract creepy-crawly (6)21 One that’s close is

remembered (5)24 Aquatic fish-eater tore trout (5)25 Use torch on type of cigar (7)27 Chain a deer by Spanish

ranch (8)28 An elephant’s the opposite

of fat (4)

DOWN 1 I’m desperately stupid (3)2 Goes out with fat Desmond (5)4 Cut sex action (3)5 Birds nest regularly (5)6 Miners attend lecture (7)7 A rabbit’s a type of horse (4)8 Rare ecclesiastical profession (6)11 Intend to join Palace (4)12 Miss lacks style (5)13 Stand near Bishop (4)15 Extreme racist dictated (7)17 Will the mandolin play? (6)20 Brief rest energises (5)22 Rose confidently to put the ball

in the net (5)23 Spice Girl’s so philosophical (4)25 Frodo caught fish good for

the pot (3)26 Can it navigate? (3)

OVERLAPSEach clue contains a definition of the answer as usual – but also a consecutive letter mix of the answer straddling more than one word but never “touching” the definition. For example: 1 Food dissected for old bird (4)Gives DODO, which is defined by Old Bird, and can be found in Food dissected – all mixed up

LEFT AND RIGHT BY CAPER (WITH A NOD TO AZED)A plain crossword with a slight twist. Apart from 1 across, all acrossclues are actually two clues side by side, leading to answers to go inthe spaces of the numbers indicated – but the clues can be in eitherorder and you must determine in which of the two spaces the answersgo – use 1 across and the normal down clues to help you do this.

ALPHAJIGEach of the 26 answers starts with a different letter of the alphabet: solve the easy clues and work out where the answersgo – use the answer lengths to give you help. I’ve even givenyou a few to start you off.


ACROSS 1 Almost correct but

there's still a few mistakes (3, 5, 5)

8 & 9 Sleepy and severe 10 & 13 Very happy with an old

coin from Spain 17 & 18 Very peaceful level of a

building19 & 20 County in the North

East that’s tense (6 and 2, 4)

21 & 22 Sounds like Beano,Dandy etc

23 & 24 Protect a primate

DOWN2 A beginning or start (3-3)3 Container for arrows (6)4 Work to be done here! (2-4)5 Miniature whirlpools (6)6 Line on a map showing equal

pressure (6)7 Speed up (6)10 Fictitious name used by

authors or crossword setters (9)

11 Head of state (9)12 Private conversation between

two people (4-1-4)14 Highly valued flat-fish with

white flesh (5, 4)15 Try out a car on the

road (4, 5)16 Low in spirits (9)

• American intelligencebureau (1, 1, 1)

• Observe (3) • Father (3)• “Here” in French (3)• Short skirt or a small car (4)• Christmas (4)• Obscene (4) • Hand in one’s notice (4)• Martial art with bamboo

rods (5)• Pier (5)• Fantastic! (5)• Screams (5)• Groups of eight (6)

• Remained the distance (6)• Chess pieces named after

religious bigwigs (7)• Pupil with power (7)• Hairy (7) • What a jury delivers (7)• Part of an American

address (3, 4)• Ballroom dance (7)• Perceived (7)• Early movies (7)• Part of an orchestra (8)• Tools, generally (8)• Clear from blame (9)• George in a cockpit (9)

at UNISON’s Croyde Bay Holiday Resort...2012 Summer holidays

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from £29.50*per person!!No. of Nights Start Date Price

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*Unless otherwise stated, this offer is for self catering, Price per person per break is based on a minimum of 5 people sharing. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Prices are inclusive of UNISON Discount. Subject to availability. Offer can be withdrawn at anytime. Telephone Bookings only. Full Payment at time of booking.

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T R A V E L C L U B

unison u magazine – winter 2012

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