May/June 2018
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The bimonthly magazine for activists – May/June 2018 Full report from ADM 2018 John Hannett retires after 14 years SPOTLIGHTCAMPAIGNING DAY IN ACTION ••• RECRUITMENT ••• HEALTH AND SAFETY ••• NEWS ••• Facebook YouTube Twitter Flickr Instagram WELCOME Comment 08 12 General secretary John Hannett Welcome to the May/June edition of Network which is packed full of news and updates. This issue gives in-depth coverage of the 2018 Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM). ADM is one of the most important conferences in the union’s calendar as it gives activists the chance to decide the policies and priorities of the union for the coming year. Network highlights some of the major debates that took place including Equalities, Health and Safety, Housing and Health Services as well as featuring the Politics and Equalities fringe meetings. Also included is an interview with the guest speaker Keir Starmer MP the shadow secretary for Brexit. This edition also celebrates some successes. Thanks to the campaigning of our reps and members Belfast City Council rejected proposals to extend Sunday trading. In addition, Usdaw made representations to the Justice Select Committee on the Government’s proposals to raise the limit for personal injury claims. We were successful in getting the message across that these reforms would restrict access to justice. We have also been busy signing a new agreement with Vision Express for staff who work in Tesco stores. The agreement covers all 209 concessions and any future concessions that are opened. Page 20 features an article on the General Data Protection regulations. The article gives a general overview of the regulations and signposts reps to Usdaw’s online course. There are also the regular features including the ever-popular health and safety pages, recruitment and organising, equalities, membership services and activist- 11 26 in-depth. This will be my last foreword to Network as general OTHER CONTRIBUTORS ADVERTISING MANAGER secretary but I am confident that under Paddy Lillis’ Tom Foster, Doug Russell, Jo Jonathan Knight Bird and David Williams. T: 01727 739 182 leadership the union will go from strength to strength. E: jonathan@centuryone I would like to take this opportunity to thank members, Network is published PHOTOGRAPHERS publishing.uk bimonthly and distributed reps and union colleagues for all the support they have Della Batchelor, Kevin PRINTED BY to Usdaw activists. Cooper, Lee Boswell, Lisa Buxton Press given me over the years. Published by: Payne, Studio 87, Stephen USDAW Bootle, Matt Link, SWNS, For circulation enquiries 188 Wilmslow Road, Peter Wills, Rod Leon, Rob contact your divisional office. Manchester M14 6LJ Finney, In-Press, Bipin Pitrola, T: 0161 224 2804 Rez Javied and Richard Paper is sourced from Walker. sustainable forests. E: network @usdaw.org.uk ADVERTISING © Usdaw 2018 W: www.usdaw.org.uk Century One Publishing Reproduction in whole Alban Row, 27-31 Verulam or part by any means HEAD OF MEDIA & Road, St Albans, AL3 4DG without written permission COMMUNICATIONS of the publisher is strictly Mike Glover T: 01727 893 894 F: 01727 893 895 forbidden. EDITOR E: enquiries@centuryone Saiqa Khushnood publishing.uk The publisher accepts no REPORTER W: www.centuryone responsibility for errors, Sarah Sherborne publishing.uk omissions or the consequences thereof. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Paula Barke 02 Network May/June 2018 CONTENTS 04 LATEST NEWS Northern Ireland Sunday trading campaign success, Morrisons manufacturing recruitment, the TUC march and this year’s Organising Academy all feature. 08 JOHN HANNETT RETIRES As the general secretary prepares to retire at the end of June, Network takes a look back at the challenges and successes of the past 14 years. 11 ACTIVIST IN-DEPTH North West Academy1 organising officer, active rep and branch secretary Shabana Ismail works for the Co-op and is this issue’s activist in-depth. 12 ADM 2018 The union’s 72nd Annual Delegate Meeting took place in Blackpool in April. Network takes a closer look at the delegates, debates and decisions. 20 DATA PROTECTION Th General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in May establishing one single set of rules across Europe about personal data. 21 RETIRED MEMBERS Usdaw’s annual retired members’ conference took place in May at the union’s national training centre. Mental health was the big topic up for discussion. 24 LIFELONG LEARNING A new learning agreement between Usdaw and Tesco customer fulfilment 32 centres is big news in the Southern and Eastern divisions. /UsdawUnion Watch 26 RECRUITMENT & ORGANISING interviews with reps, Tesco Croydon rep Mike Smith talks about time out on stand-down and Tesco officials and MPs Prescot rep Pat Gibbons reports on her Pension awareness campaign day. UsdawUnion Browse the union’s photo galleries. 32 SPOTLIGHT DAY Reps were out in force across all seven divisions promoting a ‘better deal for @UsdawUnion All the latest photos dads’ as part of this year’s Supporting Parents and Carers Spotlight Day. and videos on Instagram Follow 10 MEMBER SERVICES UsdawUnion on Facebook 23 EQUALITIES @UsdawUnion If 28 HEALTH & SAFETY you’re talking about Network remember #NetworkMag Regulars 30 YOUR LETTERS & PICS LET’S GET SOCIAL Network May/June 2018 03 NEWS Follow us @UsdawUnion #NetworkMag Vision Express sign agreement Tesco Direct proposed closure Tesco has announced that Direct staff. they propose to close their “Usdaw officials and senior online fulfilment centre at reps will now enter into Fenny Lock near Milton consultation talks with the Keynes, which will also company where we will look impact on some jobs at the closely at the business case for company’s Welwyn Garden the proposed closure. City head office and Dundee “Our priorities will be to customer service centre. support, advise and represent National officer Joanne our members through this McGuinness said: “This is difficult period, and to get the devastating news for Tesco best possible deal for them.” l-r: Vision Express head of human resources Helen Davies and human resources director Kate Clayton with Usdaw general secretary John Hannett. Usdaw has negotiated a recognised a trade union. Justice for injured workers new recognition agreement The agreement will ensure covering all Vision Express that Usdaw is able to fully Usdaw welcomed the Justice evidence-based campaign staff who work in Tesco represent our members who Select Committee report on opposing employer and public stores. TUPE transferred from Tesco a Ministry of Justice proposal liability claims under £2,000 The agreement comes Opticians to Vision Express in to raise the limit for personal being pushed into the small following the sale of Tesco’s December. injury claims from £1,000 claims courts. The complexity of in-store optician business last “We welcome the to £5,000 for Road Traffic workplace injury cases makes year and will cover all 209 opportunity of forging a long Accident (RTA) cases and them entirely unsuitable for a concessions and any future and constructive relationship to £2,000 for workplace and small claims court, where the concessions that are opened. with the company.” other non-RTA injuries. costs of taking a case cannot General secretary John Vision Express is the third Earlier in the year Usdaw be recovered.” Hannett said: “This is the first largest opticians in the UK made representations to the time that Vision Express has employing over 4,500 people. Justice Select Committee that the reforms would restrict access to justice for victims From your of workplace accidents or diseases. desktop Usdaw general secretary to your John Hannett said: “We are delighted that the select doorstep committee has listened to our Nationwide delivery available on all cars New deputy general secretary Dave McCrossen, currently UP TO 4,000 USED CARS eastern divisional officer, PRICE CHECKED DAILY, has been elected as deputy COMPREHENSIVELY CHECKED 61 Reg Fiat 500 NOW ONLY AND FULLY GUARANTEED 1.2 Pop 3dr (Start general secretary of Usdaw. Stop), White, 53K £4266 Dave, a former employee of the Co-operative Retail Society, started his Usdaw career when he became an area organiser in 1989. Sixteen years later 63 Reg Vauxhall Astra 60 Reg Nissan Qashqai 11 Reg Peugeot 5008 2.0 he was promoted to deputy 1.3 CDTi Est, Silver, 63K 1.5 dCi Tekna 5dr, Red, 75K HDi Exclusive 5dr, Black, 65K NOW NOW NOW divisional officer and in 2013 he ONLY ONLY ONLY £5486 £7999 £7648 was successful in securing the Hassle free, risk free car purchasing for Usdaw members and their families position of divisional officer. and make Usdaw stronger, so Part Exchange Full History Flexible Finance Nationwide Welcome Check Available Delivery General secretary John that we can continue to improve Hannett said: “Congratulations workers’ lives and deliver for our usdawdrive.co.uk to Dave on his election. We look members.” Call 0333 130 0290 forward to working with him in Dave will take up his new post Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Applicants must be 18 or over. Guarantee/indemnity may be required. We can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers. We may receive a commission from them for the introduction. his new role to grow the union on 2 July 2018. 04 Network May/June 2018 Email the editor your views [email protected] NEWS Tesco Direct proposed closure Sunday trading campaign success Publications UPDATE PENSIONS n Usdaw Pensions Guide – 2018/19 edition n 10 reasons not to opt out of an Occupational Pension Scheme n Pensions Online Home Study (A4 Poster) n Sainsbury’s Retirement Savings Plan (Factsheet) n Salary Exchange Explained n Argos Pension Factsheet YOUNG WORKERS n National Young Workers' Weekend Poster Usdaw welcomed the delighted that city councillors well for over 20 years, and gives EQUALITIES decision by Belfast City again rejected extended Sunday everyone a little bit of what n Parents and Carers – A Council to reject the proposal trading by an emphatic 42 votes they want.