The Magazine for UNISON Members Autumn 2018 Issue 13 Free
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The magazine for UNISON members Autumn 2018 Issue 13 Free Heaton Fold Garden Centre Blooms Victory For Farnworth Care Home Workers! Local Services Collapsing States UNISON Workers Survey Standing Up For Social Work! Election Shock Puts Labour Council Under Pressure Plus... trips and tickets for Snow White, Wigan Diggers and Blackpool Contents Victory For Farnworth Care Home Workers! The employer wanted a 10% wage cut – the workers said ‘No!’ Heaton Fold Garden Centre Blooms With 10% discount for Bolton Council staff and UNISON members Follow Bolton CONTACT BOLTON UNISON Local Services Collapsing States UNISON online… Bolton UNISON, Second Floor The Bolton HUB, Bold Street Bolton BL1 1LS UNISON Workers Survey To keep right up to date with all 80% of council workers have no confidence in the union news and views follow Phone: 01204 338901 services and almost 50% are thinking of leaving Bolton UNISON on the web… [email protected] their jobs... www.unisonbolton.org Website: We need your Standing Up For Social Work! www.unisonbolton.org How many assessments can social workers take??? Facebook: contact details Moved House? www.facebook.com/bolton. Election Shock Puts Labour unison Changed phone? Email Different Surname? changemydetails@ Council Under Pressure Twitter: Changed workplace? unisonbolton.org The defeated Bolton Labour Party candidate @UNISON_Bolton Retiring or leaving your to notify us of any speaks out job? changes. If you’re not Printed by Caric Press Ltd: Goat Mill Road, sure whether you’ve The NHS At 70 Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 3TD Please let us know! already told us, then 01202 871766 www.caricpress.co.uk Some happy returns as workers at don’t worry, we don’t Wrightington, Wigan Bolton UNISON mind if you tell us and Leigh Foundation Trust win their dispute needs to keep your again! against privatisation membership details up to date. 40 Years Since The Northern Carnival Against Racism Totally Eclipse The Sun! Bolton UNISON Goes To Durham Plus trips and tickets for Snow White, Wigan Diggers Fest and Blackpool Lights Sports and Social Event UNISON’S ANNUAL TRIP TO BLACKPOOL LIGHTS INTRO elcome to the Autumn edition of your We are fortunate to WBranch magazine. As usual it covers a have experienced wide range of issues which we hope you will find stewards at both of interest. However, we would welcome your establishments Bolton LG members branch members feedback on issues we have covered, and more who, with the importantly issues you would like us to cover. support of regional office, are working Since the last edition we have had the local through a revised Date: Saturday 15th September 2018 elections on 3rd May where we saw the Labour recognition group have its majority reduced to just two. agreement. UNISON continues to try and influence the Time: Coach LEAVES at 12 noon from direction of the Labour Group via UNISON Membership Morrison’s Car Park, Blackhorse Street, Labour Link, and a key priority for this coming remains steady year is to campaign for an end to outsourcing with increases Bolton Town Centre and to bring existing services back in house. Too in the Private many companies are making too much money and Community Itinerary: on the backs of local tax payers whilst delivering sector due to poor quality services. outsourcing. The Once we get to Blackpool, people will leave branch funds a the coach and have a ‘free afternoon’ to do We are all hoping that a new Chief Executive caseworker to service members in this sector as you wish. We will be re-boarding the and new Leader of Bolton Council will turn and we are currently reviewing our resources to around the reputation of the Council which has improve organisation in this mainly female low coach later to come through the lights at been declining at a pace over the last two to paid worker area. In addition, the Branch will 7.30pm then return to Bolton. three years. participate in the NW Region initiative to recruit and organise in the private nursery sector. We continue to prioritise steward recruitment and development as they are the key to a On 25th May, the GDPR came in to force. successful union, but we still don’t have enough Given the UNION is already classed as a data Tickets activists on the ground. If you would like to sensitive organisation the introduction went £4 Adult represent UNISON in your workplace and not relatively smoothly. £3 Child (under 16) sure what is involved, please contact the Branch Max 4 tickets per member. No unaccompanied children Office. Finally, I would like to pay tribute to two former activists who sadly passed away this year. In July we celebrated the 70th Birthday of the Diane Jackson, a steward in the Contact Booking will open 12th July 2018 NHS. This was done in a variety of forms, Centre, and former Convenor of Environmental To purchase your seats please call in person at: from local events to attendance at the national Services, Neil Stewart. Our thoughts are with demonstration in London. their families. UNISON OFFICE THE HUB, BOLD STREET, BOLTON, BL1 1LS The formal ‘merger’ of Bolton College and the Bernadette Gallagher st TEL: 01204 338901 University of Bolton took place on 1 August. Joint Branch Secretary Heaton Fold Garden Centre Blooms... Bolton Council’s Heaton Fold Garden Centre was wilting and a dwindling income. It looked like ten years “Initially we came down to when UNISON members Craig Brayshaw and Neil Wilcox something out of the Wicker Man film work at weekends and really enjoyed were transferred there during the restoration of the Albert when the crops had failed. it, and we both realised that we could apply our knowledge of theatre, plus Halls. Now it’s blooming... Meanwhile, as the Albert Halls was my experience of retail and Neil’s eaton Fold Garden Centre, down at being closed for a major refurbishment, horticultural background, to this area.” Hthe bottom of Overdale Drive, is like A cafe sells jugs of sangria, Prosecco staff were being redeployed by Bolton another little world straight out of Alan and beers, there’s an Artisan Market Council and theatre technicians, Craig The pair liked the Centre so much they Titchmarsh’s dream. Everywhere there’s on the third Sunday of every month Brayshaw and Neil Wilcox, were offered transferred permanently and used their a cacophony of colour, from the stunning and there’s even a little stage where a placement at Heaton Fold. scenery building skills to decorate the plants and flowers, to the ranges of performers entertain visitors. This a place with amazing displays, while, upmarket pots and ornaments. There’s garden centre that is also a day out... “When you’ve done theatre there’s not backed by the Head of Service and even a mini Japanese garden, alpine a lot of places they can put you” says some imagination from Bolton Council, scenery and watering cans in every Yet a few years ago, the place was Craig, who worked at Albert Halls for Craig got to work building the customer shade conceivable. wilting, with few customers, little stock 17 years, while Neil had worked there base, stock and income streams... 6 7 “I go to different garden centres and “When I took over, there were only half powers that be take that on board and “We’re in a very well off area here but we’re far superior in stock than anywhere that number but we’ve worked with social nurture it with me because we can make they weren’t using the site as it wasn’t around here” says Craig proudly, but services and built it up” says Craig “The it a real income stream for the Council.” attractive to people with higher incomes more importantly adds that the income students love it and there’s more interest and there wasn’t the stock to look at” stream has doubled and the refurbished now than ever. It’s not just brushing up Heaton Fold Garden Centre is on Craig recalls “People would be here cafe has seen income treble... all the time, they get involved in lots of Overdale Drive BL1 5BU (right at the literally for two or three minutes then activities and really add value to the bottom of hill past the Crematorium). back in their cars. We’ve had to change “We’re part funded by Adult Services for place.” For opening times and details that, and we’ve done it very successfully training adults with learning disabilities of events see the website www. by having higher value items, nicer and there were cuts to their funding It’s a team effort that has seen Heaton heatonfold.co.uk/. There’s also the stock, better cared for plants and a so we had to plug that black hole with Fold Garden Centre transformed... Artisan Market on the third Sunday of bigger range.” income, which was critical” he explains. every month “We’re ever expanding the stock and Indeed, there’s now everything on sale While the Centre has four full time staff are catching up with some of the bigger Bolton UNISON members and Bolton from hand crafted garden trellis panels, and three part time staff, it also takes ten garden centres” says Craig, who is now Council staff are entitled to a ten per to a massive range of composts and students (adults with learning disabilities) also doing a diploma in horticulture. cent discount on production of a decorative stones and chippings, to every day, with fifty placements per wage slip or ID card. Laura Ashley ‘frost proof’ planters.