Issue 25
AutumnAutumn TheThe Newsletter Newsletter for for all all UNISON UNISON Stewards Stewards and and Activists Activists in in the the North North West West Region Region intouch20072013 JOIN US in Manchester on Sunday 29 September!
March & rally Rally to defend outside the Conservative our NHS Party Conference Join us on 29 ensuring a massive turn- the city centre the march September to tell the out on the 29th. will pass two sides of Conservative Party The protest will the conference centre SUNDAY 29 Conference we won’t highlight the impact giving people plenty of SEPTEMBER let them destroy our of huge job losses and opportunity to raise the National Health Service. spending cuts across volume of our protest! Assemble 11am the health service, as The march will end in a at Liverpool Road, Supporters of the NHS well as the rapid sell- rally at Whitworth Park, Manchester City Centre. and all those who want off of the most lucrative starting around 2pm. to defend jobs, services parts of the NHS to Further details are and a decent welfare private healthcare available on the union’s state will be marching companies – many of national website in Manchester to deliver whom, like Circle, are www.unison.org. a clear message to also Conservative Party uk. If you use Twitter the Conservative Party donors. and Facebook join in Conference that we The event will also raise the discussion using mean to Save Our concerns about the wider #NHS999 NHS from cuts and effect that government privatisation. economic policies are Getting there The Tory Party meets having upon communities in Manchester on Sunday across the UK. Liverpool Road (M3 4FP) is September 29th and the The rally will form off Deansgate. Look up in TUC has organised a up at Liverpool Road the sky and walk towards national demonstration. in the city centre from Manchester’s tallest building – the Beetham Tower – We in the North West 11am and march off at Liverpool Road is opposite its need to take the lead in 12.30pm. Going around entrance. The nearest station is Deansgate. The nearest Metrolink is Deansgate/ inside Castlefield.
NHS at 65 The UKIP threat Pride in Public Services Shrewsbury 24 Fighting for the Page 2 Page 6 Page 7 future of the NHS September 29th Young Members Future Directions Pages 4-5 Page 3 Page 7 Page 8 2 intouch autumn 2013
UKIP a disaster in waiting Electricity North West members sign up to for Public Service workers three-year pay deal “I used to vote UKIP but I don’t right through our public services”. now - I read their policies” He echoed his UKIP colleague Electricity North West members have Members might be forgiven for Godfrey Bloom who said, “I hope accepted a three-year pay deal effective thinking that a new party like UKIP hundreds, thousands of jobs will from 1 August 2013. The deal gives an should be given a chance or that be lost... you will never understand increase of 2.75% from 1 August 2013, a voting for them will send some sort UKIP until you understand this point. further 2.65% increase from August 2014 of message to mainstream parties. Public spending takes money out of and 2.1% from 2015. However, a mere glance at their the economy, it doesn’t put it in”. In addition, standby rates will be policies should make any UNISON Whilst Paul Nuttall, Deputy increased to £35 (Monday-Friday), £40 member think twice. Leader of UKIP and North West (Saturday and Sunday) and £250 on Nigel Farage has said he favours MEP said of Labour and Tory Christmas Day. The Meal Interference abolishing regulation for Britain’s claims to protect NHS spending, allowance will increase to £5. small businesses, denying many “Well funding will have to be The offer applies to ENWL and millions of workers maternity reduced in the future. We know Construction and Maintenance Services rights, health and safety protection that. In the end, we will have to Ltd (COMA) and is expected to be paid in and employment rights. He wants look at a different way of funding October salaries. a referendum - not to empower healthcare in the 21st Century”. workers but instead to empower He also spoke of streamlining and their bosses. failed to deny he supports major Health – more than He has condemned the “soft” reorganisation. approach of the Tories on public Of course, none of this covers ‘just’ the NHS spending: “The Chancellor is not the point that cuts on this scale cutting, we are borrowing £12 would ruin any chance of balanced As vital as the NHS is it is important to billion a month more than we are growth in our economy and would remember that ‘health’ is much wider than earning. We are not cutting we are increase the deficit through higher that. It is as dependent on the availability increasing our national debt by unemployment. of decent housing and clean water and nearly 10% per annum”. Meanwhile UKIP would go on controls on food outlets to avoid Interviewed on the morning BBC much further than the Tories on food poisoning as it is on availability of News earlier this year he promised Employment Rights, ripping the treatment for the diseases when that fails. to abolish inheritance tax, and heart out of Tribunals. They also Historically the great reductions in reduce taxes generally, and also prefer very short employment mortality were first brought about by Public claimed he would introduce real contracts. Health actions – for instance, outlawing cuts to get the deficit down. When It is vital our members hear the hideous overcrowding in housing and pressed, he came up with less truth about UKIP. It is not wrong to providing proper access to safe drinking than a quarter of the cash by question the EU, and many of our water. cutting overseas aid (£11billion) members will be sceptical. Yet in And that is yet another reason that those and cutting the £20 billion we their worst nightmares, they would of us from the NHS, will also remember contribute to the EU. Leave aside not support the kind of policies a to fight for our colleagues in Local that much of this is spent back in UKIP-led Britain would impose on us. Government, and against cuts in council the UK, but even if every penny of UNISON Activists who want and social housing provision, environmental it was money to spend, this saves a more detailed explanation of health, street cleaning and all the rest. not enough to reduce the deficit by UKIP should look at http://www. That’s why we continue to campaign in a quarter. ier.org.uk/blog/ukip-workplace. support of those colleagues in the long- So how will he save the rest? This features a blog, “UKIP in privatised water and fuel industries. “We need some serious cuts in the the workplace” by Narmada Frances Kelly – health worker (who has Quangos and some serious cuts Thiranagama, UNISON National worked in the NHS for 37 years!) in this massive growth of middle Officer on the Institute of management that has grown up Employment Rights website. 3
September 29th – Why we must all be there TELL THE CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE The TUC demo on 29th September affects us all. All branches need to mobilise members to attend. After all it was a major decision of this year’s National Delegate Conference to have a SAVE OUR march at all. UNISON is leading on saving the NHS. It’s being starved of funds, sliced up and flogged off to private firms. The right wing hate it – they want to see an American style health service where you have to take out insurance. We simply can’t afford to let them get away with it. And if we can’t unite to support the NHS what can we unite around? Other unions and groups will be there protesting about austerity, fracking, attacks on education and much else. The important thing is NHSDEFEND JOBS AND SERVICES we make sure there is a massive turn out. A poorly attended march will only encourage the Tories to go further faster. NO TO AUSTERITY NO TO THE BRITAIN STOP EDUCATION NEEDS A SAVE OUR BEDROOM NOT FOR ROYAL TAX THE September 29th - What you can do LIVING PAY RISE SALE A FUTURE MAIL ACTION CUTS WAGE THAT GUARANTEEJOBS FOR • Make sure you’ve got a supply of the HQ leaflets NOW WORKS FOR THE YOUNG RAIL • Organise a morning handing them out at your major workplaces * • The demo is on a Sunday. Check it’s possible to get to Manchester by public transport and publicise the times. • Think of hiring coaches to get to the march MANCHESTER • Use Twitter and Facebook to tell your members MARCH & RALLY (and the world!) about it SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 • Put it on your branch website • E-mail your branch activists Assemble Liverpool Road Manchester M3 4FP from 11am Find out more at NHS299.org • Make sure you bring your branch banner Follow us at #NHS299 *Rally in Whitworth Park • Come and have a great time on Sunday 29th!
Are you under 27? If the answer is yes then you are classed as a young member. UNISON wants young members to play a full part in union activities. At the same time we know for many young people it can be difficult getting time off work for union activity, being taken seriously, or speaking out with confidence in a room full of older people who can give the impression they know it all.
That’s why we have created a young members’ organisation in UNISON which is designed to: encourage participation; provide a voice for young members; give young members the chance to develop their skills and knowledge; support young members in becoming active in the wider union.
You can get involved at branch level by becoming your plan young member activities and get support from other branch’s young members’ officer. At regional level there members in the region. If you want to find out more or is a Young Members’ Forum, where you get the chance to would like to attend our next meeting on 4th December meet young members from elsewhere in the North West 2013 at 4.30pm, please get in touch with Victoria Walton: and discuss your experiences and ideas. You also get to [email protected] or call her on 0161 661 6716. 4 intouch autumn 2013
NHS: Publicly provided or wrecking ball?
We keep hearing Nye Bevan’s a profit; then slowly the rest of our and expensive and sometimes quote that the NHS “will last as publicly funded and provided NHS they will also provide loss leaders, long as there are folk left with can be gradually taken apart. undercutting the NHS to get their foot the faith to fight for it” But the Already any of you seeking NHS in the door. trouble is that can lull us into treatment may well have been When the local NHS services a sense of false security, while shocked by being referred to a collapse for lack of funding – the the NHS is demolished behind a private provider (it’s happened to me private providers are left to clean up – deliberately constructed screen of already – Ed). the money that is, not the work that is smoke and mirrors. Some people are pleased because needed! And then, heaven help those The detail of what is being done they are told it will mean they are who can’t pay for private care. to the NHS is so complicated that it seen quicker. But don’t be fooled! is difficult to follow – which is just Every referral to a private healthcare What to do: what the Government wants. But the operator drains money out of the essence is simple. It’s a piecemeal NHS – simply to pay the profits of • Be there on September 29th in privatisation allowing the whole to the private firms. And let’s be clear. Manchester City Centre. wither. At first the NHS first becomes Private companies will both cherry- merely a brand name behind which pick the easiest cases, leaving the • When seeing your GP, private healthcare companies make NHS to cope with the most complex insist on NHS providers. NHS 65th birthday celebrations overshadowed by threats
The 5th July 2013 marked the experience of immigrants and the noted at the meeting that, 65th birthday of the NHS and the NHS is that the former have been “The present Secretary event was rightfully celebrated propping up the latter. of State for Health is on at various locations across the Nye Bevan once wrote: “How do record as supporting the region. The “birthplace” of the we distinguish a visitor from anybody American type model of NHS, Trafford General Hospital was else? Are British citizens to carry Health Service provision - a system one such place as were Liverpool, means of identification everywhere based on private insurance. Birkenhead and Bolton and no to prove that they are not visitors? “The Commonwealth Fund, which doubt many more. What began as an attempt to keep is a private American Company The evening saw a TUC-organised the Health Service for ourselves consistently ranks the NHS highly event that looked towards making would end by being a nuisance to on a range of measures. It surveyed sure the NHS reached its 66th everybody. The whole agitation has health services on how they deal birthday! a nasty taste. Instead of rejoicing at with people with chronic and The theme was of course the the opportunity to practice a civilized serious illness. It finds people in attack on the NHS principally through principle, Conservatives have tried Britain have among the fastest privatisation. For those who’ve read to exploit the most disreputable access to GPs, the best co-ordinated UNISON’s or Keep Our NHS Public’s emotions in this among many other care, and suffer from the fewest publicity the speeches didn’t say attempts to discredit socialized medical errors of the 11 countries much new. But I was pleased that medicine” Nothing changes eh? it surveyed including France, the a doctor, qualified only six years, What’s also clear is that the USA, Canada, and Australia. In fact and so with further career-moves Government and the right wing it rates the UK NHS and the Swiss at stake, expressed his disgust at are engaged in a softening-up health service as the most efficient the government’s remarks about process highlighting and enlarging in the world”. So there! immigrants and the NHS. He every single failure by the NHS. pointed out that the overwhelming A consultant doctor, Ahmed Sadiq Frances Kelly 5
NHS 65 – Liverpool Royal PFI scheme Liverpool celebrated the NHS Previously, the hospital and local strategy”. This includes £54.9m 65th birthday with a cake from politicians claimed PFI is “the only to be recouped from hospital Liverpool Acute Hospitals branch game in town”. Now the Trust staff pay awards, Agenda for and a demo by UNISON, Unite, is desperate to reduce the PFI Change increments, overtime, GMB, the Socialist Singers and component. It obtained a capital sickness absence, and even a staff Keep Our NHS Public, with support grant from the Department of Health contribution from 2014 to 2020. It from patients arriving at the for £94m and sought funds from the adds up to over £12,000 per staff hospital. European Investment Bank. member in all!
Spirits were high despite all the But this is still a PFI scheme, and To top it all, the preferred bidder attacks on the health service. In the money wasted on private finance is Carillion, the construction the morning, the Liverpool Echo with its higher interest rates could be firm deeply implicated in the ran an advert from Keep Our NHS better used to recruit and retain 130 construction “blacklist“, racist Public (KONP), part funded by nurses for 30 years. bullying and victimisation of UNISON. It spelled out the NHS we healthcare staff in Swindon, deaths want and need, contrasted with the PFI repayments will have first call on at a private surgical centre in prescription we didn’t need. Trust finances, coming before clinical Hertfordshire (now returned to NHS need even while the Government’s management), and involvement in austerity agenda increases poverty several PFI schemes with major and demand for healthcare. financial problems.
If the Trust runs short of Liverpool City Council will consider money, it has a “mitigation the plans this month.
In Liverpool, The Royal is lurching towards a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) scheme to redevelop the hospital, despite reports from the Public Accounts Committee suggesting PFI is far from value for money. Hard evidence is also growing from PFI disasters in Whiston, South London, Peterborough and Wakefield to name but a few. UNISON has exposed and opposed PFI since the 1990s.
KONP recently published a critique of the latest plans, “Royal Liverpool PFI: A threat to our future” (www. labournet.net/ukunion/1308/ royalpfi1.html) 6 intouch autumn 2013
Pride in our Public Services
UNISON North West LGBT group convince a new member to sign up has had an active summer taking there and then. But as well as potential part in community events and members, people who are already pride celebrations in Blackpool, members often drop by to have a Liverpool, Manchester and Oldham chat about work, life, the state of the and at Sparkle, the national economy and generally just to say On top of that we’ve also worked with transgender festival. how nice it is to see us. Liverpool Pride to produce a LGBT With our purple ‘UNISON The committee decided to attend film festival throughout July, August campaigning for equalities’ T-shirts, as many events as possible this year, and September. The film festival even we’ve engaged with members and regardless of their size, and many branched out to the Light Cinema in potential members from as far away times we’ve been the only trade New Brighton and the Plaza in Crosby, as Newcastle and Bristol, giving union represented at events. with more venues hopefully getting out information on UNISON, its As well as stalls, we also join in any on board before the end of the year. services, and why it’s so important pride marches, and this year, Liverpool With this year’s LGBT Conference for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Pride had a fantastic turnout, with a being held in Liverpool, the group is Transgender people to be in a union. large inflatable UNISON balloon and confident that another recruitment While people enjoy getting a free our regional secretary Kevan Nelson award will be coming our way. pen or lollypop, freebies give us a also joining us. Not to be outdone For more information on perfect opportunity to have a chat Manchester Pride saw us driving a the UNISON North West LGBT with people about whether they’re UNISON float as part of the parade. The group, including how to get in a trade union, what trade unions season isn’t over yet, with Prides in involved, contact Janet Caulfield: do and on some occasions we even Warrington and Chester still to come. [email protected].
Obituary: Cheryl Franklin, Electricity North West Branch
I realised I had not heard from her Natasha’s husband. I am positive for some time. By then she had been I will be friends with Natasha long moved from Oldham General to the after Cheryl’s loss is less painful. I Coronary Care Unit at Wythenshawe can understand why she was Cheryl’s Hospital. She was quite ill but still best friend growing up and during her maintained her usual care-free spirit. I adult life and why she entrusted her never managed to get back to see her. daughter’s future to her care. After Cheryl’s death in May, I As a steward and union colleague received countless goodwill emails Cheryl was very active and always How do I start to talk about Cheryl? from members who she had helped and questioned why things were done in a Anyone who met her has a story to represented. They all wanted to pass certain way when we were in company tell whether they were family, friend, on their condolences to her daughter negotiations, she brought a sense of colleague, manager, or a stranger. Savannah and closest family and balance to any proceedings by adding Cheryl’s philosophy was no one was friends. No one could have predicted her own humour to the discussions. better than anyone else and therefore what an affect her death had on so I do, and will, miss her input and you were treated the same regardless. many people. I for one think about her feel privileged to have worked with Her outlook on life was straight every day and the family she left behind her as a colleague. I am proud to have forward, what you saw was what you who had to deal with not one funeral been able to call her my friend. got with Cheryl, her style was unique but two as Cheryl’s mother died on the and you always knew where you stood same day after a long illness. Teresa McEntee if you ever came onto her radar. I am still in contact with Savannah, UNISON convenor I went to see her in hospital after her legal guardian Natasha and Electricity North West 77
Shrewsbury 24 – Sign the petition
Those of us at National Delegate Conference – or at Regional Council this summer – will have been fired up by Ricky Tomlinson’s speech about the building workers who took industrial action against working conditions so bad that “McAlpine wouldn’t have been Young members visit Cuba allowed to keep his racehorses in!” Ricky Tomlinson and others were By Ian Sutcliffe jailed for peacefully protesting about basic health and safety. And since I was over the moon when I was Latin America. Cuba regularly sends that time there has been a shocking accepted to join the NW UNISON medical aid missions to tropical cover up by those in power about delegation on the Young Trade islands along the Equator and in what happened and why. Unionist May Day Brigade to South America whenever there is a This is an injustice of the sort we Cuba. This was the 6th time that natural disaster. didn’t think could happen in our the Cuba Solidarity Campaign Cuba has a lot to give. Cuba country. Now the official papers which organised two weeks of solidarity may not have the oil or wealth of should have been released under the and celebration of the Cuban the United States of America but it 30 years rule have been deliberately Revolution. has a heart for the poor; which is withheld – because they will show The campaign seeks an end to exactly what the capitalist countries the truth of what happened. It is the 50 year blockade of Cuba by elsewhere do not have. What Cuba important that we find time to get the United States. It is not just an has, it shares generously. signatures in – no matter if you can’t embargo; America also blocks other While in Cuba we attended fill up an entire sheet – it all adds up. countries from trading with Cuba. a play performed by the school We took part in different children, attended a street party This is urgent – between now and activities while in Cuba. One of and joined in the dancing! If any mid-October let’s make a huge effort to tell the tale to our members – and them was farming. We spent a young members are thinking of get them to take the simple action whole day piling up branches going next year don’t go for the of signing the petition so that at last, into a bonfire and another day food: the food is poor. Take plenty an injustice might be admitted and a moving large stones. It was very of mosquito spray; take a torch and wrong put right – in so far as it can be. exhausting, physically and mentally. a raincoat. It rained once while I What would have taken an hour was there – we had a thunderstorm For a print-out of the petition, email: with a tractor took 30 people all and a power cut. Take working [email protected] day. But this is the point, Cuba boots, gloves and washing powder. and for more information look at the struggles to make new vehicles I would recommend going campaign website: or import them because of the on a Brigade in Cuba to anyone, www.shrewsbury24campaign.org.uk blockade. Most cars and lorries whatever age you are. There are are 1950s American vehicles. The Brigades for people of any age as Cubans have done very well in well. Get involved – become an maintaining these vehicles for so activist! long. This is an edited version of Ian’s Another major industry is the report the full version of which can health care industry. The Cuban be found at: www.unisonnw.org/ health service trains doctors and young-members-report-on-may- nurses that go and work all over day-delegation-to-cuba/ 8 intouch autumn 2013
Rochdale rally in support of workers on 19th day of strike action
Members of Rochdale Branch Future Directions but there has employed by Future Directions CIC been no positive movement to date. have been involved in strike action UNISON has requested further financial totalling 19 days over the last three disclosure from Future Directions months. to enable a proper analysis of the They were joined by branches rationale for the cuts to pay, terms and from around the region on a march conditions for members. This is yet to and rally in Rochdale Town Centre be fully provided by the company. on Thursday, 29th August. The One of the women now working for well attended rally was addressed Future Directions began her role as a by UNISON President Maureen carer for vulnerable adults in 1989, now Le Marinel, and Head of Local because of the cuts imposed by her Government Heather Wakefield, with employer she is earning less pay in real messages of support for the action terms than she was 23 years ago! Head of local government Heather that they have been engaged in. The striking workers are dedicated Wakefield (left) and UNISON The employer, Future Directions, is carers who provide a vital service to the president Maureen Le Marinel a Community Interest Company owned most vulnerable people. Many of the join the rally for Future Directions by Calderstones NHS Trust. They are workers have been have been caring for workers in Rochdale on 29 August. looking to expand their business and the same service users for many years are aiming to bid for more contracts. and having to take strike action has Future Directions were awarded a been a last resort for them. However, messages of support. contract by Rochdale Council in 2012 they feel that they have no other option More importantly the branch needs to deliver supported living services in and have to balance the needs of the your money! Rochdale. In order for this contract to service users with the need to provide Send donations to the strike be viable Future Directions have cut for their own families. fund c/o Helen Harrison, Branch workers’ pay. They have also attacked 80% of the Future Directions workforce Secretary, to Rochdale UNISON, 46 their terms and conditions. Many are part-time women workers. Richard Street, Rochdale, OL11 1DU, workers are losing more than £500 per This is an important dispute – and or email [email protected]. month and having to use savings to not just for those in Rochdale. We The branch thanks those who subsidise their wage and make ends really cannot allow the action to fail. have already donated, and Regional meet. The members need all the support we Committee, which met on 3 September, UNISON has attempted to enter can collectively give them. Branches urged branches to dig deep and send into meaningful negotiations with and individuals are encouraged to send more!
Liverpool Black Members Liverpool UNISON Black Members’ Members of the for equality and a representative Self-organised Group has re-formed group are pictured workforce in Liverpool. as a direct result of Liverpool protesting on behalf A full campaign of action City Council’s service reviews of yet another black to highlight the inequality in and redeployment measures member being employment and selection for disproportionately affecting its issued a compulsory redundancy of Black people members. redundancy notice. in Liverpool is currently in the The number of black members Sadly the member lost offing. For more information being made redundant or redeployed their appeal and was contact Leon Mussa at: Ismail. has led to the decline in the number subsequently made redundant. [email protected] or of black employees to just 5.4% of the The Liverpool Black Members’ call him on 0151-233-4770 workforce. Group has since increased its efforts Ext 4799.