Items in the news.

• Branch officers' meeting dates for 2009
• Thompsons - The Successes Continue
• Local Government Pay Claim - April 08- March 09 (updated)
• Equal Pay Update
  

updated 01.01.09

Branch officers' meeting dates for 2009 Bridgend Branch of UNISON are as follows:

All meetings are on Mondays:

19 January 2009
16 February 2009
23 March 2009
20 April 2009
18 May 2009
22 June 2009
20 July 2009
24 August 2009
21 September 2009
19 October 2009
23 November 2009

All meetings will run 5.30pm - 7.30pm, in Committee Room 1, Civic Offices, Angel Street.
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Thompsons - The Successes Continue into 2009

Behind the scenes, Thompsons Cymru/Wales have been continuing their excellent work on behalf of UNISON members in Wales, including an impressive £1.7 million recovered for injured UNISON members in 2006 alone.

Thompsons has produced newsletters - most recently Autumn 2008 - which detail some of its recent achievements for UNISON members, together with a list of the services they can provide for members. Download a copy from these choices:

Autumn 2008 newsletter ( Word doc, 293Kb)

Spring 2008 newsletter ( Word doc, 592Kb) ______________________________________

updated

20.10.08

Local Government Pay Claim - April 08-March 09

UNISON members in local government in England , Wales and Northern Ireland have voted by 55% to 45% for a programme of sustained strike action over the 2.45% pay offer.

As a result of the YES vote in the Industrial Action ballot on pay 2008, UNISON's NJC Committee confirmed on 24th June the union's intention to strike on 16th and 17th July.

These two days will be followed, if necessary, with further sustained action in September. UNISON members' anger over the employer's 'pay cut' offer has been exacerbated in the weeks since the decision to ballot was taken by rocketing price increases on virtually every commodity within both RPI and CPI inflation calculations.

The unions involved in the industrial action issued a joint statement on 24th July - click here to see it.

Currently, ACAS have been requested to offer their assistance so that an outcome can be reached.

For more information on the national pay award visit the national UNISON website www.unison.org.uk/paymatters/index.asp

update 20.10.08 Following an agreement to pay employees 'on account', further to additional negotiations, a bulletin has been circulated by UNISON. ( Word document 149Kb)

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Equal pay updated

Since our last newsletter in December 2007 many more members have returned an equal pay form to UNISON.

Compensatory payments for Equal Pay for past pay discrimination have been offered to Catering, Cleaning and Care Staff in Gwynedd, Blaenau Gwent, Swansea, Cardiff and Merthyr Councils.

For example, Merthyr Council has offered 75% of 6 years back pay for past discrimination.

Additionally, many Councils in England have settled or made offers to their staff; other Councils are leaving these issues to the Employment Tribunals - which are finding in favour of UNISON members. For example, UNISON successfully argued at the Birmingham tribunal that women employed by Coventry City Council (including home care workers, cleaners, school cooks and administration Workers) were entitled to equal pay with refuse collectors who received a bonus on top of their pay. The tribunal did not accept the Council's argument there were good reasons why the men got it and the women did not.

If you haven't already done so - we urge all members working within these areas to contact the Branch as soon as possible.

UNISON wants to help you get what is rightfully yours . All we ask is you complete a form and return it to us before it's too late. (23.04.08) _______________________________