Items in the news.

• UNISON Welfare invites applications for Cold Weather Payments
• Local government workers lodge 2010 pay claim - the employers respond
• Branch officers' meeting dates for 2010
• Equal Pay Update
  

Cold Weather Grants

UNISON Welfare is a registered charity that exists to support members of UNISON who are facing difficulties as a result of unforeseen financial hardship.

In view of the recent spell of exceptionally cold weather and given the significant
increases in energy costs, UNISON Welfare’s Board of Trustees has established a limited fund to provide one-off payments of £50 towards winter fuel costs to assist our most vulnerable members.

In identifying the appropriate target group for these payments, the charity has
acknowledged that members in receipt of specific benefits will have received Cold Weather Payments from the Dept. of Work and Pensions (DWP) in addition to their usual benefit payments. UNISON Welfare has therefore taken the decision to open its Winter Fuel Grants fund to those members who are retired or suffering from long-term health conditions and who have not been able to benefit from the Cold Weather Payments available.

Any UNISON member facing unforeseen financial hardship for any reason is entitled to make a standard application to the charity, however. For further information, please see our web pages at www.unison.co.uk/welfare, contact your Welfare Officer at your local Branch or or telephone or email our Support Team (020 7551 1620 or welfare@unison.co.uk).

Deadline for applications: 30 April 2010.

Full information and an application form to apply for the Cold Weather Grant is available to download. (pdf 265KB)

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24.11.09

updated

17.02.10

Local government workers lodge 2010 pay claim

UNISON, Unite and GMB public service unions, have submitted a 2.5% or £500 pay claim on behalf of 1.5 million local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Heather Wakefield, UNISON's Head of Local Government, said, "The 2.5% claim is modest and takes account of the tough economic climate and the predicted inflation rate for next year. We believe this claim is both realistic and affordable.

"Local Government workers are playing a vital role in helping communities through the recession, offering practical support alongside debt and housing advice. I would urge the employers to settle this claim quickly and allow council workers to focus on the job in hand, delivering quality public services."

Full details of NJC pay claim 2010-2011 are available as a PDF document.

January 2010 - The employers respond with a proposed increase of 0%

Local government unions, UNISON, GMB and UNITE, representing 1.6 million workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have been told that their members face a pay freeze in 2010/2011. The unions are calling on the local government employers to think again, saying that local government workers will struggle to afford basic essentials, with nearly 3% inflation rendering the pay freeze a real terms pay cut. The unions are calling for them to come to their senses and make a reasonable offer, saying that there is room in council budgets to give workers decent pay.

The document circulated by the National Employers’ Organisation
for Local Government Services with information about the employers' response is is available to download as a PDF document (71KB). __________________________________________________

updated 23.02.10

Branch officers' meeting dates for 2010 Bridgend Branch of UNISON are as follows:

All meetings are on Mondays:

22nd March 2010
19th April 2010
24th May 2010
28th June 2010
19th July 2010
23rd August 2010
20th September 2010
25th October 2010
22nd November 2010
13th December 2010

All meetings will run 5.30pm - 8.30pm, in Committee Room 1, Civic Offices, Angel Street.
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Equal pay update

Many 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) _______________________________