April Branch meeting minutes

Please see the minutes from the April branch meeting of the branch after the break.
This will stay as draft until agreed at the next branch meeting.

Minutes from the Unite Branch meeting 19^th April 2012.

Apologies

Coleen Savage

Anton White

Minutes

They are available on the Website

Chris Biggam’s name to be updated.

Work Place Rep Election

Suggestion that all the reps from Capita continue - carried

Capita’s continuing reps:

Mike Dyer

Gerry Cosker

Andrew Curtis

Karen Harkness

Gillian Young

Anthony White

Chris Biggam

Stewart Wakelan-Munro

Proposals for new reps:

Stewart Wakelam-Munro nominates Laura Sweeney

Gerry Coskar nominates Karen Anderson

Mike advised that Jackie Campbell has expressed an interest and that he will speak to her and propose her as a rep at the next meeting if she agrees.

There were no objections to Laura Sweeney and Karen Anderson’s nomination and they are elected as Unite Reps.

No one was present from Royal London so suggested that all Royal London Rep remain. There were no objections to this.

Royal London’s continuing reps:

Coleen Savage

Michael Campbell

Steven McConway

Branch Secretary’s Report

Not much to report other than a request for funding from Remploy for the Disabled workers fighting fund. Although we do support them we are unable to contribute at this time, as we do not have any funds in the Branch account at this time.

Stewart had a copy of all the motions from the Policy Conference. There is a link that Mike will send out if we ask as it is a lengthy document. Advised that we can come up with proposed amendments that can be made to this for the next meeting.

Mike suggested that the motion for FOSS could be sent and that the Branch Committee could discuss this.

Treasurers Report

Mike advised that although he has raised the issue with the Finance Secretary for Scotland the February Bank statement still shows that the branch has not received funding.

This is due to an ongoing disagreement regarding expenses resulting in no money being issued to finance sector branches. The head of the Finance sector is dealing with this but unfortunately we will have to postpone anything we were planning to do.

Pat Rafferty the Scottish Secretary has been made formally aware of the situation.

Regarding the Books that we had planned to buy, there may be other books that we can buy at a lower cost and we will be able to buy one for each rep.

There was a suggestion that Stewart write to Pat Rafferty to voice the branch concerns and mention that there are thing that we cannot do. The wording will be agreed by the committee and put on the website for everyone to view.

Chris asked if we knew if the Money would be backdated. Mike confirmed that the money could be backdated to January.

Equalities

Karen was not present at the meeting

Stewart advised that nothing has come in.

Pride Glasgow will be marching in June and unite could be participating with a stall and a banner.

Mike confirmed that no funding had been requested as yet.

There is an issue with the date of the march, which was to be the 2^nd weekend in July. This would clash with the Orange Walk in the city.

Finance Sector Meeting

Mike confirmed that the union is organized into Industrial Sectors and he has been delegated to work with the national Finance Sector Committee.

Capita Concerns – There is an ongoing campaign about performance related pay across the finance sector with a view to dismantling this process. Looking into a survey being carried out at the end of May beginning of June to see what employees feel about this issue.

Phil Taylor of Strathclyde University is doing some Academic Research into Performance Related Pay.

Campaign at AGM to voice concerns. Hypothetically we could structure this around the Off shoring of IT as well as local authority and Government jobs going to India.

Question: “Capita’s work in Glasgow is not confined to Finance, some people work on Health Service Projects which seems like capita cashing in on the dismantling of the health service. How will this affect those working in Glasgow?”

Answer – In terms of the structure there should be no change to how it works. There is another Union PSC 0 the civil service union they are also going to the AGM and will raise any concerns.

Stuart mentioned that maybe we should motion for PSC to start working Closer with Unite.

Mike – Dane Flemming speaking to those working on Health Service Contacts to see if anything to this nature can be brought forward.

Policy Conference

If anyone has any motions these should be passed to Mike.

There are already various items about Scottish independence and its impact on the UK. Unions will be doing consultations on the questions i.e. should 16 years olds be allowed to vote. This consultation will decide the stance of the union not just those in charge.

Election of Branch Officers

Chair Andrew Curtis

Vice Chair Collene Savage

Secretary Stuart Wakelam –Munro

Vice Secretary Laura Sweeney

Woman/Equalities Karen Harkness

Treasurer Mike Dyer

Mike moves that all be reelected as they stand unless there are any objections. – All agreed

If anyone wants to be an officer then they can contact the branch then this can be done. Also if anyone wants to be elected to the committee member then they can also let the Branch know.

Capita Update

ITS Redundancy – Looking to loose staff across the country.

At the moment people have been at risk for 2-5 weeks for local selection. It was the Desk Top and Network Support employees who were at risk. This has now been decided.

Currently there are 900 in scope for redundancy due to off-shoring plans. There will be a 90 day consultation and then by May/June people will be put at risk and the selection exercise will begin.

Pay Rise letter

Capita will no longer pay Contractual Rylon. This does not affect anyone, as we do not have this in out contracts. In short everyone will get paid their notice but they will no longer have the right to work their notice period.

The union should have put out an announcement about it but this was forgotten about due to other concerns.

Some part time staff received their letter with their full time equivalent salary on then. These letters did also not mention a pro rata equivalent.

Mike advised to see how his or her wages went through before contacting anyone, as there may be no issue.

With regard to raising a grievance against your rating there is no time limit on when you can appeal. Some areas had advised that there was 5-day limit but this was wrong. If anyone has any question they should email the .box.