Minutes
from the Unite Branch Meeting: 20th June 2012
Apologies
Stewart
Waklam-Munro
Colleen
Savage
Mike
Campbell
Gillian
Young
Leslie
Langan
Anne
Forbes
Minutes:
The
minutes from the previous meeting have went up on the branch website
The
type on the word “Rylon” to be changed to “Pylon”
No
other objections.
Election
of Royal London Reps:
This
was carried forward from the previous meeting to ensure that enough
Royal London reps very available to vote.
Colleen
Savage and Mike Campbell forwarded to be reelected – Passed
Steven
McConway Put himself forward as a new rep and was elected as a new
Rep fro Royal London.
Branch
Secretary’s Report.
Very
little in way of correspondence this Month.
Had
a ballot form in for a by election for the Servicing and General
Industries sector seat. Don’t think anyone in the branch qualifies
for this part of the union if I am wrong contact me (should cover all
catering and facilities staff)
Have
been sent details of a Free one day conference on 2nd July
dealing with human Trafficking and the Law let me know if interested
can send on the registration forms.
Have
also been sent details and campaign guide on defending the Employment
and human rights commission, which is the next target for the
government available on request.
We
have received an open invitation to the Right to work Campaign’s
open meeting on Tuesday 26th June @
7.00pm in the STUC offices, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow - All
welcome
(The
TUC has called a national demonstration in London on Saturday
20th October 'for
a Future that Works'. This
event, called in opposition to the austerity that Governments across
Europe are trying to impose on us, could see huge march through
central London culminating in a mass rally in Hyde Park. Coming
just 2 weeks after the TUC's
march on the Tory Party Annual Conference
in Birmingham on Sunday 7th October, it is another
excellent initiative.
The
Right to Work Campaign is hosting an open meeting at the STUC
offices, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow on Tuesday 26th June @ 7pm to
discuss how we build these initiatives locally and how they can
provide a focus for local activity and opposition to the different
attacks we are all facing.
Cameron
and Osborne are driving through vicious policies to slash pay,
jobs, services, pensions and welfare provision; they are
dismantling employment rights and health and safety protection at
work; they are slashing education and condemning young people to a
grim future; and they are targeting the poor and the
vulnerable and scapegoating refugees. But as the recent council
elections show, this government is becoming as unpopular as its
counterpart in Greece. Over the summer and into autumn we need
to turn up the heat on the Condem Coalition.
You are
invited to attend the open meeting at the STUC on 26th June. Trade
union bodies, campaigns and community groups are encouraged to send
representatives. The STUC meets shortly to decide how it will
respond, with the possibility of a Scottish Demonstration being
called later in the year. The Right to Work Meeting on the 26th will
hear an update from Dave Moxham on this.
Come
along and invite your friends and workmates. Take part in the
discussion about how we stiffen the resistance here in
Scotland and across the UK - and about how we can build links and
solidarity with our brothers and sisters fighting back in Greece,
Spain and across the globe.
As always there
will be time for updates on current activities, local campaigns and
strikes.)
We
have had several emails regarding the women’s committee, which the
women’s officer will cover.
I
am on conference 1st week in July at the TUC LGB&T
conference as a Delegate for Scotland.
I
have been elected as the Trade Union Liaison officer for the Glasgow
North West Branch of the Labour Party.
I
am also a delegate to the STUC LGB&T inaugural Conference in
September.
We
should be hearing soon about elections over the summer to re-elect
our union committees as part of the new union structure.
Treasures
Report.
The
issues around the fund being received by the branch have been
resolved and £655.96 has now been paid into the branch bank account.
With
regards to the books previously mentioned – we are proposing to buy
one for each of the Rep's and try to organize with other areas as the
more books we buy the cheaper they become.
Mike
will be attending a conference where he will be able to purchase some
“freebie” for us to give away such as Pens ect. There were no
objections to this so Mike will do this when he is away.
Craigforth
has set up a branch as well and have asked for a loan in the meantime
until their funding comes through to pay for a Bench/Memorial for a
member who died. They have asked fro £200 loan for this, which will
be paid back once their funding, is sorted.
Andrew
made a suggestion that we loan then £150 and donate £50. There were
no objections to this so it was agreed.
Woman’s
& Equalities.
Karen
was not in attendance; Mike notes that the Scottish TUC has elected
fro Stewart to attend the regional conference in September as a
delegate.
Further
to the April meeting where we suggested that a letter be written to
pat Rafferty with regards to the delay in out funding Mike has spoken
to him and agreed that as the issue was resolved there was no need
for a formal written reply.
Policy
Conference in the coming week.
Mike
will be attending and will obtain a list of existing Unite
affiliations and confirm what the unions existing policies are so
that it is easier for members to raise any motions at future
proceedings.
Capita
Update:
Capita
are looking into off shoring the IT department meaning a loss of 400
of the existing 4000 staff. This actually ended up being a lot lower
than originally thought.
Looks
like Craigforth will now not go through the off shoring till next
year with Glasgow losing 9 staff all to voluntary redundancy.
Also
a loss of another 8 staff from another location that will not be
voluntary.
There
was a ballot issued for industrial action issued when it was thought
that there would be a loss of 400 jobs. 94% agreed. As this figure
has now changed they will be balloted again to see if they still
think that industrial action is required. The company has not been
informed of this as yet.
It
has been made common knowledge that the redundancy is Glasgow is
voluntary and those who agreed had a set amount of time to change
their minds. Only 9 therefore went through the selection process.
Bonus
Buyout:
Those
earning more that £25,000 were not in the bonus buy out scheme. A
suggestion was made that those earning between £25,000 and £40,000
have the option to opt into the bonus buy out scheme. Capita rejected
this.
Currently
if your Salary goes above £25,000 due to promotion ect then you
would be eligible for a bonus if one was offered as they buy out
would no longer apply even if your bonus had already been bought out.
Questionnaire
will be issued in July/August in relation to performance related Pay
and the Rating structure.
Survey
monkey will be sending this out to all staff in a newsletter.
Royal
London Update.
Steve
Mcconway confirmed that reps are still trying to meet with Royal
London HR representatives as the there are still certain point of the
pay deal which he described as “woolly”
They
are still trying to get into Edinburgh but the Employee Committee is
making it difficult due to its Hierarchical culture and structure as
it is populated by management and affiliates.
Looks
like they may have to stand outside and distribute literature rather
than inside the building.
The
pay report has not been widely publicised but they have been asking
for this to be passed to the committee and employees made more aware.
Want
to look at how people pay is increased up to the median rather than
by length of service. We should not be punishing those who have
worked here for some time. Everyone should be benefiting equally if
there is to be a pay increase.
Santander
Update:
There
were still no reps or members from Santander in attendance. Mike said
that there is a member who should be transferring to out branch.
Any
Other Business
Looking
for some willing volunteers to stand outside the Royal Bank of
Scotland and Churchill Insurance handing out leaflets – please
speak to mike if you are interested in helping out.
Heath
and Safety:
Stress
Audit was forwarded but Capita have not come back as yet. Craigforth
have carried out the audit in conjunction of the introduction of DHP.
PEG
Group – Mike spoke to them about how we could work together to
reduce stress in the workplace and they were supposed to meet to look
at minutes from meetings and discuss but this has not happened.
They
are supposed to be looking at moral meters feeding back to Mike
Presland and identifying when people are not happy and how to
rectify. This has not been don either.
Capita
is unwilling to admit that there is a problem with Moral and Stress
among its staff and will not engage in any measure to rectify at this
moment in time.
When
asked about previous responses to survey questions showing low moral
the reply was “everyone always does that on surveys”
Peg
group have also voiced that they think they should be the ones to
deal with the pay deal annually. This was not agreed.
The
next meeting will be in August.
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