ADUR & WORTHING BRANCH

NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2016

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would you be affected? SEE PAGE 5

SEE INSIDE Sheltered Housing review 3 EU referendum: tackling racism 4 NJC

pay rates 5 Supporting the RMT 10 Union training 12 Your branch committee 16

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

INTRODUCTION
Welcome
to the first
new-style
format for
our branch
newsletter
CoastLine.
Were planning to
invest more to improve
communications with you.
This newsletter is the
first example, but well also
be making better use of
social media, and looking
at a new website. We believe
its vital the branch keeps
you up to speed with
changes being introduced
by local employers that
potentially impact on you

and that your views

are heard.
We hope this information
will also encourage nonmembers to join the
union. Please encourage
your team-mates to read
a copy, even if theyre
not union members!
This edition focuses
on many issues directly
impacting Adur & Worthing
branch members such as:
a reduction in Sheltered
Housing Services, proposals
to review the Mileage Policy
for Essential Car Users,
how we influence council
decisions and the training
opportunities available for
local workplace contacts.
We also share many of

the advantages of union

membership: our welfare
service and exclusive
benefits and discounts as
well as exploring wider
issues impacting on staff
and services: Equalities,
TTIP, the EU Referendum
result and industrial
action on the railways.
We hope CoastLine
gives a good overview of
what the union is up to
locally and nationally.
If theres anything youd
like to see featured in future
editions, please let me
know by emailing: unison@
adur-worthing.gov.uk
Lee Billingham,
Branch Secretary

Taking your issues to the top

Adur & Worthing UNISON holds regular meetings with
Adur & Worthing Councils to discuss issues affecting
staff. This is done via a decision-making body known
as the Joint Officer Negotiating Group (JONG).
This currently consists of
the director of resources
Paul Brewer, HR manager
Heidi Christmas and three
UNISON officers. Two
of these are permanent
attendees (branch secretary
Lee Billingham and Malcolm
Wigham, steward at
Commerce Way) with the
third shared among branch
committee members on a
rotating basis. The group
has two main purposes:
to allow the union regular
direct access to senior
managers so that branch
officers can raise issues

impacting our members

and challenge the councils
to take action; and
to allow the councils
to discuss any plans
impacting on staff with
the union at an early
stage, aiming to seek
agreement or prevent
unexpected issues
surfacing.
Sophie Whitehouse the
branch womens officer
helped represent the branch
at the latest JONG in July.
An example of the sort of
issue we discussed, said

Sophie, was the councils

monitoring of staff equality
data. Though the councils
routinely collect this
information, current systems
are unable to provide the
data we need. The councils
recognise this as a burning
issue and have tasked the
head of HR to sort it out.
It will also help our
branch become much more
proactive. It will allow us
to find out more easily
where there are problems
affecting minority groups
and challenge the councils
to do something about it.
If youve an issue youd like us
to raise at JONG, please let us
know. Contact us at unison@
adur-worthing.gov.uk

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

ELECTION RESULT

LABOUR
LEADERSHIP
The Labour Partys
leadership election was
won by Jeremy Corbyn with
an increased majority.
UNISON general secretary Dave
Prentis said: Jeremy Corbyn has
won because hes captured the
imagination of party members.
People are inspired by his promises
to end austerity, fix our broken
public services and build a different
kind of economy.
Lee Billingham, Adur
& Worthing UNISON
Branch Secretary said,
A clear majority of
Labour-affiliated
UNISON members
in the South East
backed Jeremy Corbyn,
as they did across
the rest of the country.
Labour MPs in parliament need
to get behind their leader and start
doing the job trade union members
need them to do holding the
government to account for its
continuing focus on austerity, pay
restraint and cuts to public services
and local government funding
Around one third of Adur
& Worthing Branch members
belong to UNISONs Affiliated
Political Fund (APF), making them
affiliate members of Labour. If any
member is interested in becoming
the branchs Labour Link Officer,
coordinating links with Labour
locally, please email by the end
of October (you must pay into
the APF for this role - let us know
if youre not sure if you do).

COASTLINE

Sheltered Housing
service reviews
Negotiations to review the Adur-Worthing
Councils Sheltered Housing Service were
completed at the end of August.
Due to national government cuts to supporting
people funding, around 100,000 per year of West
Sussex County Council (WSCC) funding to Adur
Homes for this service had been withdrawn: 40% of
the budget.
Adur Homes proposed to change the existing role
of sheltered housing officers (wardens) to housing
management officers, with a focus on tenancy
management rather than a more care-focused role.
Half the current posts have been made redundant.
As Coast Line goes to press, staff are awaiting the
councils response to voluntary redundancy requests.
The union has raised concerns that changes could
lead to a deterioration of service for users, with fewer
staff available to perform face-to-face care duties.
Adur Homes had previously maintained what was
the last remaining traditional style sheltered housing
service in the county, where wardens based largely at
one site made daily calls to residents to check on their
welfare. This has been replaced by a floating support
service commissioned by WSCC and delivered by
Worthing Homes.
An initial service review period, first began in
November 2015, was completed in June with a
consultants report which made the recommendations
above. It was followed by a formal 18-day staff/union
consultation. This prolonged uncertainty produced a
great deal of anxiety among affected staff.
Given the significant scale of the service
cut, member concerns around how the service
redesign was being handled and a perceived lack
of meaningful consultation with service users, the
branch commissioned APSE (Association for Public
Service Excellence) to conduct an independent
analysis of the proposals to help inform the unions
response. The branch also hopes to use the reports
recommendations to make suggestions to the
councils on how similar restructures could be better
handled in future. We will circulate the full report to
branch members in the near future.

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

Stand up to Racism and

Peoples Assembly conferences
Stand Up to Racism held a major national conference on Saturday 8 October
with keynote speakers including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Recently weve seen a blockade and
threats to shut down the jungle refugee
camp in Calais and the burkini ban in
France. Here, Theresa May has refused
to offer confirmation that EU nationals
can stay in Britain post-Brexit.
We have seen the murder of a
Arkadiusz Jozwik in Harlow, Essex, and
the G20 debate dominated by discussion
of immigration. Weve also experienced
the growth of the Black Lives Matter
movement on both sides of the Atlantic.
Stand up to Racism conference can be
a launchpad for the building of a mass

campaign against all forms of racism in

every town and city, in every workplace and
university campus. For more information:
www.standuptoracism.org.uk
Timed to coincide with the Tory Party
conference, the Peoples Assembly
Conference took place on 1 October in
Birmingham. It focused on the widening
gap between rich and poor. It included
themes such as: Nationalisation vs
Privatisation, The Benefits of Immigration
and Communities Abandoned: What Should
Local Government Provide? It was followed
by a mass demonstration on 2 October.

POST EU REFERENDUM

No more austerity!
Stand up to racism!
Whichever way you voted, its clear that since the EU
referendum campaign there has nationally been a rise
in incidents of racial abuse and hate crimes directed
against ethnic minority and non-British citizens.
A pregnant woman was
assaulted, racially abused
and lost her unborn twins
in an attack in Milton
Keynes. This followed the
murder of a Polish man,
Arkadiusz Jozwik in Harlow.
In Adur & Worthing, we have
thankfully not seen such
incidents. However, these
general concerns, including
online abuse of a newlyelected Adur councillor,
have prompted the councils

to issue a statement
opposing hate crime.
Cuts to jobs, services
and benefits have not
been caused by refugees
or immigrants, but by
governments bailing out the
banks, introducing crippling
austerity policies and letting
off the super-rich like Sir Philip
Green from paying their taxes.
In our area, elected
politicians and NHS chiefs
are carrying out the

governments policies
of cuts, hitting the most
vulnerable. Adur & Worthing
UNISON branch, supports
national UNISON policy:
opposing cuts to the
services we all need;
working to defend jobs
and improving wages
and working conditions;
supporting campaigns
to help jobless and
disabled people; and
urging all parts of our
community to unite
against racism.
We are talking to local trade
unions and community
organisations about working
together on campaigns
to combat austerity and
racism. If youre interested
please get in touch: unison@
adur-worthing.gov.uk

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

COASTLINE

Essential car users:

review of mileage policy
Through our regular JONG meetings with Adur &
Worthing Councils, the branch has been made aware
of proposals to review the use of personal vehicles for
work purposes, and the consideration of alternatives
which could impact on the payment of allowances
and associated working practices and policies.
The branch contacted members
to find out who currently
receives Essential Car User
Allowance: a monthly sum
paid to members of staff
who regularly use their cars
in the course of their work.
Around 130 staff currently
receive this allowance, which
generally applies to staff who
do 1,000 miles or more per year
in the course of their work. The
current agreed mileage policy

New pay rates

confirmed
Earlier this year the National Joint Council
(NJC) announced the new pay rates for the
next two years, 201617 and 201718.
Each year of the two will see
salaries increase by 1%, as
recently agreed between
employers and the NJC trade
unions: UNISON, GMB and
Unite. For the lowest paid
(those on spinal points 617)
this would mean a pay rise
of between 6.6% and 1.01%
the first year, and between
3.4% and 1.3% the second.
Those on spinal points
1849 would receive 1%
in year one and the same

again the following year.

Pay increases should have
started from 1 April 2016.
Adur & Worthing UNISON
believes this settlement is
inadequate. It supported
the vote at UNISONs
national conference in
June to censure the NJC
committee for accepting
the deal. The ramifications
of this are not yet clear,
but new pay talks are likely
before the end of the year.

allows for a review of the terms

of this allowance each year.
Conversations between
the branch and the councils
around this issue are ongoing.
Well report back to members
when proposals are finalised
so we can get your feedback.
If youre a member who
hasnt already let the branch
know whether you currently
receive this allowance, please
get in touch.

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

Choose
how your
subs are
used
In UNISON you can
choose whether to pay
a proportion of your
subs into the Affiliated
Political Fund (APF, also
known as Labour Link),
the General Political Fund
(GPF), both or neither.
The General Political Fund
(GPF) is not affiliated to any
political party. The money
is used to support local
campaigns such as anticuts campaigns or local
campaigns against hospital
closures; the unions national
political campaigns; and
political advertising. Branch
members who pay into the
GPF can apply for financial
support for a political
campaign or activity.
APF Labour Link works
directly within the Labour
Party to take UNISONs
policies into the heart of
the party. It works through
a network of Labour Link
officers at branch, regional
and national levels working
together and with other
affiliated unions. 30% of our
branch are APF members.
If you would like to
find out more or change
the way your subs are
distributed to these funds,
please contact unison@
adur-worthing.gov.uk

Branch at national
demonstration
Members of Adur & Worthing UNISON recently
took part in a 15,000-strong national demonstration
in London jointly organised by campaign groups
the Peoples Assembly and Stand up to Racism.
Called No More Austerity, No to Racism, the
event aimed to draw attention to:
the plight of refugees entering Europe;
growing levels of hate-crime against immigrants in
the UK since the EU Referendum result; and
the continued impact of Conservative-led
austerity policies on working people.
It was supported by other high-profile lobby groups
such as Black Lives Matter, launched in the wake of
recent events in the USA.
Branch secretary Lee Billingham reported: There
was a real diverse mix of people from all backgrounds
coming together to support these worthy causes.
Its important our branch shows solidarity with
national campaigns and events highlighting genuine
national problems experienced by many local people.
We must participate in shaping the future.
Immigrants and refugees are not the cause of the
countrys economic and social problems. We need
to focus any blame for our societys main problems
where it rightly belongs: on the governments failed
austerity policies over the past six years.
UNISON supports the recent statement from Adur
& Worthing Councils opposing racism. As Sami Zeglam,
new Labour councillor said: As a mixed race, Muslim
British-Libyan, I can without hesitation and from
experience firmly say that the rhetoric around race has
reached dangerous heights. As a society we must come
together during this period of great tension to stand
up, be vocal and oppose racism wherever it occurs.

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

COASTLINE

The Trade
Union Bill
becomes law
The heavily amended Trade Union
Bill has now become law the Trade
Union Act.
UNISON lobbying helped achieve
concessions. We didnt defeat it entirely,
but did manage to remove several
elements that would have damaged
trade unions. We defeated the attempt
to stop employers processing union
subs, which could have cost some unions
millions to set up alternative ways of
collection. The worst of the draconian
rules on picketing were dropped.
There remain however, major
problems with it. The Act still includes
clauses demanding pickets have an
identified supervisor. The double strike
threshold for essential public services
remains, imposing a turnout of 50%
and then a yes vote of at least 40% of
all eligible voters.
UNISON still wants more concessions
on e-balloting (something Tories deemed
too vulnerable to fraud for unions, but
used to select Zac Goldsmith as their
candidate for London mayor) and on
the right to take time out in the week for
union work.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union
general secretary said: The Act
represents a savage attack on working
people and their rights, and will inevitably
lead workers to come into conflict with
the law.
Well done to UNISON branch
members who took part in days of action
to protest about this legislation. There
is still more to do. Were not asking
for special treatment, just to apply the
same rules as in political elections.
Please get in touch if you need more
information: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Digital training
for depot staff
and more
Adur & Worthing Councils have
agreed to explore the possibility
of providing access to and training
in digital information for our
manual, depot-based staff.
This follows effective joint working between
the councils and UNISON. Staff will then be
able to make best use of the information
well be sending out through our digital
channels, which we are planning to expand.
We hope it will also give our depot-based
members improved digital skills to help in
their personal lives too. Were pleased the
branch has been part of this initiative to
improve the working lives of our members.
The Branch would like to welcome
two new stewards, Claire Pink (Economy
directorate) and Ian McGraffin. Lesley Heath
is our new Membership and Admin officer.
We wish them well in their new roles.
Branch steward Dave Steff successfully
completed his Unison Health & Safety
training course in September.
For more training information contact
Mel Shaw: mel.shaw@adur-worthing.gov.uk

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E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

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COASTLINE

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behalf is through political campaigning.
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payment so you wont pay any extra, but
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money to be used.
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Our Affiliated Political Fund takes

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10

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

New Facebook page coming soon

Adur & Worthing UNISON is planning
to create a new Facebook page this
autumn to help keep you better
informed about the work we do and
issues affecting your working life.
You wont need a Facebook account
to access this. It works just like any
website. It will complement our
established social media channels,
which members are urged to follow:

twitter.com/UnisonAdurWrthg
Google+ (Under development,
council only at present)
Well keep you posted on developments via
email, and on noticeboards and will let you
know when we have a definite launch date.
If theres anything youd specifically like
to see included in our communications
to you, or if youre into your social
media and would like to help out, please
email: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk

FIVE REASONS TO SUPPORT

THE RAIL UNIONS
People are losing their jobs because of poor punctuality and attendance caused
by Southern Rails sub-standard service. Please support the rail unions local
RMT staff during their next strike days: 3, 4, 5 and 22, 23 November and 6, 7, 8
December. Write to your MP via bit.ly/23MXnzK

1
2
3
4
5

WHAT GOVIA SAYS

WHAT THE RAIL UNIONS SAY

Abolish guards/conductors.
Introduce driver-only
operated (DOO) trains in
Sussex and Surrey.

It threatens passenger safety and security.

especially if the driver is injured.

The driver will be expected

to drive the train and be
responsible for passenger
safety.

Independent inquiries after train crashes

and fatalities consistently say we need
on-board staff trained in protection
and evacuation procedures.

Advances in technology mean

DOO trains are safe and
have worked elsewhere.

Govia wants to save money by shedding

staff so rail fat cats can keep making massive
profits out of the privatised railway.

By reducing train services by

15% passengers will receive a
more predictable service and be
able to plan journeys better.

Despite the emergency timetable (350

fewer trains per day) Govia Thameslink
performance remains at rock-bottom.

It wants to close 84 station ticket

offices and reduce opening
hours and services at others.

Its unworkable, unsafe and unpopular. Many

passengers prefer to buy from a ticket office
rather than a machine. More jobs will be lost.

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

In June, UNISON conference delegates

agreed it was a top priority for the
union to campaign against public
services being included in secret
trade treaties being forged between
politicians and business leaders.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) between the USA and
the EU, and the broader Trade in Services
Agreement (TiSA) are still being negotiated,
while the Comprehensive Economic and
Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada
and the EU is closer to ratification.
Public services are included in all
three, despite determined international
trade union campaigns.
Jane Carolan (UNISON national
executive committee) said: Even though
were leaving the EU, were still subject
to TTIP through the single market.
These agreements have a lock-in of
privatisation so that private companies
with a hold on health care and other
services could not be removed.
Branch International Officer Tracy
Wigzell said: Local authorities have been
hit hard by austerity with many services
just about functioning. People have lost
their jobs with more work piled on those
who remain. TTIP will only exacerbate the
situation, resulting in more job losses and
less local democratic control over the way
local services are run. Worthing and Adur
residents and employees deserve better.
If youre interested contact
our International Officer: tracy.
wigzell@adur-worthing.gov.uk

COASTLINE

New Housing
Act impact
UNISON has published a new briefing
on the 2016 Housing and Planning
Act, warning it will have a severe
impact on the provision of housing
in England.
The Acts focus on home ownership
will reduce the amount of social and
affordable housing available to ordinary
working people, hitting general housing
provision.
Many public service workers will be
affected by the Act, whether they are
tenants forced to pay market rents or
lose their social rented accommodation,
tenants who lose secure tenancies, or
staff who lose their jobs or see their pay,
terms and conditions eroded.
More and more public service workers
providing essential services are already
renting in the private sector often facing
high rents with no security.
Some have to commute long distances
because they cannot afford a decent home
close to where they work. UNISON says
the Act will make their situation worse.
UNISON will continue to campaign for
more investment in social and affordable
housing to ensure those who are on
modest incomes have access to a decent
and affordable home.
Find the UNISON briefing at: www.
unison.org.uk and search Housing Act.

11

12

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

UNISON steward training

Theres a huge amount of training
opportunities available through
the union for UNISON stewards/
workplace contacts.
We expect you to attend various courses to
improve your skills, enabling you to support
our members better. We negotiate paid
time off (facility time) with your employer
to attend these courses, so you dont lose
pay. Not only does the branch benefit
from your improved knowledge, but your
workplace manager and team often gain
too because the skills you learn usually help
you perform better in your workplace.
For example, the union runs courses
on skills such as negotiation, employment
law, health & safety, equality and equal
pay, assertiveness and dealing with
reorganisation and redundancy. All of

these can apply equally to both your

role as a UNISON steward and as a
member of your employers staff.
Often these courses are free. Theyre
held at various locations around the
unions south-east region, so you get first
class training thats easily accessible and
effective. It can help both your progress
as a union steward and enhance your
promotion prospects in the workplace.
The branch is trying to increase its
capacity to support you not only by
encouraging our reps to attend courses, but
also asking them to shadow caseworkers
when theyre involved in case meetings. Wed
ask any steward doing casework to let others
shadow them so they can gain experience.
If you would like to consider becoming a
steward for your service, please email the
branch: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk

LGPS petition hits

100,000 signatures
Government proposals to force the 89 local
government pension funds to invest in infrastructure
projects have prompted over 104,000 people to
sign a petition calling for a debate in parliament.
The proposals are part of
the governments attempt
to create six new multibillion pound British wealth
funds. UNISON is concerned
that the move could take
away funds ability to invest
in the best interests of
local government pension
scheme (LGPS) members.
If these changes come
into force, it could mean
the new funds replace
government funding for
roads, bridges and railways,

which might not give LGPS

members the best possible
return, says UNISON.
UNISON is not opposed
to the creation of these
new funds but is concerned
that ministers intend to
take powers to dictate
how funds invest scheme
members money, a move
that the union believes
would be unlawful.
General secretary Dave
Prentis said: Ministers
must allow council pension

funds to make their own

decisions on where they
invest the current and
future pension pots of care
workers, teaching assistants
and social workers, and allow
them to get the best return.

Our branch also has a

vacancy for a Pensions
Officer. This involves
training in pensions
processes. If youre
interested in doing
this, please let us
know: unison@adurworthing.gov.uk

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

COASTLINE

Benefits outside
the workplace
UNISON Living is the unions benefits
and discounts scheme. Offers are
available to all members. The union
has secured some of the best deals
exclusively for you and your family.
TRAVEL
The UNISON Travel Club offers outstanding
holiday savings at locations across the world.
Or enjoy between 15% to 50% discounts at the
unions holiday resort, Croyde Bay in Devon.
SHOPPING
Shop online with UNISONrewards.com and
earn cash back savings. Its free to join and
includes major retailers such as Asda, B&Q
and Tesco.
CAR INSURANCE
Save money on car insurance with LV= using
your exclusive membership discount. Their
car insurance provides excellent cover (rated 5
Star by Defaqto for the twelfth year running).
Try them for a quote today: LV.com/UNISON
HEALTH
We have exclusive deals for areas of health
the NHS doesnt cover from opticians to
dentists and more. Call us on Freephone
0800 037 0753 for information about
the UNISON Health Plan. Weve then got
you covered for money back on everyday
health expenses plus therapy treatments
like physiotherapy and chiropody.
Get 500 of NHS dental cover with our
exclusive NHS patient plan, available to you and
your family. It gives you money back each time
you visit your NHS dentist, meaning no more
costly treatment bills. Youre covered immediately
as soon as you join this low-cost plan.
There are many other discounts available
to members. To find out more go to
benefits.unison.org.uk/unison-living

supporting UNISON members

when life gets tough
Unisons welfare service was
started over a hundred years
ago. It aims to help members
when they experience
difficulties or hard times.
This could be caused by a change
in circumstances such as loss of
earnings due to illness or injury,
support when a relationship
breaks down or bereavement.
Having celebrated its centenary
in 2010 the service was re-branded
as There For You. Each branch has a
local There For You representative.
We offer support for you during
those unforeseen circumstances
and give you access to a confidential
and free national service.
If youre struggling to make
ends meet, it includes financial
assistance such as:
making sure you keep up to
date with working tax credits;
getting debt management advice;
applying for winter fuel and/
or school uniform grants;
credit unions; and
wellbeing breaks.
You only need to be a member of
UNISON for 4 weeks to request
assistance. If youre experiencing
financial or emotional difficulties please
make use of our confidential welfare
support service, There for You, as early
as possible. You can contact your local
rep (see back page) or use the free
national helpline: 0800 0 857 857.

13

For fairness. For you. Join UNISON.

Remain a member
when you retire
If youre approaching retirement but want to remain
part of the UNISON family, wed be delighted to keep
your support as a retired member.
For a one-off lifetime fee of
just 15 (paid by the branch),
you can retain access to
most of the unions benefits
and offers as well as joining
in many of the social events
organised by the unions local
retired members groups.
There is one group
for Worthing (led by Jean
Kitchener) and one for
Adur (led by Susan Clark
and John Savage). The
two groups sometimes
join forces to support
locally organised events.

The Worthing & District

Retired Members Club meets
monthly in the Gordon Room
at Worthing Town Hall on the
third Friday of each month.
The Adur group meets
monthly, sometimes at the
Adur Bowls Club, Southwick
but also at other venues for
lunches and visits to places
of interest. Both groups can
organise transport to events,
and often include car sharing
as an option for those
members who do not drive.
Join our well-established

BRANCH OFFICER PROFILE

Dave Steff
Branch committee
member Dave Steff
works full time as the
greenkeeper at Beach
House Park bowling
greens, Worthing.
Hes been a UNISON
member for almost four
years, and is about to start
union training to help him
develop his new role of
branch health and safety
officer. Its the first formal
H&S role Dave has taken on.
Dave explained: Id like
people to realise that health
and safety rules are there
to protect them, not hinder
or stop them from working.

I work with potentially

dangerous machinery and
chemicals, so its vitally
important for staff such
as me to know how to use
these things properly. Unions
have played a lead role in
creating safer workplaces
and I want to do my bit
locally to support that.
Dave has gradually taken
on more individual casework,
learning mostly by shadowing
other branch caseworkers.

groups and make new

friends when you retire. As
Susan and Jean said: Its
sometimes the case that
when someone retires they
want a complete break
from work, but weve
found that our
members really
benefit from
the friendships
they make
among group
members. Its
a great way to
stay active and
make continued
use of the UNISON
benefits available.
For more information
contact Jean on
sillybillyjean13@gmail.
com and Susan on susan.
clark101@gmail.com

I want to make a
difference to people by
showing them how the
union can help in their
working lives, said Dave.
Im very fortunate in
that I have a supportive
management team who
see the wider benefits of
union training. It helps
in my professional as
well as my union role,
so everyone gains.
Ive seen how successful
negotiations can help in
challenging situations
such as TUPE transfers. I
want to be part of that in
the future so I can help
staff get the best deal
and make sure services
continue to be effective.

Susan Clark

14

E: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk T: 01273 263028 / 07733 151116

COASTLINE

WORKPLACE REP PROFILE

Gail Perry
Many of you will know UNISON
workplace contact Gail. Being a
receptionist at Portland House, shes the
first face of Adur & Worthing Councils
many people meet. She has worked
at the councils for nearly five years.
Gails job and her team are part of the
Customer Services directorate. As across
the Councils, restructures could have a
real impact on peoples jobs. Significant
amendments could be made to job
descriptions and workloads. There is some
concern among staff they could be asked to
take on more work for no more money.
Its potential changes like these that
prompted Gail to join
UNISON, but even
more than that, to take
on the union role of
workplace contact for
customer services and
revenues & benefits.
Ive already
introduced myself to
UNISON members
in my area by email,
said Gail, but I also
want to reach out
to non-members
to explain that by
joining us they dont
simply have to accept
enforced changes to their jobs. By being
part of a bigger group, they can influence
the way those changes are delivered.
The nature of my work makes it difficult
to take part in committee meetings, so
the more I can contribute through for
example, social media channels, the
better it is for me, she explained.
If like Gail, you have concerns about your
job, join the union and encourage your
team members to do the same. Help us
to help you collectively fight your cause.

Branch at the
Worthing Trades
Council stand
Adur & Worthing UNISON took part
in the local Trades Council sea-front
stand as part of the Worthing Lions
Summer Festival on Saturday 30 July.
The theme of the stand was to join a
union. It was enthusiastically supported
by other local trade union activists
including representatives from: UCU
(university and college staff); Unite; GMB;
NUT (teachers); RMT (railway workers)
and UNISON West Sussex branch.
They gave out over 1,000 leaflets
explaining the joint unions perspectives
on austerity and racism and encouraging
support for the RMTs position regarding
industrial action in its dispute with
Southern Rail.
The stand was well received by
members of the public with many of them
sympathising with the unions views.
Branch secretary Lee Billingham said:
Im delighted our branch was represented
at this event as we need to reach out to
the wider community and to other trade
unions to jointly support the issues facing
us. It was a really successful day.

15

16

Branch Secretary: Lee Billingham Feedback: unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk Phone: 07733 151116

YOUR BRANCH OFFICERS

Lee Billingham

Branch Secretary

Jane Griffiths

Branch Treasurer

Lesley Heath

Membership and
Admin Officer

Michaela Wood

Health & Safety Officer

Mel Shaw

Education &
Welfare Officer

Tracy Wigzell

International Officer

Sophie Whitehouse Womens Officer

Mariola Klonek

Equality Officer

Claire Pink Steward:

Planning/Culture
Dave Steff Steward
Ian McGraffin Steward
Malcolm Wigham Steward:
Commerce Way

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Coming to a
desk near you!
We know many employees often think
about joining the union yet never
seem to find the time to sign up.
We believe many staff who have worked
for the councils and other employers for
many years have never been approached
by a UNISON officer to give them more
information or consider joining us. In the
next weeks and months, were aiming to put
that right. Were planning desk drops around
the councils main buildings so staff who
want to find out more can talk to us directly,
or be given easy access to information.
We recently completed a desk-drop in
Portland House, Worthing, combining it with
an open-house session where we provided
cakes, tea and coffee in a couple of
meeting rooms over a lunch
break. We signed up eight
new members at this event
alone, and plan to do
repeats at different offices
in the next few months.
Our next event will
take place at Commerce
Way in late October/
early November. We
will be joining our refuse
collection teams on a very early
shift! Watch this space for details.
With local managers, were exploring the
possibility of training in digital information
for depot staff so our members can
make best use of the information well
be sending out. We hope it will also
help in their lives outside work too.
Well let you know of future dates
for recruitment events as they are
confirmed. Members outside the
councils are encouraged to contact
us to talk about how we can help you
recruit your colleagues too get in touch
via unison@adur-worthing.gov.uk

3960-2015

October 2016