Hope Not Hate

Dear Colleagues,

On the 28^th April Nigel Farage will be launching the South East UKIP European Election Campaign at Portsmouth Guildhall at a UKIP public meeting starting 7.30pm.

Stand up to UKIP are organising a protest outside the Guildhall from 7pm- more details here https://www.facebook.com/events/238105376375668/

If UKIP are allowed to gain a foothold we risk the destruction of everything we fight for as trade unionists- employments rights, redundancy pay, maternity pay, job security- not to mention their plans for wholesale NHS privatisation and the reintroduction of elite schools for those who can pay. UKIP has already shifted the debate to the right. Unless we can head them off at the Euro elections and the General Election next year, their influence on mainstream politics will only become more destructive.

If you are able, it would be great to see as many of you there as possible with flags or branch banners- I also have some Hope not Hate leaflets available if you’d like some.

Let’s show Nigel Farage and UKIP that we’re not fooled by their scaremongering and we won’t let them divide our societies.

Thanks for your support

Jenny Mason

Area Organiser- Communications

New UoS Branch Communications Officer wanted

Have you been following the blog and the news bulletins?  Seen the flyers and the leaflets during the strike actions? 

Would you like to be the one producing the newsletters, writing the blog and creating the information media?  Rather than just following the latest stories, how about being the person who spreads the word by creating the Bulletin, the Blog or the leaflets and flyers?  This is a chance to use your creativity to form and shape the UNISON message so that everyone stays up to date and informed.

You don't need experience - there is training available and you will get all the support you need.  

If you are at all interested, please let us know by emailing unison@soton.ac.uk .

Communications Officer - role description: 

The branch communications officer's role includes:

• explaining UNISON's policies and providing the information members need to play an active role in their union;
• helping the branch's recruitment and organising;
• supporting UNISON's national and regional campaigns;
• creating a positive image for the branch and wider union among members, potential members and the public;
• producing news-sheets, bulletins or digital communication for distribution to branch members;
• making sure branch communications are in the accessible formats members need;
• making sure that centrally and regionally produced publicity, communications and campaign materials are distributed, as appropriate, to stewards, members and non-members;
• monitoring and liaising with local media.

Find out more by visiting here .

Cricket offer

HOWZAT FOR A GREAT GIVEAWAY!

APPLY NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST!!

LV= is delighted to be repeating its offer to UNISON members for a chance to catch some of the LV= CC cricketing action during the 2014 season.

The 2014 LV= County Championship will start on the 6 April with the last round to take place on the 23 September 2014. If it ever stops raining the season promises to be a fascinating summer of cricket.

The Promotion:

LV= is offering UNISON members a pair of complimentary tickets to the county of their choice to watch one day of an LV= County Championship match during the 2014 season.

To claim your tickets, just print and fill in the voucher and return it to the FREEPOST address, stating in order of preference the three counties you would most like to visit in 2014, from the list below.

Successful applicants will receive two ticket vouchers for a county of their choice, valid for one day of an LV= County Championship match. The ticket vouchers are valid only for matches played at the First Class County Grounds (see list) – festival and secondary grounds are not included in this promotion.

Please note that tickets are subject to availability and will be despatched to successful applicants within 28 days.

If you are interested then print the coupon, sent to your email in the UNISON Bulletin, fill it in and send it off to the freepost address.

All fixtures can be found at: www.LV.com/cricket

First Class County Grounds included in this promotion:

Bristol, Gloucestershire CCC / Chelmsford, Essex CCC / Emirates Durham ICG, Durham CCC / Canterbury, Kent CCC / Derby, Derbyshire CCC / Edgbaston, Birmingham, Warwickshire CCC / Headingley, Leeds, Yorkshire CCC / Hove, Sussex CCC / Leicester, Leicestershire CCC / Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, Middlesex CCC / Northampton, Northamptonshire CCC / Old Trafford, Manchester, Lancashire CCC / SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, Glamorgan CCC / Taunton, Somerset CCC / The Kia Oval, London, Surrey CCC / The Ageas Bowl, Southampton, Hampshire CCC / Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire CCC / Worcester, Worcestershire CCC.

Southampton University announces discretionary living wage

The University of Southampton has become the latest employer since the start of the higher education pay dispute to say that it will raise the salary of its lowest-paid employees.

However, although UNISON has welcomed the news, it is disappointed that the university has not signed up to being an accredited living wage employer and is at present only making the wage rise 'discretionary'.

The issue of the living wage was first brought to the university's attention last October, following an initial freedom of information request by the city's living wage campaign in August.

The university said that it would re-evaluate its position on the living wage - but only after the resolution of the 2013-14 pay claim.

However, even though UNISON and its fellow unions remain in dispute on that, months of campaigning have now seen the university propose its own living wage supplement.

Rather than become a Living Wage-accredited employer though, the university has announced plans to raise the salaries of around 200 employees with a 'discretionary subsidy'.

This payment has certain conditions attached to it that all three local unions, UNISON, UCU and Unite say are not acceptable.

The 'discretionary' nature of the payment means that it could be removed at any point, while casual staff and those on temporary contracts are excluded, leaving the union concerned that this could lead to further casualisation of the workforce.

UNISON branch secretary Anna Lyon said: "While we appreciate the University of Southampton's genuine move to support the lowest-paid staff, what our members really need is a living wage they can depend on. The university can afford it."

And the union's regional head of higher education Mike Wilson added: "We are clearly disappointed that an institution such as the University of Southampton does not see the benefit of signing up become a living wage-accredited employer to ensure that all staff working on campus receive fair pay.

"Other universities have recognised not only the immediate benefits for those staff who receive the living wage, but the added value to communities and to the reputation of those universities that are Living Wage employers.

"We hope that the university will consider moving towards full accreditation, although we welcome this initially as a first step."

UNISON will continue to campaign to ensure that no one is paid below the living wage and seek an agreement to cover all staff who are working on the campus.

From UNISON national website

Don't take us for April fools...