News

Return to work? Read on…

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As many of you will know the government is planning on lifting some of the restrictions next week and having primary schools reopen on 1 June.

The trade unions are very concerned by these proposals. The UK still has one of the highest death rates in the world and the infection rate is still very high.

If there is a ‘return to work’ in your workplace then you need to see the risk assessments done by your employer. They should cover all of the duties you will be expected to perform and how they can be made as safe as possible.

Lambeth Council will not be bringing people back to work without consultations with the unions first.

If you have an underlying health condition or live with someone who does then you should still be at home.

UNISON is very concerned about the announcement that the furlough money will be reduced at a time when the pandemic is still very much with us.

Many of our members work in social care and we know hoe dangerous that is and how many elderly people are dying in care homes. This is advice for staff in those workplaces on PPE PPE advice for social care workers

For other members please read this PPE general advice.

If you have any concerns that your workplace is not safe then you are entitled under your legal rights to refuse to attend a workplace. You have this right under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

Please visit this website to read more and contact us if you have any questions.

BAME members

The shocking announcement today that BAME people are four times more likely to die of COVID-19 should be a wakeup call for this government and our bosses. BAME people make up a lot of health and social care workers, they are on the front line every day saving lives but the cost is too high.

If you are a BAME member of UNISON then we would like to hear from you about your experiences at work during the lock down. Please email shannah@lambeth.gov.uk

UNISON are raising these issues with employers specifically, if you are concerned about your workplace please contact us.

Pay campaign for local government

The trade unions put in a claim for 10% pay increase and an extra days holiday a year for local government. This was rejected by the employers who came back with a 275% pay increase and an increase on the basic green book leave entitlement from 21 to 22 days but with no corresponding increase in the long service leave so effectively it meant bringing forward one of the days previously awarded at five years’ service. The unions are campaigning against this and demanding more for wages and on holiday as our members have not had a pay rise above inflation for over a decade now.

International Workers Memorial Day

Thanks to everyone who sent in pictures, they are on the website https://lambeth-unison.org/2020/05/02/international-workers-memorial-day/

Stay safe everyone and please get in touch if any issues arise

Lambeth UNISON statement on the elections

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The election result on 12 December was really not what we were hoping for. Labour’s vote went back down to 2015 levels but the Conservative party vote increased. Now we have Boris Johnson, a known liar and racist in Downing Street with an increased majority to bulldoze his agenda through parliament.
 
A word of courage though: our union branch has been through thick and thin, we survived Thatcher in the 1980s so we can survive this! There have already been protests against his government and hopefull the resistance can grow.
 
We will redouble our efforts around anti racist campaigning and fighting against the new anti union laws that are being proposed. We have been campaigning with Free Our Unions and working with the Fire Brigades Union and others on asserting that trade union rights are human rights and that cause will continue.
 
If there are any cuts coming our way we are going to work with other UNISON branches to push them back. This government had previously pledged more money for some aspects of local government but it is unlikely that the austerity agenda will be entirely reversed. We know how important local government is for our community and we are determined to fight to protect it.

We will also have to fight for other democratic rights – the proposal to bring in voter ID is designed to disenfranchise a lot of poorer voters when there is no evidence of any widespread voter fraud to necessitate such a policy.
 
The watchword for the coming years will have to be solidarity. We have to look out for each other and defend our communities and jobs from a Conservative government with links to the far right.
 
There will be time at our AGM on 05-06 February to discuss our campaigning priorities so please attend if you can.

As we always like to say, being in a union is like signing up to a gym, you can pay your money every month but you only get stronger if you get active!

UNISON and parents’ response to the proposal to cut children’s centre provisions in Lambeth

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We thank all the professionals and families who helped produce A Better Plan. We also drew heavily on research into the sector. We have tried to acknowledge sources and authors where appropriate but this has been balanced with requested anonymity and desire to keep the document readable for its purposes. We publish this response in order to add to community discussion on the closure of Lambeth’s Children’s Centre.

Read A Better Plan online. Please contact your councillors about this issue and add your voice to the campaign!