SOG Newsletter - February 2018

UNISON has Self Organised Groups (SOGs), who organise and campaign at Branch, Regional and National levels, for the following:

1. Black Members
2. Disabled Members
3. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Members
4. Women Members
   

Similarly, Retired Members and Young Members (under 27 years old) can become activists within the various structures of the union.

UNISON rules require Branches to have the following core Branch Officer roles for election annually: Equality Co-ordinator and Young Members' Officer.

The Retired Members in Branches also have the right to annually elect a Retired Members' Secretary.

As with union representatives (Shop Stewards), union Health and Safety representatives and Union Learning Representatives (ULR’s), each year the Branch seeks nominations from members who wish to be Union Equality Representatives.

Sheffield Metropolitan Branch has actively engaged members in its retired and young members' sections, as well as Disabled and Women Members' SOGs. However, more members who wish to actively engage are sought for these SOGs and particularly for the inactive Black and LGBT Members' SOGs.

Members who are interested can contact the Branch Office for further information relating to equality and self-organisation on 0114 2736307 or email lgbranch@sheffunison.org.uk

SOG Newsletter - February 2018

 

Dear Member

Even though the Voluntary Staffing Model for school support staff to support the management of medicines in schools and education settings has been in place for a number of years, members still regularly contact UNISON to say they are not sure if they are entitled to payment or that their school is reluctant to pay the agreed allowances.

Please see below the Voluntary Staffing Model for the Administration of Medicines (Appendix B 104 KB) and all other information relating to this agreement.

• Management of medicines - Workforce implications
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix B(i)

To briefly explain, taking on the role of administering medicines remains voluntary. Those staff who do volunteer should be paid accordingly.

As it is a voluntary role, any member of support staff can undertake the administration of medicines as long as the Headteacher believes they are capable and ensures they are fully trained and covered by the schools insurance.

Appendix B (46KB) has the payments attached and an outline of duties.
The list is not exhaustive and if the person administering the medicines is responsible for recording what has been administered, the £1000 per annum (FTE) payment should apply.

It is advisable that at least 2 or 3 people are trained and paid to administer medicines to ensure the school is covered for staff absence, school trips etc.
Please also note, even if the volunteer is only required to administer medicines periodically the FTE payment applies. This is not a piecemeal payment.
While a £1000 is a significant additional payment to a low paid member of support staff, it is wholly affordable within a school budget.

If you have further questions regarding the guidance and/or your school is reluctant to pay the allowances, please do not hesitate to contact the branch office.

Download our leaflet here...

 

Sheffield City Council has committed to delivering pay protections to its employees working in the care sector, including paying staff the living wage and providing occupational sick pay. The commitment forms part of UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter, which Sheffield City Council signed on 27 October 2017.

The charter provides minimum standards for residential and home care providers, and sets out a series of protections for care staff. This includes paying employees the voluntary living wage rate of at least £8.45 an hour, not using zero hours contracts, providing occupational sick pay and regular free training opportunities, as well as setting out a clear and accountable process for staff to raise concerns.

Under the charter agreement, Sheffield City Council has also committed to paying home care staff for their travel time and expenses, as well as providing opportunities for employees to meet together in order to avoid potential isolation. The ethical care charter also requires that residential care staff are paid for unsocial hours and sleep-ins.

The over-riding objective behind the Charter was to establish a minimum baseline for the safety, quality and dignity of care by ensuring employment conditions such as-
a) Do not routinely short-change clients and
b) Ensure the recruitment and retention of a more stable workforce through more sustainable pay, conditions and training levels. Rather than councils seeking to achieve savings by driving down the pay and conditions that have been the norm for council – employed staff, they should be using these as a benchmark against which to level up.
Homecare workers are personally propping up a deteriorating system of adult social care, but they are being pushed to breaking point. That they are still willing to deliver good levels of care in spite of the system is nothing short of heroic. For the system to work it needs to be underpinned by adequate funding and a workforce whose terms and conditions reflect the respect and value they deserve.

Quotes from carers

“I never seem to have enough time for the human contact and care that these people deserve.”

“A lot of the people I care for, are old and lonely, they are not only in need of physical support, but they are also in need of company and someone to talk to. The times given to these people are the bare minimum to get the job done, no time for a chat, just in and out. ”

“People are being failed by a system which does not recognise importance of person centred care.”

“We are poorly paid and undervalued except by the people we care for!”

“I have worked as homecare worker for 15 years. Things have to change but not at the expensive of clients. It’s appalling the care they receive now.

Home care and residential care staff provide a vital and valuable service to some of the most vulnerable residents in Sheffield and we want to ensure that they are recognised for the invaluable work that they do alongside improving the quality of care for Sheffield Citizens.

UNISON welcomes local councillors from the Park and Arbourthorne ward, including Julie Dore Leader of Sheffield City Council and the Heeley MP Louise Haigh, clearly outlining the local authority’s position on schools voluntarily opting to become academies.

You can find the letter from Labour Councillors Jack Scott, Julie Dore, Ben Miskell and Louise Haigh here...

Dowload the leaflet here...

 

Foster for Sheffield

Foster carers make a real difference to the lives of children and young people who come into their care. UNISON is therefore pleased to support Sheffield City Council in their aim to recruit new fosters carers. Please see attached an appeal for new foster carers from long standing foster carer Betty Gray

Your sincerely
Lisa Smith

 

Oaks Memorial Appeal fund badges
£3 each available

At the Miners’ Offices,
2 Huddersfield Road,
Barnsley

Email: remembertheoaks@gmail.com

 

 

You can find the 'Your rights as an apprentice' leaflet here...