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NJC Pay While Newcastle City Branch rejected the employer’s offer, when our results were combined with the regional and national results, the picture was mixed. UNISON members covered by NJC pay negotiations narrowly rejected the employer’s offer, with 50.44% voting to reject and 48.66% voting to accept; 0.89% spoilt papers. 62% of branches and 8 out of the 11 UNISON regions voted to accept the offer. Because of this mixed picture, UNIOSN’s NJC committee decided to re-consult with branches, and with a very low response, Newcastle City decided to accept the employer’s offer. Overall, on re-consulting, 79% of branches and 10 out of 11 regions were prepared to accept the offer. UNISON has therefore informed the employer of our acceptance, and you can see what this means to the Newcastle Council pay scales at the end of this newsletter. The council were able to implement the pay increase in April’s pay.

Newcastle Council’s revised pay spine is attached to the end of this newsletter. The vast majority of school across Newcastle have their payroll delivered by Newcastle Council, and have implemented the pay increase. A small number of academies have asked their governing body to ratify the pay rise, but it is not anticipated that those schools will not implement from 1st April 2018. If any member in schools hears that their employer is not implementing the pay increase, please get in touch with the branch ASAP? Other employers whose pay is still set by the NJC negotiations include TWAM, TT2 and a number of CVS organisations who mirror the pay award in Local Government.

2nd Year of Pay Award – 2019 The now accepted pay offer was for 2 years, and included an agreement to revise the pay spine (this is the SCP numbers). Across the country, while there is a common pay spine with common increments, through the introduction of Single Status, most council’s and schools have their own pay scales. Therefore, there will not be one set way of implementing the 2019/2020 pay increase. Newcastle City branch will be negotiating with the council on how it intends to implement the new pay spine from April 2019, the branch will keep members updated on progress. It will also be necessary to discuss with schools at an early opportunity, whether they will agree with the council’s position, and implement the 2019/2020 pay increase accordingly.

UNISON in Schools - Valued Worker Scheme

The teachers union NASUWT supported by the support staff unions UNISON, GMB and Unite recently launched a ‘Valued Worker Scheme’ to recognise and support good employment relations in schools and colleges. The scheme aims to recognise those employers that are committed to valuing their staff and treating them fairly, equitably and consistently. The unions are calling on employers to adopt six Valued Worker Scheme principles, to demonstrate their commitment to their employees’ wellbeing. Employers signing up to the scheme will be asked to outline their workforce priorities for the year ahead and will have access to information and support aimed at deepening employers’ understanding of the principles and sharing good practice.

Outlines

UNISON NEWCASTLE CITY BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 2018

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Valued Worker Scheme – Principles: Employers will commit to treat all employees fairly, equitably and consistently by: 1. Enabling all employees to have a safe, secure and enjoyable working environment. 2. Ensuring the wellbeing and dignity at work of all employees. 3. Providing CPD for all employees. 4. Providing good pay and conditions which include a commitment to the living wage. 5. Having formal agreed mechanisms for consultation and negotiation, working in partnership with employees and trade unions. 6. Ensuring policy development and working practices are informed by the use of information and evidence. UNISON will be contacting school’s to raise the scheme.

Children & family Social Work - Scrap the National Assessment and Accreditation System – campaign update

Attached to this newsletter is an NAAS campaign update. The Government is rolling NAAS out in three stages:

1. The first alpha phase involves five councils and starts this summer. They are all Labour councils - Bury, Leeds, Manchester, Oldham and Wigan.

2. The second beta phase of 15 councils starts in spring 2019. The participants are Bexley,

Bolton, Bradford, Calderdale, Cornwall, Essex, Hackney, Islington, Lewisham, North Yorkshire, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Trafford and Waltham Forest.

3. The third phase roll out is to all other local authorities in 2020.

The Government has said that participation in the testing is voluntary. Providing employers make local participation genuinely voluntary, UNISON’s position is that members should not volunteer to take part. If insufficient members participate, this could significantly inhibit the progress of NAAS. We are working with the branches of the first phase and second phase councils to encourage their councils to withdraw from the testing and asking members not to participate unless they are required to do so under their contract of employment. A meeting for these branches to provide updates and share information is being held on Thursday 24 May at UNISON centre. In the meantime, UNISON Social Work members are encouraged too:

a. View the campaign video https://www.unison.org.uk/our-campaigns/stand-social-work/

b. Sign the online petition www.unison.org.uk/naas

Conference Delegation UNISON’s Local Government Conference takes place in Brighton between Sunday 17th June and Monday 18th June, and National Delegate Conference follows on from Tuesday 19th June to Friday 22nd. The members representing the branch are: LGC: Susan Robson, Val Suddes, Linda Slasor, Iqbal Syed, Caroline Collinson NDC: Val Suddes, Linda Slasor, Lynda Hardie, Iqbal Syed, Caroline Collinson

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Disabled Members Conference UNISON’s Disabled Members Conference 2018 will be held at the Brighton Centre from the afternoon of Saturday 27 October until 12:30pm on Monday 29 October. Could any branch disabled member wishing to attend please contact the branch as soon as possible. All accommodation, travel and subsistence costs are paid by the branch. Branch Disabled members Officer Alan Chambers alan.chambers@newcastle.gov.uk

Branch Black Members Self Organised Group Meeting

Date: Thursday 24 May 2018

Venue: Committee Room at the Civic Centre

The Branch Black Members Self Organised Group will be meeting on 24 May 2018 at a Committee Room at the Civic Centre at between 4.00 and 5.00 pm. The meeting is intended to discuss issues of interest to the Group as well as planning and agreeing what Group Members would like carried out over the remaining course of this financial year.

All Branch Black members are invited to attend this meeting. Please let Ulela Kaferawanthu, the Branch Black Members Officer, know of your intention to attend the meeting. Ulela Kaferawanthu's contact details are: Telephone: 0191 278 8243 email: Ulela Kaferawanthu@newcastle.gov.uk

NEWCASTLE CITY MONTHLY BRANCH LOTTERY

March 2018 Lottery Draw

1st Prize - £500.00 Amanda Hall – YHN - 3447

2nd Prize - £250.00 Judith Preston – Schools – 1068 3rd Prize - £100.00 Julie Slesser – Resources – 1883 4th Prize - £100.00 Katy Ameli – Resources - 3758 5th Prize - £50.00 Justine Shaftoe – Resources - 3867 6th Prize - £50.00 Patricia Pritchard – Resources - 3991

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April 2018 Lottery Draw

1st Prize - £500.00 Karen Stansfield – Place - 2814

2nd Prize - £250.00 Claire Simpson – People – 2834 3rd Prize - £100.00 Andrew Haigh – Place – 23702 4th Prize - £100.00 Michael Symington – People - 2967 5th Prize - £50.00 Helen Clark – TWAM - 2742 6th Prize - £50.00 Corinne Carroll – Resources - 1420

The deduction of lottery monies is for members paying UNISON subs via their salary through Newcastle City Council payroll system i.e. £1 per month per chance. *(The branch is currently reviewing how non-Newcastle staff can access the lottery).

6 chances to win

50% of the monies collected will be paid out as prize money, the remaining money, after administration costs, will be utilised to benefit our members. The draw will take place in the Civic Centre on the third Monday of every month at lunchtime and any member can attend. There will also be an annual draw at the Branch AGM. If you wish to take part please contact the Branch Office, Room 5, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH.

Save South Tyneside Hospital Fundraiser

Stephen Tompkinson will join the Laffalang Gang in South Shields in June when the comedy troupe stage a show to raise money for the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign. The television A-lister is best known for the award-winning ITV show DCI Banks but he has a host of other top television credits to his name, including dramas Wild at Heart, Ballykissangel and, currently, The Split as well as highly acclaimed sitcoms Trollied and Drop The Dead Donkey. He has also starred in the films Brassed Off and Harrigan, while his stage work encompasses Spamalot, Charley's Aunt and a recent number one theatre tour of Art.

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Directed by Gareth Hunter and written by Ed Waugh, who co-wrote Dirty Dusting and is the writer of recent smash hits Hadaway Harry and Mr Corvan's Music Hall, the Laffalang will feature two hours of hilarious sketches, stand up and rib-tickling songs. Roger Nettleship, chairman of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign said: "This is a massive coup for us. “Stephen is a huge star and he's coming along to help us in our bid to save vital services at South Tyneside hospital." He continued: "We are asking South Tynesiders to buy tickets for what will be a brilliant, hilarious show. Every penny of profit will go to the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign." The Laffalang shows are on Friday and Saturday, June 15 & 16 at 7.30pm (both days) at Westovian Theatre (Ocean Road, opposite Haven Point), South Shields, NE33 2JS. Tickets only £13 via The Word, Market Place, South Shields. Call the box office on (0191) 4247788 or book online via www.ticketsource.co.uk/westovians

For more information about the Laffalang, contact Gareth Hunter on 07736687678 For more information about Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign contact Roger Nettleship on E-mail: roger.nettleship@blueyonder.co.uk Mobile: 07963506451

2018 Local Election Results All out elections took place across council wards in Newcastle on May 3rd, the results were as follows: Labour 56 seats Liberal Democrat 19 seats Independent 3 seats A number of UNISON members were elected and the branch looks forward to working constructively with them in the future for the benefit of UNISON members and the services they provide. Congratulations Newcastle City Branch members Joe Kirwin and Angela Hamilton were successful candidates in the recent local elections in North and South Tyneside. Joe was elected to represent Monkseaton North, beating the Conservative candidate by 28 votes! Whilst Angela was elected to represent the ward of Beacon and Bents.

PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY UNISON - NEWCASTLE CITY BRANCH, ROOM 5, CIVIC CENTRE, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, TEL: 0191 2116980, WEB: https://newcastlecity.unison.site/

Twitter: @Newcastleunison

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