The TUC has launched a telephone recruitment drive, with the arrival of the 'Join a Union' line. The service will provide callers with information on the appropriate trade union for them to join based on where they work, the job they do and if a union is recognised by their employer. Callers will be sent a letter with details of the recommended union; the union will also be notified and will be provided with the caller’s details.

0870 600 4882 will be open Monday to Friday,8am-9pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm.

Victory for North Devon Sodexo workers

Following two days of strike action 200 UNISON members working for Sodexo in North Devon NHS Trust have won their bid for better pay and improved terms, in line with a national agreement set out in October 2006.

The deal covers staff working as cleaners, cooks and porters, some of the lowest paid staff working for contractors in the public sector. They will receive a lump sum of up to £3,600, as well as a salary increase from 1 January, 2010, and other benefits including sick pay.

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said: “I’m proud of our members for making a stand. It’s never easy going on strike, particularly if you are low paid. But this action has shown what can be achieved when members stay solid and determined. This is a victory for the workers, and for common sense.”

South West TUC Annual Conference

Friday 23^rd April 11am to Saturday 24^th April 1pm

UNISON Centre, Croyde Bay, North Devon

The forthcoming General Election looks set to dominate debates at the annual gathering for South West unions to be held in Croyde Bay. Delegate and guests will have the chance to hear from keynote speakers and participate in a range of discussion groups. More details to follow.

Purdah – what it means for unions

If you are planning events or activities in the next few months you may need to be aware of the rules for civil servant in the pre-election period or ‘purdah’. The House of Commons guide to Purdha is here:

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-05262.pdf

South West Safer at Work

a conference for trade union health and safety reps and officers

Thursday 18^th February 2010, Taunton

The event will feature speakers including Hugh Robertson, Senior Health & Safety Officer at the TUC and Terry Rose, Divisional Director of the Health and Safety Executive. The conference will also give reps the opportunity to attend workshops from a choice of current issues in health and safety.

Thanks to the support of the union solicitors, Thompsons, this event is free of charge to reps.

For further information please contact South West TUC on 0117 947 0521 or email jrees@tuc.org.uk The closing date for registrations is 1^st February 2010.

To download the registration form click here: Safer at work

Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion Regional Event

Thursday 25th February 2010 10am-4pm

Weston-super-Mare

With Regional Minister Jim Knight MP

This FREE EVENT organised by Department for Work and Pensions, Third Sector European Network, South West Action on Poverty and South West Forum will:

Introduce the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and explain its purpose
Raise awareness of poverty in the South West particularly in rural and coastal communities
Highlight current activity to combat poverty within the region
Explore ways in which action to combat poverty can be increased

By sharing best practice and engaging additional stakeholders this event will contribute to a legacy for the European Year ultimately leading to an improved quality of life for those currently most disadvantaged within the region.
Read more information about the event

TUC Recession Report

Alongside the briefings on the latest economic statistics, the TUC’s latest Recession Report looks in detail at the social impacts of unemployment, including poverty, crime and the impact for the families of unemployed people. It also considers the gap between private and public sector pay, finding that since 1999 private sector pay has on average increased faster than in the public sector. The full report can be accessed through the TUC Touchstone blog here.

Workers’ Memorial Day

Unions make work safer

The government has officially recognised the value of Workers’ Memorial Day in raising awareness of the need for safety at work. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “This special day commemorates the many thousands of people who have died as a result of their work and we’re pleased the government has taken the step of recognising it.

Workers’ Memorial Day is when workers around the world remember the dead and campaign for improved workplace safety to protect the living.

UCATT defends former Quadron workers

Construction union UCATT is preparing to take a series of employment tribunal cases in support of hundreds of workers in Wales and South West England who formerly worked for Quadron Property Services Ltd.

The housing maintenance company, based in Somerset, employed nearly 400 staff when it went into administration in November 2009. They undertook work for Bournemouth Council, English Heritage, North Somerset Housing, Salisbury Council, Solon Housing Association (Bristol), Stroud District Council and others.

Most of Quadron’s contracts have been given to other companies or taken back in-house. However in many cases the new companies have ignored TUPE rules and forced the existing workers onto poorer terms and conditions.

In other cases the new contractor has refused to take on all the former Quadron staff previously working on a contract leaving workers in a legal limbo, with administrators Deloitte stating that they should have been TUPE transferred to the new contractor.

Many workers are also owed money in unpaid wages from Quadron Property Services.

Nick Blundell, Regional Secretary for UCATT Wales and South West Region, said: “These workers have been treated with contempt. The rules are clear: companies which take on contracts should be obliged to employ the same number of workers on the same terms. Yet many of the new contractors have simply ignored the legislation. If the companies will not co-operate we will not hesitate in taking legal action in support of our members.”

Regional Event on vulnerable workers

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

UNISON, Taunton

All Day Event – Free including buffet lunch

The morning will look at unions organising vulnerable workers. This will include briefings on how unions might use employment law to represent and bargain on behalf of vulnerable workers.

The afternoon session will focus on promoting the new Pay and Work Rights Helpline (the single enforcement helpline) and provide an opportunity for union officials and reps to meet with representatives from statutory enforcement agencies.

This will be aimed at regional officials and workplace reps.

For more information contact Tanya Parker on 0117 9470521 tparker@tuc.org.uk

South West reps elected union presidents

Train driver Alex Gordon and teacher Nina Franklin have been elected as president of the RMT and NUT respectively.

Bristol train driver Alex beat four other candidates to take up office last month.

“He’s a highly respected RMT activist who has served his union at all levels, from the all-important local rep to the union’s executive, and I know he will make an excellent President,” said RMT general secretary Bob Crow.

Meanwhile, Bristol teacher Nina Franklin was elected president of the NUT and will take office next year.

Rallying round public services

Pensioners, trade unions and others are planning a major demonstration in London in April in defence of the welfare state and public services.

The rally, supported by the TUC, along with ASLEF, BECTU, CWU, FBU, GMB, NUJ, NUT, PCS, POA, RMT, TSSA, UCATT, UCU, UNISON, UNITE and USDAW, and the BMA, RADA and the Carers Poverty Alliance, takes place on April 10^th. Put the date in your diary. More details to follow.

Swindon TUC Conference

Campaigning for Public Services

Swindon TUC has organised a conference on the theme of Campaigning for Public Services. It will take place on Saturday March 20^th, starting at 11.00 a.m., at the Broadgreen Centre, Salisbury Street, SN1 2AN. Speakers will include PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka, FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack and John Lister of Health Emergency.

See Swindon TUC's website for details: http://swindontuc.wordpress.com

Work Your Proper Hours Day posters

New A3 posters and A5 folding cards for Work Your Proper Hours Day 2010 are now available to download from www.workyourproperhoursday.com

The TUC will be producing further research in the run up to WYPHD on Friday 26 February, including an analysis of unpaid overtime across different job sectors.

New Weston Trades Council

The first meeting of the re-born Trades Union Council was held on 26 January 2010 and was attended by approx twelve representatives from CWU, PCS, RMT, NUT, Unison, BECTU and Equity. They will be holding monthly meetings to be held on 1st. Wednesday each month, commencing March. Robert Jennings, CWU was elected as Secretary Richard Capix, PCS as Chair. A Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Youth Officer and a Press Officer were also elected.

Cornwall Trade Union Alliance

A well attended meeting of union delegates was held in Truro on 29^th January to agree a new alliance of trade unions to promote the union voice in Cornwall. Using the model rules of a trades union council, the new alliance will set out to defend the county’s public service, co-ordinate local campaigns and promote the range of work being done around union learning, the environment health and education.

The truth behind the BA dispute

Unite cabin crew members at British Airways are currently being balloted for a second time in a long-running dispute over their jobs and working conditions.

During this dispute, the cabin crew and their case have been seriously misrepresented, which is why Unite has produced a short film to put the voice of staff across. Click here to view the film.

Time for time off

Acas' revised Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities came into effect on January 1. The Code has been revised, after substantial consultation, to reflect the changing nature of the British workplace and the effect this has had on time off arrangements for trade union representatives.

You can download the latest Code of Practice 3 on time off for trade union duties and activities

Energy saving at work

The South West TUC’s Green Workplaces Project is running two courses for anyone interested in saving energy in their workplace.

The events are in Cheltenham on 23^rd February and Exeter on 10^th March and are run in conjunction with Severn Wye Energy Agency.

Drawing on case studies and the lessons learned from SWEA’s involvement in the ENGINE project the event programme will include:

· Understanding energy use at work

· Measuring and calculating energy use

· Looking at energy use we can influence in the workplace

· Carrying out simple energy audits

· Examining case studies

Green Capital Event

Making the most of your existing assets

Involving your staff in achieving resource efficiency

Wednesday 17^th March, 9.30-13.00, Watershed, Bristol

When it comes to greening your workplace and continuous environmental improvement the workforce is critical. This half-day free will look at engaging with their workforce on resource efficiency and greening the workplace. It will introduce Bristol case studies of workforce involvement and colleague to colleague engagement and ways in which your organisation can use the workforce to green your workplace.

Speakers so far:

Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary South West TUC

Alex Minshull, Sustainability City Manager, Bristol City Council

Tanya Gent, Environment and Corporate Responsibility Adviser, DAS

Steve Crawshaw, Green Rep Committee Chair and Unison representative, Bristol City Council

Organised by the South West TUC in partnership with Bristol Green Capital, the event is open to anyone from trade union representatives to managers wanting to green their workplace.

To register go to www.greenworkplacessouthwest.org.uk

Turning the spotlight on venue energy saving!

Thursday 11th February, 10am- 1pm, Exeter Northcott Exeter

Wednesday 17th February, 10am- 1pm, the Bristol Old Vic Bristol

Two free half-day events aimed at theatre and performance venue staff, casual, part-time or freelance technicians in the entertainment industry and managers and directors of small venues and arts centres. Arranged by BECTU and the South West TUC’s Green Workplaces Project these sessions will look at ways of saving money and reducing carbon emissions.

New wind farms planned

The government has announced the winners of the so-called Round 3 Offshore Wind farms programme. Two regional offshore wind farm zones have been awarded out of a total of nine nationally. Swindon-based RWE npower renewables was the successful bidder for the 1500 MW capacity "Atlantic Array" in the Bristol Channel zone. This wind farm will be located 14 km off the North Devon coast. The smaller West of Wight zone, which is located off the coast of Dorset, has been awarded to the Dutch energy company Eneco. By any measure these projects are huge. Together, the South West zones are expected to require capital investment in excess of £5 billion.

Going Green at Work

TUC national one-day conference

Monday 15 March 2010, 10am-4pm

Congress House, London

with Ed Miliband.

This year’s TUC national conference on organising for greener workplaces will showcase the work of the TUC’s green reps. Speakers include Ed Milliband, Secretary of State for Climate Change; TUC Deputy General Secretary, Frances O Grady; and Sarah Pearce, TUC Greenworkplaces Project Leader.

To register please visit www.tuc.org.uk/goinggreenatwork

Step up to the board

A new campaign led by the Government Equalities Office and the Cabinet Office is seeking to raise awareness particularly amongst women, ethnic minorities and disabled people about the opportunities in public appointments.

Two events have been arranged in the South West to enable people to network with and listen to a panel of speakers who will share their insights and own personal paths into the public sector, as well as regional leaders and representatives from the Government Equalities Office and Appointments Commission.

The events are in Plymouth on 9^th February and Bristol on 10^th Februrary. More details from www.equalitysouthwest.org.uk/events

Gender, Globalisation and Poverty Reduction Course

8-9 March 2010

This popular course – featured in the South West TUC’s Learning Works magazine –is being re-run over International Women’s Day in March.

Exploring the unequal impact of globalisation and the challenges it presents for international development, the course also looks at the campaigning tools and activities that can help you organise around the issues as a trade unionist and/or within your own workplace.

Details from: http://www.tuc.org.uk/events/detail.cfm?event=3154 or http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/courses/index.cfm/ct/7/pg/3/citem/4541

New TUC guide to family friendly working

The TUC has launched a new guide on how to persuade employers of the benefits of introducing family friendly policies at work.

The TUC guide says that unions have led the way in calling for more family-friendly working. The issue is an increasingly high priority for unions, with work-life advice now the most popular equality issue that members ask their union rep for guidance on.

The guide makes the case for good family friendly working practices and features case studies where unions have negotiated forward thinking policies with employers. It explains the various legal entitlements to paid and unpaid time off, as well as the right to request flexible working. Unions are often able to negotiate policies that go well beyond the legal minimum, with some of the most effective policies open to all staff and not just parents, the guide says.

Region’s largest ever LGBT survey

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living and working in the South West are being invited to take part in the region’s largest ever survey on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Equality South West’s ‘Pride, Progress and Transformation’ research programme is live on-line at Pride

ESW’s Katie Pratt said: “No-one has carried out a survey as ambitious as this before. We hope to speak to as many lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people as we can to find out what life is like for them in the South West, and what can be done to improve their lives.

“We know people experience discrimination at work and in their communities, but many prefer to suffer in silence. We hope this groundbreaking survey, which can be completed anonymously, gives them the confidence to speak out.

“We’re particularly interested in hearing about education, homophobia in the workplace, self-harming and what it’s like to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender living in rural parts of our region.”

Individuals are also invited to attend one of a series of focus groups to give their views. The events are at

· Bournemouth on February 8^th

· Okehampton on February 10th; and

· Swindon on February 25^th

ESW hopes the results of the survey, which will be revealed on May 17th, will be invaluable to organisations from all sectors in advance of the introduction of the Equality Bill later in the year.

More details about the focus groups and the survey, which can be completed via post or by people with visual impairments or learning difficulties, are available from www.equalitysouthwest.org.uk or by telephoning 01823 250 836.

Seeking transgender equality

The South West Transgender Equality Network would like to hear from all LGB/T representatives to improve workplace knowledge and practice around Trans equality.

If you are a LGB/T rep for any union across the region - we would like to hear from you! Please contact Katie Pratt at Equality South West on katie.pratt@equalitysouthwest.org.uk or telephone on 01823 250833.

Unions start electoral reform debate

The TUC has sparked a debate within the trade union movement on whether the UK should move towards a proportional system for electing the House of Commons by publishing a new Touchstone pamphlet Getting it in Proportion? Trade Unions and Electoral Reform.

While the pamphlet is designed to provoke discussion rather than come to a conclusion, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber says in its introduction:

“Whatever the strengths of our present system it encourages the major parties to concentrate their efforts in marginal seats, and on the floating voters within them who are most likely to switch their votes. Safe seats and core voters end up getting taken for granted… voting systems can have a real impact on the lives of ordinary people. This is not just a ‘chattering class’ issue.”

For more information and download go to: Getting it in proportion

Skills and recovery - the way forward

Unionlearn South West Conference 2010

Thursday 25^th March 2010 1030 - 3.30

The Exchange-House Conference Centre, Taunton

The unionlearn conference for 2010 will focus on the business case for skills in the recession and towards recovery.
The key note speaker will be Tom Wilson, unionlearn Director.
The conference will also feature case studies, discussions and workshops including:

· Apprenticeships

· Skills Accounts

· Future Jobs Fund

Come and discuss how we can work together on skills and recovery, share in examples of good practice from unions and take part in workshop discussions.
Places are limited to 90, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Registration form

National Housing Federation

South West regional housing conference

10^th March

The Grand Hotel, Broad Street, Bristol BS1 2EL

This conference takes place at a time of unprecedented change with a general election around the corner, a new regulatory framework coming into sharp focus and the sector grappling with the implication of a new financial landscape. It is clear that the times of public spending growth have come to an end, with implications for all aspects of housing association businesses. More details from NHF event

New book charts Bristol communism

A book written by Bridgwater postman Dave Chapple tells the story of the rise and fall of Communist Party influence inside a Bristol trade union.

Grasshoppers, Stonkers and Straight Eights is the story of trade unionist George Massey and his struggles with the Communist Party.

Inspired by the discovery of a 1935 minute book from the Union of Postal Workers, the book is a fitting tribute to a Post Office union stalwart now in his 95^th year.

Copies are available from Dave Chapple, 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 5AU, Tel. 01278 450562, e-mail davechapple@btinternet.com "

UNION NEWS UNION NEWS UNION NEWS UNION NEWS UNION NEWS

If you have news that you want to share with the trade union movement in the South West - let the South West TUC know about it.

If you want your name taken off this list please let me know. Please pass on to others in your contact list. If you have received this indirectly and want to be added to the South West TUC list please let the South West TUC Office know on ncostley@tuc.org.uk.

Nigel Costley

South West TUC Regional Secretary

0117 947 0521

South West TUC Green Workplaces: www.greenworkplacessouthwest.org.uk