Dear Member
Hello again and Happy Friday! We hope you’ve all had a good week and are looking forward to a well deserved rest over the weekend and hopefully the opportunity to enjoy some sunshine!
Pay Negotiations- Magenta Living
Earlier this year, Unison and Unite as the two recognised Trade Unions commenced pay negotiations for 2020 on behalf of members at Magenta Living. The joint claim was for a pay rise of 4.2%. These negotiations were paused when the lockdown commenced, both unions have written formally to Magenta requesting that these negotiations are now restarted. Any agreed pay rise will be backdated to 1 April 2020. We will, of course, keep members updated with the progress of these negotiations.
Government removes further countries from corridor list
Members are likely to have seen in the media in recent days, speculation that France would be added to a growing number of countries whereby quarantine would be mandatory upon return to the UK. In an announcement last night Grant Shapps confirmed that this was the case along with The Netherlands, Malta, Monaco, Turks and Caicos and Aruba. However, somewhat unhelpfully Grant Shapps also spread confusion in stating that travellers would need to return by Sunday 16 August to avoid having to quarantine. This is not the case and the ban comes in to affect at 4am on Saturday 15 August. Whilst this is not an acceptable approach from the minister and has undoubtably cost families in monetary terms and caused anxiety, we have, by now come to expect this shambolic approach to significant announcements made by government.
Whilst we expect that employers would take a flexible and reasonable approach to working arrangements given the circumstances, if this is not the case and you are effected by the recent travel restrictions please do get in touch with us as soon as you are able.
Congratulations class of 2020!
Wirral Unison congratulates all young people who have had their exam results this week, if you have a young person in your household we’re sure you’re very proud of them!
Sadly however we know that people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately affected by Covid-19 in terms of both catching the disease and the severity of illness. We now know that the system the Government have used for modifying teacher assessment now means that children from less well off back grounds are disproportionately impacted in their results too. The model used by government has resulted in nearly 40% of grades assessed by teachers being downgraded. Whilst pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have been treated harshly, pupils from private schools have disproportionately benefitted from higher grades under this model.
In a somewhat ironic statement, Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said “Increasing A-level grades will mean a whole generation could end up promoted beyond their abilities.”
Wirral Unison supports calls made by Labour and the Equality and Human Rights Commission for the Government to make a U-turn and allow pupils to receive the grades that their teachers have sought to award them and their efforts deserve.
UNISON NW Schools Courses August 2020
Unison North West region have developed important training courses for our members in schools, please see below for details of the courses and how they can be accessed. We urge all of our members who work in school to attend.
Promoting Positive Behaviour in School
UNISON have put together these sessions for schools staff to be able to support children returning to school environment and readjusting to either school as normal, or school with extra regulations.
In this session you will:
• Understand how to prevent and manage challenging behaviour
• Explore and identify methods for defining and keeping personal boundaries
• Develop systems for promoting structure and positive behaviour after so long away from school
• Identify ways of engaging children in conversations about Covid
• Understand how to recognise and respond effectively to pupils presenting challenging behaviour
• To examine the reasons why young people can display challenging behaviour
• To explore ways in which we can influence a positive learning environment
Obviously, the outcomes to this course may change a little as we get closer to the time and understand how the Coronavirus situation has changed.
To book on this course, please follow the links below:
Wednesday 26th August, 2—4pm: https://www.unisonnw.org/promoting_positive_behaviour_with_covid_rules_in_school_26th_aug
Thursday 27th August, 10am—12pm: https://www.unisonnw.org/promoting_positive_behaviour_with_covid_rules_in_school_27th_aug_2020
Dealing with Pupil Violence in Primary and Secondary Schools
Separate, differentiated sessions for Primary and Secondary school members looking at how to identify escalating aggression and managing aggressive and violent outbursts. For more info and to book on click on the links. During the session you will explore how to:
• Identify general physiological signs of anger
• Understand how to appropriately and effectively respond to anger and aggression
• Identify common triggers to anger
• Recognise the levels of anger in primary school aged children
• Learn appropriate interventions for each level of anger
• Develop strategies to manage your own emotions
• Understand methods of self-protection
• Understand how to maintain physical ‘safe’ distance and demonstrate Positive Defensive Standing (PDS)
To book on the course, copy and paste the link in to your browser and RSVP to the course:
Primary: 26th August 10am –1 2pm: https://www.unisonnw.org/dealing_with_pupil_violence_in_primary_school_26th_august_2020
Secondary: 27th August 2—4pm: https://www.unisonnw.org/dealing_with_pupil_violence_in_secondary_school_27th_aug_2020
Become a Unison Steward
A UNISON steward is an elected representative whose role includes organising, recruiting and representing members.
Stewards have a right to be involved in how their branch is run and are the most important link between the members and the union. A UNISON steward should seek to be the first and main point of contact with the union for members. They will also recruit and organise new members and work with members to establish an organised workplace. They will support and advise members on workplace issues, both individual and collective. They will be the voice of the members they represent and inform and involve members in branch activity.
We aim to have at least one steward in each workplace and department, more in larger departments and where members work shifts. Stewards engage in different levels of activity depending on their skills and the time they are able to commit. They will represent members with the employer, depending on their experience and confidence.
Stewards working for employers that officially recognise UNISON also have rights to paid time off for training, meetings with members and managers, and some other union work.
If you are interested in becoming a steward in your workplace or would like some more information about the role, please email unison1@wirral.gov.uk
That’s all for today everyone. We hope you continue to find our regular email updates of use and as always, please feel free pass our updates on to colleagues and encourage them to join Unison if they haven’t done already. Here’s the link to join up! JOIN UNISON
Enjoy your weekends and we will be back in touch next week.
In solidarity!
Lois and Dave
Branch Office: 0151 666 3040
Central email: unison1@wirral.gov.uk
Published on: August 17, 2020