Elected as Greater London General Rep for UNISON Community (Charities, Housing Associations & Third Sector) & I will support the Kirklees 15

 

I was really pleased to be notified on Friday that I had been elected unopposed for the Greater London General seat on the UNISON Community National Service Group Executive. 

This means I will represent all UNISON members in London who work in Charites, Housing Associations or the Third Sector. There are a number of national employers whose headquarters are in London and are therefore part of London region as well. 

I am looking forward to representing the interests of London Community members at this national body and will do whatever I can to hold the present Community NEC members to account for their actions in particular the complicity and failure to stop the victimisation of the Kirklees 15.

This is about 14 female UNISON members and 1 male, whose complaints of bullying and harassment against our so called current "President" Paul Holmes, have been dismissed by our NEC without any due process for them. This is despite the fact that he has been sacked by his employer for bullying and harassing them. 

I will also challenge them for supporting the bullying of UNISON staff, including threating to sack them, breaking the union rules, fiddling procedures and using "union busting" tactics against our recognised trade unions. Incredibly they have also failed to completely condemn Putin's fascist war of aggression against Ukraine.

Watch this space.

(Picture of some of the many Community delegates who walked out of our recent conference in Glasgow last month when Paul Holmes was chairing it). 

UNISON Community Seminar 2022 (& the "imposter" dismissed for bullying & harassing women) Day 1

 

Friday was day 1 of the UNISON Community Service Group (Housing associations and voluntary sector members) annual Seminar and conference in Glasgow. 

It was so good to have a physical in person conference and meet other delegates who I have not seen outside zoom or teams for 2 years or so. I was part of the Greater London Housing Associations delegation. 

At noon there was a series of sector specific workshops. As you would expect I attended the Housing Associations workshop, where we had a very useful wide discussion on current issues and problems in our sector and what we can do about them. 

However, someone who described himself as the "President" of UNISON also attended despite admitting (and then demonstrating ) he had little or no knowledge of Housing Associations. This man  must be an imposter since he has been dismissed by his employer for allegedly bullying/harassing 15 female UNISON members (and also men). 

Nevermind the awful nature of these allegations, UNISON rules have never allowed someone who is unemployed to hold such an office, not least because we are a trade union representing members at work on their terms and conditions. 

There was also workshops on the CVO sector and Major Charities. After these sessions there was a briefing for new delegates to the seminar and conference. 

The seminar started officially at 2.45pm and there was a series of really interesting speakers on topical Community Service Group issues followed by Q&A. 

Derby City branch Community UNISON members have posted a really good account of this session here http://derbycityunison.co.uk/2022/03/18/unison-community-conference-2022-glasgow-day-1/

Afterwards we had a London regional delegation meeting followed by a meal in a Spoons in 

Sauchiehall Street. One of the London delegates mother was Ukrainian and she made it clear her hatred of what is being done to her family members  every time the TV screens showed pictures of the fascist monster Putin. 

inUNISON - Be A Disabled Workers' Ally

 

This is another great post https://www.in-unison.org/post/be-a-disabled-workers-ally in the blog https://www.in-unison.org  by Carole Jones. A 2 minute read.

https://www.in-unison.org/ is a new blog "for unison members by unison members". 

"I’m not a disabled member, so it’s hard to imagine just how frightening and isolating the pandemic has been for our members who live with underlying conditions, whether that’s a matter of physical health or mental health.

That’s why I think UNISON’s Year Of Disabled Workers couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. I also think it is important to consider how members without disabilities can be good allies and work alongside disabled workers to ensure they enjoy equal pay, conditions, accessibility, and health and safety in the workplace.

Being an ally is an important way of working, as it does not deny the humanity or agency of disabled workers, but shows a willingness to listen to and respect what disabled workers prioritise as their needs.

We should never be in the position of telling members what they want. Too many confuse loudhailers and sloganeering with leadership, failing to understand that it is the honest work of talking wiith members and listening and working together to agree plans and objectives that is needed.

So, how do you become an ally of disabled workers?

Educating yourself is an essential first step. That doesn’t mean having to learn everything you can about disease, illness, and injury! It does mean learning about your employer’s policies and practices as regards disabled workers, and whether they meet the needs of disabled workers. If not, ensure this matter gets on the negotiating agenda.

Reaching out to disabled workers is also an essential move. If you already have a disabled members branch self-organised group, that’s great - but have you spoken with them about their needs and priorities? Can the branch do more to support the growth of the SOG? Does the branch ensure members are aware of the group’s existence and how to contact them?

If you don’t have a disabled members’ branch group, why not ask a regional or national disabled SOG speaker to your branch committee or branch meeting to talk about how disabled workers can be supported to get organised?

There are some important things you can do on an individual level, too: consider your own beliefs and actions - do they support disabled workers in the best way or are there some underlying prejudices you need to eradicate?; speak out and challenge anti-disabled prejudice; help amplify the voices of disabled members on social media by liking and sharing their contributions, etc.

Become an ally!

UNISON has produced a range of resources for use in helping to celebrate and organise around the Year of Disabled Members, available at

https://www.unison.org.uk/about/what-we-do/fairness-equality/disabled-members/year-of-disabled-workers-2022/year-of-disabled-workers-resources/"

Nominate Sonya Howard and Clara Mason for London SGE seats

I am no longer in the Local Government Service Group for London but if I was, I would vote to nominate Sonya and Clara! 

"Dear Branches 

We are writing to you to request your branch nominations in the upcoming 2022 SGE Elections 

Who are we? 

Clara Mason -Assistant branch Secretary at Greenwich UNISON also currently female representative for London on the SGE. Standing for the Greater London SGE female seat membership number 107824223 

I am a teaching assistant who has a real understanding of schools’ members issues and support many of them during the pandemic with concerns around their safety during pregnancy, supporting them through individual risk assessment, ensuring school risk assessment were updated regularly and fully assessed the many risks faced by our members. 

I continued to support many of our reps in other roles like waste services, care workers and cleaners. I have championed mental health support not just for our members but for all reps who faced increased workloads and changes to way of working. 

A key success I have had is supporting many of our school support staff winning our term time only case which led to 5000 school support staff in Greenwich reviving back pay not only was this a success for Greenwich, but this has led to many other UNISON branches in London to successful challenge term time only contracts and get back what was rightfully members money. 

I want to continue championing for our London branches on the SGE ensuring that issues we all face are raised and that we push our Union to fight issues that effect our members and reps – we are set for some challenging times ahead with many employers and workplace try to recover from the 

Sonya Howard 1162788 Standing for Service Group Executive Greater London Local Government General Seat I am the Branch Chair Kensington and Chelsea Local Government branch. 

I have various National positions and have a vast amount of experience across UNISON and the Labour movement. Including negotiations across Tri -borough working. Over the years I have both organised successful disputes; lobbies, and campaigns across Labour and Tory led Councils ensuring better pay and condition for our members. 

Recently securing through Negotiations and a fairer pay and grading, with increased leave for many members. Continue to ensure that COVID working has seen members protected through risk assessment, including Negotiation new working from home ensuring no losses across the Council including our School members. 

A decent pay rise is needed more than ever before if we are to prevent members falling deeper into debt. This corrupt government sees inflation rising beyond 4% with a pitiful offer that will not prevent our members becoming classified as the working poor. 

We now need a clear strategy and leadership to build for solid support on future pay campaigns. I believe in strong democratic rights within the union and lay representation. I believe empowering our membership and standing up for fairness and transparency is crucial to take this union forward. 

We will bring Fresh approach to the SGE. Listening to our members including I promise that we will ensure the voices of our Black, LGBT+ , Women and Disabled will always matter and be heard. That UNISON Equality agenda will never be ignored. 

Yours in solidarity Sonya Howard and Clara Mason

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda 2022 Happy New Year

 

"Blwyddyn Newydd Dda" and "Happy New Year 2022". Boris "promised" a better Christmas than last year. Not for Gill and I since we were both stuck indoors with Covid.

Hopefully 2022 will be better.

Picture from my favourite walk of 2021,when I finally climbed "The Glyders" in North Wales.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 theme: #OneDay

 One Day – 27 January – is a day that we put aside every year to come together to remember, to learn about the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, in the hope that there may be One Day in the future with no genocide. We learn more about the past, we empathise with others today, and we take action for a better future.

‘You didn’t think about yesterday, and tomorrow may not happen, it was only today that you had to cope with and you got through it as best you could.” - Iby Knill, survivor of the Holocaust.

The theme can be interpreted in many different ways:

• One Day in history
• One Day when life changed
• One Day at a time
• One Day in the future
• One Day as a snapshot

Holocaust Memorial Day provides an important opportunity for all residents to remember those who suffered and died in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. Join us as we reflect upon these atrocities and join together in demonstrating our solidarity in combating antisemitism, racism and hatred.

Date: Thursday 27 January 2022
Time: 9.30am-12pm
Venue: Old Town Hall Stratford

This year, we are honoured to be welcoming speakers Ella Gari-Ebner (Generation 2 Generation) and Eric Murangwa Eugene MBE (Ishami Foundation)

This is a FREE public event. All are welcome to attend. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

Register for your free place