My NEC report to the UNISON Community Service Group Executive (SGE) meeting 8 July 2020

(Love this pic. The 1.3 million members of UNISON are split into "Service Groups" according to their occupation and employer. Community comprises of members employed by the Voluntary Sector (Charities and Housing Associations). While we have our moments, it is known as the "Friendly Service Group". Microsoft teams only allowed 9 videos out of I think 23 participants in the meeting on my laptop.

They were not laughing at my report - honest!)

"May I start by noting that this is the first full meeting of the SGE since the General election disaster and the woeful performance by Boris Johnson and his Government during the Covid-19 pandemic reminds us what a catastrophe that election result was to all workers.

I would like to thank the activists and staff in Community for their superb dedication, care and support to members. In this most difficult of times they have made the union proud of them and the work which they have done.

No-one expected when they became an activist or a staff member that they would have to part of this national emergency supporting sometimes very frightened members while fighting for adequate PPE and risk assessments.

Hopefully, you will have seen the letter of thanks signed by myself and Denise Thomas which was sent to all Community members (on email)

NEC Meeting 19 December 2019

Extensive discussion of General Election debacle; industrial action update (agreed to send message of support to Addaction members)

NEC sub-committee Policy Development & Campaigns 22 January 2020.

Long debate and analysis of General Election result. Very interesting presentations from all 3 devolved nations on key political and bargaining issues.

NEC meeting 12 February 2020.

So much has happened it is hard to remember. Much of the business was agreeing motions for NDC; Finance report. The General Secretary in his report noted that Shantha David, a UNISON legal National officer, had been named by “Lawyer Magazine” as one of the top 100 lawyers in the Country. There was a full discussion on the Labour Link Nomination process for Leaders – why Keir and Angela. The launch of the UNISON Housing manifesto and mentioned during the industrial action update the dispute between our members and Addaction over Agenda for Change terms.

Community Conference 28 February 2020

A wet and windy Cardiff but I think a warm and successful conference. A few weeks later began lock down. Hopefully, we will be able to hold next year’s conference in person.

(Note Community SGE 25 March 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19 lock down. NEC meeting on 1 April 2020 cancelled since it was a meeting to discuss National Delegate Conference only business - which has of course had also been cancelled).

NEC sub-committee Policy Development & Campaigns 20 May 2020.

Dominated by immediate response to Covid-19 and a future recovery response.

NEC Meeting 3 June 2020

Was held virtually via GoTo and actually worked in my view very well. I think there was a better attendance than during physical meetings in the UNISON Centre. The meeting started with a moving tribute and one minute’s silence as the names of the 66 UNISON members known to have died from the pandemic were read out. Covid-19 and “Black Lives Matters” naturally dominated the meeting.

General Secretary made it clear that UNISON will hold the government to account https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2020/06/nec-told-will-hold-government-account-covid-19/

Intention to hold an election for General Secretary as soon as practical. New timetable for postponed SGE elections expected soon. Covid-19 response fund. £250,000 extra on top of usual support.

UNISON Staff Pension fund.

A number of meetings and updates with trustees and advisers. Massive reports to read. By far my busiest NEC responsibility.

National Labour Link 2 July 2020

Shadow Justice Minister David Lammy MP gave a very thoughtful and considered presentation/Q&A

Labour Link also had a special meeting with Angela Rayner.

Finally

Many thanks to our Regional Community leads and the National officer team for all their support (while working from their kitchens and living rooms) especially Andrew who was thrown into the deep end as our new national officer.

I have been involved in constructive talks with National and regional officers with the National Housing Federation about possible joint working over Covid-19 and aftermath.

Next PDCC meeting 14 July 2020

Next NEC meeting 23 July 2020

John Gray

Community NEC (General Seat)

(Please ring #### or email John.Gray2012@icloud.com if any questions or comments. If you want Denise (my fellow NEC Community rep) or I to present virtually to your branch or regional meetings then just let us know)

"Labour MPs backing UNISON members taking strike action for fair pay. Solidarity with the Addaction strikers"

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, tweets his support & thanks Labour MPs Jo Platt, Yvonne Fovargue and Lisa Nandy for being on the picket line

Background to strike on UNISON NW Regional website

Drug and alcohol support workers employed by London-based charity Addaction in Wigan and Leigh have intensified their strike action in a dispute over pay.

Thirty staff are beginning three days of strike action today (Wednesday) in their third round of industrial action within the last six weeks over what they say are Addaction’s broken pay promises.

The striking workers will hold a public rally at 12noon on Friday 11 October at Market Place, Wigan, WN1 1QS.

The staff were previously employed by the NHS but the service, commissioned by Wigan Council, was transferred to the national charity, which has come under fire for its handling of the dispute.

Workers continued to receive pay rises in line with those of NHS employees and were given assurances by the organisation’s managers this would continue into the future.

But when the 1% pay cap in the NHS was removed from April 2018, Addaction refused to implement the promised wage rise. The decision, which will cost each support worker around £1,000 per year, was taken without any consultation or discussion with staff.

After exhausting the internal grievance process, staff were balloted by their trade union UNISON and there was a 100% vote in favour of strike action.

To date, three rounds of Acas talks have yielded no resolution to the dispute- which has rumbled on since August. Drug and alcohol support workers claim that Addaction bosses have failed to engage meaningfully with the negotiation progress, refusing to share or discuss information about the cost of resolving the dispute.

UNISON North West regional organiser Paddy Cleary said:

“Addaction have let down their hard-working staff and are now withholding a long-overdue pay rise from support workers who deliver vital services to the community in Wigan and Leigh.

“What’s more, Addaction bosses have attended three rounds of talks with no intention of resolving the dispute, and in fact have done all they can to delay, divert and distract from the issue at hand.

“The employer’s defence seems to be that the promised pay rise would be ‘unfair’ on the group of staff it pays even less than those who used to be employed by the NHS. There is a simple solution to that problem, which is to pay all Addaction staff the full NHS rate for the job.

“Public service workers who have been outsourced should not be out-of-pocket. The people of Wigan and Leigh will not accept a London-based organisation driving down pay and working conditions in their local area. If that is Addaction’s intention then they should hand the contract back to the Council.”

Addaction support worker and UNSON rep Kathryn Herbert said:

“We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from the local community in Wigan and Leigh including from local people who use Addaction’s services.

“We did not plan to go on strike and we did not envisage taking six days of action, but we voted unanimously in favour of striking because we know that we have been treated unfairly. The support we have received from communities across the North West has only served to further strengthen our resolve.”

Local MPs are in support of the workers. Leigh MP Jo Platt said: “Drug and alcohol support is an essential service across the borough.

"It not only supports people to come off drugs and alcohol, but it treats the underlying causes, assisting them with mental health concerns and helping them get into employment and turn their lives around. Their services are needed now more than ever.

"After the public service squeeze of the last nine years we shamefully see 22 per cent of the country living in poverty today, with 1.6 million people living in poverty in the North West alone.

"You only have to walk through our towns to see the effect that this has. Austerity, poverty and addiction go hand in hand. It ruins lives, it fuels crime and affects communities.

"Addaction should know better than to risk their crucial service. The way the staff have been treated is appalling. For a promised pay rise to be reneged on is totally unacceptable. If Addaction cannot afford the staffing costs, they should never have bid for the contract in the first place.

“I will be working with colleagues from across the borough as well as trade unions and staff affected to rectify the situation and honour the promises made to the incredible workers who are losing out through no fault of their own.”

"Addaction" drug and alcohol staff to strike on Friday (tomorrow)

Solidarity to privatised NHS UNISON members striking tomorrow. 

Addaction is headquartered in London

"Strike action involving 31 staff employed by Addaction is set to go ahead after Acas talks did not reach a resolution to their dispute on Wednesday.

A 100% vote for strike action was prompted by Addaction’s failure to keep its promise to pay staff the NHS rates for the job. Their union UNISON says that the striking workers stand to lose up to £1000 per year.

The staff are support workers within a drug and alcohol service which is commissioned by Wigan Borough Council. They used to be employed directly by the NHS, and Addaction promised staff that they would continue to receive pay rises in line with NHS rates of pay.

Support workers have been left frustrated as the employer has reneged on this pledge, refusing to implement the NHS three year pay deal which came into effect in April 2018.

Addaction has its headquarters in London and provides services all over the country. It has an annual income in excess of £70million.

Paul Almond, a drug and alcohol worker and UNISON rep, said:

“I never expected to have to go on strike, and I don’t think many of my colleagues did either. We have agonised over this question. But the fact that 100% of us voted to take action shows how strongly we all feel about this issue.

“We’re all willing to stick together to secure the pay rise we were promised.”

UNISON North West regional organiser Paddy Cleary said:

“Addaction have given repeated assurances to staff that they would receive the NHS pay deal, but they have gone back on their word.

“This dedicated group of support workers have been out of pocket for 16 months and have been forced to take strike action by an employer that just won’t listen.

“We had hoped that the Acas talks would be successful, but the local and regional managers who attended made no offer to staff and seemed to have no authority to reverse decisions taken nationally. Assurances made by managers to staff in Wigan and Leigh seem to have been ignored and overridden by bosses in London.

“Our members voted 100% in favour of taking strike action. They are willing to do whatever it takes to secure the pay rise they’re owed. I would strongly urge Addaction to reconsider its position and pay up now.”