The Latest News

Branch Newsletter – March 2024

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Hello and thanks again for reading the new branch letter. If you have recently taken part in a UNISON training course, conference or have something else that you think other union members would be interested to hear about then please write to the branch at wahbunison@gmail.com and let us know about it.

Other ways of keeping up with branch news is our website www.wahbunison.co.uk or find us on Facebook Wiltshire and Avon Health Unison

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Seb

Branch Communications officer

 

2024 Branch Annual General Meeting Report

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Here is a report from our Vice Chair on recently concluded AGM(s) which took place over several days and locations. Many thanks to all members who participated.

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Wiltshire & Avon Health Branch (WAHB) covers a large geographical area and three major employers (AWP, GWH, Wiltshire Health & Care) as well as numerous smaller employers. Therefore, it was decided to hold an aggregated Annual General Meeting again this year. Members meetings were therefore held in Swindon, Bristol and Warminster together with an online lunchtime meeting (an evening online meeting was abandoned!) with the same agenda at each. Any votes taken at the meeting were amalgamated, to produce a cumulative total, and sufficient members attended this year’s AGM to ensure the AGM was quorate.

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Following the disappointing NHS pay campaign, it was noted that last year’s AGM resolved to seek funding from Unison to employ an organiser for the Branch, in order to help recruit activists, build campaigns and ensure membership records were accurate, so that any future ballots for industrial action would not be invalidated by low turnout (as happened in 2022/23). Jayne Jackson, the Regional Organiser for WAHB, was able to highlight that this bid has been successful, and therefore the branch will now be seeking to recruit an organiser as planned.

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Officer reports highlighted that our branch continues to try to recruit members and activists, so that the branch can effectively support members & negotiate with the relevant NHS and healthcare employers, and emphasised on the campaigning role of our branch and the wider union. Activists from Wiltshire Health & Care gave a briefing on the industrial action that our members have been engaged in to try to secure the ‘Covid payment’ that NHS staff got last year but which, so far, has been denied to our members in Wiltshire. Becky Brookman, who is one of the Unison National Executive Committee lay members for the South West region, explained that this dispute is one of a number that Unison are currently supporting. She highlighted that the NEC had increased the strike pay as Unison members are engaging in campaigning against cuts, the effects of outsourcing of jobs and about poverty pay.

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Given the Sunak government is desperately trying to use racism and scapegoating to remain in power, the branch voted unanimously to re-affiliate to Stand Up To Racism, and support the valuable work this campaign does: our NHS was built by black and white workers together. A branch delegation subsequently took the union banner to the TUC backed March Against Racism in London on March 16th.  [Note: See item below for picture]

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The branch also voted unanimously to agree that an honoraria payment would be given to the Branch Chair, Branch Secretary & Treasurer as recognition for the work they have each done, often in their own time, supporting union branch members who work for smaller employers (and therefore where there is no collective agreement).

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Nominations for branch officers & stewards that had been received (see below) were approved by the AGM- unlike politicians, we elect our representatives annually!

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Richard Gurney

WAHB vice Chair

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2024-25 Union Branch Officer and Representatives List

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The following is the list of UNISON branch officers and representatives approved at the AGM. If you believe your name is missing or are interested in becoming a representative or taking up a vacant office role (listed below) this year please contact the branch.

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