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Derby College News – Feb 2021

Hello, and welcome to this special edition for our members at Derby College.  We need your help to identify two new reps.  UNISON will provide paid training, and you would get PAID time off from Derby College).  Change is coming, so lets be prepared.

Zero pay rise just isn’t acceptable to UNISON

We OPPOSE the imposition of a 0% pay award this year.  Other colleges in the East Midlands have budgeted for pay increases of between 1% and 3%, so we feel Derby College is making a choice not to increase pay for you.   We want your help to publicly campaign for a better deal for you.  Get involved.

Redundancy changes proposed to PILON

Your employer wants to amend the Redundancy Policy, and we need members views.  Due to tax changes in 2018, all payments relating to ‘Payment in Lieu of Notice’ (PILON) became deemed taxable wages – regardless of the terms of your individual contracts of employment.  The employer now says that it wants in future to make the decision for you on whether you are dismissed due to redundancy with immediate affect and take away your rights to ‘work your notice’.  If dismissed without notice, you would not build up pension rights or holiday pay for any period you would have preferred to ‘work your notice’.  Derby College also wants to bar you from applying for new jobs whilst working your notice, but UNISON is concerned this might deny you a chance to stay in work and not face redundancy.  This all sounds like a ‘hire and fire’ regime, not a modern supportive employer.  Help us secure changes to these plans. 

Access the latest UNISON advice on Covid safe working and rights

Remember, to get up to date professional advice from UNISON about all things Covid – see our national web-site at www.unison.org.uk .  We have dedicated advice for Further Education members, so bookmark the site in your phone and refer to it when you need to.  UNISON has two full seats on the joint negotiating committee at Derby College.  Join our team and make the difference.  

For informal chat, contact Brian Crosby, UNISON Area Organiser, 07903 024243

To read the full update please click on the image below.

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Annual General Meeting – 5&6 March 2021

This years AGM will be carried out on Zoom and we will send out joining details to you all prior to the below dates. 

If you are unsure about using zoom please click here for a simple guide

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193

We have created 3 sessions to give you more chance to join in as we appriciate your working hours and avaliability may differ. 

Friday 5 March 2021

Session 1 – 12noon – 1.30pm

Session 2 – 6pm – 7.30pm – with a family quiz to follow, so pour yourself a glass and get a pen at the ready 

Saturday 6 March 2021

Session 3 – 11am – 1pm 

To view the Minutes and Agenda for this meeting please click the links below

Agenda
Minutes
Branch Officer reports contained in – Our Year In Review
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Branch Secretary Update – for School Support Staff 3 January 2021

Dear School Support Staff

Happy new year to you all, the news of the last few days must have caused great anxiety for you. Will schools follow the scientific advice and close for an additional 2 weeks and work on rolling out the Covid testing or will the Government continue to insist schools are safe? You as staff or the families of pupils who attend your schools should not be waiting in limbo like this.
Unless any announcements are made later today it is looking likely Schools in Derby will open. UNISONS advice from our National School Team supported by the National Schools Committee in which I sit, is that schools are currently not safe for pupils or staff. 

I am very aware you don’t want schools to close you are simply requesting that they are safe, and safe for all pupils and staff. 

Last week I attended the Independent SAGE meeting, it was made very clear that schools should not reopen yet. The link for the meeting I attended can be watched below…


Yesterday evening, after seeking legal clarification UNISON sent all school support staff with an active email address an email containing a letter, for you to send to your head and or employer. Ideally send this letter individually but if you would rather send it as a team / group please do so. Ensure every name you add has agreed to be added and ensure you do make yourself available to work from home. I would advise sending this as soon as possible so you’re employer can make arrangements. We have already been notified of potential school closures due to staff exercising the right to be safe. This is your right under Health and Safety Law.

I am happy to be copied into this email. beckyeverett@derbyunison.org
Should you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me on the above email address. I will be keeping an eye on my emails today and I will respond but it won’t be immediately. I am officially back at work on Monday 4th January. 


I will be contacting all our School Stewards today via email to ensure they are fully updated, should you decide that now is the time your school has a steward and or a Health and Safety Rep please contact me and we can get you on board with supporting members in your school and helping keep your workplace safe. 


Your employer and Head teacher / Principle has a duty to keep you safe at work, asking you to cross bubbles is one example of you not being safe and putting you at a greater risk. We understand how it’s near on impossible to adhere to social distancing this is another risk.The new strain of Covid is spreading at a vast speed. 
If you work in a school for a separate cleaning or catering contractor please ensure you notify your employer if you are taking this action advised by your union. 


Your school needs a steward and a Health and Safety Rep right now. Never before have we needed a steward in every workplace. 
It’s not too late to join unison, please inform your colleagues who may not be in a union that we are working to keep you safe in the workplace. New members can join at https://join.unison.org.uk

Keep in touch. 

Kind regards 

Becky Everett 

Branch Secretary