Dear friends,
After 10 long and difficult months, your dispute with Derby City Council has come to an end.
I know you will be relieved that this dispute is over at long last, and that they you can concentrate on the vital work you do helping children in Derby’s schools.
In total, you took 73 separate days of industrial action – including three weeks of all out action. Campaigning included rallies and demos (taking place everywhere from the Derby Council House to Parliament Square and Labour Party conference in Liverpool), an advan (which I had the pleasure to unveil),case studies, a day long vigil, media interviews, petitions and doorstep campaigning.
It was an honour to fight alongside you all at various stages of this phenomenal campaign – made possible by inspirational leadership from your branch.
Nicole and the whole branch team showed remarkable leadership, campaigned relentlessly and showed the honesty and determination necessary to lead such a vital campaign for our union. I know that Nicole has been involved in steering this dispute every step of the way and she will always have my gratitude, as I am sure she will have yours.
You can all go into your schools with your heads held high, knowing that the value of the work you do for children and schools has been recognised. But you will never forget the way that your branch and your whole union came together and won a better deal – and neither will I.
Yours,
Dave Prentis
General Secretary, UNISON