20/02/12 UNISON SPFT Branch committee Minutes

Branch Committee Minutes

Date:Tuesday 19th February 2013

Time:10.00am

Subject:Branch Committee

Venue:Conference Room, Swandean

Chair:Su Burns (SB)

Minuted by: Peter Atkinson
Peter Atkinson (PA), Su Burns (SB), Luke Holt (LH), Eleanor Hope (EH), John Ottley (JO), Pip Tindall (PT) & Simon Tunney (ST) / Action
In attendance: Andrew Adolphus
  1. Apologies
Anne-Marie Ricketts, John Hewitt & Stephen McLean
  1. Minutes from the meeting on 22nd January 2013
Noted and agreed as accurate.
  1. Matters arising
  1. Networking with other branches – AA will speak with Caroline.
  2. Turning Point – UNISON response submitted. Awaiting advice from Region/Thompsons on proposals. PA had reminded CF.
  3. Staff Side presence at Trust induction. PA will chase reps up again
  4. Redeployment register. This had been causing great concern amongst the current group of staff going through the redeployment process. PA had been assisting Human Resources with clarification. It appears that the process is very prone/ vulnerable to human error. SB wanted to know the make up of staff that had been redundant over the last year i.e. their protected characteristics – to be asked at the Partnership Forum.
  5. Payroll Records – PA had asked that the Trust urgently obtain these from the Western Sussex Hospitals Trust.
  6. 2013 AGM
Most officer posts now filled. Vacant positions can be filled at the AGM.
Tickets –140 issued to date
Drinks tokens – to be given out on the door.
Raffle – open to all in the branch including officers
PA to chase up other branches for final payments / AA
CF
PA
  1. Finance Report
JO reported that the year-end accounts had been finalised but that the national e-system was not fully functional yet so no electronic confirmation had yet been received.
The meeting agreed the overall total of £18,800 honoraria for this year. This would now need to go to the AGM for ratification. This remained the same as last year apart from a small increase for the branch secretary.
The committee agreed to sponsor a Defend the NHS meeting in Brighton.
  1. Recruitment figures and Recruitment Activities
JO reported that figures showed that we were amongst the top 6 recruiting branches in the Region.
AA then spoke at length on the forthcoming national recruitment campaign which would involve national advertising, dedicated literature and regional events. The branch will need to order new membership forms for overprinting.
ST felt that face to face contact was the most effective way to recruit. PA agreed and, whilst welcoming the campaign, he felt that the union needed to concentrate more on building the confidence and skills of stewards in face to face recruitment. / PA
  1. New Stewards
PA reported on a new steward, Scott Simpson, at Langley Green
  1. Key Issues in Sussex Partnership Trust
PA reported on the following:
“Long term” bank staff – Emma French now contacting prioritised staff
PMVA – staff unable to train or take part being dismissed? Guidance still urgently needed to look at full PMVA/breakaway or redeployment.
PMVA - staffing nos on wards needing PMVA. Minimum of 3 staff needed + night shifts and breaks? JO to raise at next PMVA meeting.
Bank pay – weekly by next April
Rebanding of posts in Skill Mix Reviews + Managed Vacancy + Process + Workforce Redesign/Reorganisations PA has summarised staff side issues and will share with management
Trust proposals on terms and conditions – Meetings arranged. Staff Side are awaiting a response to their latest letter
  1. No carry over of annual leave
  2. MAR
  3. Reviewing skill mix/ re-profiling
  4. Long term RRP
  5. SMS staff with HCA
  6. Excess travel
  7. Pay Protection policy
  8. “Performance” pay for 8As upwards
Time being taken to investigate safeguarding allegations – to be raised at Partnership Forum and a letter sent to Lisa R
Consultations on reorganisations/restructures
  • Under One Roof – need to agree “mini” consultations for each new move
a)Hastings (Cavendish House) –
b)Eastbourne (St Mary’s/Avenida) + Seaford + Hailsham – IT problems.
c)Newhaven + Uckfield + Lewes – ATC in Newhaven part open from October& others by Feb.
d)Worthing (Chanctonbury) + Littlehampton + Shoreham. IT at Glebelands.
e)Chichester (Chapel St) + Bognor – PLD team now being reimbursed for parking
f)Brighton (Mill View + EBCMH) + Polyclinic
g)Horsham (New Park House) + Crawley(Ifield)
h)Haywards Heath (Linwood) + East Grinstead
  • Corporate restructure –
a)Estates & Facilities Management – next level of reorganisation. Consistency needed.
b)Finance & Performance – 1 to 1s now completed. Slotting in/comp slotting in
c)HR reorganisation – New structure about to be published.
d)Vincent Badu’s Directorate
e)Chief Exec’s office – one at risk. Post recruited to late November?
  • AldringtonDayHospital – 2 Band 3s at risk
  • Day services in Brighton & Hove– Southdown Housing – 17 WTE. TUPE applies. Some redundancies post transfer.
  • Community Learning Disability, W.Sussex – 1 to 1s. Redundancies? Noticed of redundancy will run into April.
  • Assertive Outreach Teams – 9 WTE job losses?
  • Support homes in Brighton & Hove – Closing. 35 staff. TUPE?
  • Kendall House, Worthing – 1 to 1s held. 14 staff needing redeployment
  • Research & Development
  • Kent CAMHS – Final outcome paper ready.
  • CRHT Brighton – Consultation imminent on expanded team
  • Millview Admin staff – review to be carried out
  • OT Leadership structure – Brighton post at risk
  • Cedars closing – 1 to 1s held. 9 staff facing redundancy
  • Maintenance Staff – Skills Level type payment to replace RRP?
.
  1. Correspondence
PA referred the meeting to the correspondence list and mentioned the following:
  • Consultation on changes to Agenda for Change. Proposals accepted nationally 65% to 35%. Our branch had been unable to give a definitive response however.
  • Update on national mileage rates proposals. Uncertain how this would affect our own Trust.
  • National Conference, Liverpool – 18-21st June. PA to ask for delegates.
  • Request to nominate for NEC seats. PT asked for a person to be nominated. PA said that he had received a huge number of requests and felt it had become impractical to actually nominate anyone. The committee agreed that no one would be nominated.
  • Maintaining stewards ERA accreditation. PA to send info out
  • It was agreed to affiliate to Eastbourne Trades Council.
/ PA
PA
  1. Reports from:
  2. Regional Council
Met on the 9th February where it was agreed to consider national industrial action with other unions against public service cutbacks.
b. Regional HealthCare committee
Met on the 11th February where a discussion took place on whether the RHC delegate to the Health Group Executive should continue to be a delegate if he continually voted against RHC policy. Agreed that a proposal; should be sent to the next RHC asking for clarification on this.
c. UNISON Health Group Executive
Met on the 6th February and mainly discussed the AfC proposals.
  1. Reports from Branch Officers
a. Equality
EH referred to a Trust meeting on 1st March concerning racism on clinical units. PA had sent a reminder out to all UNISON members. PA, JO and SB had also agreed to raise at the council of /Governors and Staff Partnership Forum. Pa also emphasised that all racists incidents should be reported via the incident reporting system.
Stephen McLean had sent in a written report highlighting a UAF conference on 2nd March at the TUC HQ in London + International Women’s’ Day at the Dome on 9th March.
b. Communication
NMc not able to attend meeting
c. Health & Safety
i. Brighton and Hove
LH had been busy conducting workplace inspections and there had been a particular problem with Aldrington House. Request to enrol for a Health & Safety diploma in Southampton was agreed by the committee in relation to travel costs and subsistence.
  • West Sussex
ST also carrying out workplace inspections. Had been contacted by facilities staff at Meadowfield in regards to a bullying situation.
d. Young Members
No report. JH had given apologies
  1. Welfare
Brief written report + reminder of the AGM raffle.
It was agreed that the Welfare Officer be allowed a “float” of £100 to deal with day to day welfare type issues e.g. flowers and cards
f. Environmental Officer
No report
g. Labour link
PA said that the next Regional meeting had been moved to Eastleigh to coincide with the by-election.
  1. International
PT will bring details of the UN Public Services day in June to the next meeting.
  1. Motions
PT referred to an emergency motion that John Duffy had written for the AGM and a discussion followed as to whether this was a genuine emergency motion in terms of a definite timescale needed around any actions etc. Most of the committee felt that it wasn’t an urgent time limited type motion and should be dealt with at the next branch committee.
  1. Any Other Business
PT referred to the recent Workfare decision in the courts and that this may be challenged by the government.
Date of next meeting – Monday 18th March (Millview 10am, followed by the branch assessment)
2013 Branch Committee meetings – 10 to 12.30 (apart from June)
Tuesday 16/4 (H), Tuesday 21/5 (S), Tuesday 18/6 (M – 2- 4.30), Monday 15/7 (H), Tuesday 20/8 (S), Monday 16/9 (M), Tuesday 22/10 (H),Tuesday 19/11 (S) & Monday 16/12 (M)
H= Hellingly, S = Swandean & M = Mill View
Branch Correspondence
The below listed were received between 22nd January & 19th February 2013
Copies can be obtained from the Branch secretary.
General Correspondence
  1. Agenda for Change proposals – result of consultation
  2. NHS Mileage Rates – new national scheme
  3. National conference, Liverpool – 18 – 21 June
  4. New disclosure and barring system – UNISON Factsheet (e-mailed to all members)
  5. Transition scheme for CCGs – UNISON materials
  6. Offensive words in the workplace – Croner article
  7. Request to nominate for NEC elections
  8. UNISON Branch Resources review – latest news
  9. Maintaining stewards’ ERA accreditation
  10. Management of change and reprofiling – principles and good practice guidelines
  11. Bank Workers handbook – UNISON advert
  12. LRD article on cuts to hours v redundancy
  13. Croner article on Employee Shareholder Contracts
  14. Croner article on the latest case law/ gov’t recommendations on sickness and annual leave
  15. UNISON’s Debt Helpline (e-mailed to all members)
  16. Croner’s Review of Employment Law in 2012
  17. Eastbourne Trades Council 0 request to affiliate
/ SB
PA

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