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Interactive UNISON Stewards Stage 1 Coursebook Week 5 Police_

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Interactive UNISON Stewards Stage 1 coursebook Week 4

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Police Organising Stewards Day 4 Case Study 

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ACAS Code of Practice for Grievance and Disciplinary 

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ACAS Code of Practice for Grievance and Disciplinary 

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Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures | Acas

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5. It is important to carry out necessary investigations of potential disciplinary matters without unreasonable delay to establish the facts of the case. In some cases this will require the holding of an investigatory meeting with the employee before proceeding to any disciplinary hearing. In others…

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How to register for MyUnison to access the Organising Space and more...

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Interactive Unison Steward Stage 1 Coursebook  Week 3

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UNISON Bargaining Guides (including Coronavirus)

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UNISON Bargaining Guides (including Coronavirus)

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Most UNISON branch officers, stewards and safety reps will negotiate with employers at some time.

It is how you protect and promote the interests of your members and create fairness and equality at work.

These in-depth guides, along with our training courses and explanation of the process, give you the tools you need for effective negotiating and bargaining with employers.

Guides

Model templates

Our model templates can help you when negotiating and bargaining with managers or employers on behalf of UNISON members. ( Model templates open as Word documents.)

Reports

Reports commissioned by UNISON that provide analysis in support of bargaining and negotiating activity. ( Reports open as PDFs.)

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Bargaining guides | Key documents and tools for activists | UNISON National

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Most UNISON branch officers, stewards and safety representatives will negotiate with employers at some time - it is how branches can make sure they protect and promote the interests of their members. The keys to success are organisation, preparation and teamwork.

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People doing the same job or work of equal value should get the same or equal pay; but in many cases they don't, even though though the law says they should.

UNISON actively campaigns for fair and equal pay.

What is equal pay?

Equal pay is your entitlement to the same wage as someone doing work of equal value to you, the same or broadly similar work as you or work rated as "of equivalent value" by a job evaluation study.

This is often, but not exclusively, a gender issue. Women are sometimes paid less than men for doing the same work.

Are you being paid equally?

There are ways you can find out if you are being paid equally, including:

asking your colleagues;

conducting an equal pay questionnaire;

checking job ads;

researching job evaluation studies.

In Great Britain, but not Northern Ireland, any pay secrecy clause in an employment contract is overridden if you suspect inequality of pay on gender grounds (or on grounds of another protected characteristic, such as age or race) and you seek information from a colleague (or former colleague) to find out if - or to what extent - there is a connection between pay and having (or not having) a particular protected characteristic.

A pay secrecy clause is a clause in your employment contract that would normally prevent you from asking co-workers how much they earn.

If you suspect you are not being paid an equal wage, contact your UNISON rep immediately, and they will be able to advise you. (UNISON's contact directory)

What if you are not being paid equally?

If you are not being paid equally, your employer is breaking the law.

Claiming for equal pay rights generally allows you to claim up to a maximum of six years of lost earnings (five years in Scotland).

Contact your UNISON rep immediately if you suspect you are being paid unfairly. Many claims are dismissed due to time limits on when you can claim.

If your UNISON rep cannot negotiate an equal pay deal with your employer, they may take your case to an employment tribunal.
Read more about employment tribunals.
Claiming equal pay

If you think you aren't being treated fairly, you can talk, or write, to your employer to try to resolve the issue informally.

If you are unsuccessful, you should then make a claim for lost earnings.

An employment tribunal will establish if there are sufficient grounds for compensation to be paid. You may have to fill out a questionnaire, which will help clarify the issues.

Employers will often argue that the job you are claiming equality with is not, in fact, equal to yours. You should have clearly outlined reasons why you feel the two jobs are equal before starting a case.

At every stage of these proceedings, your UNISON rep can help you. (UNISON's contact directory)

Next steps for reps

Steps that you can take to help a member include:

providing them with information about making equal pay claims;

assisting them with drafting an equal pay questionnaire;

negotiating with the employer to try to persuade them to meet their obligations under equal pay legislation;

ensuring that time limits for bringing equal pay claims are complied with.

Key facts

People doing the same job or work of equal value should get the same or equal pay; but in many cases they don't, even though though the law says they should. UNISON actively campaigns for fair and equal pay.

You are entitled to the same pay as anyone doing the same or broadly similar job, or a job of equal value, regardless of gender.

There are strict time limits on when you can lodge a claim.

If your employer is not treating you equally, they are breaking the law.

FAQs

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Knowledge Base: Equal pay | Pay | UNISON National

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People doing the same job or work of equal value should get the same or equal pay; but in many cases they don't, even though though the law says they should. UNISON actively campaigns for fair and equal pay.

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Step up, stand up and speak out against racism

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Step up, stand up and speak out against racism

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The murder of George Floyd in the US and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities in the UK have focused attention on the everyday inequalities faced by Black people.

UNISON head of equality Gloria Mills provides some context on racism in the UK and explains how the union is at the forefront of the fight against it.
Gloria, do you feel that systemic racism has never meaningfully gone away?
Systemic racism is present in our institutions, both public and private. It has never meaningfully gone away, but it has taken different forms.

In the past, Black people experienced overt racism by being called names, seeing signs saying ' No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs'. You do not see such blatant signs any more, but systemic racism now takes place in our private institutions.

For example, in the banks when you go to pay a bill, some banks ask you to prove your identity. As the Windrush scandal showed, it is not sufficient for Black people just to be British - you're asked to show different forms of identity just to withdraw your monthly salary.

It is the additional checks and hurdles faced in accessing everyday services, which for most white people will never be a problem.

So while we have moved away for the naked and overt racism that Black people faced before, racism is now practiced in more covert ways - with sophistry and subtlety, but it has the same negative outcomes.
Do you fear that Brexit - and now, maybe, the increased incidence of COVID-19 in the Black community - could propel the UK towards the frequent violence seen in the US?
We need to take action to ensure that this does not happen, but the UK tends to follow the same trajectory as the US.

However, we have a different culture in the UK of fairness and tolerance, and we have to ensure that those values win through. Our democracy in the UK is different in that we have a system of open justice and good judicial oversight - so having access to justice is important.

Accountability and transparency are also key cornerstones of our democratic tradition and we need to keep it this way.
What is UNISON's role in this?
Where the danger is looming is that we need to stop the dog whistle politics and policies that feed the toxic environment that could propel UK racists towards the frequent violence seen in the US.

UNISON has an important and pivotal role. The union has always been in the vanguard - leading and shaping the agenda.

Leadership is critical in saying where the union stands on issues, and UNISON members have always been at the forefront of challenging the major social issues of our time.

So the union has to continue to be pro-active and visible in standing with all our members and communities.

As a public service union, we are in constant dialogue and engagement with our members who live in those communities and rely on those services.

UNISON has to use the size of its membership and the power of its access to influence change and continue to hold employers and the government to account.
How do we work to improve the lives of Black people in the UK?
We need to use the tools and power of collective bargaining to challenge discrimination, inequality and force employers to comply with their legal obligations.

We need to turn the dial on racism in our public and private institutions.

We need to challenge the low rate of employment for Black people from specific sectors of the labour market, education, manufacturing and construction. Unemployment remains high at almost three times the national rate.

On pay, research from the TUC found that the ethnicity pay gap is up to 25% and research by the Resolution Foundation reported that there was a £3.2bn pay penalty facing Black workers, with Black graduate men facing the biggest pay penalty of 17%.

In some sectors, young Black men in particular are excluded from apprenticeship opportunities. At every stage of the labour market, from recruitment, redeployment to redundancies, Black workers are 'last in, first out'.

Black people are already over-represented in precarious, part-time, temporary and zero hours contracts.

We need to improve employment opportunities, challenge employment discrimination, implement positive action measures to redress employment and economic exclusion.

This continuum promotes economic inequality across generations of Black British people - and it seems that COVID-19 thrives on inequalities.

A recent Office for National Statistics report, comparing the COVID-19 deaths rates in England and Wales, finds that the mortality rate in the most deprived areas is twice as high as in the least deprived areas.
What do you think UNISON's Black members are most concerned about and want to see changed?
We need to break the cycle of discrimination, disadvantage and deprivation.

Black members are most concerned that urgency and vigour are injected into the problems they face. They don't want dither and delay while Black lives are lost.

So they are concerned about the lack of government action and the failure to improve and protect lives and livelihoods.

They expect to see the government taking the issue of the Public Health England (PHE) report seriously, giving it the attention and urgency it deserves instead of sidelining the findings on structural inequalities.

They are risking their lives to save others and they expect the government to act to save theirs.

Instead, what they have seen is more tokenistic lip service. They hoped to see government-wide ownership of this issue at a senior level.

They want to see the government bring into force sections of the Equality Act 2010 to address inequalities that result from differences in occupation, education, place of residence or social class; to implement the Conservative 2017 manifesto commitment to take action on the ethnicity and disability pay gaps and meet their commitments on gender pay reporting and equal pay.
What do you think UNISON's white members should do to support their colleagues?
They want a comprehensive race equality strategy and a full public inquiry into disproportionate deaths from COVID-19.

White members are in a different place from Black members as they view racism through different optics.

White and Black members should have conversations not confrontations on their different perspectives.

We tend to be creatures of our environment. But we can change that by leaving our baggage behind in terms of our conditioning and stereotypes, and begin to have meaningful conversations.

White members do not always see the truth of Black people's lived experience of everyday racism. It is important to listen and to learn.

Think about why it is that a Black person has a more difficult job to be heard than you do.

We can all make a difference if we stand together as trade unionists and don't let employers divide and rule; challenge the micro-aggressions your colleagues and fellow trade unionists experience in the workplace.

My message is to step up, stand up and speak out in support of your colleagues - act in unison to help lift the barriers and burden of fighting everyday racism.

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Step up, stand up and speak out against racism | Article | News | UNISON National

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The murder of George Floyd in the US and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities in the UK have focused attention on the everyday inequalities faced by Black people. UNISON head of equality Gloria Mills provides some context on racism in the UK and explains how the union is at the forefront of the fight against it.

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Challenging racism in the NHS

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The latest Workforce Race Equality Standard report and data was published in April 2022. We will update our webpages, leaflets and guidance with the new data as soon as possible.

It's time for a serious conversation about racism in the NHS. Our Race for Equality campaign is equipping UNISON branches to get active and tackle racism in the workplace.

More than 70 years after it was founded the NHS continues to rely on staff from all round the world, and generations of Black staff have made the NHS what it is today.
Read our COVID-19 advice for Black health workers
Yet many Black staff in the NHS still face the injustice of racism and inequality at work every day.

"If you ask most black people the honest truth is we experience this everyday - there is nothing we can do about it. We can't complain everyday you just get on with it."

We want to help staff recognise and challenge racism in the workplace. We will support staff, and help them support each other as we work together to take on racism and deliver an NHS that respects and values all staff.

We will not stand by while Black staff in the NHS continue to face the injustice of racism and inequality at work. Racial discrimination is not only wrong - it is against the law. It wastes talent, damages staff, hurts patients, and holds the NHS back.
News story from UNISON Cymru/Wales: two-thirds of Black NHS workers have experienced racism at work
What you can do

Don't suffer in silence - if you think it might be racism it probably is - talk to your UNISON branch about what's been happening

Ask your branch what it's doing to tackle racism

Get involved in UNISON's Black members network

How far has your branch got in the race for equality?

If you're just at the starting line here are some immediate actions branches can take:

1. COVID-19:

Read our guidance on risk assessments for Black workers (PDF) and review the NHS unions' risk assessment principles (PDF). Ask your employer for regular consultation about implementation and review of risk assessment and reduction measures for Black staff.

Consider the impact these actions have had on staff, for example have staff been redeployed to roles that could affect their pay or career prospects? If so how can this be addressed? Ask for monitoring of COVID-19 sickness and self-isolation levels for Black staff to see if the risk reduction measures are working.

2. Improve skills and training:

Talk to your regional education officer about organising training for your activists to develop skills in having conversations about racism, supporting members and challenging racism in all its forms.

See Resources section below for information on courses to tackle racism.

3. Bullying and harassment:

Ask your employer to ensure that it has an effective policy and protocols for preventing and dealing with racist behaviour from patients and their visitors/families.

See Resources section below for our briefing on Bullying and Harassment.

4. Disciplinary action:

Monitor your own branch casework, check how many disciplinary cases involving Black workers your branch is dealing with and look for patterns for particular groups or in particular teams/settings - for example particular shifts, or a concentration of issues among Bank or agency staff.

See Resources section below for our briefing on Disciplinary Action.

5. Recruitment and career progression

Work with employers for an end to end review and update of recruitment and selection processes checking for where bias can creep in at every stage.

This includes where and how posts are advertised; assessment and scoring processes; and composition and diversity of interview panels. Where Black staff are shortlisted but not appointed ask for accountability measures to be put in place to scrutinise these outcomes.

Call out 'tap on the shoulder' type informal practices such as internal expressions of interest which mean opportunities only go to a narrow circle of staff.

You can find more detail on these and other actions branches can take in the resources at the bottom of this page

Download our Race for Equality branch briefing and leaflet below. You can order hard copies of the leaflet from our shop.

See Resources section below for our briefing on Recruitment, Career and Race

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Race for Equality | The big issues | UNISON National

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The latest Workforce Race Equality Standard report and data was published in April 2022. We will update our webpages, leaflets and guidance with the new data as soon as possible. It's time for a serious conversation about racism in the NHS. Our Race for Equality campaign is equipping UNISON branches to get active and tackle racism in the workplace.

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Interactive Unison Steward Stage 1 Coursebook  Week 1

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ACAS Code of Practice for Time Off for Reps 

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ACAS Code of Practice for Time Off for Reps 

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Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities including guidance on time off for union learning representatives

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5. Section 1 of this Code provides guidance on time off for trade union duties. Section 2 deals with time off for training of trade union representatives and offers guidance on sufficient training for Union Learning Representatives. Section 3 considers time off for trade union activities.

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Interactive Unison Steward Stage 1 Coursebook Week 2

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With more than 1.3 million members, UNISON is one of the UK's largest trade unions and Europe's largest public service union. Our members work in the public services, for private contractors providing public services and for utility companies.

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This site hosts a number of online learning resources for UNISON members. You will find a variety of short activities which you can complete on this site, as well as directions where to find other useful union learning resources.

Some of our learning resources are called 'e-notes'. Please note that these display best on a desktop computer, using a browser such as Chrome or Firefox. Older versions of Internet Explorer will not work, and iPad users in particular may also experience difficulty loading the resources.

To login to this site, you will need a My.UNISON account. If you don't already have one, you can set one up here. Or, if you're a member of UNISON staff, use your regular system username preceded by 'unison\' (e.g. 'unison\doej') in the membership number box and your usual password. Use the button at the top right of this page to login.

If you experience difficulty logging into the site, please contact us on learningandorganising@unison.co.uk.

Find out about all our learning opportunities on our website.

You may also be interested in online l earning provided by the

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Click the 'Log in' button to log in using your My.UNISON account.