jemma, lisa and lana theactivist - gmb west yorkshire police
TRANSCRIPT
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Issue 93 March 2021
theACTIVIST
THE ACTIVIST
GMB - Grove Hall - 60 College Grove Road - Wakefield - WF1 3RN
0345 337 7777 www.gmbyorkshire.org.uk
Jemma, Lisa and Lana
Members’ anger cannot be dismissed - everyone is watching and waiting for NHS Pay Review
Body to do the right thing, GMB tells panel
GMB, the union for NHS and ambulance workers, has this week given oral evidence to the Pay
Review Body (PRB) calling for key workers in the NHS to have pay justice. The Government and
NHS England’s PRB submissions recommended a ‘paltry’ 1 per cent pay increase for health
workers – amounting to a real terms pay cut. GMB members are angry Ministers have put
‘affordability’ over a pay rise for NHS staff, the lowest paid of whom are on less than the
foundation living wage.
GMB’s pay claim is one of restorative pay – 15% or £2 per hour whichever is the greatest to make
up for what NHS workers have lost after ten years of real terms pay cuts. Meanwhile, GMB is
campaigning for Covid to be classified as an industrial disease.
Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said: “GMB was the only union who said no to the last
pay deal and we have been proven right to do so. Staff morale is at an all-time low and talks of a
paltry 1 per cent pay offer only serves to rub salt in the wounds.
“Another real terms pay cut for our paramedics, nurses, health care assistants, porters and
cleaners cannot be the way forward for an NHS service that is on its knees with staffing shortages
and backlogs as a result of the pandemic. This week, we have called on the PRB to take the
anger felt by our members seriously. Their views cannot be dismissed and everyone is watching
and waiting for the PRB to do the right thing. Our members know their value - even if the
Government don’t - and they are prepared to fight for it if they have to.”
GMB News From Around The Region
In this issue…
• NHS pay justice
• Forced social care
vaccinations
• Pub vaccine passport
reckless move
• Shrewsbury 24 appeal
win
• Save high street
• National lockout looms
at British Gas
• Lifelong Learning
• Neurodiversity
celebration
• #World Against Racism
• Pictures speak a 1000
words
LOCKDOWN ONE YEAR ON: GMB CALLS FOR
NHS KEY WORKERS TO HAVE PAY JUSTICE
“Staff morale is at an
all-time low and talks of
a paltry 1 per cent pay
offer only serves to rub
salt in the wounds.”
Rehana Azam
GMB National Secretary
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THE ACTIVIST
THE ACTIVIST GMB - Grove Hall - 60 College Grove Road - Wakefield - WF1 3RN
0345 337 7777 www.gmbyorkshire.org.uk
FORCED SOCIAL CARE VACCINATIONS
'SHODDY BEHAVIOUR FROM GOVERNMENT
WITHOUT TRUST OF WORKFORCE' GMB has responded to leaked papers suggesting the
Government ‘has agreed” to change the law in England
so social care workers are forced to get Covid vaccines.
The union has repeatedly highlighted the barriers that need
removing for care workers to get the vaccine, including the
lack of full sick pay provision for potential side effects.
Kelly Andrews, Lead Social Care Officer, said: “GMB has
encouraged members to get vaccinated against Covid as
soon as they can. We have repeatedly told Ministers we
expect the Government to act so that no workers suffer a
financial detriment as a result of getting the vaccine,
especially those priority workers in social care and
elsewhere. Ministers have repeatedly refused to listen and
talk now of imposing a blanket legal change forcing care
workers to get vaccinated.
“In the last twelve months since the first national lockdown,
care workers have had to deal with the fallout from a litany
of failures from the Government: the PPE scandal, the
shifting of vulnerable hospital patients into care homes, the
reams of conflicting guidance that Government have put
out.
“The least they could do through the vaccine rollout is try
to gain the confidence of the workforce and work with us
to remove the barriers to getting vaccinated. A voluntary
line of action which ensures care workers get full sick pay
for potential vaccination side effects, support services to
talk through workers concerns.
“This heavy handed, we-know-best approach will cause
unnecessary anxiety and discontent when our care workers
are still fighting the pandemic. We need our care workers
valued, recognised and rewarded - not strongarmed or
bullied with threats of the law.” (see TUC article opposite)
PUB VACCINE PASSPORTS
‘RECKLESS’ AND ‘FAST TRACK TO
UNDO LOCKDOWN GAINS’ GMB, the union for hospitality workers,
says any plan to demand vaccine
certificates to enter pubs would be
reckless and a fast track to undo the
gains of the present lockdown. The
union warns the scheme would lead to
pressure on GP's to fast-track younger
patients, false certificates, potential violence for pub workers
and even a black market for vaccine doses.
Dan Shears, GMB National Health and Safety Director, said: "If
these reports are true, this will drive demand for vaccination in
absolutely the worst way. If a vaccine certificate is the only
way to access a pub, then most under 50s are essentially
barred until they get their jab.
"This will lead to pressure on GP's to fast-track younger patients,
false certificates, potential violence for pub workers and even
a black market for vaccine doses. If the Government wants a
fast track to undo all of the gains of the present lockdown, this
is it. This approach needs full consultation with both employers
and workers. This would be reckless, and effectively presents
the current consultation on the introduction of certificates as a
sham."
TUC ALSO CONDEMN
FORCED VACCINATONS Commenting on the leaked cabinet
plans to make vaccinations a legal
requirement for people working in
care homes, TUC General Secretary
Frances O’Grady, said: “Getting
everyone vaccinated as quickly as
we can is the best way to make sure our workplaces are
safe, to protect care home residents, and to open up our
economy again.
“But forcing workers to get vaccinated isn't the right way to
do this. Not only will it harm trust and employee relations, it
may also be discriminatory and leave employers open to
legal challenge. Instead, bosses should make it as easy as
possible for care workers to get vaccinated, for example by
giving them paid time off for the appointments and
guaranteeing decent sick pay for any time off to recover.
“They should consider running on-site vaccination clinics and
bringing in health professionals to talk through workers’
concerns. And if we want our care workers to feel confident
about doing their jobs, we should pay them properly, ban
zero hours contracts, and ensure they all have decent sick
pay.”
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THE ACTIVIST
GMB - Grove Hall - 60 College Grove Road - Wakefield - WF1 3RN
0345 337 7777 www.gmbyorkshire.org.uk
DECISIVE ACTION NEEDED TO SAVE
HUNDREDS OF JOBS ON OUR HIGH STREET The GMB has called on the Government to make saving
the high street ‘an immediate priority’.
For generations, the likes of John Lewis has been the
cornerstone of the high street and these closures could
see the end to 1,500 good quality jobs across the UK.
Without these anchor stores there’s a serious risk that
more people will choose online rather than in town to
do their shopping, with hundreds of workers in small
retailers feeling the pinch.
Unless the Government takes decisive action, this
development could mark the beginning for the end of
the high street in many UK towns. From now on, saving
the high street has to be their immediate priority, so that
thousands of workers know their jobs are safe.
THE ACTIVIST
BRITISH GAS ENGINEERS FACE MASS
SACKINGS AS STRIKE CONTINUES Engineers have been told they must sign acceptance
of a 15 per cent pay cut – and other detrimental
changes to terms and conditions – or face being
fired.
Those who do not sign will not be paid lump sum
payments of up to £4,500 and other so-called
‘protected terms’ offered by British Gas. On Monday,
29 March the company will give formal notice of
termination for staff who have not accepted the
imposed changes.
Then on Thursday, 1 April those who don’t sign up to
the cuts will be sacked with pay in lieu of the up to 12
weeks’ notice that the company are required to give.
GMB members in this bargaining group have already
overwhelmingly and repeatedly rejected these
imposed changes. GMB’s Central Executive Council
(CEC) agreed to declare an official national lockout
dispute between British Gas and GMB from 1 April
unless the company pulls back from the brink. It also
instructed the dispute leaders to consult on further
strike dates and other appropriate action.
Justin Bowden, GMB National Secretary, said:
“Mr O’Shea, CEO of British Gas, has unilaterally
created an 1 April cliff edge to sack his workers and is
driving the company at high speed toward it. If
Mr O’Shea goes ahead with this reckless action, GMB
has agreed to declare an official national lockout
dispute with British Gas from 1 April.
“There will also be further strikes and other
appropriate action in this deadlocked dispute.
For the CEO to gamble the future of a profitable
business on a strategic decision of mass sackings is
illogical. It will leave everyone bewildered.
“It is all the more illogical in that from the recent talks
at ACAS, Mr O’Shea apologised for undermining trust
by accepting dodgy legal advice to go ahead with
fire and rehire and promised never ever to go down
this road again.
“There is still time to pull back. Mr O’Shea should do
what’s right for the business, the customers and the
workers and take the 1 April deadline off the table.”
SHREWSBURY 24 APPEAL WIN
'FANTASTIC NEWS' GMB Union pay tribute to those who were
wrongly convicted and campaigners
GMB has described today’s
announcement from the High Court that the convictions of
the Shrewsbury 24 will be overturned as ‘fantastic news’.
Warren Kenny, GMB Acting General Secretary, said: “It’s
fantastic news that after nearly half a century of
campaigning the convictions of the Shrewsbury 24 have
finally been lifted. We pay tribute to those who were
wrongly convicted and to the campaigners who have
worked tirelessly to throw light on the collusion between the
building industry and police. These pickets were
prosecuted just because they had the audacity to ask for
better working conditions and fair pay.”
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THE ACTIVIST
THE ACTIVIST GMB - Grove Hall - 60 College Grove Road - Wakefield - WF1 3RN
0345 337 7777 www.gmbyorkshire.org.uk
can get involved and what our
Regional Lifelong Learning
Committee has planned for the new
era in this region.
Lifelong Learning is still a priority for
this region. It needs now to be part of
all our union activities.
We still have a great deal to offer our
members. You can get involved in
our campaigns and we want your
branch to be an integral part of our
learning agenda - to help shape it
and deliver it!
Training and education opportunities
are still available. Our learning
centres are still running, and we want
to double the number of ULRs we
have in the region. I hope you feel
inspired to get involved. Follow the
link below for further information.
Neil Derrick, Regional Secretary, said:
“Our history of Union Learn projects in
the region will come to an end on
the 31 March 2021, because of the
Government's decision to cut the
cash provided for the Union Learning
Fund after nearly two decades.
I want to pay tribute to our current
project team - Rosie Ford, Emma
Bew, Chris Peace, Cortney Mosey,
Kate Plonka - and Garreth Carvel
who left us for pastures new in
February - Corrine Seymour, and of
course our Project Director, Colin
Kirkham.
Our projects have delivered so much
to so many members over the years.
Giving dignity to workers who missed
out on learning in their early years
and helping others reskill and retrain
to build a better life.
Our commitment to Lifelong Learning
remains, and I'm very pleased to see
our first special Activist which is about
how we intend to continue to
support our members, how branches
LIFELONG LEARNING
NIGHT CLASS It was a packed house for the GMB
Yorkshire Learning Webinar on
Monday night.
Chaired by GMB activists, Lou
Kavanagh and Amanda Burley, the
line-up of panellists included Project
Manager Roseanna Ford, Project
Director Colin Kirkham, Regional
Secretary Neil Derrick and Regional
President Cath Pinder.
The Government’s decision to cease
funding for Union Learning forced us
to rethink our strategy and through
the sterling work of Colin, Rosie and
the rest of the project team, we now
have a mechanism to take learning
forward when the region’s project
comes to an end. Co-ordinated by
Lou, Amanda and the rest of the
Lifelong Learning Committee,
learning will still remain high on or
agenda. See their latest newsletter
Click here
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THE ACTIVIST
GMB - Grove Hall - 60 College Grove Road - Wakefield - WF1 3RN
0345 337 7777 www.gmbyorkshire.org.uk
THE ACTIVIST
PICTURES SPEAK
A 1000 WORDS In October last year
Kirklees K20 Branch
organised a hate crime
poster competition in a
local school. Due to not
being together because
of Covid, the winners
were chosen last week.
The overall winner was a
wonderful picture drawn
by Isla Birchall Y3/3. All 6
winners won book
tokens donated by the
Regional Equality Forum.
These pictures will be turned into posters that will be
used in the Kirklees activist centre during this year’s
Hate Crime Awareness week.
WE CELEBRATE NEURODIVERSITY On Thursday, 18 March, as part of Women's History
Month and Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a session
was held nationally to discuss why females are less likely
to be diagnosed as neurodiverse than males and the
impact this has in the workplace.
Claire Turner (British Gas rep in our region) chaired the
event and reps from across the country, who have
negotiated reasonable adjustment passports,
neurodiversity policies and led campaigns, all spoke.
The event resonated with many members in
attendance who have called on GMB to make
campaigning for neurodiverse friendly workplaces a
priority.
WE WANT A WORLD
AGAINST RACISM Members of the public in
York, dropped down on one
knee in a moving and power-
ful protest against racism last
weekend, as part of the
#World Against Racism Day.
One of those taking part was
GMB Branch Secretary of
York General Branch,
James Cooper. James
said: “I was only too
proud to ‘take the knee’
and be pat of
#WorldAgainstRacism,
representing the York
General Branch.”
WINNER