The Benefits ofAspect

Membership

Andrew GoslingAspect Negotiations OfficerLondon and Home Counties

Overview of presentation Brief history of union background of the

speaker Why you should join a union Why you should join Aspect What are your key issues today What will be the key issues tomorrow How Aspect membership will help you

Brief union history of the speaker A union member since first week at work Needed direct union help twice in career

Pay to accompany promotion Bullying senior manager

Election campaign to become Branch Secretary

Full time secondment to union duties Aspect Negotiations

Officer 2010

Why you should join a union At a minimum, the personal insurance

policy of union support in case of bullying, disciplinary, grievance, or capability issues

Be a member of a group of employees for collective negotiations

As the weight behind a national political pressure group

Why you should join Aspect Unite? UNISON? GMB? Aspect! a smaller union without internal

factions, young and vibrant, focused on your work and issues, collectively and individually, best value, and will move fast if you call for our help

Triumph over adversity with Aspect support

Who is eligible to join Aspect welcomes applications from

UK-based educational improvement and children’s services professionals

Members are employed by local authorities, national or voluntary agencies, charities or private sector organisations, or act as independent educational consultants or inspectors

Early Years Professionals

What are the outstanding issues with the Every Child Matters agenda?

Many features of EYP, its operation and relationships remain not fully clear

There are outstanding questions, and practice varies around the country

So join Aspect today: your collective voice needs to be heard. EYPs are leading the way in their settings and local authorities

A Charter for Early Years Professionals

Early Years Professionals are highly skilled, working to ensure every setting for under-fives gives every child the best possible start, so EYPs in Aspect call for

professional pay and recognition continuing professional development career progression respect for profession

Today’s key issues for EYPs Survey - completed Pay, conditions, status £8-9ph, could go down with Job Evaluation Needs national pay structure Remuneration for qualifications Change of government

Reduction of public service expenditure

Practical help for social workers

Aspect’s new handbook “What if?” is a practical guide on how to use the duty of care to the benefit of service users and to create a safe working environment for social care professionals, who face

excessive workloads inadequate professional supervision pressures to breach their Code of

Practice

Workload rationalisation

Seeking to agree a job description outlining fixed commitments

Prioritising contracted commitments and alternative arrangements to provide cover

Having knowledge of statutory obligations Complying with reasonable rules and

requirements of employers and clients

Key issues for Children’s Services Professionals Survey! – needed, and will be undertaken Shoesmith public and press witch-hunt Fallout from Baby Peter Connelly case

Increased (doubled) caseload Longer days and shorter weekends Staff morale lowest ever, staff leaving Huge increase in children in care More foster homes needed

Change of government, reduced funding

What will be our key issues? The new government has stated its

intention to cut public services The presenter has witnessed caseloads

doubling in the wake of baby Peter, and a haemorrhaging of experienced staff

We assert there is no slack to cut Our profession and Aspect must make a

united stand against impossible demands

Summary, advantagesof Aspect membership Aspect is an influential union focused on

professionals working in educational improvement and children's services

Aspect will represent you as an individual and collectively

Aspect will champion your cause & proactively lobby government

Ian McCartney (on left)

former Minister for Pensions

with Andrew Gosling

Aspect Negotiations Officer

Join Aspect TodayKey benefits include: expert support and representation

access to Aspect’s free 24-hour legal helpline

discounted rates on Aspect training courses

specialist advice and career support services

a no-strings attached tax health check

and much more

Application Forms and Direct Debit Mandates

Question Session andOpen Discussion

My questions John’s view of public service funding

(from 14 May presentation to NASWE) 2-day week or 5-day fortnight preferred,

flexible on days, can you be flexible too? All Home Counties in patch? Induction/training/manager contact Net assets £1/4m versus possible court

fine Any likelihood of a merger?