The branch is now in the process of electing Convenors, Officers and Stewards for April 2010 – March 2011.

Further information on the closing date for nominations and  how to apply is available -2009ELECTIONIBLOGVERSION - please also display these on your workplace notice boards.

 For Convenors and stewards election meetings have been arranged as follows:

(1) Housing, Environment & Neighbourhood Services, Kier Stoke, Adult Social Care, Health & Communities – Community Services Section – Thursday 28 January 2010 at 12.30 pm, Room C Civic Centre

(2) Children & Young Peoples Services -  Social Care, Youth Workers, Adult Social Care Health & Communities – Social Care – Wednesday 27 January 2010 at 12.30 pm, Jubilee Lounge, Civic Centre

(3) Children & Young Peoples Services Schools, Sixth Form College and Stoke-on-Trent College – Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.30 pm, at Stoke-on-Trent College and Wednesday 3 February 5.30 pm, Room B, Civic Centre

(4) Children & Young Peoples Services – Non Schools, Central Services, Chief Executives and North Staffs Regeneration Partnership – Tuesday 26 January 2010 at 12.30 pm, Room C at the Civic Centre.

Branch Officers will be elected at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 4 March 2010 at 5.30 pm. 

The Labour Link Annual General Meeting will take place on: Wednesday 6 January 2010 at 1.30 pm At the Civic Centre

The meeting is open to all Unison branch members who pay into Affiliated Political Fund in support of the Labour party.

For further information, please contact Barry Russell, Labour Link Co-ordinator on 01782 235452, mobile 07767 814284 or e-mail barry.russell@stoke.gov.uk

A display poster for notice boards is available – labourlink6jan2010

All Unison members who receive car allowances (both essential and casual) need to make every effort to attend consultation meetings as follows:

Friday 18 December 2009 – Hanley Library, Bethesda St, Hanley, Floor 1, Meeting Room 1 – 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
Tuesday 22 December 2009 – Council Chamber, Civic Centre – 8.00 am – 9.00 am or 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm or 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm

More information – please download a colourful poster for displaying on your workplace notice board – CARALLOWANCESMTGDEC09

Full details of the proposals from the Cororate Directors Board, which is recommending:

• Removal of the essential user car allowance scheme
• Removal of the casual user car allowance scheme
• Replacement of the above schemes with a rate of 40p per mile

can be viewed on the full report – carallowancescheme

(NB you can also request a copy of the report to be sent to your e-mail address if you do not have full internet access (which must include online video facilities) on the city council network and get a message to say access is blocked.  There are no problems accessing the information from private computers)

During the month of October 2009, Unison members of the West Midlands region received £210,854.83 in compensation for personal injuries.

Members of this branch received  £2,155.

For November 2009, the region received £184,372.37 with members of this branch receiving £13,500.

It pays to be a member of Unison!!

Unison is proud to announce the launch of its:

50+ HEALTHCARE PLAN

This is a low cost alternative to private medical insurance.  For full information and how to join, please dowload the 50+ Healthcare Plan Factsheet – UnisonPlus50+HealthcarePlan

There is also a:

UNISONPLUS DENTAL PLAN

This works in 3 easy steps:

1. Pay for your dental service or treatment at your visit.
2. Complete and return a claim form with a valid receipt.
3. Receive 100% of your money back*

*Up to generous annual maximums. Please see Premium & Benefits table on the leaflet.

 The full details including premiums and benefits can be downloaded on the Dental Plan Factsheet – UnisonPlusDentalPlan

23/10/09 – The government has recently announced details of a new scheme covering personal injury claims under £10,000 that arise from a road traffic accident.

On behalf of the unions, as a key stakeholder, Unison has been involved in this initiative which should be implemented in April 2010……     Making road accident claims easier

To find out more about Unison and employment law – visit our national site http://www.unison.org.uk/resources/employmentrights.asp

There are a number of vacancies for branch officers -

• Communications Officer
• Lesbian & Gay Members Officer – job share – must be female
• Procurement Officer
• Youth Officer (must be aged under 27)

(job share available for all officer posts)

In addition, there are always opportunities for stewards, health and safety representatives and life long learning representatives.

For more information – please visit our latest vacancy bulletin – branchvacanciesnov2009

Unison nationally has just launched its “Million Voices For Change” Campaign which is aimed at protecting public services.Further information is available on the “campaigns page” section of this web site -  – scroll down the right hand side of this site until you find the heading “campaigns” or follow the link – http://stokeunison.wordpress.com/campaigns/million-voices-for-change.

Some useful fact sheets on what is wrong with the economy, who will care for older people and privatisation are also available – http://stokeunison.wordpress.com/campaigns/million-voices-for-change/useful-factsheets

To add your voice to the campaign and for more details, please visit our national web site http://www.unison.org.uk/million/index.asp

The West Midlands Region of Unison secured £365662 payouts in personal injury claims for July 2009. For this branch the figure was £5620.

For August, the regional figure was £193565 and for the branch £6809.

The figures for September were £398861 and £1900.

Following the agreed pay rise of 1.% on spinal column points 11-49 and 1.25% on SCP 1-10, a copy of the new pay scales are available together with the hourly rate based on a 37 hour week – 2009payscales