Rep Awards 2013 - Shop Steward Award
Andy Holcombe receiving his award from Frances O'Grady, TUC General Secretary, and Nick Seymour of Thompsons Solicitors. Picture by Paul Glendell.
Andy Holcombe, a fees and funding officer and UNISON rep, who led a successful year-long union campaign against the introduction of local pay at Exeter University wins the 2013 Union Rep award.
Andy, who works in the university's admissions office, collected the award at an event at St James' Park earlier this month.
He said: "It's just nice to receive public recognition for work that has led to a positive outcome for our members."
Andy was nominated for the award after successfully seeing off a bid by managers to scrap a national pay agreement in favour of local bargaining - a move unions feared may lead to a worsening of their working conditions.
"The plans were announced without any prior consultation with unions," Andy said, "so I co-ordinated the consulting myself, organising meetings for staff to discuss the proposals.
"We held a vote, and the proposals were rejected by majority of members. The ballot provided a platform for us to successfully renegotiate recognition agreements on more favourable terms. Not only did the university remain in national pay bargaining, but we also significantly increased facility time for our activists - a double win for unions!"
One of the reasons for Andy's success, says UNISON officer Fiona Bentley, was his work with the other two unions on campus - UCU and Unite - to present a united front to management.
Fiona said: "Andy has been a loyal rep for many years, brilliant at supporting our members and becoming an excellent case worker, trusted by the members and respected by the university senior management team.
"Andy was pivotal in ensuring plans to introduce local pay bargaining were abandoned. He did this by providing leadership for our members, arguing cogently and sensibly about leaving the security of the national pay bargaining and the dangers of pay and conditions being eroded if local pay was adopted.
"He steered the branch through a very difficult and challenging year and successfully managed to repel local pay at one of the South West's largest employers."
South West TUC Regional Education Officer Marie Hughes said: 'Andy has done a great job in taking up the baton when members' pay was threatened and thoroughly deserves this award.
'What all the nominations have showed is the sheer determination and strength reps have to tackle inequality, bad employment practices and protect workers.'
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