TUC Yorkshire & the Humber newsletter
In the news section Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, comments on the Conservatives' decision to axe the northern leg of HS2.
In the events section we have our retired members forum AGM coming up later this month. If you're a retired member and would like to join the meeting you can register there. And our regional Just Transition network will be holding their next meeting soon. Details about how to join both the network and the meeting are in the events section too.
The TUC Yorkshire & the Humber pensions working group are carrying out an anonymous pensions survey. If you'd like to take part, you can find the link in the campaigns section.
Also in the campaigns section, the NUJ has voted to move to a formal ballot of members at the BBC for industrial action.
In the green bargaining section you can read about the residential course TUC Y&H hosted along with academics from Umeå University last month on workers as agents of a just transition. And the panel discussion and public debate on how unions can and should be involved in climate action which took place last week as part of York Environment Week.
In the learning section, we have a ULR stage 1 course coming up next month at Northern College, Barnsley. It's a five day course, starting on 22 November, and it's FREE so if you're a new ULR this one is for you - register now.
And if you've been a ULR for a while and would like some refresher training, we will be offering that soon too. Register your interest and we'll be in touch.
You can find all the reps training courses for January 2024 in the learning section. Find out more and register there.
And West Yorkshire ULRs held a network meeting last week in Leeds. It was a really successful event where ULRs from various unions and workplaces met to talk about how they can develop their role and any support that they needed. You can read about the event in the learning section and if you're interested in becoming a ULR or would like to join the mailing list you can do so there.
Finally, we're looking to pilot Multiply and numeracy champion training with interested ULRs, unions and union learning committees. If you'd like to find out more, see details in the learning section and contact Phill Day, TUC project officer, skills for West Yorkshire.
News
TUC slams Conservatives’ decision to axe northern leg of HS2 as a “huge act of levelling down”
Commenting on the prime minister’s speech to Conservative Party Conference, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
“The Tories have broken Britain. Today the Prime Minister confirmed what everybody already knew – he has neither a plan or vision for fixing it.
“Whether it’s failing to deliver HS2, presiding over the longest pay squeeze in modern history or record hospital waiting lists – the Conservatives’ record in government has been dire.
“We urgently need political change. The country cannot afford the Tories for one day longer. It’s time for a general election.”
Commenting on the decision on Wednesday to axe the northern leg of HS2, Paul said:
“This a huge act of levelling down – however Rishi Sunak tries to spin it.
“The northern leg of HS2 would have created thousands of good jobs and boosted growth across the North and the Midlands.
“But these economic benefits have been squandered by the Conservatives’ gross incompetence. This failure is on them and them alone.
“The public will be rightly sceptical about more promises on transport investment for the north and the Midlands. Who can trust the Tories to deliver on anything?”
Events
TUC Yorkshire & the Humber retired members forum meeting and AGM | Monday 23 October | 10.30am - 3pm | Unite the Union, 55 Call Lane, Leeds, LS1 7BW (and online)
Our retired members forum will be holding their next ordinary meeting and AGM at the Unite offices in Leeds on Monday 23 October at 10.30am. There will also be the option to join online.
If you're a retired member in our region and you'd like to get involved in the fantastic work our retired members forum does, come along and find out how.
Please register in advance.
Lunch will be provided.
TUC Yorkshire and Humber Just Transition network meeting | Monday 23 October | 2.30pm | online
This is a new event to help officers and reps get the ideas and tools they need to recruit and retain a more diverse cohort of union reps.
Further details and to register.
Please share and encourage union officers and reps to register.
Centre for Decent Work and Productivity: Universal Credit is a Trade Union Issue event | Tuesday 7 Nov 2023 11:00 - 13:00 | Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Room BS3.01 (S Atrium) Manchester M15 6BH
The next meeting of the Yorkshire and Humber Just Transition network will take place online 2.30pm Monday 23 October.
Join us this time to discuss what we need for a just transition to a lower-carbon society; to share ideas on how green reps work best (and where we could improve); and to forge regional connections between campaigns.
Contact Sam Perry to join our Just Transition network and the next meeting.
Campaigns
TUC Yorkshire & the Humber Pensions Working Group
The TUC Yorkshire & the Humber Pensions Working Group would like to carry out an anonymous survey to identify the variety of workplace pensions workers have, how familiar workers are with their pension schemes, if workers have opted out (if so, why) and any additional pension benefits associated with different pension schemes.
The data will help the TUC Y&H to better compare pension schemes, identify knowledge gaps, spotlight any cost-of-living issues that may have forced workers to opt-out and the number of pensions schemes workers have.
Please complete the survey and share it across your networks.
NUJ starts formal ballot for industrial action over compulsory redundancies at the BBC
NUJ press release dated 29 September 2023:
The NUJ has voted to move to a formal ballot of all members at the BBC for industrial action in opposition to any compulsory redundancies at the corporation.
There are currently NUJ members facing the prospect of compulsory redundancy in the World Service, the News Channel, and across England at BBC Local. The NUJ believes with redeployment and flexibility these can be averted.
Feedback from members across the BBC point to morale being at an all-time low, and reps from across England gave stark insights into the impact of the chaotic roll-out of the restructure in their own newsrooms, with inadequate technology in place, long delays, unfilled vacancies of critical roles, and no information on rotas, in plans that will cut local radio content by almost half.
The NUJ continues to believe a resolution to the BBC Local dispute is possible – with genuine and meaningful engagement with the BBC’s decision makers.
Reps were incensed to hear about contributions from one of those decision makers, Rhodri Talfan Davies, BBC Director of Nations, at their meeting today. At a staff meeting this week he blamed the union for problems during the restructuring that is taking place, and told journalists they should “live in the real world”.
Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said:
“So far the Director of Nations has been the invisible man. Declining to meet with angry MPs or to sit down with NUJ negotiators. Yet he has found time to blame the NUJ for all the current issues, problems and delays in the roll-out of his own flawed plan. While our members deal with the fall-out of that, his only contribution is to attack the union and the collective bargaining process from the sidelines.
“This dispute is resolvable and requires serious engagement, not petty provocations. If the BBC refuse to engage properly, as befits a public body, NUJ members across the BBC stand prepared to widen this dispute including taking strike action if necessary.”
Green Bargaining
Inspirational course for green reps
Over 14-15 and 21-22 September, TUC Yorkshire and the Humber hosted a residential course for 14 trade unionists on Workers as Agents of a Just Transition. This course, run by academics from Umeå University, was well received by participants, equipping them with knowledge on the green transition, teaching how significant worker-led actions can be, and firing them up to implement change in their own workplaces.
In addition to members of the research team and the participants themselves, we heard from Dario Salvetti of Collettivo di Fabbrica, who represents unionists demanding worker control of their factory in Florence, Italy; Phil Asquith, one of the workers involved in developing the Lucas Combine Committee to redirect Lucas Aerospace operations to socially useful production; and Graham Petersen, of Greener Jobs Alliance, one of the leading trade union groups organising for justice during the green transition in the UK.
The course showed the potential of worker-led change and inspired us all to redouble our efforts to empower workers to control the trajectory of their workplaces.
Trade Unions, Climate Justice, and York
Last week, TUC Yorkshire and the Humber, along with York and District trades council, hosted a panel discussion and public debate on how unions can and should be involved in climate action and fighting for a just transition to a greener economy.
This was a fascinating discussion, held as part of York Environment Week (which still has more events this coming week), where we heard from representatives from PCS, UCU, NEU, UNISON, Unite, and TSSA. The event was recorded, and extracts will be made available online shortly. More on this to follow.
TUC Yorkshire and the Humber is grateful for the support provided by York trades council in arranging this event. Due to various unexpected factors, the trades council in York is not as vibrant as it once was - we encourage all York and York-area union branches to affiliate with them and attend their monthly meetings to give our movement the voice it deserves in York, especially during the early months of a new administration in the city. Please make contact with Steven Byford to find out more.
Learning
ULR stage 1 course | 22, 23, 24, 30 November and 1 December | Northern College, Barnsley
The next ULR stage 1 training course will be held over 5 days at Northern College. This accredited course is fully funded and FREE to ULRs and their branches. It is ideal for anyone new to the role. The dates of the course are 22, 23 & 24 November and 30 November and 1 December.
ULRs are helping to give people the skills and knowledge to improve their lives at work and beyond. They are making a real difference in workplaces up and down the country, raising the profile of training and development by providing advice, encouragement and information to members about a range of learning opportunities.
Register now!
Please share this information and encourage other ULRs to register too.
ULR refresher training: register your interest
We'd like to offer a short ULR refresher training course to anyone who may have been trained as a ULR a while back and feels they would benefit from updating their knowledge.
Register your interest in the refresher course.
We will contact all those who register their interest, with further details and information about the training.
Please share this information with any ULRs who may be interested.
TUC Yorkshire & the Humber reps courses in January 2024
Registrations are now open for the following reps training courses in January 2024.
You can find all courses currently available in our region on the TUC training page or specific courses on the links below:
- TUC Health and Safety Stage 1 Course_England (Classroom) | starting Wednesday 17 January | Northern college, Barnsley
Find out more and register
- TUC Health and Safety Stage 1 Course_England (Online) | starting Wednesday 17 January | online
Find out more and register
- TUC Union Reps Stage 1 Course_England (Classroom) | starting Thursday 18 January | Northern college, Barnsley
Find out more and register
- TUC Union Reps Stage 1 Course_England (Online) | starting Thursday 18 January | online
Find out more and register
West Yorkshire ULR Network Meeting
The latest West Yorkshire ULR network meeting was held on 29 September 2023 at the TUC office in Leeds. Facilitated by Phill Day – TUC Project Worker Skills, West Yorkshire and attended by ULRs from a diversity of workplaces representing GMB, PCS, UNISON, Unite and Usdaw, including some ULRs from York and Hull.
The event was an opportunity for ULRs to network and review current activities; consider how they can further develop their role, resources and support needed; and action next steps in supporting learning within the workplace. Information was offered on local provision and Phill delivered a session on Multiply and the role of Numeracy Champions. It was agreed that the role of Numeracy Champions was beneficial, added value to the support ULRs provide to learners, and an excellent development opportunity. If you would like further information on Numeracy Champions and how to access accredited training to become one, contact Phill Day.
The event was a great success, with healthy, constructive discussions and ideas, and actions to take back to the workplace and learning centres. What was evident and inspiring were the fantastic activities being delivered in supporting learners in the workplace, not just training opportunities but also around mental health and wellbeing, and other issues surfacing in the current financial, uncertain climates. There was also agreement on information and guidance sessions that would be helpful for ULRs at future network meetings. All agreed that tangible outcomes and actions should result from these meetings, and that these are progressed in the workplace through supporting learners and linked to retention and organising within the union.
For those of you who couldn’t attend, ULR network meeting dates will soon be released by Phill through to September 2024. For those who did attend, we look forward to seeing you at the next event.
If you are interested in becoming a ULR and are not already on the West Yorkshire ULR mailing list to receive communications, contact Phill Day.
West Yorkshire Multiply
In the last TUC Y&H newsletter there was an article on a West Yorkshire Multiply event being organised for the end of October 2023. This is now on hold. Following on from the West Yorkshire ULR network meeting last week it has been agreed to look to pilot Multiply and Numeracy Champion training with interested ULRs, unions, and union learning committees.
Multiply is an adult numeracy programme, led in West Yorkshire by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to engage adults with numeracy levels below level 2 (GCSE C/4 pass) in informal numeracy learning to boost their maths skills for life (family, day to day living and community), and in work. Supporting numeracy themes linked to cost of living and savings, household budgeting, energy bills/statements, wage slips and pay, for example.
Multiply Numeracy Champions support learners, develop a positive culture around numeracy, identify and signpost learners, buddy and mentor, build capacity, and break down numeracy barriers and myths. They do not deliver Multiply; they influence and support. This aligns with activities ULRs currently or could undertake, and is an excellent addition to the support ULRs can provide to learners in the workplace. Numeracy Champion training is delivered over Zoom, in two x 3 hour sessions, it is accredited - CPD certificate upon completion, delivered via a mix of videos, polls, presentations, case studies and discussions. A full training pack of resources and activity workbook are provided, ongoing support with invitations to regular forums, offering networking opportunities for trained champions, and a communications toolkit to help engage in National campaigns.
If you are interested in Multiply, would like further information, or to arrange a meeting with the TUC/National Numeracy to discuss next steps, contact Phill Day, TUC Project Officer Skills West Yorkshire.
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