NEYHnews
NEYHnews%20-%20August%202016%20-%20Embedded%20links11-27792
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<strong>NEYHnews</strong><br />
Issue 3<br />
August<br />
2016<br />
UNITE GROWS AT THE<br />
GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW<br />
Unite the union had a significant presence at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show in<br />
Harrogate. The show, which took place on 12 – 14 July 2016, is one of the largest<br />
events of its kind and Unite has been at the show for the past 68 years.<br />
This year saw Unite continue to use its permanent stand at the showground to put on<br />
an exhibition which took visitors through the story of the Luddites, mining, suffragettes<br />
and Unite today.<br />
This was the second year that Unite has held an exhibition at the show and the<br />
feedback from the 2314 visitors has been extremely positive. There were also 17<br />
school groups who went through the exhibition, with many commenting that the<br />
content about suffrage will help them with their studies.<br />
Unite staff and members dressed up in costumes to take visitors through the<br />
exhibition. Actors from Red Ladder Theatre Company also joined Unite and brought to<br />
life some of the stories contained in the exhibition.<br />
Steve Jeffry, Unite the union retired member, said “what a great day out promoting the<br />
best union in the world to a mainly younger generation. It was great to have repeat<br />
visitors from 2015 and a lot more school children coming to see what we do!”.<br />
Karen Reay, regional secretary, said “it’s vitally important that we use events like<br />
the Great Yorkshire Show to demonstrate the work that we do for industry and the<br />
community. It’s great to see our new exhibition growing in popularity each year”.
Regional<br />
Secretary’s<br />
Welcome<br />
July saw Unite in our<br />
region taking part in<br />
the Great Yorkshire<br />
Show. I’m incredibly<br />
proud of the work that<br />
Unite put in to making<br />
our exhibition a great<br />
success, and the link<br />
between us and the<br />
show ground grows each<br />
year.<br />
July also saw us at the<br />
Durham Miners’ Gala, but<br />
the excitement was short<br />
lived when we learnt<br />
of the death of Davey<br />
Hopper. Personally, I will<br />
remember Davey as a man<br />
of integrity, passion and<br />
determination, and Unite<br />
the union will continue to<br />
ensure his legacy lives on.<br />
Karen Reay<br />
Regional Secretary<br />
WORKING TOGETHER IN THE FOOD<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
Dave Monaghan, regional officer, and Mark Hodson, shop steward from Icelandic Seachill,<br />
recently visited Brussels to attend a meeting of the Belgium union shop stewards from the ACV<br />
Union to share best practice. Also at the meeting were colleagues from UILA, an Italian union,<br />
NNN, a Norwegian union, the IUF (International Union of Food workers) and EFFAT (European<br />
Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions).<br />
Although it became clear that the challenges shop stewards face are similar, the conditions in<br />
Belgium were generally more favourable and relationships with the employers appeared to be<br />
better than in the UK. Belgian colleagues were surprised to learn of the restrictions in place in<br />
the UK, in particular regarding organising and the process for conducting ballots on industrial<br />
action.<br />
ACV also organised a demonstration outside the Seafood Expo Global exhibition. The<br />
demonstration was to highlight the poor treatment of workers at Citra Mina in the Philippines,<br />
and Mark and Dave flew the Unite flag to show our support.
PAY TALKS CONCLUDE AT 3M<br />
In the face of a difficult world market, pay negotiations have<br />
been successfully concluded with membership agreeing<br />
an increase of 1.5% and the provision of three additional<br />
Christmas holidays for 2016.<br />
Tim Bush, regional coordinating officer, said “this is a good<br />
result for our members at 3M, in particular due to the<br />
difficult trading conditions on the world market”.<br />
ACTION CONTINUES AT<br />
RADFORD HMY GROUP<br />
A dispute at Radford HMY Group Ltd continues to roll on in the form<br />
of an overtime ban and work to rule which started on 11 July 2016.<br />
In addition to this, Unite members took part in a 24 hour strike on 14<br />
July 2016 and the employer has been notified of a three day strike to<br />
take place on 3, 4 and 5 August 2016.<br />
Mark Sanderson, regional officer, said “there is a new offer from the company for our members<br />
to consider and it will be put to them on 29 July 2016. However, the offer is very poor and is<br />
clawed back at the end of the year by dropping pay back to current levels. This would mean that<br />
the 2017 negotiations start from no better position than the 2016 ones. I am fully expecting<br />
members to reject the offer and for action to continue”.<br />
PAY TALKS UNRAVEL AT<br />
WESTEX CARPETS<br />
Unite members at Westex Carpets look likely to be heading into a dispute over pay.<br />
Following the rejection of the company’s latest pay offer, Unite members made their voices<br />
known through a consultative ballot. Over 80% of members indicated that they would be<br />
willing to take strike action.<br />
At the final meeting with the company, Unite offered that, rather than escalate straight into an<br />
industrial action ballot, we seek to use ACAS. Unfortunately, the company chose not to accept<br />
this offer.<br />
Sharon Ramsden, Unite regional officer, said “Unite are<br />
now beginning the process of going to a formal ballot for<br />
industrial action at Westex. Unite believes this will be the<br />
first time members at Westex Carpets have taken industrial<br />
action should we have a positive outcome to the ballot”.
SUCCESS IN HOLIDAY CALCULATIONS<br />
Unite the union entered negotiations with David Brown Gears, Huddersfield, in respect of the<br />
way the company calculated holiday pay. Unite took this action as it felt that the holiday pay did<br />
not reflect a normal working week’s wage.<br />
With support from the Unite legal team and the support of members, Richard Bedford, Unite<br />
regional officer, presented the case for the calculation to be amend to reflect a working week<br />
(ie a 13 week average to include all overtime and shift allowance, as well as back pay, to August<br />
2015).<br />
The company disagreed and offered a 13 week average going forward for the first 20 days’<br />
holiday. In consultation with the stewards, Unite disputed this and lodged 120+ cases with ACAS<br />
for early conciliation. This prompted the company to return to the table<br />
and agree to back pay.<br />
Richard Beford said, “the result of our negotiations on this matter led to<br />
an agreement giving average pay going forward on 20 holidays and back<br />
pay was paid to 69 members between £2.71 and £2,231.30. In total, 13<br />
workers were paid above £1,000”.<br />
DOUBLE SUCCESS AT THE<br />
UNIONLEARN AWARDS<br />
Two nominations were entered from Unite’s NEYH region into the annual<br />
prestigious Unionlearn Awards which were presented on 4th July at the<br />
10th Annual Conference held at TUC, Congress House.<br />
Richard Gilbert a Unite ULR at Kirklees Council won the ‘Highly<br />
Commended’ Award for his dedication and hard work in supporting<br />
Unite members with Adult Literacy needs. This was followed by retired/<br />
Community member and volunteer Brian Clarke from the Unite Barnsley Community Centre,<br />
gaining the accolade of ‘Winner’ for his great work in supporting disadvantage members in the<br />
Barnsley area, especially those with ESOL and ICT needs.<br />
FIRST CLASS COLLECTION<br />
The regional Legal and Affiliated Services stand at the Durham Miners’ Gala<br />
and the Great Yorkshire Show collected £138.00 in donations for Unite<br />
members who had recently taken part in strike action at First Leeds.
A GIANT OF THE TRADE UNION<br />
MOVEMENT<br />
Just days after this year’s Durham Miners’ Gala, Unite, and the whole trade union movement,<br />
was shocked to hear of the death of Davey Hopper, General Secretary of the Durham Miners’<br />
Association.<br />
Davey was a long-time friend and comrade of Unite and Karen Reay, regional secretary, said<br />
“Davey will be missed throughout the trade union movement. He was truly one of the giants of<br />
the movement”.<br />
Davey’s funeral took place on Friday 29 July 2016 with Jeremy Corbyn MP, the Labour Party<br />
Leader, and Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, amongst the mourners.<br />
Responding to the news of Davey’s death, Len McCluskey said “on behalf of Unite the union<br />
I offer our deepest, most sincere condolences to Davey’s family, and to all members of the<br />
Durham Miners’ Association.”<br />
“Hearts will be heavy as we reflect upon the loss of this brilliant and determined man, a giant of<br />
our movement, a man dedicated to justice, equality and the betterment of his community”.
LEGAL AND AFFILIATES<br />
HAVE YOU OR FAMILY MEMBERS WORKED IN AN<br />
INDUSTRY WHERE EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS MAY<br />
HAVE OCCURRED?<br />
DIAGNOSED WITH AN ASBESTOS RELATED ILLNESS?<br />
NOT SURE?<br />
Contact your local Unite office without delay.<br />
Asbestos exposure questionnaires can be obtained from any one of our<br />
offices, alternatively email<br />
lesley.yule@unitetheunion.org<br />
Remove the killer dust - an asbestos eradication law is needed<br />
Unite supports a global ban on asbestos. And the best way to prevent more asbestos deaths is<br />
to remove all asbestos still present in our buildings and ensure that<br />
it is disposed of safely and never reused.<br />
To do this we need much stronger legislation in Britain. This is<br />
why we support and welcome the All Party Parliamentary Group on<br />
Occupational Safety and health’s decision in June 2015 to call for<br />
a new law on asbestos with a clear timetable for the eradication of<br />
asbestos from every single workplace in Britain.<br />
We also support their call for health and safety enforcement authorities to develop workplace<br />
inspection programmes to verify that all asbestos is marked and managed, and that asbestos<br />
eradication plans are in place – and be properly resourced to carry out this regulatory activity.<br />
For more information click here.<br />
SAVE<br />
UP<br />
15%<br />
TO<br />
ON AIRPORT PARKING<br />
10% ON HOTELS &<br />
10% ON No.1 TRAVELLER LOUNGES<br />
To book visit www.aph.com/unite or call 01342 859536 quoting ‘Unite’
LEGAL AND AFFILIATES<br />
DO YOU OR YOUR MEMBERS NEED HELP WITH<br />
FINANCES – FED UP OF CONTINUALLY RECEIVING<br />
BANK CHARGES – NEED FLEXIBLE FINANCIAL HELP?<br />
Why not explore the Unite Credit Union Service, take a look at the link below from Prince<br />
Bishops Community Bank one of Unite’s CU’s in the North East to see what a Credit Union can do<br />
for you.<br />
Watch a video about Credit Unions here<br />
The service is regionally based and you can find out more about what facilities are available to<br />
you by contacting Unite Credit Union Service central phone line on 0333 0110 450 or by email.<br />
You can also click on the links below which will take you to the Credit Union covering your part<br />
of our region.<br />
Leeds City CU<br />
Transave CU<br />
Prince Bishops Community Bank<br />
For more information: http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/memberoffers/<br />
memberbenefits/unite-credit-union/#sthash.695doOVL.dpuf<br />
If you would like to arrange a presentation from one of our CU’s then please do not hesitate to<br />
contact Lesley at: lesley.yule@unitetheunion.org
Regional Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
55 Call Lane<br />
Leeds<br />
LS1 7BW<br />
0113 236 4830<br />
Middlesbrough Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
Fry Street<br />
Middlesbrough<br />
TS1 1HA<br />
Grimsby Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
New Oxford House<br />
Osborne Street<br />
Grimsby<br />
DN31 1EY<br />
Newcastle Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
John Dobson Street<br />
Newcastle<br />
NE1 8TW<br />
Hull Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
Anchor House<br />
Silvester Street<br />
Hull<br />
HU1 3HA<br />
Sheffield Office<br />
Unite the union<br />
Sovereign Court<br />
300 Barrow Road<br />
Sheffield<br />
S9 1JQ<br />
www.unitetheunion.org/northeastyorkshirehumberside<br />
UniteintheNEYH<br />
@UniteintheNEYH