Changes to Working Patterns

Following the issuing of new contracts to staff in May many UNISON members have complained about a change to their working pattern, specifically a change from Monday to Friday 6am – 8pm,    to 24 hours Monday to Sunday. I have advised those members affected not to sign their contract and to raise their objection in writing to their Manager and Internal Engagement.

UNISON has also collectively raised objections to the changes and together with GMB and Unite  met with management on 12 June to resolve the issue. The council has agreed that they will re-issue new contracts to those employees who have had a change to their working pattern as described above. They will be sending an all colleague e-mail to all staff and those staff without e-mail access should receive a hard copy of the communication from their line manager, together with a FAQ, advising employees how to raise objection to a change to their working pattern. They will also send advice about how to register errors regarding continuous service dates.

Read more: Changes to Working Patterns

Changes to Working Pattern Update

A bulk e-mail was recently sent to members about changes to working patterns and advised you that if your working pattern has changed from a 6am-8pm Monday to Friday pattern to a 24/7 working pattern then you SHOULD NOT sign and return your contract yet.

If this applies to you we have advised that you write to your manager and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. stating that you object to the change and you ask that your working pattern prior to the 1st April 2017 should be re-instated in line with 11.3 of the collective agreement which reads....

"Employees will be assimilated onto the most appropriate working pattern to reflect their working pattern immediately prior to the Implementation Date"

I have already received a high volume of emails from members in various service areas across the council and have raised the issue corporately with management at a meeting last Thursday 18th May. In this meeting I stated that they should apply the terms of the collective agreement and made it clear that the changes that were made to working patterns had not been subject to consultation or agreement with the Trade Unions. In addition I have requested an extension to the deadline for returning contracts which has been granted.

Therefore UNISON advice is to continue to object to the change to your working pattern if this applies to you.

Please copy me into any correspondence you have with internal engagement This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Christina Sanna

Nottingham City UNISON Branch Secretary

Stand up to Racism

Stand up to Racism and MEND say - register to vote now; use your vote against racism

Stand Up To Racism is working with Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) to encourage get people to register to vote before the deadline expires for voter registration in the general election at 11.59pm on Monday 22 May.

We are jointly producing a tens of thousands of leaflets asking people to 'register now, use your vote against racism'.

We know that whatever the polls say the outcome of this election could be tight with votes amongst BAME communities and young people crucial.

Some parties are peddling the same old lies about immigration. They are pointing the finger at migrants for over stretching services and driving down wages.

Stand Up To Racism and MEND want to encourage every anti-racist to register to vote and to vote against racist policies on 8 June.

Read more: Stand up to Racism

Jeremy Corbyn's plans for Trade Unions is music to Nottingham City UNISON's ears...

A 20-point plan for security and equality at work, including an end to zero-hours contracts and equal rights for employees

Repeal the Trade Union Act and roll out sectoral collective bargaining, whereby industries can negotiate agreement as a whole

End the public sector pay cap.

Guarantee trade unions a right to access workplaces

Enforce all workers' rights to trade union representation at work

Use public spending power to drive up standards, including only awarding public contracts to companies which recognise trade unions

Shifting the "burden of proof" in the so-called "gig economy" so that the law assumes a worker is an employee unless the employer can prove otherwise