Update for Coventry City UNISON @coventryunison Members & Stewards – #Learning & #Education

As your union learning reps [ULRs] our role is to support and encourage members to engage in learning. Improving your skills & training will help you move on to a better job and cope with change at work. Continuing with your education is a productive way to keep your mind active and your spirits up. It is important that we keep well and look after our mental health.

 

UNISON learning offers free and discounted online courses to all members. We regularly promote and update information about learning, funding and educational opportunities on our branch learning website. Follow the link for the latest posts; https://covunisonlearning.wordpress.com/2021/07/21/courses-for-stewards-and-activists/

 

If you have any queries about workplace training, learning, further education or are interested in becoming a workplace ULR, contact branch ULRs at the branch office on 02476 550829 : email us at office@unisoncoventry.co.uk

Message of Support to Protest against Immigration Reporting Requirements

Coventry #UNISON wholeheartedly supports @caragcoventry and others protesting in Solihull today. Currently, anyone who is waiting for a final decision on their application to live in the UK can be required to regularly travel to “sign on” at an Immigration Reporting Centre. Every appointment carries the risk of being randomly taken to a detention centre. These conditions amount to unfair, unjust and unnecessary harassment of migrants, and it has to stop!

UNISON believes the Hostile Environment in the UK has led to a climate in which racism can grow and in which the government has encouraged people to scapegoat others as a distraction from the real cause of problems we face in our working and personal lives. As public service staff representatives we believe all those seeking to live in the UK should be able to participate fully.

We support the right to work and receive training for people seeking legal status and asylum. During the COVID pandemic we need the valuable skills and knowledge that people new to the UK can offer to help with the NHS, housing, education and other vital public services. We believe trade unionists can and should ensure we offer full solidarity to everyone at the sharp end of the hostile environment.

All our best wishes for today’s protest and do keep us in the loop about how we can continue to support your campaign activities.

Coventry City UNISON (trade union)

Letter from #Coventry City #UNISON to the Leader & Chief Exec @coventrycc ref Working Arrangements for Council Staff.

Dear Cllr Duggins and Martin

UNISON would like to raise our concerns with you about the email sent to all staff yesterday entitled ‘Returning to the Office’. There has been no discussion with trades unions on this and with the Director of HR being on leave this week we would question what the urgency of this to happen from next week would be?

The employer has not shared any updated risk assessments with us and our previous discussions with the employer had left us in the belief that the approach would be far more cautious than every team having a presence. Many teams have adapted perfectly well to working from home and many staff feel far more secure and safe working from home. Whilst appreciating that many frontline services have been working for several months in the workplace not all staff are required to do so. With the rising COVID rate and not all staff yet vaccinated we believe that the risks outweigh the benefit signficantly.

We believe that the arbitrary approach laid out in the communication to all staff is not productive and in fact we have received multiple emails and calls of concern. Further the discussion around more flexible working that are occurring, again without trade union input in staff panels, seemed to be of the consensus that a far more flexible approach to home working would be taken.

UNISON would therefore request an urgent meeting on this matter. We would also expect full risk assessments to be shared with us and a proper discussion about the rationale for all teams to have a presence clearly explained.

We would request that until this has happened, we do not proceed with plans to have all services in. We are sure that we do not need to remind anyone of the duties to consult around health and safety and the recent failure of COVID precautions in a city centre premises.

Yours sincerely

Sarah

Sarah Feeney (she/her)
Branch Secretary
UNISON Coventry City Branch