UNISON Warns of Disruption to Hospitals Across Birmingham

UNISON has today warned of disruption to hospitals across Birmingham as staff employed to provide sterile serves to all the major trusts in the area take industrial action this Thursday (26^th November 2015). 

 

Employees of BBraun Sterilog will be striking over the decision by their employer to dismiss any staff who refuse to give up their breaks while at work. There will be an all out, 24 hour stoppage from 0001hrs on the 26^th November 2015 and staff will work to rule from then on.

 

The staff provide specialist services to sterilise medical instruments used in hospital theatres and specialist units. The action is likely to affect hospitals such as The QE, the Children’s Hospital and the major A+E departments in the city.

 

The dispute follows an attempt by BBraun to force staff to give up breaks. The work they carry out is in a controlled environment which prevents them from taking refreshments while in the workplace, irrespective of the temperatures, protective equipment they have to wear or a number of other difficult working conditions. Many of these staff have had these breaks for a number of years which predate their employment with BBraun before being transferred to the private company from the NHS.

 

Ray Salmon UNISON West Midlands Regional Organiser said:

 

“It is disappointing that this has come to a strike. We have tried to resolve this amicably but BBraun have consistently refused to listen to their staff or offer a sensible resolution. Once our members made it clear they didn’t feel they could give up their breaks the company changed from a reasonable employer to take a hard line and have taken steps to dismiss staff’.

 

Despite the potential impact on major NHS services across Birmingham the NHS trusts have refused to assist and resolve the dispute.”

 

Ray Salmon added

 

‘I have never experienced such a poor response from the NHS Trusts on an issue like this. They transferred their staff to BBraun and despite contracting them to provide the service they think they can ignore this action. This is a very dangerous position to take.’

NUT take industrial action at Bluecoat School,

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) are taking industrial action at Bluecoat school, Coventry. UNISON members are not taking part in this action but George Sands, Chair of Coventry City Branch said:

“UNISON Coventry City  Branch offer our full support and Solidarity to our colleagues in NUT on their two days of Strike actions on 3rd and 10th September. UNISON may ballot our members on industrial action.”

He went on to advice UNISON members:

“UNISON members should not undertake any duties that they would not normally carry out and should not provide cover for their NUT colleagues during the Strike Action”

Proposed changes to strike laws

Following the comments from newly appointed Business Secretary, Sajid Javid regarding significant changes to strike laws,

 

Ravi Subramanian, UNISON West Midlands Regional Secretary said:

 

“This government has only been in power for a few days and already they are attacking workers,

 

Mr Javid, whose government was elected on just 36.9% of the vote is introducing second class democracy for workers.

 

At his first Cabinet meeting the prime minister said that they needed to focus on ‘bread and butter' ways of improving peoples lives’ but if restricting the rights of the average employee is a top priority then it is clear they are focusing on ‘Silver spoons and caviar’ for employers and private companies.”

Graph of the week: Percentage of electorate voting for MPs

The data for the graph above came from the Electoral Commission website here and shows that not one MP was elected with over 50 per cent of the electorate (not just those voting).

The range goes from 17.6 per cent at the bottom to 46.1 per cent at the top. We're not claiming this means any MP does not have a democratic mandate – democracy is decided by those who turn up. But it certainly does put into context the Conservative party’s proposals to change the laws around strike ballots so that they will only be valid if 40 per cent of affected union members vote for it. Only 38 out of 650 MPs were elected by over 40 per cent of their electorate.

Aside from the obvious muzzling of workers with genuine disputes, this effectively means we would have two classes of democracy: one premier class of democracy for MPs where those who don’t vote don’t count; and a second class form for workers fighting for their rights where non-voters count as a vote against.

This is profoundly anti-democratic.

Graph of the week - Tory Hypocrisy on strike ballots

A few days ago the Tories announced, if elected they plan to change the laws around strike ballots so that they will only be valid if 40 per cent of the eligible members vote in favour of the strike. Given that a majority of memebrs voting is also required this means there would have to be a minimum 80 per cent turnout, even with every union member voting in favour of strike action.

We thought we'd take a look at the number of MPs, in the last general election, who were elected by more than 40 per cent of the electorate. The graph above shows that only 6 per cent of MPs met this criteria.

UNISON (West Midlands) Regional Secretary, Ravi Subramanian said "What this graph shows is that the Tories are hypocritical and want to have two classes of democracy. A premier class of democracy for the political elite, but a second class form of democracy for workers trying to defend themselves. Changing the system because you don't like the outcome of democracy is what despots and dictators do."

Police Staff vote Yes to Strike Over Pay

UNISON’s members working for police forces in England and Wales have voted yes to industrial action over pay.

UNISON members in the police service work in jobs such as 999 call takers, police community support officers, scene of crime officers, fingerprint experts, financial investigators, detention officers, crime reduction officers, crime analysts, enquiry desk officers, trainers, criminal justice clerks, a wide range of vital operational and organisational support roles.

The result of the ballot is as follows:

Are you prepared to take part in a strike?
YES: 59.6%
NO: 40.4% 

Are you prepared to take part in action short of strike action? 
YES: 79.4%
NO: 20.6 %

Charlie Sarell, Regional Organiser for Police Staff said:

"These results send a clear message that after two years of pay freeze and last year's below inflation pay rise, police staff have had enough. And that they are now ready to take industrial action over pay.

"We are calling on the police employers to return to the negotiating table to improve the current pay offer."The union’s Police Sector Committee will now meet to consider the ballot results and discuss next steps."

Huge Mobilisation and Growing Public Support for NHS Strikers

Health workers on strike yesterday received tremendous support during their four-hour stoppage. Tens of thousands walked out in protest at the Government’s decision to deny a paltry 1% pay rise to all NHS staff.

There were picket lines at every acute hospital, ambulance station and across many community health services in the West Midlands and while on strike workers provided life and limb cover and cared for anyone in need of emergency treatment.

Franco Buonaguro, UNISON West Midlands Regional Head of Health said:

“While the anger is spreading, so is the public support for NHS workers’ fight for fair pay.  NHS workers don’t go on strike lightly but they do so carefully and safely. Patient safety is paramount and this is why workers stopped for just four hours. All we’re asking for is fair pay, and the public understand that.

The growing public support for health workers is overwhelming. They understand health workers are being reasonable. We are not talking big money or bonuses here, it’s simply the money that the Independent NHS Pay Review Body said they should have.

NHS services were affected in every major hospital and ambulance station.” 

He went on to say:

“It is irresponsible of the Government to not even try to resolve this dispute. Their behaviour is in danger of putting patients and the public at risk.

NHS workers will now take part in action short of strike action between Tuesday 25 November and Sunday 30 November, with members working to rule.”

Second Day of Action by Health Workers

Following the last NHS stoppage on 24^th October we were hopeful that the Government would sit round the table and continue discussions about pay but they haven’t! So the Service Group Executive (Nationally) has been forced to take the decision to move to a second day of action on Monday 24^th November 2014.

We are not doing this alone and a total of eleven trade unions will be taking part. These include:

• UNISON
• Royal College of Midwives (RCM)

• Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT)

• Society of Radiographers (SoR)

• British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT)

• GMB

• Unite the union

• Managers in Partnership (MiP)

• Prison Officers Association (POA)

• Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association* (HCSA)

• British Dietetic Association * (BDA)

More information on the action can be found @ http://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/health-care/key-issues/nhs-pay/home/