Local Reps Information Devon
Local Reps Information Cornwall
South Devon Sector Pension Day of Action
A highly successful day started with pickets at Torquay and Newton Abbot Ambulance stations. Members started the day of action at 06.00 and at Torquay they joined hospital staff at the main entrance to Torbay hospital.
Due to the excellent relationship with local managers, initially over 25 members due to work went on strike, just under half of the staff due to work. Due to close co-operation with our managers, exemptions were agreed in order to provide life and limb cover.
At 10.30 over 30 members joined a mass rally and march through Torquay, including Paramedics, Technicians, ECA's, student Paramedics, Control staff, admin staff and fleet staff. We joined fellow union colleagues, estimated at 800 as we marched through Torquay ending up at the Princess Theatre. Huw Jones and Kevin Hooper spoke on behalf of the branch at the rally and received a fantastic response from the crowd.
The day ended at the entrance to Torbay hospital where a candle light vigil took place into the night.
I would personally like to thank all the members who joined the day of action and thank you all for your support in what turned out to be a hugely successful day.
Simon Moss
Assistant Branch Secretary
E-mail, internet and Facebook
Just a reminder that every time you log on to the Trust computer system, you are agreeing to adhere to the IT policies. These policies are available to read and you are advised to look through them as failure to follow these policies can lead to disciplinary sanctions.
Whilst they are common sense, there have been instances when staff have fallen foul of the policies by having material which is offensive and inappropriate. If you receive any material you feel is offensive or inappropriate, delete it and notify the IT department, thereby protecting yourself from any disciplinary action.
Likewise, be careful when using Facebook as any material or photographs that cast the Trust or a colleague in a bad light can be used against you. The HPC will also be involved as any material which can lead the profession or your own registration into disrepute may well lead to an investigation, which at its worse can lead to a loss of registration.
For further guidance refer to the Trust policies on Dignity at Work, Equality Policy and IT Policies.
Building Stronger Unions
Did you know that national union membership is:
- Public Sector 56.6%
- Private Sector 15.1%
And in the South West:
- Public Sector 51%
- Private Sector 16%
Which equates to an overall union density in the workplace as 26% in the South West, while nationwide it is 27.4% (figures produced by the TUC).
As a Branch we need to work together with every member taking an active part in how we tackle the issues in our Trust rather than leaving it to a few. This is your union, run by you, supported by you and influenced by you. Without your input, ideas and views our influence and power to make change is greatly reduced and at this particularly difficult time we all need to pull together.
The influence of unions is being eroded not only from Government policies but also from the membership as without our members and their active support we cannot influence the decisions that are made.
The next few years are going to be very difficult, with reduced funding, pay freezes and the erosion of public services. As a union we need to work together to minimise these cuts and protect our rights and conditions of service, but in order to do this we all need to work together and get involved. The days of leaving it to someone else has gone, we all make the union and we all must take responsibility for protecting each other and the service we have.
The more active members we have, the more active reps we will have, which results in more power and influence. So become active, encourage your colleagues to join, become a rep and influence your branch and your service.
South Devon Sector News
Last of three new portacabins for use as standby in Plymouth are now up and running and are a great improvement.
Easter annual leave cover in Plymouth reduced to 1.75% for easter period to allow extra cover with unrecognised shifts.To be raised at LCC Recent meeting between worshops and management have taken a step toward better communication and we look forward to input at the LCC
South Devon Sector Update
Station Meetings 6th April 2011-04-12
On the 6th April 2011 Steve Boucher Head of Ops West, John Salisbury OLM and myself attending three station meetings regarding proposed changes to vehicles. These meetings were held at Newton Abbot, Kingsbridge and Ashburton. The catalyst for the meetings comes from the £23 million savings the Trust has to make over the next 5 years. In order to achieve this, the Trust feel they have to cut vehicle numbers to help make the savings. The proposed changes which have been already decided are:
- Newton Abbot 06-18 vehicle Mon-Fri to be removed. The Trust feel as this will not displace or effect staff, as it is covered entirely by relief staff is the easiest option. Obviously the staffs were against this decision as this vehicle is extremely busy, in fact whilst the meeting was in progress, all three crews were out and John had to respond to a call for control. When asked for the figures relating to the vehicles usage neither John nor Steve could produce any. Suggestions that one of the RRV's could be removed instead were dismissed by management or that other stations could bear the brunt of any changes.
- Kingsbridge 11-21 vehicle removed and replaced by a 20 hour RRV. The staff had already got some proposals together centred around one 24 hour vehicle and a 12 hour RRV. This proposal will go back to the Trust for consideration.
- Ashburton 13-01 vehicle removed and replaced by a 24 hour RRV. A variety of options were tabled by the staff, including a combination of RRV and vehicle which again will go back to the Trust for consideration. Concern from the Technicians that they would be working on a RRV, would hamper future development and skills especially when on the OU Paramedic course.
Now is the time for you all to speak to your local GP's, hospitals and other health care professionals with your concerns and inform them of the changes. This will cause a reduction in conveying vehicles and mean patients will have longer to wait for transportation. The Trust always insisted that patients came first but now it is money. We can all appreciate tough decisions have to be made in the current financial climate but the Trust need to work with the staff to make these decisions and the answer is not in RRV's but in protecting those vehicles which can not only treat but convay.
For further advice or representation, contact your local rep, these being:
Simon Moss, Graham Rowland, Paul Short, Kevin Hooper, Karen Skinner, Mark Hale and Huw Jones.
For advice on Health and Safety contact:
Paul Short, Mark Hale and Steve Drake
If you have any concerns or views please feel free to contact one of the above, and we will do our best to answer your questions and listen to your views. This is your Branch and we need to know where you would like it to go and what areas you feel we need to fight on.
Finally, did you know that within the South West Ambulance Branch of Unison:
Simon Moss is Assistant Branch Secretary
Graham Rowland is Branch Treasurer
Paul Short is Health and Safety Officer
Would you like to get more involved, we need a point of contact at each station to pass on news and information, for more details contact Simon Moss (07989832611)
Plymouth Sector
My name is Mike Berridge, I am the sector secretary in Plymouth, Derriford station, I also have Robert Eustice as a steward.
There are also some more new stewards in the pipe line but more activists are always welcome. We also cover the Tavistock area all in all we have about 200 members to look after, at the moment we have plenty of sickness reviews to keep us busy.
We also have a large workshop in Plymouth with a group of mechanics who are looked after by Dave Austin who is the fleet steward.
Staff side attended the strategic away day at Ilminster last week to hear about the next five year business plan for the trust there is some good news on the horizon for PTS, and changes for front line, Plymouth has a substantial PTS workforce and we have learned that the trust has won the new PTS contract for the next three years and with other changes this is good news for a change.
We as staff side have been consulted by the trust so we will have to see what the future holds for us and as Unison members you will hear it first.
