We pay the Queen £37.9 million a year - She pays her Staff zilch
Buckingham Palace, a leading cinema chain and one of Britain's best known art galleries are among a group of high profile employers who sign staff up to so-called "zero-hours" contracts to keep employment costs at a minimum. Two days after it emerged that retailer Sports Direct employs 20,000 staff on zero-hours terms, the Guardian has established that the royal family's London residence, along with Cineworld and the Tate galleries, hire workers under the controversial employment practice.
The 350 part-time employees deployed as extra staff during Buckingham Palace's summer opening have no guaranteed hours. They work in the shop, greet visitors, and work as monitors in the rooms made open to the public.
Read more: <> The Guardian, Tuesday 30 July 2013
This is the official blog for the NUJ Birmingham and Coventry branch.
Wednesday, July 31
Tuesday, July 23
Calling Notice NUJ August Branch Meeting
Tuesday 6th August 2013
Kahawa Cafe
163 New Union Street
Coventry
CV1 2PL
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Any apologies to branch chair: alan.weaver1@ntlworld.com
Agenda
1) Introduction by chair/those attending
2) Minutes of July meeting
3) Secretary/Treasurers reports
4) Branch reports
5) Up date on disputes
6) Any other business
Topics in this message:
Zero-Hour Contracts
Latvian Authorities Failed To Protect Journalistic Sources
NUJ Pushes for Urgent Talks on BBC Pay Deal
Ballot for action at the Independent Commences Wednesday 24th July
Special Conference To Approve Labour-Trade Union Reforms
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
**************************************************************
Coming your way if not already here, you are employed but have no guaranteed work, no guaranteed pay, what you have is a . . . . .
Zero-Hour Contract
A zero-hour contract is an employment arrangement where an employee has agreed to be available for work as and when required, so that no particular number of hours of times of work are specified. The employee is expected to be on-call and receive compensation only for hours worked. Zero-hour contracts may suit some people who want occasional earnings and are able to be entirely flexible about when they work, but they do run the risk of employees facing uncertain income streams, and the possibility of use by management as a tool to reward or reprimand raises issues about how workers can adequately assert their employment rights or maintain decent employment relations.
In the United Kingdom, under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, workers operating under a zero-hour contract on stand-by time, on-call time and downtime must be paid the national minimum wage, provided they are worked for. Prior to the introduction of the Working Time Regulations 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999, the flexibility zero-hours contracts provided was often used to "clock-off" staff during quiet periods while retaining them on-site so that they could be returned to "paid" work should the need arise.[6]
In the fourth quarter of 2012, 200,000 workers in the United Kingdom reported that they were on zero-hours contacts. In 2011, such contracts were prevalent in many parts of the UK economy:
in the hotels and restaurants sector, 19% of all workplaces (up from 4% in 2004)
in the health sector, 13% (up from 7%)
in the education sector, 10% (up from 1%)
For domiciliary care workers, the incidence was reported to be as high as 55.7% of all workers during 2008-2012.
Some commentators have observed that the number of such contracts may be under-reported, as many people may be confusing them with casual employment, and may not be reporting them as temporary.
Source Wickipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-hour_contract
**************************************************************
Latvian Authorities Failed To Protect Journalistic Sources
In Chamber judgment in the case of Nagla v. Latvia (application no. 73469/10), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been: A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention onHuman Rights.
The case concerned the search by the police of a well-known broadcast journalist's home, and their seizure of data storage devices. Her home was searched following a broadcast she had aired in February 2010 informing the public of an information leak from the State Revenue Service database.
The Court emphasised that the right of journalist's not to disclose their sources could not be considered a privilege, dependent on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their sources, but rather as an intrinsic part of the right to information that should be treated with the utmost caution. In this case the investigating authorities had failed to properly balance the interest of the investigation in securing evidence against the public interest in protecting the journalist's freedom of expression.
**************************************************************
NUJ Pushes for Urgent Talks on BBC Pay Deal
Following a meeting of BBC M/FoC's , Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, will be seeking fresh talks with Tony Hall, BBC director general, for further discussions on the corporation's pay deal. As the union was balloting for strike action over the original offer made by the BBC, the management came back with revised terms. The union has now consulted on these terms. The membership has decided that the new terms are still not acceptable and has asked the management to come back to the table. Reps said views on the deal had been coloured by the figures of vast pay-offs to departing executives, revealed by the Public Account Committee's examination of the BBC's finances, and the loss of £100m by the disastrous Digital Media Initiative.
**************************************************************
Ballot for Action at the Independent Commences Wednesday 24th July
Laura Davison, NUJ official, said: it had been forced to move to a ballot because of the management's refusal to engage in proper consultation. "Members recognise the financial issues at play, but are simply calling for a fair and meaningful consultation process to deal with them, not the intransigent approach currently being adopted. At present the company seems fixed on sacking people in early August despite members having summer holidays already booked with their families, which means they will be away and can't be genuinely consulted.
Read more <> here . . . .
**************************************************************
Special Conference To Approve Labour-Trade Union Reforms
In an echo of Blair's revision of Clause IV, the Labour leader Edward Miliband, announces that a Special Conference will be held next spring to approve this "historic reform of Labour’s constitution".
One criticism made of Edward Miliband's recent speech on the Labour-union link was that he failed to provide enough detail on how and when the proposed changes, most notably the introduction of an opt-in system for affiliated members (which will cost Labour millions in funding), would be introduced. Would the reforms be in place before the next election?
Read more: George Eaton, <> New Statesman, Published 22 July
**************************************************************
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
All DM packs containing NEC, Industrial Councils and DM nominations plus information about motions will be sent out early September. The following dates are important deadlines that branches and tabling bodies must adhere to for DM 2014:
Close of motions and nominations (DM bodies) 1:00 pm 25th November. Close of amendments and confirmation of motions and DM nominations 2013 1:00pm 10th February 2014. All deadlines will be strictly enforced.
Information on how to register delegates for conference will be issued in January 2014. Please note branches may wish to consider potential delegate / observer nominations prior to their January branch meeting.
**************************************************************
Tuesday 6th August 2013
Kahawa Cafe
163 New Union Street
Coventry
CV1 2PL
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Any apologies to branch chair: alan.weaver1@ntlworld.com
Agenda
1) Introduction by chair/those attending
2) Minutes of July meeting
3) Secretary/Treasurers reports
4) Branch reports
5) Up date on disputes
6) Any other business
Topics in this message:
Zero-Hour Contracts
Latvian Authorities Failed To Protect Journalistic Sources
NUJ Pushes for Urgent Talks on BBC Pay Deal
Ballot for action at the Independent Commences Wednesday 24th July
Special Conference To Approve Labour-Trade Union Reforms
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
**************************************************************
Coming your way if not already here, you are employed but have no guaranteed work, no guaranteed pay, what you have is a . . . . .
Zero-Hour Contract
A zero-hour contract is an employment arrangement where an employee has agreed to be available for work as and when required, so that no particular number of hours of times of work are specified. The employee is expected to be on-call and receive compensation only for hours worked. Zero-hour contracts may suit some people who want occasional earnings and are able to be entirely flexible about when they work, but they do run the risk of employees facing uncertain income streams, and the possibility of use by management as a tool to reward or reprimand raises issues about how workers can adequately assert their employment rights or maintain decent employment relations.
In the United Kingdom, under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, workers operating under a zero-hour contract on stand-by time, on-call time and downtime must be paid the national minimum wage, provided they are worked for. Prior to the introduction of the Working Time Regulations 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999, the flexibility zero-hours contracts provided was often used to "clock-off" staff during quiet periods while retaining them on-site so that they could be returned to "paid" work should the need arise.[6]
In the fourth quarter of 2012, 200,000 workers in the United Kingdom reported that they were on zero-hours contacts. In 2011, such contracts were prevalent in many parts of the UK economy:
in the hotels and restaurants sector, 19% of all workplaces (up from 4% in 2004)
in the health sector, 13% (up from 7%)
in the education sector, 10% (up from 1%)
For domiciliary care workers, the incidence was reported to be as high as 55.7% of all workers during 2008-2012.
Some commentators have observed that the number of such contracts may be under-reported, as many people may be confusing them with casual employment, and may not be reporting them as temporary.
Source Wickipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-hour_contract
**************************************************************
Latvian Authorities Failed To Protect Journalistic Sources
In Chamber judgment in the case of Nagla v. Latvia (application no. 73469/10), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been: A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention onHuman Rights.
The case concerned the search by the police of a well-known broadcast journalist's home, and their seizure of data storage devices. Her home was searched following a broadcast she had aired in February 2010 informing the public of an information leak from the State Revenue Service database.
The Court emphasised that the right of journalist's not to disclose their sources could not be considered a privilege, dependent on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their sources, but rather as an intrinsic part of the right to information that should be treated with the utmost caution. In this case the investigating authorities had failed to properly balance the interest of the investigation in securing evidence against the public interest in protecting the journalist's freedom of expression.
**************************************************************
NUJ Pushes for Urgent Talks on BBC Pay Deal
Following a meeting of BBC M/FoC's , Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, will be seeking fresh talks with Tony Hall, BBC director general, for further discussions on the corporation's pay deal. As the union was balloting for strike action over the original offer made by the BBC, the management came back with revised terms. The union has now consulted on these terms. The membership has decided that the new terms are still not acceptable and has asked the management to come back to the table. Reps said views on the deal had been coloured by the figures of vast pay-offs to departing executives, revealed by the Public Account Committee's examination of the BBC's finances, and the loss of £100m by the disastrous Digital Media Initiative.
**************************************************************
Ballot for Action at the Independent Commences Wednesday 24th July
Laura Davison, NUJ official, said: it had been forced to move to a ballot because of the management's refusal to engage in proper consultation. "Members recognise the financial issues at play, but are simply calling for a fair and meaningful consultation process to deal with them, not the intransigent approach currently being adopted. At present the company seems fixed on sacking people in early August despite members having summer holidays already booked with their families, which means they will be away and can't be genuinely consulted.
Read more <> here . . . .
**************************************************************
Special Conference To Approve Labour-Trade Union Reforms
In an echo of Blair's revision of Clause IV, the Labour leader Edward Miliband, announces that a Special Conference will be held next spring to approve this "historic reform of Labour’s constitution".
One criticism made of Edward Miliband's recent speech on the Labour-union link was that he failed to provide enough detail on how and when the proposed changes, most notably the introduction of an opt-in system for affiliated members (which will cost Labour millions in funding), would be introduced. Would the reforms be in place before the next election?
Read more: George Eaton, <> New Statesman, Published 22 July
**************************************************************
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
All DM packs containing NEC, Industrial Councils and DM nominations plus information about motions will be sent out early September. The following dates are important deadlines that branches and tabling bodies must adhere to for DM 2014:
Close of motions and nominations (DM bodies) 1:00 pm 25th November. Close of amendments and confirmation of motions and DM nominations 2013 1:00pm 10th February 2014. All deadlines will be strictly enforced.
Information on how to register delegates for conference will be issued in January 2014. Please note branches may wish to consider potential delegate / observer nominations prior to their January branch meeting.
**************************************************************
Tuesday, July 16
Latvian Authorities Failed To Protect Journalistic Sources
In Chamber judgment in the case of Nagla v. Latvia (application no. 73469/10), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been:
A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention onHuman Rights.
The case concerned the search by the police of a well-known broadcast journalist's home, and their seizure of data storage devices. Her home was searched following a broadcast she had aired in February 2010 informing the public of an information leak from the State Revenue Service database.
The Court emphasised that the right of journalist's not to disclose their sources could not be considered a privilege, dependent on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their sources, but rather as an intrinsic part of the right to information that should be treated with the utmost caution. In this case the investigating authorities had failed to properly balance the interest of the investigation in securing evidence against the public interest in protecting the journalist's freedom of expression.
********************************************************
Early Day Motion 414: Maximum Working Temperature
That this House notes that whilst there is a legal minimum workplace indoor temperature there is no legal maximum workplace temperature, so that conditions can vary greatly from employer to employer; further notes that whilst Regulation 7 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the associated Approved Code of Practice suggests that the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable, this guidance leaves considerable uncertainty as to the upper limit beyond which control measures must be in place; understands that employees in a wide range of workplaces - from industrial bakeries to school classrooms - are often subjected to high temperatures which can impact seriously on their health and well-being, with effects ranging from discomfort, stress, irritability and headaches, to extra strain on the heart and lungs, dizziness and fainting and heat cramps due to loss of water and salt; observes that the consequent reduction in cognitive function, attention span and visual motor tracking can contribute to workplace accidents and fatalities; commends the Trades Union Congress for passing a resolution in 2012 adopting a maximum working temperature as its official policy; and therefore urges the Government to resolve uncertainty for employers about their duty to combat excessive heat in the workplace by introducing a maximum working workplace temperature of 30C (86F) and of 27C (81F) for those doing strenuous work.
<> House of Commons: 15.07.2013 - Sponsors: Riordan, Linda/ Anderson, David / Crausby, David / Engel, Natascha / Lavery, Ian / McDonnell, John
In Chamber judgment in the case of Nagla v. Latvia (application no. 73469/10), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been:
A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention onHuman Rights.
The case concerned the search by the police of a well-known broadcast journalist's home, and their seizure of data storage devices. Her home was searched following a broadcast she had aired in February 2010 informing the public of an information leak from the State Revenue Service database.
The Court emphasised that the right of journalist's not to disclose their sources could not be considered a privilege, dependent on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their sources, but rather as an intrinsic part of the right to information that should be treated with the utmost caution. In this case the investigating authorities had failed to properly balance the interest of the investigation in securing evidence against the public interest in protecting the journalist's freedom of expression.
********************************************************
Early Day Motion 414: Maximum Working Temperature
That this House notes that whilst there is a legal minimum workplace indoor temperature there is no legal maximum workplace temperature, so that conditions can vary greatly from employer to employer; further notes that whilst Regulation 7 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the associated Approved Code of Practice suggests that the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable, this guidance leaves considerable uncertainty as to the upper limit beyond which control measures must be in place; understands that employees in a wide range of workplaces - from industrial bakeries to school classrooms - are often subjected to high temperatures which can impact seriously on their health and well-being, with effects ranging from discomfort, stress, irritability and headaches, to extra strain on the heart and lungs, dizziness and fainting and heat cramps due to loss of water and salt; observes that the consequent reduction in cognitive function, attention span and visual motor tracking can contribute to workplace accidents and fatalities; commends the Trades Union Congress for passing a resolution in 2012 adopting a maximum working temperature as its official policy; and therefore urges the Government to resolve uncertainty for employers about their duty to combat excessive heat in the workplace by introducing a maximum working workplace temperature of 30C (86F) and of 27C (81F) for those doing strenuous work.
<> House of Commons: 15.07.2013 - Sponsors: Riordan, Linda/ Anderson, David / Crausby, David / Engel, Natascha / Lavery, Ian / McDonnell, John
Friday, July 12
Early Day Motion 394: Supporting the Employee Ownership Sector
That this House welcomes the UK's first Employee Ownership Day; notes the success of businesses owned by and for their staff; recognises the productivity, profitability and motivational benefits which employee ownership brings to UK businesses; further notes that employee-owned businesses still only account for around 3 per cent of GDP, which is below the EU average, and far lower than countries like the US, France or Germany; welcomes the Government's commitment to provide £50 million annually from 2014-15 and the recent HM Treasury consultation to further incentivise growth of the sector; and hopes that this will level the playing field and help the Employee Ownership Association realise their vision to see 10 per cent of UK GDP produced by employee-owned businesses by 2020.
Sponsors: Field, Mark/ Ellman, Louise / Horwood, Martin / Huppert, Julian / Lazarowicz, Mark - House of Commons: 11.07.2013
That this House welcomes the UK's first Employee Ownership Day; notes the success of businesses owned by and for their staff; recognises the productivity, profitability and motivational benefits which employee ownership brings to UK businesses; further notes that employee-owned businesses still only account for around 3 per cent of GDP, which is below the EU average, and far lower than countries like the US, France or Germany; welcomes the Government's commitment to provide £50 million annually from 2014-15 and the recent HM Treasury consultation to further incentivise growth of the sector; and hopes that this will level the playing field and help the Employee Ownership Association realise their vision to see 10 per cent of UK GDP produced by employee-owned businesses by 2020.
Sponsors: Field, Mark/ Ellman, Louise / Horwood, Martin / Huppert, Julian / Lazarowicz, Mark - House of Commons: 11.07.2013
Thursday, July 11
Five Steps To Increase Women’s Safety
Violence against women is one of the most widespread and serious human rights violations occurring every day in Europe. Only in the last three weeks more than five women have been killed in different countries, including Austria, Italy, Spain and Ukraine.
These murders are only the tip of a much larger iceberg of thousands of cases happening all over the world. Although there is a lack of comprehensive data, it is conservatively estimated that more than 60,000 women and girls die yearly in the world due to violent causes. This death toll is higher than those of some pandemic flus, like the swine flu, and yet violence against women has so far not received the same attention and resources the international community has dedicated to the influenza pandemic.
If one includes non-lethal violence against women in the tally, it becomes clear that change is urgent.
As reported by the World Health Organisation on June 20, one out of three women is a victim of physical and psychological violence, resulting in in severe and long-lasting negative health consequences. By taking into account other forms of violence, including stalking, other studies indicate that 45% of women have experienced some sort of violence during their life. Initial data analysis of an EU-wide survey carried out by the Fundamental Rights Agency confirms this dreadful trend.
These studies unequivocally show the magnitude of the problem, but progress is too slow, even in Europe. An example is the slow pace of ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. This Convention helps frame the work of national and local authorities, including police and health officials, around four key principles of the fight against violence: prevention, protection, prosecution and integrated policies. Open to signature since May 2011, it has been so far ratified only by five countries: Albania, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal and Turkey. Five more countries have to ratify it before it can enter into force. Austria has declared its intention to follow suit and I hope more countries will do the same.
However, ratifications alone will not solve this complex phenomenon. Concrete and concerted actions must follow. I see in particular five key areas where gender sensitive measures should be reinforced. First, political leaders, opinion makers, public personalities, in particular men, must take the lead in condemning violence against women and use their influence on public opinion to promote a cultural shift in which nobody turns their eyes away from violence against women.
In addition, prosecution of offenders should be made more effective. Women victims of violence are not safe as long as the offenders are free to offend again. In many cases ending in death, the victims had already suffered and denounced previous violence perpetrated by the same offender without receiving adequate protection.
This is where two other key actors come into play: the police and health professionals. As they are usually the first to encounter situations of violence against women, they need constant training to recognise it and to provide women with gender sensitive help and care. Special attention should be paid to the particular vulnerability of migrant women who are less likely to report an incident to the police for various reasons, including their residence status and previous bad experience with foreign police.
The last element, arguably a pivotal one, is education. European States have to invest more in all forms of education and awareness raising, starting from early childhood, if they really want to come to terms with the root causes of violent male behaviour, which is often based on cultures of machismo and ingrained patterns of patriarchy. Without education, all other measures aimed at stamping out violence against women cannot succeed.
This change will not take place overnight, but the longer we wait, the more violence women will have to endure. This has to stop.
< >Nils Muiznieks, Commissioner for Human Rights, Strasbourg, 10/7/2013
Violence against women is one of the most widespread and serious human rights violations occurring every day in Europe. Only in the last three weeks more than five women have been killed in different countries, including Austria, Italy, Spain and Ukraine.
These murders are only the tip of a much larger iceberg of thousands of cases happening all over the world. Although there is a lack of comprehensive data, it is conservatively estimated that more than 60,000 women and girls die yearly in the world due to violent causes. This death toll is higher than those of some pandemic flus, like the swine flu, and yet violence against women has so far not received the same attention and resources the international community has dedicated to the influenza pandemic.
If one includes non-lethal violence against women in the tally, it becomes clear that change is urgent.
As reported by the World Health Organisation on June 20, one out of three women is a victim of physical and psychological violence, resulting in in severe and long-lasting negative health consequences. By taking into account other forms of violence, including stalking, other studies indicate that 45% of women have experienced some sort of violence during their life. Initial data analysis of an EU-wide survey carried out by the Fundamental Rights Agency confirms this dreadful trend.
These studies unequivocally show the magnitude of the problem, but progress is too slow, even in Europe. An example is the slow pace of ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. This Convention helps frame the work of national and local authorities, including police and health officials, around four key principles of the fight against violence: prevention, protection, prosecution and integrated policies. Open to signature since May 2011, it has been so far ratified only by five countries: Albania, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal and Turkey. Five more countries have to ratify it before it can enter into force. Austria has declared its intention to follow suit and I hope more countries will do the same.
However, ratifications alone will not solve this complex phenomenon. Concrete and concerted actions must follow. I see in particular five key areas where gender sensitive measures should be reinforced. First, political leaders, opinion makers, public personalities, in particular men, must take the lead in condemning violence against women and use their influence on public opinion to promote a cultural shift in which nobody turns their eyes away from violence against women.
In addition, prosecution of offenders should be made more effective. Women victims of violence are not safe as long as the offenders are free to offend again. In many cases ending in death, the victims had already suffered and denounced previous violence perpetrated by the same offender without receiving adequate protection.
This is where two other key actors come into play: the police and health professionals. As they are usually the first to encounter situations of violence against women, they need constant training to recognise it and to provide women with gender sensitive help and care. Special attention should be paid to the particular vulnerability of migrant women who are less likely to report an incident to the police for various reasons, including their residence status and previous bad experience with foreign police.
The last element, arguably a pivotal one, is education. European States have to invest more in all forms of education and awareness raising, starting from early childhood, if they really want to come to terms with the root causes of violent male behaviour, which is often based on cultures of machismo and ingrained patterns of patriarchy. Without education, all other measures aimed at stamping out violence against women cannot succeed.
This change will not take place overnight, but the longer we wait, the more violence women will have to endure. This has to stop.
< >Nils Muiznieks, Commissioner for Human Rights, Strasbourg, 10/7/2013
Sunday, July 7
Reminder: Birmingham & Coventry NUJ July Branch Meeting
Wednesday 10th July
Carrs Lane Church Centre
Carrs Lane
Birmingham
B4 7SX
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Topics in this message:
NUJ Consults Members on BBC's New Pay Offer
£25 million Handouts to BBC Senior Managers in the Last Three Years
Early Day Motion 324: Reform Of Civil Legal Aid
Les Reid Scoops Double as Midlands Media Awards Handed Out
Cara Simpson - Midlands Media Feature Writer of the Year
NUJ Informed - News from NUJ National Executive
******************************************************
NUJ Consults Members on BBC's New Pay Offer
The union has announced it will be consulting NUJ members at the BBC in response to a revised offer from the corporation on pay, redundancy consultation and anti-social hours payments (UPA). The offer comes during the unions' existing ballot for industrial action at the BBC. There will now be a consultative ballot of all BBC NUJ members and the NUJ will be holding local workplace meetings to discuss the revised offer with members. The new ballot will close on Friday 26 July.
******************************************************
£25 million Handouts to BBC Senior Managers in the Last Three Years
The BBC's redundancy payouts have been called "deeply worrying" after a Government watchdog found it spent £25 million on handouts to senior managers over the last three years. A National Audit Office (NAO) report into severance pay at the corporation found that it "breached its own policy... too often and without good reason" by offering packages that were in excess of contractual entitlement. It said the payouts had "put public trust at risk".
Read more: <> Press Gazette, 01/07/13
Sue Harris, NUJ Broadcast organiser commenting on above, said: "We welcome the NAO's strong condemnation of the BBC's previous practices around excessive senior management severance payments. The NUJ has been questioning and challenging this practice for many years. The NUJ was pleased when the BBC and Tony Hall adopted the NUJ's proposal that redundancy and severance payments should be capped at £150,000. It is good to know that the new Director General intends to address the problem of excessive management pay-outs and differential treatment from ordinary members of staff."
******************************************************
Midlands Media Awards
Les Reid Scoops Double
Coventry Telegraph journalist (and NUJ member) Les Reid added to his growing haul of awards last night as the 2013 Midlands Media Awards were handed out. Les, who last month won the Columnist of the Year prize at the Regional Press Awards, walked away with two more awards from last night's ceremony at Villa Park.
The political specialist retained both the awards he won at the same event last year - Journalist of the Year and Daily News Reporter of the Year - as well as being shortlisted for two other prizes. Among his entries was a story about the alleged bullying of a journalist at a local BBC Radio Station who took his own life, which prompted an internal inquiry and became a major national story.
Read more: <> HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk
Cara Simpson - Feature Writer of the Year
Demonstrated a high standard of writing, and insight into the lives of people in war torn Sierra Leone bought their plight home to readers in Coventry and Warwickshire.
******************************************************
Early Day Motion 324: Reform Of Civil Legal Aid
That this House believes access to justice is a hallmark of a civilised society; further believes that the Government's proposed reforms to civil legal aid will severely limit the ability for many to access the justice system; is deeply concerned by plans to introduce a residence test for civil legal aid, which will remove legal support for many vulnerable groups including victims of human trafficking and domestic violence; notes that the residence test will also prevent many cases being brought against the Government when it is accused of wrongdoing abroad; further notes that the majority of individuals held in immigration detention will be left without support to challenge their continued detention; regrets the effect the proposed reforms to judicial review will have on the ability of individuals to hold public bodies to account; further believes that the proposals relating to prison law will effectively mean that justice stops at the prison gate; and calls on the Government to abandon its proposed reforms of civil legal aid immediately.
Sponsors: Teather, Sarah/ Durkan, Mark / Edwards, Jonathan / Llwyd, Elfyn / Ritchie, Margaret / Williams, Hywel - <> House of Commons: 01.07.2013
Put your MP to work demand they sign EDM 324
You can contact your MP for free, through: WriteToThem.Com
http://www.writetothem.com/
******************************************************
News from NUJ National Executive
NUJ Informed is aimed at sharing information about union activities and highlight some of the work done for our members. Regular editions of NUJ Informed will be published after NEC meetings and provide an opportunity to promote the union's work. The latest edition has been sent to all NUJ representatives and is attached to this email.
Please feel free to forward NUJ Informed to members in your area or you can print the newsletter (it works in black and white or in colour) and give it out in your workplace and/or at your next chapel or branch meeting. Why not also give a copy to someone you know who isn't already a member and ask them to join the NUJ?
******************************************************
Wednesday 10th July
Carrs Lane Church Centre
Carrs Lane
Birmingham
B4 7SX
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Topics in this message:
NUJ Consults Members on BBC's New Pay Offer
£25 million Handouts to BBC Senior Managers in the Last Three Years
Early Day Motion 324: Reform Of Civil Legal Aid
Les Reid Scoops Double as Midlands Media Awards Handed Out
Cara Simpson - Midlands Media Feature Writer of the Year
NUJ Informed - News from NUJ National Executive
******************************************************
NUJ Consults Members on BBC's New Pay Offer
The union has announced it will be consulting NUJ members at the BBC in response to a revised offer from the corporation on pay, redundancy consultation and anti-social hours payments (UPA). The offer comes during the unions' existing ballot for industrial action at the BBC. There will now be a consultative ballot of all BBC NUJ members and the NUJ will be holding local workplace meetings to discuss the revised offer with members. The new ballot will close on Friday 26 July.
******************************************************
£25 million Handouts to BBC Senior Managers in the Last Three Years
The BBC's redundancy payouts have been called "deeply worrying" after a Government watchdog found it spent £25 million on handouts to senior managers over the last three years. A National Audit Office (NAO) report into severance pay at the corporation found that it "breached its own policy... too often and without good reason" by offering packages that were in excess of contractual entitlement. It said the payouts had "put public trust at risk".
Read more: <> Press Gazette, 01/07/13
Sue Harris, NUJ Broadcast organiser commenting on above, said: "We welcome the NAO's strong condemnation of the BBC's previous practices around excessive senior management severance payments. The NUJ has been questioning and challenging this practice for many years. The NUJ was pleased when the BBC and Tony Hall adopted the NUJ's proposal that redundancy and severance payments should be capped at £150,000. It is good to know that the new Director General intends to address the problem of excessive management pay-outs and differential treatment from ordinary members of staff."
******************************************************
Midlands Media Awards
Les Reid Scoops Double
Coventry Telegraph journalist (and NUJ member) Les Reid added to his growing haul of awards last night as the 2013 Midlands Media Awards were handed out. Les, who last month won the Columnist of the Year prize at the Regional Press Awards, walked away with two more awards from last night's ceremony at Villa Park.
The political specialist retained both the awards he won at the same event last year - Journalist of the Year and Daily News Reporter of the Year - as well as being shortlisted for two other prizes. Among his entries was a story about the alleged bullying of a journalist at a local BBC Radio Station who took his own life, which prompted an internal inquiry and became a major national story.
Read more: <> HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk
Cara Simpson - Feature Writer of the Year
Demonstrated a high standard of writing, and insight into the lives of people in war torn Sierra Leone bought their plight home to readers in Coventry and Warwickshire.
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Early Day Motion 324: Reform Of Civil Legal Aid
That this House believes access to justice is a hallmark of a civilised society; further believes that the Government's proposed reforms to civil legal aid will severely limit the ability for many to access the justice system; is deeply concerned by plans to introduce a residence test for civil legal aid, which will remove legal support for many vulnerable groups including victims of human trafficking and domestic violence; notes that the residence test will also prevent many cases being brought against the Government when it is accused of wrongdoing abroad; further notes that the majority of individuals held in immigration detention will be left without support to challenge their continued detention; regrets the effect the proposed reforms to judicial review will have on the ability of individuals to hold public bodies to account; further believes that the proposals relating to prison law will effectively mean that justice stops at the prison gate; and calls on the Government to abandon its proposed reforms of civil legal aid immediately.
Sponsors: Teather, Sarah/ Durkan, Mark / Edwards, Jonathan / Llwyd, Elfyn / Ritchie, Margaret / Williams, Hywel - <> House of Commons: 01.07.2013
Put your MP to work demand they sign EDM 324
You can contact your MP for free, through: WriteToThem.Com
http://www.writetothem.com/
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News from NUJ National Executive
NUJ Informed is aimed at sharing information about union activities and highlight some of the work done for our members. Regular editions of NUJ Informed will be published after NEC meetings and provide an opportunity to promote the union's work. The latest edition has been sent to all NUJ representatives and is attached to this email.
Please feel free to forward NUJ Informed to members in your area or you can print the newsletter (it works in black and white or in colour) and give it out in your workplace and/or at your next chapel or branch meeting. Why not also give a copy to someone you know who isn't already a member and ask them to join the NUJ?
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Calling Notice: Birmingham & Coventry NUJ July Branch Meeting
Wednesday 10th July
Carrs Lane Church Centre
Carrs Lane
Birmingham
B4 7SX
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Any apologies to branch chair: alan.weaver1@ntlworld.com
Agenda
1) Introduction by chair/those attending
2) Minutes of May meeting
3) Secretary/Treasurers reports
4) Branch reports
5) NUJ finances, attached Annual Return for financial year ending September 2012. Any comments/questions Email: <birminghamcoventry@nuj.org.uk>
6) Up date on disputes
7) NUJ Delegate Meeting 2014
8) 'Gripes, Grumbles and Grievances'
9) Any other business
Topics in this message:
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
Unison to Judicially Review 'Brutal' Employment Tribunal Fees
Age Immaterial: TUC Survey of Union Members Over the Age of 50
Matchwomen's Strike - Gave Birth to the UK Trade Union Movement
Public Sector Parents Hit Worst by Austerity Drive
Invitation: People's Assembly Group Birmingham!
*****************************************************************
Unison to Judicially Review 'Brutal' Employment Tribunal Fees
News that Unison has applied for Judicial Review of the Government's controversial plans to introduce fees in the Employment Tribunal has gone viral in the Labour Law community. A key theme in the application is access to justice for working people, particularly women. Unison has described the proposed fees of up to£1000 for individuals to bring a claim and have that claim determined in the Employment Tribunals as "brutal".
In summary, the basis of the legal argument is four-fold:
The fees make it difficult, to the point of impossibility, to enforce workers' rights under European Community law.
There are no fees for enforcing domestic rights at a First Tier Tribunal - which is at a similar level to the Employment Tribunals - so the proposed fees offend against the principle of equivalence.
There was no adequate assessment of the proposed fees system by the Government in accordance with the Government's Public Sector Equality Duty (introduced by the previous Labour Government).
The fees are indirectly discriminatory; that is although apparently neutral in expression or written form, the effect in practice would place women at a particular disadvantage, including in the application of the scheme for the partial remission of the fees.
Read more: <> Lauren Godfrey, UK Human Rights Blog, 21/06/13
*****************************************************************
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
All DM packs containing NEC, Industrial Councils and DM nominations plus information about motions will be sent out early September. The following dates are important deadlines that branches and tabling bodies must adhere to for DM 2014:
Close of motions and nominations (DM bodies) 1:00 pm 25th November. Close of amendments and confirmation of motions and DM nominations 2013 1:00pm 10th February 2014. All deadlines will be strictly enforced.
Information on how to register delegates for conference will be issued in January 2014. Please note branches may wish to consider potential delegate / observer nominations prior to their January branch meeting.
*****************************************************************
Age Immaterial: TUC Survey of Union Members Over the Age of 50
The TUC is running a survey aimed at union members over 50 (both men and women) to gather information on the impact of caring responsibilities on work and planning for retirement. If you're a union member aged over 50, please take 2 minutes to fill in this <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ageimmaterial>short survey.
Age Immaterial is a new blog that will provide a platform to highlight and discuss issues affecting working women over 50. We will gather the best campaigners, writers and women of experience to write about key issues facing women over 50 in the work place focusing on five key areas: pay, jobs, discrimination, caring and health.
We will report the latest news, employment issues and reports whilst ensuring a wide range of voices get to contribute to the debate via our blog, links and work with the leading organisations championing older women.
Women over 50 face significant discrimination in the workplace, we are going to use this blog to shout about it, to raise awareness of the issues and to call for action.
Read more <> here . . . .
*****************************************************************
Public Sector Parents Hit Worst by Austerity Drive
Parents working in the public sector will take the biggest hit to their household incomes from government cuts and stagnant wages, according to Trades Union Congress research published ahead of George Osborne's spending review this week.
The TUC says its findings undermine government attempts throughout the austerity drive to pit private sector workers against "allegedly well-paid public sector workers." Its calculations also suggest that more than 180,000 children with a parent working in the public sector will be pushed into poverty by 2015, proportionately a far bigger rise than for the private sector.
Read more: <> Guardian, 24/06/13
*****************************************************************
Matchwomen's Strike - Gave Birth to the UK Trade Union Movement
125 years ago the Matchwomen's gallant struggle and victory against all the odds led to the new union movement.
For far too long they have been unsung heroes in the pages of history. Celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Matchwomen's victory, and the beginning of the modern labour movement!
The festival will be the kind of 'knees- up' the Matchwomen themselves would have enjoyed - there will be bands, comedians and actors, choirs, stalls, and great food and drink.
Bishopsgate Institute, London. 6th July 2013. Admission Free. Children and family friendly
In July 1888, several hundred women walked out of an East London match factory - and changed the world. The strike was a reaction to management bullying and terrible conditions, and it should have failed. Bryant & May were powerful and prosperous, with friends in government. The women were mere 'factory girls', and even worse, mostly Irish.
However their courage, solidarity and refusal to back down impressed all who saw it. What they revealed about conditions inside the factory, including the horrors of the industrial disease 'phossy jaw', shamed Bryant & May, and their shareholders, many of whom were MP's and clergymen.
In just two weeks, the women won better rates of pay and conditions, and the right to form the largest union of women in the country. Their victory was remarkable, but until now, rarely acknowledged as the beginning of the modern trade union movement.
Following the Matchwomen's victory a wave of strikes, including the 1889 Great London Dock Strike, swept the nation. Multitudes of the most exploited workers formed new unions, sowing the seeds of the modern labour movement, and Labour Party. The Dock Strikers never denied the Matchwomen's influence. In the throes of the Dock Strike, leader John Burns urged a mass meeting of tens of thousands to 'stand shoulder to shoulder. Remember the Matchwomen, who won their fight and formed a union.'
Source: http://www.matchwomensfestival.com/
*****************************************************************
People's Assembly Group Birmingham!
Birmingham Trades Union Council invites you to a meeting to establish a People's Assembly Group in Birmingham
7:00pm Monday 1st July
Unite Offices
211 Broad Street
Birmingham B15 1AY
The People's Assembly in London on Saturday was a massive success. At least 4000 people attended, bringing together trade unionists, community organisations and a whole range of people from the various sections of society. All were looking for an alternative to cuts, poverty and social misery.
The size of the Assembly, the level of discussion and commitments to future activity were impressive. Our meeting on Monday is in response to the call for local People's Assembly groups to be established to campaign on an anti-austerity agenda.
Below is the Founding Statement of the People's Assembly to help inform our discussions and activities.
Let us work together for the benefit of all.
In Solidarity
Mary Pearson / President - Birmingham Trades Union Council
This is a call to all those millions of people in Britain who face an impoverished and uncertain year as their wages, jobs, conditions and welfare provision come under renewed attack by the government. With some 80% of austerity measures still to come, and with the government lengthening the time they expect cuts to last, we are calling a People's Assembly Against Austerity to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice. We aim to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.
The assembly will provide a national forum for anti-austerity views which, while increasingly popular, are barely represented in parliament. A People's Assembly can play a key role in ensuring that this uncaring government faces a movement of opposition broad enough and powerful enough to generate successful co-ordinated action, including strike action. The assembly will be ready to support co-ordinated industrial action and national demonstrations against austerity, if possible synchronising with mobilisations across Europe.
From: "Mary pearson" <btucpresident@btinternet.com>
Calling Notice: Birmingham & Coventry NUJ July Branch Meeting
Wednesday 10th July
Carrs Lane Church Centre
Carrs Lane
Birmingham
B4 7SX
6:00 pm for 6:30 start
Any apologies to branch chair: alan.weaver1@ntlworld.com
Agenda
1) Introduction by chair/those attending
2) Minutes of May meeting
3) Secretary/Treasurers reports
4) Branch reports
5) NUJ finances, attached Annual Return for financial year ending September 2012. Any comments/questions Email: <birminghamcoventry@nuj.org.uk>
6) Up date on disputes
7) NUJ Delegate Meeting 2014
8) 'Gripes, Grumbles and Grievances'
9) Any other business
Topics in this message:
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
Unison to Judicially Review 'Brutal' Employment Tribunal Fees
Age Immaterial: TUC Survey of Union Members Over the Age of 50
Matchwomen's Strike - Gave Birth to the UK Trade Union Movement
Public Sector Parents Hit Worst by Austerity Drive
Invitation: People's Assembly Group Birmingham!
*****************************************************************
Unison to Judicially Review 'Brutal' Employment Tribunal Fees
News that Unison has applied for Judicial Review of the Government's controversial plans to introduce fees in the Employment Tribunal has gone viral in the Labour Law community. A key theme in the application is access to justice for working people, particularly women. Unison has described the proposed fees of up to£1000 for individuals to bring a claim and have that claim determined in the Employment Tribunals as "brutal".
In summary, the basis of the legal argument is four-fold:
The fees make it difficult, to the point of impossibility, to enforce workers' rights under European Community law.
There are no fees for enforcing domestic rights at a First Tier Tribunal - which is at a similar level to the Employment Tribunals - so the proposed fees offend against the principle of equivalence.
There was no adequate assessment of the proposed fees system by the Government in accordance with the Government's Public Sector Equality Duty (introduced by the previous Labour Government).
The fees are indirectly discriminatory; that is although apparently neutral in expression or written form, the effect in practice would place women at a particular disadvantage, including in the application of the scheme for the partial remission of the fees.
Read more: <> Lauren Godfrey, UK Human Rights Blog, 21/06/13
*****************************************************************
Delegate Meeting (DM) 2014 - Eastbourne 11th - 13th April 2014
All DM packs containing NEC, Industrial Councils and DM nominations plus information about motions will be sent out early September. The following dates are important deadlines that branches and tabling bodies must adhere to for DM 2014:
Close of motions and nominations (DM bodies) 1:00 pm 25th November. Close of amendments and confirmation of motions and DM nominations 2013 1:00pm 10th February 2014. All deadlines will be strictly enforced.
Information on how to register delegates for conference will be issued in January 2014. Please note branches may wish to consider potential delegate / observer nominations prior to their January branch meeting.
*****************************************************************
Age Immaterial: TUC Survey of Union Members Over the Age of 50
The TUC is running a survey aimed at union members over 50 (both men and women) to gather information on the impact of caring responsibilities on work and planning for retirement. If you're a union member aged over 50, please take 2 minutes to fill in this <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ageimmaterial>short survey.
Age Immaterial is a new blog that will provide a platform to highlight and discuss issues affecting working women over 50. We will gather the best campaigners, writers and women of experience to write about key issues facing women over 50 in the work place focusing on five key areas: pay, jobs, discrimination, caring and health.
We will report the latest news, employment issues and reports whilst ensuring a wide range of voices get to contribute to the debate via our blog, links and work with the leading organisations championing older women.
Women over 50 face significant discrimination in the workplace, we are going to use this blog to shout about it, to raise awareness of the issues and to call for action.
Read more <> here . . . .
*****************************************************************
Public Sector Parents Hit Worst by Austerity Drive
Parents working in the public sector will take the biggest hit to their household incomes from government cuts and stagnant wages, according to Trades Union Congress research published ahead of George Osborne's spending review this week.
The TUC says its findings undermine government attempts throughout the austerity drive to pit private sector workers against "allegedly well-paid public sector workers." Its calculations also suggest that more than 180,000 children with a parent working in the public sector will be pushed into poverty by 2015, proportionately a far bigger rise than for the private sector.
Read more: <> Guardian, 24/06/13
*****************************************************************
Matchwomen's Strike - Gave Birth to the UK Trade Union Movement
125 years ago the Matchwomen's gallant struggle and victory against all the odds led to the new union movement.
For far too long they have been unsung heroes in the pages of history. Celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Matchwomen's victory, and the beginning of the modern labour movement!
The festival will be the kind of 'knees- up' the Matchwomen themselves would have enjoyed - there will be bands, comedians and actors, choirs, stalls, and great food and drink.
Bishopsgate Institute, London. 6th July 2013. Admission Free. Children and family friendly
In July 1888, several hundred women walked out of an East London match factory - and changed the world. The strike was a reaction to management bullying and terrible conditions, and it should have failed. Bryant & May were powerful and prosperous, with friends in government. The women were mere 'factory girls', and even worse, mostly Irish.
However their courage, solidarity and refusal to back down impressed all who saw it. What they revealed about conditions inside the factory, including the horrors of the industrial disease 'phossy jaw', shamed Bryant & May, and their shareholders, many of whom were MP's and clergymen.
In just two weeks, the women won better rates of pay and conditions, and the right to form the largest union of women in the country. Their victory was remarkable, but until now, rarely acknowledged as the beginning of the modern trade union movement.
Following the Matchwomen's victory a wave of strikes, including the 1889 Great London Dock Strike, swept the nation. Multitudes of the most exploited workers formed new unions, sowing the seeds of the modern labour movement, and Labour Party. The Dock Strikers never denied the Matchwomen's influence. In the throes of the Dock Strike, leader John Burns urged a mass meeting of tens of thousands to 'stand shoulder to shoulder. Remember the Matchwomen, who won their fight and formed a union.'
Source: http://www.matchwomensfestival.com/
*****************************************************************
People's Assembly Group Birmingham!
Birmingham Trades Union Council invites you to a meeting to establish a People's Assembly Group in Birmingham
7:00pm Monday 1st July
Unite Offices
211 Broad Street
Birmingham B15 1AY
The People's Assembly in London on Saturday was a massive success. At least 4000 people attended, bringing together trade unionists, community organisations and a whole range of people from the various sections of society. All were looking for an alternative to cuts, poverty and social misery.
The size of the Assembly, the level of discussion and commitments to future activity were impressive. Our meeting on Monday is in response to the call for local People's Assembly groups to be established to campaign on an anti-austerity agenda.
Below is the Founding Statement of the People's Assembly to help inform our discussions and activities.
Let us work together for the benefit of all.
In Solidarity
Mary Pearson / President - Birmingham Trades Union Council
This is a call to all those millions of people in Britain who face an impoverished and uncertain year as their wages, jobs, conditions and welfare provision come under renewed attack by the government. With some 80% of austerity measures still to come, and with the government lengthening the time they expect cuts to last, we are calling a People's Assembly Against Austerity to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice. We aim to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.
The assembly will provide a national forum for anti-austerity views which, while increasingly popular, are barely represented in parliament. A People's Assembly can play a key role in ensuring that this uncaring government faces a movement of opposition broad enough and powerful enough to generate successful co-ordinated action, including strike action. The assembly will be ready to support co-ordinated industrial action and national demonstrations against austerity, if possible synchronising with mobilisations across Europe.
From: "Mary pearson" <btucpresident@btinternet.com>
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