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ELECTION NOTICE 2020

To:      All members of Cardiff and Vale HEALTH Branch

ALL UNISON Representatives are re-elected every 12 months and nominations are now invited for the following Officer positions for 2020

Any 2 UNISON members may nominate any UNISON member for the above positions.

It should be noted that these are not paid positions, although reasonable expenses are paid in accordance with Branch rules.  Nominations must be signed by a proposer and then seconded, as well as the nominee having to confirm their consent to nomination.  All shall provide their UNISON membership number and contact details (work or home)

Written nominations using the official form to be sent to:

UNISON Branch Office, Cardiff and Vale Health Branch

University Hospital of Wales

Residential Road, Cardiff,    CF14 4XW

*Please mark the envelope ‘NOMINATION FORM’

 Closing date for Nominations:     Monday 25^th November, 2019

If there is only one nomination for any of the above positions, that person shall be elected automatically.  If necessary, ballot papers and election addresses will be sent out to every UNISON member around 16^th December, 2019. If for any reason you do not receive a ballot paper by 

20^th December, 2019 please contact the UNISON Branch Office on 029 20748280.  The deadline for return of ballot papers would be 30^th December (mid-day).

Successful Officer Positions and if need be the result of the ballot will be announced at our series of Annual General Meetings as per the schedule below: 

Nomination forms can be obtained from the Unison Branch Office or via the UHB Intranet   Tel:  UHW 029 20748280

or download the form below.

AGM

2020

Topic for discussion

Honoraria will be discussed for

 Treasurer / Assistant Treasurer / Welfare Officer

 All Unison Members welcome

Please note these will be 30 minute meetings and 2 will be held on each date

This will be followed by an APF meeting

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

An election is coming, so …

13,000 PEOPLE TELL HEALTH BOARD: “DON’T CLOSE BARRY HOSPITAL SAM DAVIES WARD”

Healthcare workers from Barry hospital will today (Wednesday) hand over a petition at the Senedd signed by 12,991 people calling for the award-winning Sam Davies Ward to remain open.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board wants to close the acute rehabilitation ward and UNISON Cymru Wales has accused it of a complete failure to properly engage with staff and the local community about its plans.

The presentation of the petition follows UNISON’s march and rally from Barry hospital to King Square last Saturday. The trade union said healthcare workers were energised by the support they received on the march from patients’ families and members of the public and this has reinforced their determined to do everything they can to save the Sam Davies ward.

Stuart Egan, UNISON Cardiff and Vale health branch chair said,

“The health board must listen to Barry healthcare workers and to the 13,000 people in the local community who have signed the petition. This is a tremendously powerful message from Barry residents. Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign. Let’s keep health services for those who have had strokes and respite care for dementia patients in Barry. We can keep this ward open.”

Notes for editors

• Healthcare workers organised by UNISON will present the petition to the Welsh Assembly Petitions Committee at 12.30pm on Wednesday 9 October
• 1,858 people signed the petition online and 11,133 people signed paper copies of the petition
• The text of the petition is as follows:

e-Petition: Save Sam Davies Ward at Barry Hospital

We the undersigned call on the Welsh Government, being the ultimate body responsible for the provision of health care in Wales, to stop the proposal of the Cardiff & Vale UHB to close the Sam Davies Ward, a 23 bedded older persons acute rehabilitation ward at the Barry Hospital, and to ensure that the Barry Hospital continues to provide Health Services to the public of Barry the largest Town in Wales.

The Sam Davies Ward is a 23 bedded older persons acute rehabilitation ward. The services include stroke rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, and medical rehabilitation amongst other key health services. The ward also has two respite beds

• The Sam Davies ward recently won a Carer Friendly Silver Award. The ward has been praised by Carers Trust South East Wales as a “shining example of great person-centred care, for both patients and their carers. They really go the extra mile...”

Contact
Alastair Gittins, UNISON press officer 07816 53 83 97

#SaveSamDavies ward, Barry Hospital

Aneira Thomas joins Barry hospital ward protest, BBC Wales

Around one hundred people protest against Barry Hospital Sam Davies ward closure proposal, Barry and District News

Regional secretary Tanya Palmer was interviewed by ITV Wales at the start of Saturday’s march.

Protesters out in force for rally and march, Barry Gem

‘Plan to close ward sparks protest rally’, Cardiff and Vale health branch chair Stuart Egan quoted, South Wales Echo. See attached. 

Recruitment/Engagement Event

7:30 - 3:00, 23rd October, The Concoarse UHW

come and meet your rep's, we're happy to answer your questions.

Great turn out for the Save Sam Davies Ward Campaign!

100's marched from Barry Hospital to the town centre

on Saturday 5th October to show their support.

Aneira Thomas, the first baby born in the NHS, was joined by Tanya Palmer, Unison Regional Secretary for Wales at the rally in Barry town centre.

Cardiff & vale health branch retired member at the rally in Barry town centre.

Save Sam Davies ward - Barry march & rally.

• 11am Gatherd on Colcot Road, by the entrance to Barry Hospital
• 12pm March to King Square
• 1pm Rally at King Square

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board wants to close Sam Davies Ward at Barry Hospital. UNISON Cymru Wales has accused the Health Board of a complete failure to properly engage with staff and the local community about its plans.

More than 6000 people in the Barry community have supported the petition so far and now we would like you to come along and support the march and rally to Save Sam Davies Ward.

Sign UNISON’s petition. Just three days left to sign our online petition (we'll keep going with the paper copy petition). We think we've gathered 10,000 signatures with the online and paper petitions combined. Well done to everyone who has signed up and don't delay if you haven't. Click here to sign.

High Court state pension judgment is terrible blow but campaign goes on, says UNISON

Commenting on the judgment from the High Court today (Thursday) over the raising of the state pension age and the impact this had on women born in the 1950s, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

“This is a terrible blow for the millions of women who will have been hoping for a very different outcome today.

“The decision to hike the state pension age with next to no notice didn’t just throw their retirement plans up in the air, it also left many women on lower incomes really struggling to make ends meet.

“Now, almost a quarter of a century later, justice and the state pension that was so cruelly snatched away from them remain disappointingly out of reach. 

“It seems perverse that the Department for Work and Pensions had no obligation to inform these women of this significant change.

“But despite today's decision women born in the 1950s will not give up their campaign to get back what they are rightly owed."

SAVE SAM DAVIES WARD at Barry Pride

Cardiff & Vale Unison Health Branch had a busy day collecting hundreds of signatures to support our campaigne to SAVE SAM DAVIES WARD at Barry Pride.

Cardiff & Vale UHB Nurse Recruitment​ Event

Steve and Geraldine gave away lots of Unison freebies at Cardiff & Vale UHB Nurse Recruitment event on Saturday 22nd September.

Cardiff & Vale Unison Branch held an awareness event at the seafront on Barry Island, on Sunday September 1st, to gain support for our petition and campaign to save sam Davies ward at Barry Hospital.

The 'Save Barry Hospital Ward' petition is live on the Welsh Government website. Please take a moment to sign and join our campaign to defend the Hospital ward."

 

https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1601

#SaveSamDaviesWard New Video

Have you signed our petition yet?

5,000 SIGN BARRY HOSPITAL WARD PETITION IN JUST THREE WEEKS

In just three weeks, 5,000 people have signed UNISON’s petition to keep open the threatened Sam Davies Ward at Barry Hospital.

UNISON healthcare workers at the hospital launched the petition on 23 July with a call for the whole town to sign up to defend the local acute rehabilitation ward for older people.

Andrew Woodman, UNISON Cymru Wales regional organiser said,

“People have responded magnificently when UNISON healthcare workers have asked them to support our petition. It is clear people cherish their local hospital services and they recognise the valuable work staff do to support the elderly in the community.

“We’ve been on the high streets and into shops speaking to as many people as we can. No-one we’ve spoken to thinks closing the Sam Davies Ward is a good idea or will benefit patients or their families in any way.

“We’re certain we’ll get thousands more signatures. UNISON will be at Barry Island in September and we’ll have a stall at Barry Pride. We’ll keep talking to everyone about the need for local and easily accessible public services to remain in Barry. Closure of the Ward would force people to travel further afield to health services based at Llandough or the Heath hospital.

“UNISON will do our best to keep the Sam Davies Ward open.”

Notes for editors

• To date, 3,287 people have signed paper copies of the petition. A further 1,580 people have signed online, giving a total of 4,867. Copies of the petition have been left for people to sign in shops and offices
• Watch UNISON’s new video about the campaign #SaveSamDaviesWard 
• UNISON will be on Barry Island on Sunday 1 September 10am-4pm and have a stall at Barry Pride on 21 September. Further activities are planned in King Square.
• The ‘Save Barry Hospital Ward’ petition is live on the Welsh Government website. See text below.
• Many Barry hospital healthcare workers live locally and don’t drive so redeployment will be difficult. The board has not promised that job losses will be avoided
• UNISON Cymru Wales has accused the health board of a complete failure to properly engage with staff and the local community about its plans.

The text of the petition is as follows:

e-Petition: Save Sam Davies Ward at Barry Hospital

We the undersigned call on the Welsh Government, being the ultimate body responsible for the provision of health care in Wales, to stop the proposal of the Cardiff & Vale UHB to close the Sam Davies Ward, a 23 bedded older persons acute rehabilitation ward at the Barry Hospital, and to ensure that the Barry Hospital continues to provide Health Services to the public of Barry the largest Town in Wales.

The Sam Davies Ward is a 23 bedded older persons acute rehabilitation ward. The services include stroke rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, and medical rehabilitation amongst other key health services. The ward also has two respite beds

Contact
Alastair Gittins, UNISON press officer 07816 53 83 97

The 'Save Barry Hospital Ward' petition is live on the Welsh Government website. Please take a moment to sign and join our campaign to defend the Hospital ward."

 

https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1601

It’s time for public bodies to divest from fossil fuels, UNISON Cymru Wales is a signatory to a joint letter to the South Wales Echo/Wales Online

Dear Member,

‘FREE’ Coach Day Trip to Weston Super Mare

As a Unison member of our branch we would like to take the opportunity of offering you a chance of a day out on us to Weston Super Mare by coach, ‘FREE of charge’ and this has been scheduled for Saturday 15^th February, 2020.

We have already filled one coach and would be happy to have to book more if the member’s need them.

To reserve your seat please contact us on the above address, telephone number or e.mail address with your full name, department of work and site, contact number.  We would also need £5 as a deposit to hold your seat and this money will be returned to you on the day of travel.

On the outward journey we will be holding a short Annual General Meeting which should take no more than 15 minutes and Officers of the branch will be available for questions / queries to be answered.

Please feel free to circulate this information to other Unison members of Cardiff & Vale Health Branch so we can give them a chance just in case they do not receive this information via e.mail.  You can also find our poster on the UHB Intranet.

We appreciate this is not for quite a while yet but sometimes it is nice to have something to look forward to, therefore if you are interested please contact us as soon as possible to reserve your seat.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks

Nicola

Nicola Hobbs

Branch Administrator

Cardiff & Vale Health Branch

Labour’s insourcing plans are a welcome first step, says UNISON

Commenting on the Labour Party’s plans to reverse the trend of public services being outsourced to private contractors and bring services back in-house, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

“This report is a welcome first step on the road to ending the scourge of public service privatisation. For the first time in 20 years we’re seeing positive signs that Labour understands the damage that outsourcing has caused – and is developing a plan to reverse it.

“I’m looking forward to working with the Shadow Chancellor and other members of the shadow cabinet to deliver on Labour’s conference policy – an end to all privatisation in the public sector in the first term of the next Labour government.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Garfield Myrie T: 0207 121 5546 M: 07432 741565 E: g.myrie@unison.co.uk

Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

Nationalise the big six and create a 'green army' to help the UK hit net zero, says UNISON

Nationalising the retail arms of the big six energy firms would significantly boost the UK's bid to become carbon neutral by 2050, says UNISON in a report published today (Monday).

Power to the People calls on a future government to bring into public ownership the parts of British Gas (Centrica), SSE, E.ON, EDF Energy, Npower (Innogy) and Scottish Power (Iberdrola) that sell consumers energy.

This would instantly create a new 'green army' of workers dedicated to helping businesses and the public become more energy efficient, cut their bills and save the planet, says the report. 

Power to the People says this vision could be achieved for between £6bn and £9bn, and the workforce created from the big six firms could:

• help ensure security of energy supply and ‘keep the lights on’
• keep energy costs affordable for consumers and businesses
• ensure the UK meets its climate change targets and moves to a low-carbon economy
• make UK homes and businesses more energy efficient 
• win over the public to achieve the net zero target by 2050 which the UK committed to last week.

The report compares the need for a rapid decarbonisation programme with the successful conversion of millions of homes from town gas to natural gas in the 1960s. 

This huge logistical operation, which was achieved by a public corporation with the national interest at heart, could happen again, according to Power to the People.

Commenting on the report UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The climate crisis is a fundamental threat to the future of the planet, but the UK won’t get to net zero emissions on a hope and a prayer. Proper action is required and quickly.

“Public ownership of the retail energy sector is affordable – it could be done at a fraction of the cost of nationalising the energy networks.

"It would also provide job security to thousands of workers currently employed by the big six energy firms, help deliver the government’s carbon neutral target, make us all more energy efficient and mean cheaper bills for everyone.

“In an instant a green army of thousands of workers could begin helping consumers reduce their energy consumption, bills and the country’s emissions. Solar panels and greener hydrogen boilers could soon become the norm.

“The inconvenient truth though is we must act now. The warning sirens are sounding and piecemeal action isn’t enough. We'll have sleepwalked into an entirely preventable catastrophe If we fail to achieve net zero by 2050.”

Power to the People highlights how the debate so far has focused on ownership of the UK’s energy networks – the wires, pipes and production.

But it argues, bringing the retail arm of the energy sector into public ownership would enable the government to sign up millions of homes and businesses to the necessary green conversion. It could also start a decarbonisation programme immediately and at a lower cost than many alternatives. 

Notes to editors:
- UNISON’s report Power to the People is available here.
- Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow business, energy and industrial strategy secretary, will address UNISON’s national energy conference at 10.30am today (Monday) at the ACC in Liverpool.
- The Committee on Climate Change report’s Net Zero is available here.
- UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

Unison Wales opposing two health trust plans to privatise pharmaceutical services, Paul again quoted, Morning Star

Politicians must get a grip on social care and council services, says UNISON

Commenting on the Institute for Fiscal Studies report on council funding and tonight’s BBC1 Panorama programme on social care, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

“After years of relentless cuts, council budgets are stripped to the bone. This is starkly illustrated by the perilous state of social care. 

“Delivering a solution that protects services and provides proper care is perhaps the nation’s biggest challenge. But Brexit paralysis at Westminster means it won't be any time soon.

“It’s simply reckless government to expect councils to look after all elderly and vulnerable people on their patch while funding disappears.

“Sadly, it’s often low-paid care workers picking up the pieces. Spending their own money so an elderly person can have tea, working many extra hours to provide the care needed or being the only friendly face a lonely person may chat to all week. This is a shocking state of affairs.

“Politicians must get a grip and quickly. That means ministers publishing their long-awaited green paper so we can at least see they have a plan, even if they’re incapable of implementing it.”

Notes to editors:
- UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors. 

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07834 864794E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

This year's Merthyr Rising Festival Trade Union March

Unison is a main sponsor of Merthyr Rising Festival

Ten Y Fan Challenge

completed

Well done Team Mike!

£525 raised so far. There is still time to make a donatioin, see link below.

Hi all,

Many of you may already know my son Michael and myself are doing a sponsored walk ten times up Pen Y Fan within 24 hours to raise money for a children’s charity. We would very much appreciate if you are able to sponsor us and any donation would be greatly received. Please right click on the donate link below.

Donate now

Many thanks in anticipation,

Mike

_____________

Mike Jones

Branch Secretary

BRANCH WEBSITE:    www.cavunison.co.uk

Tel:           029 2074 8280

Fax:          029 2074 8279

E.Mail:     Unison.office.uhw@wales.nhs.uk

Mark Drakeford calls for

Robin Hood Tax

Mark Drakeford AM with UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary Stephanie Thomas

Welsh Labour leadership candidate Mark Drakeford AM, has called upon the UK Government to introduce a Robin Hood Tax to provide much-needed funds for vital community services.

The innovative tax on business financial transactions could deliver millions of pounds for cash-strapped Welsh councils. It could raise £5bn of additional revenue a year from a tiny tax of about 0.05% on transactions carried out by financial institutions – not ordinary individuals.

Public services union, UNISON and the Robin Hood Tax Campaign, together wrote to the three Welsh Labour leadership candidates urging them to endorse the campaign to introduce a Financial Transactions Tax, popularly known as a Robin Hood Tax. The trade union says:

• Four months of a Robin Hood Tax could reverse all cuts to total Welsh government spending since austerity began2
• Two weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could prevent the need for further cuts to Welsh Government spending on public services over the next few years3
• Ten days of a Robin Hood Tax could return the services for each vulnerable older person in Wales to the level provided before austerity began4
• Six weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could replace all funding currently provided by the EU for development in rural and deprived parts of Wales5

Mark Drakeford AM said,

“I have always been a supporter of the Robin Hood Tax and I’m very happy to support UNISON’s drive encouraging politicians to sign up to the campaign. A Robin Hood Tax is so effective because it collects small amounts of money on millions of transactions, which all add up to a significant contribution overall from those who can best afford it, to be shared out to those who need help the most.”

Stephanie Thomas, UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary said,

“Public services such as libraries, youth services, parks and leisure services and environmental and food hygiene services have been damaged by UK Conservative government austerity and are in danger of withering away completely unless urgent investment is found.

“Time is running out to save services and protect our communities. A Robin Hood Tax would provide potentially huge sums for local authorities. This is sensible economics for our times and the Tax is supported by the likes of Bill Gates and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Well done to Mark Drakeford for signing up. UNISON calls on all Welsh politicians to do the same.”

Notes to editors:

• The Robin Hood Tax is also known as the Financial Transactions Tax

• Currently, there is a tax on the purchase of shares which delivers nearly £4bn to the UK exchequer each year. The Robin Hood Tax would close current loopholes on the Stamp Duty on shares and extend the tax to derivatives. This could raise £25 billion1 of additional revenue every five year parliament, potentially providing a new source of funding for local councils.

• The Robin Hood Tax is endorsed by a thousand economists, Bill Gates, Angela Merkel, Desmond Tutu, Michael Moore, Bill Nighy, Sienna Miller and Emma Thompson. It is official policy of the UK Labour Party and the Democrat Party in the USA.

• UNISON has been urging councillors to endorse the Robin Hood Campaign. To date, thirteen Welsh local authorities have no policy on the Robin Hood Tax. Nine councils have signed up to the campaign for a Robin Hood Tax:  Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Ceredigion; Denbighshire; Neath Port Talbot; Newport; Swansea; Torfaen

• Find out more about the Financial Transactions Tax from the Robin Hood Tax campaign

Notes on calculations

1 Intelligence Capital, Improving Resilience, Increasing Revenue: The Case for Modernising the UK’s

Stamp Duty on Shares (2017), via https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2908464

2 £1.7bn cuts between 2010/11 TME of £15.8bn (£18.6bn in 2016 prices) and 2017/18 TME of £16.9bn (2016 prices) (TME includes RDEL, CDEL and AME)

3 £175m cuts projected between 2017-19 to Welsh Government RDEL and CDEL spending (AME not

included) (2017 prices)

4 £130m to return per capita social care spending levels for over 65s to 2010 levels:

http://www.walespublicservices2025.org.uk/files/2017/03/Waleshealthandsocialcarefinal_amended_042 017.pdf

5 £500m cost to replace all EU funding for rural and regional development schemes after Brexit:

https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/publications/docs/IFS%20report%20R120.pdf

Contact

Alastair Gittins, UNISON Press Officer on 07816 53 83 97



Click the link above to find out how to become a Unison Representative.

Llandough Hospital Orchard Project

Stuart Egan, Branch Chair, on the Llandough Hospital Orchard charity project

 www.facebook.com/204873649584136/videos/1901816656556485/

Cardiff & Vale Unison team prepare for the head shaving event.

Video courtesy of Cardiff & Vale University Health Board Media Resourses team.

Links to footage of all our brave volunteers who went down to the wood:

Stuart

To help us create an Orchard at Llandough Hospital please use the link below.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/cardiffandvale/headshave?social_utm_term=qw0rnkwev

Join the UNISON lottery for as little as £1 a month and you could win cash prizes of up to £1,000.

By playing you also support our There for You charity.

Robin Hood tax would deliver millions for Welsh councils

An innovative tax on business financial transactions could deliver millions of pounds for cash-strapped Welsh councils.

Public services such as libraries, youth services, parks and leisure services and environmental and food hygiene services have been damaged by UK Conservative government austerity and are in danger of withering away completely unless urgent investment is found. The Robin Hood Tax, a small tax paid on financial trading, would provide enormous funds for Welsh public services at no financial cost to the overwhelming majority of the population.

• Four months of a Robin Hood Tax could reverse all cuts to total Welsh government spending since austerity began
• Two weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could prevent the need for further cuts to Welsh Government spending on public services over the next few years
• Ten days of a Robin Hood Tax could return the services for each vulnerable older person in Wales to the level provided before austerity began
• Six weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could replace all funding currently provided by the EU for development in rural and deprived parts of Wales

What can you do to help?

We want you to write to your Assembly Member and MP urging them to support an end to austerity; the introduction of a Robin Hood Tax and fair funding for Wales.

Download our Fair Funding for Wales model letter here.

Download our Robin Hood Tax briefing here.

Watch UNISON branch officers talking about why we need an end to austerity and a Robin Hood Tax

Watch head of local government Dominic MacAskill on our fair funding for Wales campaign

Visit the Robin Hood Tax campaign website