Bargaining and Negotiating Our coordination between branches has been severely hampered this year Branches have been engaged in because of a number of unavoidable reorganisations as resources have factors. Therefore branches have in been stripped out of police budgets. the most part had to rely on their own working’, working’ and ‘Smarter resources. Unfortunately, we were not desking’ are just some of the ‘hot able to replace the Fighting Fund Area management buzz words branches Organiser who had maintained our have encounted as synonyms for cuts recruitment in both parts of the and job losses. probation service, found new activists to become reps and supported Police precepts have increased in members in the CRC and NPS. council tax hikes across Wales as our communities who have had to pay more to make up for at least some of the Westminster Government cuts. East Midlands Region Campaigns Recruitment, organising and representation Our highest profile campaign has been in the Wales CRC. Working Links, the year started Recruitment-wise, which has the Welsh contract and two really well for police branches and it is South West England contracts, has only down to a significant number of spent the last 18 months reducing the police staff becoming police officers overall work force by 44%. UNISON that not all branches showed an has suffered membership losses and increase in membership. has had its steward base decimated as a result. We believe that new working All branches are using innovative systems are dangerous and unsafe. ideas and getting out there raising UNISON and our sister unions in UNISON's profile. Nottinghamshire probation have been in dispute with Police have been impressing members the company for over a year, and and non-members alike with a whilst we have slowed the pace of job UNISON-liveried caravan serving losses, we have yet been unable to bacon and sausage cobs. It was a real reverse them. Community Payback hit and one week they recruited 18 Supervisors are one of the last groups new members and counting! to face reorganisation and job losses Recruitment is slower within the ,including a job re-design. UNISON probation branch, but with the members here have provided stubborn continued difficulties facing the resistance to the management, and fragmented probation sector it has not their dispute continues. been easy. The branch is about to In NPS we continue to try to ameliorate start a concerted recruitment the affects of national policies locally. campaign across the region and by the time of conference we hope to see the Resources
Bargaining and Negotiating Branches have been engaged in reorganisations as resources have been stripped out of police budgets. ‘Smarter working’, working’ and ‘hot desking’ are just some of the management buzz words branches have encounted as synonyms for cuts and job losses. Police precepts have increased in council tax hikes across Wales as our communities who have had to pay more to make up for at least some of the Westminster Government cuts. Campaigns Our highest profile campaign has been in the Wales CRC. Working Links, which has the Welsh contract and two South West England contracts, has spent the last 18 months reducing the overall work force by 44%. UNISON has suffered membership losses and has had its steward base decimated as a result. We believe that new working systems are dangerous and unsafe. UNISON and our sister unions in probation have been in dispute with the company for over a year, and whilst we have slowed the pace of job losses, we have yet been unable to reverse them. Community Payback Supervisors are one of the last groups to face reorganisation and job losses ,including a job re-design. UNISON members here have provided stubborn resistance to the management, and their dispute continues. In NPS we continue to try to ameliorate the affects of national policies locally. Resources Our coordination between branches has been severely hampered this year because of a number of unavoidable factors. Therefore branches have in the most part had to rely on their own resources. Unfortunately, we were not able to replace the Fighting Fund Area Organiser who had maintained our recruitment in both parts of the probation service, found new activists to become reps and supported members in the CRC and NPS. East Midlands Region Recruitment, organising and representation Recruitment-wise, the year started really well for police branches and it is only down to a significant number of police staff becoming police officers that not all branches showed an increase in membership. All branches are using innovative ideas and getting out there raising UNISON's profile. Nottinghamshire Police have been impressing members and non-members alike with a UNISON-liveried caravan serving bacon and sausage cobs. It was a real hit and one week they recruited 18 new members and counting! Recruitment is slower within the probation branch, but with the continued difficulties facing the fragmented probation sector it has not been easy. The branch is about to start a concerted recruitment campaign across the region and by the time of conference we hope to see the
2017-Police-and-Justice-Annual-Report.docx