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WELCOME TO

from Dave PrentisUNISON’s general secretary

Talk to us: phone 0845 355 0845Monday to Friday 6am to midnight and Saturday 9am to 4pm

If you want to change membership details, call this number, visit the website orget in touch with your branch or region. Calls may be recorded for trainingpurposes. Textphone 0800 967 968

Visit our website at www.unison.org.uk

So here we are in a brave new world. David Cameronis promising massive public spending cuts whilstvowing to protect ‘frontline’ services. Nick Cleggis telling us that ‘gold-plated’ public sector pensions have got to go. And George Osborne is declaring that ‘we’re all in it together’.

But none of that makes sense. Frontline workersdepend on back office workers to do their jobs: you can’t get rid of ahospital administrator without a nurse’s job being made harder. Theaverage local government pension is £4,000, or £1,600 for women:hardly gold-plated. And when services providing care for the young, theelderly and the disabled are cut then we’re not all in it together – thevulnerable are left out in the cold.

But we shouldn’t be afraid. Because unions were made for the hardtimes. And at our annual conference in June (page 15) I was inspiredby the strength and determination of our members to stand up for thepeople they serve and the communities they look after.

People like Clare Williams, Kenny Bell and Josie Bird. They’refrom Newcastle where one in three jobs are in public services – so it’s vitalthat those services and jobs don’t go. On page 8 they tell us how they’refighting back.

Or someone like Julie Robinson (page 19), an equalities officer inAshfield, who’s determined to do her bit to make sure that her communityremains a fair place to live and work.

All these people remind me why our Million Voices for PublicServices campaign is so important. It’s about letting people know thatpublic services matter now more than ever. And that we will defend them.

I know that some of you will face tough times over the coming months.But I promise that UNISON will be here to fight for you.

VOLUME 18, NUMBER 3U is published by UNISON – the public serviceunion – and distributed to every member. Nonmembers pay £30 a year.

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES The Editor, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H9AJ Tel: 0845 355 0845; Textphone 08000967968Email: u.magazine@unison.co.uk

ADVERTISINGRedactive Media Group, 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP020 7880 6200; info@redactive.co.ukWhile every effort is made to ensure the reliability ofadvertisers, UNISON cannot accept any liability. Inclusion of advertisements does not imply any recommendation.

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Bouquetto a membersee page 35

THIS ISSUE8 Count on UNISON

UNISON members are determined to be there for their community

12 It’s our timeInterview with Dave Prentis, UNISON’snewly re-elected general secretary

15 We are ready to fightUNISON conference 2010

19 Me and my jobLife as an equalities officer

21 Tales from the slaughterhouseAll in a day’s work for meat hygieneinspector Graham Cross

36 Financial affairs and election results

REGULARSNews 4U @ work 26Reviews 30Crosswords 32Letters 34

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4 TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK ●

ACROSS THE COUNTRYMEMBERS ARE ADDINGTHEIR VOICES TO UNISON’SMILLION VOICES FOR PUBLICSERVICES CAMPAIGN

MEDWAYUNISON’s exhibition trailertoured Kent, spreading the word that public services matter

OXFORDSHIREPromoted the Million Voicescampaign at schools and allcouncil offices

BOLTONCollected over 1,500 signaturesprotesting against cuts toConnexions and youth services

STOCKPORTHanded out badges and windowstickers at a learning at work dayat Stockport town hall

GLASGOWOrganised a public meeting to launch joint union andcommunity campaign in support of public services

NORTH DURHAMSet up stalls in North Durhamuniversity, Shotley Bridge andChester-le-Street hospitals tospeak up for public services

HALLAMRan a Million Voices campaignstall at a local careers fair

DUDLEYMembers insisted on Agendafor Change at a rally at Russells hospital

‘WE WILL BE THE VOICEOF THE VOICELESS’Dave Prentis, who has been re-elected as generalsecretary of UNISON, sent a personal message tomembers on the challenges ahead: “It is a greathonour and a solemn responsibility to be re-electedto lead this great union through the mostchallenging period since its creation.“

The result of the election for general secretarywas announced on the morning of the coalitiongovernment’s emergency budget.

“Today, George Osborne has unveiled a budgetthat will pile pressure on public services, workinghouseholds and vulnerable groups,” said MrPrentis. “While the banks return to business asusual, tax giveaways are lined up for big businessand the better off.

“Now, more than ever, we need a union that willstand up for fairness, be a voice for the voicelessand hold the powerful to account.

“UNISON is ready. We have been training ourorganisers and activists up and down the country,equipping them with the tools and resources theyneed, to maximise our influence and get results

for our members.“I truly believe that if we move forward together

– ignoring those who seek to divide or distract us,focused on delivering for our members andspeaking up for our public services – we can comethrough this period stronger, better organised andmore influential than ever before.“

And Mr Prentis had a promise for all members:“My pledge to you is that I will be on your side –and I will ensure you have the full force of the unionbehind you as you face the challenges ahead.

“United, determined, ambitious for our peopleand our union – this really will be our time.”

Mr Prentis was first elected general secretary of UNISON in 2001 and re-elected in 2005.

FIND OUT MOREunison.org.uk

The full details of the election resultcan be found on p38 of this magazine.Dave Prentis talks about the futurefor public services on page 12.

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5● TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

Tony Benn joins the Million Voices

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million

“I think confidence is an essential ingredient ofsuccess,” veteran Labour MP Tony Benn told U magazine. “If you don’t have a clear sense ofwhat you want to achieve, you don’t make theright efforts to achieve it. That’s why I thinkUNISON’s Million Voices campaign is such a good idea, because it gives people a sense of their own strength and importance,” heexplained, signing up to our campaign.

Now in his eighties, Mr Benn sees publicservices as an essential component for an equal society.

“Public services meet public need in terms of health, education and housing, funded bytaxation, which is paid according to yourcapacity to pay,” he explains. “Without themyou can’t have a fair society.”

And to UNISON members and public service workers facing an uncertain future, his message is clear.

“The people who perform these services are of a very high quality and perform animportant function,” he said. “They deserverespect and decency.”

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STAND UP

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BE COUNTED

30House RulesPAGE

6 TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

Meet the new presidentAngela Lynes became UNISON’s new president at the end of this year’s conference.

An admin officer with Glasgow City Council,Angela got involved in UNISON in 1991 after adispute at her workplace, where she stood up forher colleagues – despite the fact that the issue didnot affect her.

She was soon approached by a union convenorand asked to be a shop steward.

Elected to the national executive council in Jan 2001, Angela was the union’s secondyoungest vice-president, and held the positionfor two years.

She knows that this is a tough year for publicservices and a tough year to take on the presidentialrole, but she’s determined to rise to the challenge.“The public sector is needed now more than ever,to help the economy, communities and families riseup out of the recession,” she says.

“We must do all we can to protect these vitalservices in the face of huge public spending cuts.”

It’s an attitude that’s reflected in her answer towhat person she most admires: “Nye Bevan,” shesays with no pause.

“I don’t think we appreciate our health service forwhat it is. We take it so much for granted and hewas responsible for setting it up. He deserves morerecognition for that.”

She says she wants to be remembered as“someone who tried to make a difference and triedto help” – something that her year as president willgive her plenty of opportunities for.

Perhaps unexpectedly, she doesn’t really think ofherself as political. “I don’t know if political is theright word,” she explains. “I have an opinion, but Idon’t think that wanting to be a trade unionist is thesame as being political. I just want fairness forpeople in their workplace.”

ACROSS THE COUNTRY MEMBERS ARE ADDINGTHEIR VOICES TO UNISON’S MILLION VOICES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES CAMPAIGN

BARNSLEYHeld a day of action where hundreds added their voice to the Million Voices campaign

NOTTINGHAMSHIREReversed £4.6m of cuts to residential care, meals-on-wheels and welfare rights services with vigorousworkplace, community and media campaigning

CARDIFFMade headlines with a hard-hitting campaign against privatisation of council services

SOUTHEND-ON-SEAHeld a lunchtime stall at the civic centre

NORTHAMPTONSHIRERan a bus stop ad campaign highlighting secrecy over money wasted on private sector consultants

BIRMINGHAMHit the headlines with a noisy demonstration against council job cuts

Equal pay gets closerThousands of low-paid councilworkers took a step closer to equalpay in May, thanks to a landmarkdecision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

While many manual workers havealready received compensation, the appeal tribunal had previouslyremoved the right to compensationfor thousands of administrators,clerical workers, learning assistantsand library staff.

Because they didn’t have a properexplanation for the pay differencesbetween women and men, localauthorities came up with anargument that women and men onlydeserved equal pay if they werebased at the same premises or hadthe same pay and conditions – it’sthis argument that has now failed.

Dave Prentis said: “UNISON’s equalpay campaign has defeated everycontrived defence the lawyers havehidden behind. This charade hasgone on too long. We want fullcompensation for all our membersand that money must be paid now.”

One of UNISON’s largest groups of winners from the decision isclassroom assistants, many of whomearn as little as £10,000 a year.

Elaine North, a UNISON claimant

from Dumfries, said: “I wasdevastated when the court said Iwasn’t entitled to equal pay. Mycolleagues do one-to-one educationwork with learning-disabled kidsand, while we love them, it is suchhard work.

“No offence to refuse collectors and gardeners, but fair pay is longoverdue for us. We’ve worked hard for this.”

And in late June, the Court ofAppeal backed UNISON’s claim thatthe change from one pay scale toanother couldn’t be viewed as abreak in continuous employment.

North Cumbria Acute HospitalsNHS Trust had been trying to arguethat the introduction of a new payand grading system, Agenda forChange, meant that health workersat the trust had started a new job.

That’s been over-ruled now, so countless cases can now goforward.

Only last year, figures obtained by UNISON using the Freedom ofInformation Act revealed that NorthCumbria NHS Trust alone hadspent a massive £3.3 million oftaxpayers’ money on lawyers in anattempt to stop low-paid womenwinning equal pay.

Add yours at unison.org.uk/million

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UNISON members in Newcastle are determined to be there for their community and their colleagues in the tough times ahead

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CountNewcastle upon Tyne has

a proud, independenttradition of industry, sport and public service.

The hub of the north east region,new architectural jewels such as theSage Centre and the Baltic Exchangehave a made it a civic showpiece. Butthe region also has many needs as itcomes to terms with the destruction of older industries.

There is mounting alarm, therefore,that it was specially targeted by DavidCameron, before the election, for apublic sector squeeze.

The reaction since then has beenswift. In June the Northern PublicServices Alliance was formed byUNISON and other unions. It pledgedto build community links, expose thereality of cut backs and respond toattacks on services and jobs.

Clare Williams, UNISON’s northernregional convenor, is determined thoselinks will pay off. And she blows apartthe casual assumptions of Clegg andCameron about the regional economy.

“The north has lost its manufacturingand mines. There are higher publicservice needs and a higher rate of childpoverty than the national average. Up-to-date estimates suggest that a third ofprivate sector jobs here depend on thepublic sector.”

She points out that the recentcancellation of the North Tees-Hartlepool Hospital, while a public

sector cut back, will have a majorknock-on effect on the private sector employers.

Already 1,000 posts atNorthumberland county council’s7,000-strong workforce are at risk, ontop of 1,300 lost over the last two years.

Elsewhere, privatisation is seen as away of dramatically cutting the cost ofa service that cannot be abolished, such as the 999 response at Cleveland police.

Privatisation has been a threat fortwo decades, of course. But the long-term response of Newcastle UNISONhas been constructive – and successful.UNISON worked with both a Labour-led council and subsequently theLiberal Democrats to ensure that

services were in-house and delivered to a high quality.

There were no cosy deals but atransparent and empoweringrelationship between council, staff,community organisations and users.

Now, in the teeth of the economicblizzard, the branch is continuing towork with the authority. ButUNISON sticks to its agenda: in-house improvements, avoidingcompulsory redundancies and acommitment to the equality agenda,workforce learning, health and well-being and work-life balance.

Branch secretary Kenny Bell reflectsthe positive approach of UNISONcampaigning: “There is still theopportunity to make this a good place to work.”

To achieve this, the branch operatespragmatically with the current LiberalDemocrat majority group while seekingLabour councillors’ support on commongoals. Kenny adds: “The policies of thecoalition are in direct conflict with thoseof the authority which understands theessential role of local government insupporting the economy out ofrecession.”

In the city council, UNISON iscommunicating with members andreflecting their concerns. Josie Bird,chair of the branch, is in the thick of it.

With her background as a financeassistant in the city architects’department she is aware of the worries

‘In June the NorthernPublic Services Alliancewas formed byUNISON and otherunions. It pledged tobuild community links,expose the reality ofcut backs and respondto attacks on servicesand jobs’

FIND OUT MOREunison.org.uk/

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staff there have about being branded‘back office’ by the government.Geordies, she says, feel that goodarchitecture has put the city back on itsfeet in the last 20 years with showpiecebuildings and well-designed streets.

She wants to remind George Osbornethat if architecture is not a core serviceand it gets cut, consultants will still becalled in, start the meter running andcost the earth.

Her role as chair is to channel therising anger of council employees at the social destruction planned by thecoalition and to express it. Unity is key,she says.

“If we do not have unity, Osborne willdrive wedges between frontline and so-called back office, between low paid andhigher paid and between differentservices. They are pitting public serviceworker against public service worker.”

Even staff who work ‘front-line’ by thegovernment’s definition, such as adultsocial services, are left up in the air.

“They are already responding to thewhole personalisation agenda, wherebudgets are devolved to individuals whochoose how to spend them. Now staffare unsure, under the coalition, whetherthis is going ahead.”

Turning to UNISON is a naturalreaction for hard-pressed council staff inthe present turmoil. And those who havenever joined now are recognising whatthe union has to offer, Josie says.

“We started to take calls aboutmembership immediately after 7 Mayand that has risen fourfold since theemergency budget.”

UNISON has also built its mediapresence. Josie emphasises there is nopublic scaremongering but the impact ofthe proposed cuts is inescapable: “Theywere 25% and now Osborne is talkingabout 40%.

“It will be devastating and there is no way we could maintain services.”

UNISON is working across thecountry to counteract the impact ofmassive cuts on committed publicservice staff and the millions of peoplewho depend on them.

UNISON’s national delegateconference in June backed a strategythat opposed privatisation andcompulsory redundancies, defendedterms and conditions and worked tomaintain service delivery.

David Cameron wrote to publicservice workers asking for ideas on how to reduce the deficit. UNISONresponded that cutting public serviceswould not help. As Clare points out, onein three private sector jobs in the northdepend on the public sector.

Instead, UNISON is suggesting that a‘Robin Hood Tax’ on the banks – together

with simple measures to reduce taxevasion and avoidance by big corporationsand the super-rich – could raise morethan £50bn a year. That’s more thanenough to reverse the £31.9bn cuts topublic services and welfare spending thatwere announced by George Osborne in his emergency budget.

Back in the northern region, despite a packed schedule of meetings, Claretakes time out to articulate her clearvision of why public services areimportant.

“I believe in a fairer society and weknow there is massive inequality. Whenyou hit public services it is always themost vulnerable who pay the price.Meanwhile the people who caused thecrisis are not held responsible in any way.”

David Cameron has been a bit slowabout getting the message. UNISON isdetermined he will hear it. ULaurence Pollocku.magazine@unison.co.uk

‘Already 1,000 posts at Northumberlandcounty council’s 7,000-strongworkforce are at risk’

This campaign was part fundedby UNISON’s general politicalfund. For more information visitunison.org.uk/gpf

‘UNISON is workingacross the country tocounteract the impactof massive cuts oncommitted publicservice staff and themillions of people whodepend on them’

Kenny Bell

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On the 6th of May, says Dave Prentis, “our worldchanged.” That was, ofcourse, the day of the

general election, one of the strangest inliving memory – and one of the mostdamaging to the nation. “On 6th ofMay,” he continues, “we had a coalitionbeing formed, which didn’t have amandate to make the savage cuts they’renow making – the Tories didn’t win theelection, the Liberal Democrats had aterrible election. They have formed acoalition merely to have power. Andthey are implementing the most right-wing agenda this country has ever seen.”

The UNISON general secretarypauses, and repeats the words. “Everseen”. It’s a chilling summary of wherethe country stands – not least itspublic services.

But Mr Prentis is unbowed by thechallenge. “We’ve got everything to fight for. We shouldn’t be scared, weshouldn’t be holding our heads downand be worried about the future. It’s ourtime to actually be there and do whattrade unions were created for, which is stand up for workers against theonslaught against us.”

Having been in the union for over 30years, progressing from NALGO intern,to assistant general secretary throughoutthe Thatcher years, to UNISON generalsecretary in 2000, Mr Prentis is betterplaced than most to assess the currentcrisis and the confrontation at hand.

“I’ve seen what the Tories have beenable to do in the past, what a Labourgovernment has done, and what a Labourgovernment has done badly,” he says.“What we’re finding now is that the Toriesare on a mission. They always believed ina smaller state – even in the last election,

when we had growth, the Tories putforward an agenda to reduce publicservices by 25%. And when the Torieswere last in power they didn’t build asingle hospital, they didn’t renew a single school. They’re going back to type,reinforced by the Liberal Democrats, whoare now converts, moving forward withmissionary zeal to make deeper cuts,probably, than the Tories could have gotaway with by themselves.

“Many of these cuts are ideological –40% of public service jobs in some areasare now under threat. A treasury reportsays 600,000 jobs will go in the public

sector, 700,000 jobs in the private sector,in the next two to three years. That willdecimate our public services. And thepeople who will suffer will be the mostvulnerable in our society – elderly peopledependent on social care, young children,adults depending on care homes. All ofthe services that have been put in placeover decades are now under threat.”

Mr Prentis makes a stark comparisonbetween the political situation when hefirst became general secretary, duringNew Labour’s first term, and now. “For many years we were arguing forimprovement, for investment, for betterand more comprehensive public services.Now we are fighting to save them,” he

says. “We’re fighting for the lives of ourmembers – their jobs, the services thatthey provide, our members’ pensions,and our members’ pay.”

But he also makes another, much morepositive observation about the past decade.

“When I took over as generalsecretary, UNISON was a very youngunion, just seven years old. In the 10years since, we’ve seen it develop intothe most powerful union in the country,the union with the best democracy, thebest involvement of members, and aunion that doesn’t just talk about payand conditions and protecting members– which is at the heart of everything wedo – but has also developed a clearethos, an ethos based on a fairer society,on the quality of public services withinour communities, and on equalities.

“And we’ve seen those values put intopractice. UNISON has been the drivingforce for equal pay, it has engaged thegovernment against privatisation andfor investment in public services, it haspushed for the protection of the most

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“We’re fighting for thelives of our members –their jobs, the servicesthat they provide, ourmembers’ pensions,and our members’ pay”

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Dave Prentis, UNISON’s newly re-elected generalsecretary, has a rousing message for UNISON members

‘It’sour time’

vulnerable in our society, for the alleviation of child poverty and of suffering in thedeveloping world. And it’s been UNISON that has taken on the BNP.

“So yes, times have changed dramatically.But I believe the union has grown so well overthe past 17 years, that we’re exactly where weneed to be to meet the challenge.”

UNISON’s fight back is spearheaded by itsMillion Voices campaign, which includes theunion’s alternative economic agenda for dealingwith the deficit, while standing up for publicservices and showing the British people what is going to happen if those services are lost.

Until now, all discussion about the cuts hasrevolved around figures, Mr Prentis observes.“It is only recently that we’ve seen on nationaltelevision what will actually happen under thiscoalition, when the Tories announced theywere stopping the school rebuildingprogramme. Suddenly we were looking at thedilapidated schools that our children will haveto go to. That’s the first time that we’ve seen,on TV, the effects of the cuts.

“I don’t think the public realised they werevoting for such draconian measures. As theeffects become more and more apparent,UNISON has to make sure that our localcommunities are aware of who’s responsible –the Tories and the Liberal Democrats.”

Likewise, more must be done to educatethe public on the validity of the Robin HoodTax as an alternative to the government’sagenda. “The banks are contributingabsolutely nothing to dealing with thedeficit. And this is definitely wrong. TheRobin Hood Tax is only a small tax onmajor transactions by banks, but it willbring in £20bn a year, which would mean£20bn fewer cuts.

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“I think when ordinary workingpeople find out that by having this tax, along with other ideas in UNISON’salternative budget, we could avoid cuts in services, that idea will really gaincurrency. Whether it comes in this yearor next, or when we get a Labourgovernment again, the Robin Hood Tax will come in.”

In all this, he says, “We’ve got to win the hearts and minds of the public.And that’s a big challenge. We’ve got tobe working far more with communityorganisations, patient organisations,London Citizens, all those groupsconcerned about what is happening totheir community services. We’ll also beforming alliances with other publicservice unions. We can’t do this alone.We’re dealing with one government, onemission, we’ve got to come together asunions and have a co-ordinated strategy.”

He says there is encouragement to bedrawn from the general election. “Sixmonths before the election we were toldthere was no hope, that the Tories

would win a 100 seat majority. But thatdidn’t happen. Moreover, they did nottalk about the deep cuts that they arenow making, and I do not believe theyhave got the support of the country tomake those cuts.

“That gives me a sense of optimism,because now people know the truth. If we can rebuild a Labour Party thatstands up for working people, and if we can work with community groups, I think we have the opportunity to comethrough this – not just as a strongerunion, but as a fairer society. I thinkthat’s what the people of this country want.”

Mr Prentis could not have chosen a more tumultuous time in which toseek, and win re-election as generalsecretary. But he would not wish to beanywhere but here. “UNISON is a wayof life for me, it’s not a job. I feel likeI’ve achieved the pinnacle of what Ialways wanted to be.

“I’m really proud of our members and the jobs that they do. And that’s whatmotivates me – helping people who are doing such a great job in ourcommunities.” UDemetrios Matheoud.matheou@unison.co.uk

‘The Robin Hood Tax is only a small tax onmajor transactions bybanks, but it will bringin £20bn a year’

UNISON is calling on itsmembers to support theTUC’s Europe-wide day ofaction against cuts on 29September. For moreinformation visit etuc.org

If you want to make an equal pay claim, you should contact UNISON as soon as possible.

There is a strict time limit on making a claim. You have only six months from any change in your employment situation.

So you must contact UNISON urgently if you have for example in the last six months:

� ended your employment (eg you retired or resigned);

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For more information, or to request a claim form or fact sheet, call UNISON on 0845 355 0845 (textphone 0800 9 967 968)* or contact your regional offi ce on:Eastern 01245 608 918East Midlands 0845 355 0845Greater London 0845 355 0845Northern 0845 355 0845Northern Ireland 0845 355 0845North West 0161 661 6740Scotland 0870 7777 006South East 0845 355 0845South West 0117 968 9479Cymru/Wales 029 2072 9415West Midlands 0121 685 3127Yorkshire and Humberside 0845 355 0845

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IIf this government picks a fight withus, then we will be ready for them,”declared general secretary DavePrentis to a packed and cheering

audience at UNISON’s national delegateconference in Bournemouth.

Conference is where delegates fromall over the country get together anddecide the path the union will take overthe coming year. And they welcomedMr Prentis’s rousing words as the threatof an all-out attack on public servicesloomed following the general election.

But the general secretary insisted the union is ready to meet that attack,warning: “Do not underestimate us: wewill be fierce defenders of our membersand the services they deliver – thegovernment won’t know what hit them.

“Don’t get me wrong. We are notlooking for a fight,” he added. “We willalways be prepared to talk, to engage, tonegotiate – that’s what trade unions do– and where we find agreement, tomove forward.”

But he did not shy away from thestrongest defence of public-sector pensions.

“If Nick Clegg comes for ourpensions, as he boasted only yesterday,then we will ballot for national strikeaction,” he affirmed to noisy and

enthusiastic applause.Mr Prentis was scathing in his view of

Cameron and Clegg – “politics’ answerto Jedward” – and their repeatedwarnings about the debt and the deficit.What they are proposing is “gutting, notcutting” public services, he said.

But he had a different message forUNISON members.

“The biggest danger is that peopleaccept the propaganda that all this isinevitable, that there is no alternative.But we will not allow people to losehope. We will stand up for a better way.”

There was an alternative, he said. The choice for the employers was to stopcutting pay and conditions, and startcutting out the contractors andmanagement consultants.

The choice for the councils, he said, was to stop council tax giveaways thatbenefit a few and start protecting theservices needed by the many.

And he had a special message forchancellor George Osborne: “Even you –

you do have a choice. Stop taking moneyfrom schools, hospitals, care homes.Have the guts to go back to the banks,the speculators, the profiteers and tellthem on our behalf – you pay for it.”

With conference delegates inspired by his words, the general secretaryhammered home the rallying cry todefend public services.

“We begin that fight, here, today. We will organise.

“We will organise public meetings and street demonstrations, in towns and cities, up and down the country.

“We will build lasting communityalliances, to defend our public services.We will promote an alternativeeconomic political and social agenda.”

And he received a standing ovationfor his rousing closing words.

“It is time to stand tall. We know whowe are. This is the time to lift our heartsand raise our flag. A brand new chapter:strong, determined, united. This is reallyour time.”

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Outgoing president Gerry Gallaghercommended the crucial role ofUNISON’s Million Voices campaignsince the change of government.

“The coalition is attempting tocon people into believing that ourpublic spending is somehow out ofcontrol,” he said. “Our campaign isabout knocking down these mythsand turning the focus back to whereit should be.”

This means focusing on taxingthe banks that caused the crisisrather than cutting public services.

The president urged all members:“Take action, starting today, anduse the campaign to take UNISON’smessage out there. Try to getinvolved where you can.”

He outlined the priorities for thecoming year: to build our strengthfor the challenges we face andensure that UNISON remains thefirst port of call for people needingsupport and protection.

“When the going gets tough, UNISONgets going,” incoming president AngelaLynes said as she introduced the annualreport with some fighting talk.

As a Glaswegian brought up in a typical trade union family, she took herinspiration from her grandfather, whotaught her: “Never show your fear, butalways show your fight”.

“It reminds me what trade unions arehere for,” she told delegates. “I don’t fearwhat is ahead for us. Because I am up forthe fight. And this union is up for the fight.”

“In UNISON, we may work in differentsectors and have different employers; wemay have different identities and speakwith different accents; we may havedifferent home lives or responsibilities –but wherever I have been this year, I have

seen that we are all facing the same issues. “A redundancy is a redundancy,

whether you are in London or Glasgow.Cuts in service bite just as hard in localgovernment as they do in health care.A pay freeze hurts whether you are gayor straight.

“Now, more than ever we need to joinour voices together to make ourselvesheard. We have A Million voices, but we areone union – and we will show our fight.”

‘Never show yourfear, always showyour fight’

Public service workers – we are all in this together

“Spreading the burden evenly? For theTories, that might mean the moat getscleaned less often!” – that was how Jane Carolan, chair of the NEC policycommittee, opened conference’s keynotedebate on the economy.

Speaking of all the myths and outrightlies that have been spread about thefinancial crisis and who is to blame for it,she noted, “The most repellent lie is thatthe cuts are inevitable.”

And the cuts certainly aren’t fair. Thepoorest in the country rely on publicservices the most and will suffer the mostas they are cut, and public sector workersnow fear for their jobs as the bankers

carry on regardless. But there is an alternative. Richard von

Abendorff of Goldsmiths said: “Slash andburn economics don’t work — investmentworks”, joining the ranks of economistswho have lined up to criticise savage Con-Dem cuts.

And UNISON Labour Link chair SteveWarwick added that if the governmentwanted to cut waste, it should start byscrapping the bureaucracy ofmarketisation, PFI and consultants.

He told delegates to “go out into thecommunities and explain to people thatthere really is an alternative to the policesof the Con-Dem coalition.”

Cuts are not inevitable

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‘Try to getinvolved whereyou can’

School meals worker AudreyParkinson won a standing ovationfrom delegates after describing thebattle that school meals workers,cleaners, porters, canteen andsecurity staff – all working for privatecompanies – have been waging fordecent pay and conditions.

Ms Parkinson, who is employed by Compass in Sheffield, earns just£6.17 an hour – barely above theminimum wage.

She told delegates: “I get no sickpay. I regularly do unpaid work.There is a shortage of cutlery, sosome of my colleagues buy extracutlery to make sure all the childrenget their food on time.

“We love our jobs and we loveworking with the kids. We feed thechildren – what could be a moreresponsible job? But I have to feedmy own children and my own family.”

What makes that difficult, shesaid, is working for a multinationalbusiness. Compass employs morethan 400,000 people in 80 differentcountries around the world and runsschool meals contracts all over theUK. Last year, it made £773m inpre-tax profit.

Ms Parkinson is one of a growingnumber of UNISON memberscampaigning as part of the union’sThree Companies Project, whichtargets the multinational privatecompanies Compass, Aramark andSodexo that are now winning themajority of public-sector contractsin the NHS and schools.

“We workers in Compass aregetting organised,” she said. “Weare trying to build a powerful union with high density – withsustainable, high membership and a strong voice.”

School meals worker wins standing ovation

UNISON delegates took the battle for public sectorpensions to the government, with proposals that wouldcounter the threat of cuts from Whitehall.

Central to UNISON’s approach would be a reductionof the funds within the Local Government PensionScheme, from the current 101 to single funds forEngland, Wales and Scotland – and to greatly reduce the costs paid to fund managers.

Managing the funds in-house would prevent millionsof pounds of pension fund income going to bankersand traders.

The NEC’s Bob Oram told delegates that the samebankers and traders who took the country into recessionwere the same bankers and traders who were chargedwith managing the pension funds – earning a massive£250m in 2009.

“They’re the ones who created the mess we’re in. Andyet the amounts they have been charging us to manageour money have been going up and up.”

In 2009, Clwyd paid investment managers £57 forevery £100 earned. While West Yorkshire members,managed in-house, paid just £1 for every £100 earned.

“The difference between the two is size,” Mr Oram said.“West Yorkshire is a fund with assets of £6bn, Clwyd just£750m. And because of its size West Yorkshire is able topay its own fund managers, who are directly employed byBradford Council and are not economic mercenaries.

“Their sole aim is to make money for fund members,rather than themselves.”

There is also more economic power if the many fundsare merged. Research shows that three funds, instead ofthe 101 that currently exist, would bring in an extra £1bna year in income, from their size alone.

“The bigger the investment fund the larger the return,”Mr Oram said. “In this case, size really does matter.”

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Singer/songwriter Billy Bragg led UNISON delegates in astirring rendition of the Robin Hood theme, sang behind a sea of natty green masks.

But behind the jovial performance was a serious point –the support of a tax on the financial sector that could gosome way to saving public services from the knife.

Conference voted in favour of placing the union firmlybehind the campaign for a Robin Hood Tax, a financialtransactions tax levied on banks and City firms.

It is estimated that a global tax of around 0.05% on suchtransactions as currency trading, and the selling of stocksand shares and so-called ‘derivatives’ could raise £250bn a year internationally.

This money could be used to protect and promote publicservices, combat poverty at home and abroad, and tackleclimate change.

It’s likely that such a tax would also deter the sort ofirresponsible speculation that led to the current crisis.

Jean Butcher of the NEC told delegates: “Not only can weargue that public services should not be cut, but that thereare other simple and effective ways to deal with theeconomic problems – while controlling the banking sectorat the same time.

“What makes this campaign so critical to UNISONmembers is that it recognises the value of public servicesin tackling equality and poverty in the UK and around the world.”

The model for the Robin Hood Tax is the Tobin Tax,which has long been supported by UNISON.

The current campaign is the brainchild of the comedywriter and director Richard Curtis, but is supported by a coalition that includes the TUC, Oxfam and 100 civilsociety organisations.

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“Let’s be united about defending the NHS,” the NEC’sClare Williams told delegates as she opened a passionatedebate on defending the National Health Service.Delegates took the opportunity to show their backing forcolleagues in support roles – many of whom have beentreated in government propaganda as though they areunimportant and easy to do without.

“We’re all one team and we must resist efforts to divideus,” said Ms Williams, noting the way that members ofthe government have been attempting to suggest thatthey can make cuts by getting rid of ‘backroom’ jobswithout affecting ‘frontline services’.

Linda Hobson told conference that she was a nurse,but asked: “How could I do my job properly without thecaterers and cleaners?”

Ms Williams also warned of links between theConservatives and private care companies such as CareUK, the chairman of which gave health secretary AndrewLansley £21,000 in political funding.

And she said that “a health warning” should be placedon the Conservatives’ talks of co-operatives, adding thatthe new health board that the coalition government wasto set up would be a new and costly quango.

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Commitment to fairnessdrives Julie Robinson inher work as an equalitiesofficer in Ashfield

My job’s about…...making sure that the authorityrepresents all parts of the communityand I’m there to make sure that happens.

Every procedure, policy andfunction provided has to be equalityassessed, and I have to make surethat’s done properly.

Quite often I get told, “Oh I hadn’tthought of that!” For example, where Iwork the statistics say there’s only 1.2%minority ethnic population, and that’smainly Second World War Polish. Sowhen you look at access services, youthink you only need things translatedinto Polish. But I noticed that all thefood outlets are run by Kurdish, Turkish,Bangladeshi and Chinese people.

We’ve got to make sure they know thattranslation services are available - it’sreally important in the food industrybecause of health and safety.

We all have to be mindful, because the statistics can give a false sense ofwhat’s happening.

The best moments in my job…...are talking to the community, helpingand advising people.

And I like challenging people, asking ‘have you thought of this?’ I like itwhen I feel I’m educating people, andmaking them think. It’s hard work, butit’s enjoyable.

Fairness is in my blood…My mum did a man’s job – in the ‘50sand ‘60s she was a bus cleaner. Peopleshouldn’t be restricted in the jobs theydo because of discrimination.

Why did I become active in the union?Because equality and trade unions areall part of the same thing – making sure

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‘I like it when I feel I’meducating people, andmaking them think. It’shard work, but it’senjoyable’

that people are done right by. I’m where I am today because of

the trade union movement. I was always banging on as a trade union rep. I remember the authority set up a women’s forum to try and break theglass ceiling, but they only invited thewomen who’d already made it. So I gotonto them and said, ‘What about therest of us?’ That’s how it started.

When I think about the future, I feel uncertain…I don’t know if I’ll have a job next year, but I’m not the only one, at leastwe’ve got UNISON here to fight for us.

In the 1980s when I joined theauthority it was a job for life. I’ve seen the Thatcher years, I’ve seenprivatisation, and now I think it’s going to be worse than that.

The Tories think my job is a waste of money. They don’t want publicservices to be public, they want them to be private. Because if it’s not a publicbody you haven’t got the legislation to

challenge discrimination. And thatmeans people will suffer.

I’m a disabled person…You’re born with your gender. You’reborn with your ethnicity. But you could become disabled at any time.

Because of my disability I have towork part time. The law now says that employers have to make areasonable adjustment to the work. But when I became disabled, I had to take my employer to court over it –and I won.

My job matters…In the current economic climate,employers are becoming more ruthless.And if equalities officers are going to becut, who’s going to stand up for people?We don’t know if the new government’scommitted to equalities. We’ve only justgot the new equalities legislation inplace, how can we be sure it’s going tobe properly implemented?

My work satisfies me…...if I can make life better for people atwork and in the community. Then Iknow I’ve done a good day’s work.

I relax by…...painting lead soldiers with my partner – little Napoleonic models. I met him when I joined a quiz league. Who’d ever have thought it?You join a quiz team and meet the man in your life! UClare Bayleyc.bayley@unison.co.uk

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To show your supportfor the work Julie doesjoin UNISON’s MillionVoices for PublicServices campaign atunison.org.uk/million

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There can be parasites,diseases, fecal contamination– so many horrible thingsthat you can see on aslaughtered animal. But the

reason they don’t get into the food chainis because we do our job. We enforce theregulations,” says Graham Cross, a meathygiene inspector based in Wales.

I meet him at a family owned and runabattoir in Maesteg, half an hour outside

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Cardiff. Contrary to popularmisconceptions about slaughterhouses,this MK Meats is clean, bright and tidy– all white panelling and gleamingstainless steel. The morning of my visit,25 beef cattle were slaughtered, all fromfarms within a 40 miles radius. Themeat is high quality Welsh beef destinedfor a local chain of pub restaurantssupplied by Celtic Pride.

Graham, who works for the FoodStandards Agency, is a softly spokenWelshman who is passionate about his job.

“Did you know that every cow has apassport?” he asks, showing me one froma beast who is now deceased, as of anhour ago. The passport has the cow’s eartag number and date of birth on the frontpage, as well as her breed, her mother’sear tag number and DOB. Inside welearn that the first owner sold the animalat Newport market to a Mr Llewellyn,who bought her on 21 April 2008.

“We perform a percentage of randompassport checks on every animal killedto make sure they are who we think theyare. The passports are then sent to theBritish Cattle Movement Service whorecord that the animal is dead – it’s an

anti-fraud measure in the wake of the BSE crisis,” explains Graham.

The inspectors make sure that thekilling is conducted efficiently andeffectively, to ensure the minimum ofsuffering to the animal. They check thathygiene is maintained throughout theprocess. Then a post mortem isperformed on every single cow, sheep,pig or poultry bird that is killed.

“Personally I don’t like bad welfare. I enforce the regulations. There’s zerotolerance of bad practice,” says Graham.

But he is not a sentimental man. “Ifan animal’s been bred for food, it’s beenbred for food,” he reasons. “One of thesatisfactions of the job is to walk aroundthe chiller at the end of the day, andknow you’ve been a part of that process.You see some nice sides of beef hangingup, and think that’s a cracker, that is,”he enthuses. A ribeye steak is hispersonal favourite.

You might wonder how someone endsup as a meat inspector, but Graham’sbackground, logically enough, was inbutchering. He became a butcher whenhe left school but soon moved intowholesale meat. “I found working in ashop and serving customers just wasn’t for me, to be perfectly honest,” he sayscandidly. “So I applied for a job with theMeat Hygiene Service as it was back then,did the training at Salford University toattain the Meat Inspectors qualificationand here I am 11 years later.”

His colleague, fellow UNISONmember and official veterinarian GinesRuiz also started out as a butcher. Heremembers that back in his native Spainthe vet who came to inspect the meatwas highly respected. “So I decided Iwanted to do that job,” he rememberswith a smile.

There are not enough British vets whowant to work in abattoirs, so Gines cameto the UK ten years ago and is now, saysGraham, “honorary Welsh”.

At Maesteg Graham and Gines are apermanent presence on killing days, andas this is a small operation the work isstraightforward.

“We’ve got a good workingrelationship here,” says Graham. “If theplant wants to do a good job, it makesour job easier. Nobody wants bad foodin the fridge.”

However, not all meat inspectors

have such a co-operative workingenvironment, as Simon Watson,UNISON’s national officer explains.

“Our members do a fantastic job, butoften in very difficult circumstances,” he says. “In some plants the inspectorsare seen as ‘awkward’ if they apply theregulations properly. Bullying andintimidation seem to be endemic in allparts of the meat production industry.”

In large scale abattoirs there may be70 cattle killed an hour, and largepoultry abattoirs can easily process well over a million birds a week. All areinspected. It takes teams of inspectorsto get the post mortems done properlyand in time.

Inspectors often work in premiseswhere pressure is applied for them toturn a blind eye to lapses of theregulations – even contaminated meat – if it risks slowing down production.

A slaughterhouse can be anintimidating and dangerousenvironment at the best of times, withits meat hooks, stun guns, electric shockdispensers and knives – never mind theblood vats and offal.

There have been horror stories where UNISON members have beenthreatened and assaulted. Many workersin abattoirs are migrants, and there wasan incident recently of a vet who is aUNISON member who was allegedlyseriously racially abused and threatened.

The regulations were recentlychanged, putting the responsibility onthe plant to ensure that animals are not muddy and wet when slaughtered,because this can cause contaminationwhen the hides and fleeces are removed.There is evidence that plants are notbeing rigorous in enforcing this, whichputs added pressure on meat inspectors.

“In the present environment,” says

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‘In some plants theinspectors are seen as awkward if theyapply the regulationsproperly. Bullying andintimidation seem to be endemic’

Simon Watson, “when large scale cuts arebeing made, it’s essential for public health thatmeat inspectors are not cut back. We’ve foughtoff a move to water down the regulations andintroduce self-regulation by the plants. Ourmembers are dedicated to protecting publichealth and they go way above and beyond thecall of duty to ensure it.”

“Fortunately we don’t get these problems in Maesteg and it would be wrong to tar allabattoirs with the same brush,” says Graham.Even two hours after the last animal waskilled, the plant is a hive of activity as

carcasses are prepared, the organs and by-products are dealt with and the whole place is hosed down and wiped clean.

All surfaces as well as carcasses aresubjected to routine swabbing to ensure thereare not high levels of bacterial infection. It’smore like a hospital than a slaughterhouse.

The good working relationship thatGraham enjoys is key to the successfulperformance of his functions. “You have tobuild a relationship up, but you can’t be tooclose either,” he says. “You’ve got to remainimpartial, and you can’t be allowed to

compromise yourself.” Like Graham, all meat inspectors are

dedicated to ensuring public health, and taketheir responsibilities very seriously. “We’ve all seen outbreaks of e-coli – in Scotland 13people died because of it, and even in Wales a child died and many more became seriouslyill in an outbreak linked to poor hygiene,”points out Simon Watson. “If you don’t haveproper meat inspection, these things happen.You can’t leave the industry to self-regulate”he insists.

And it’s thanks to people like Graham andGines that incidents like this don’t happenmore often – and that we can all safely enjoy a nice ribeye steak from time to time. UClare Bayleyc.bayley@unison.co.uk

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26

WATER, ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT

BritishWaterwaysoffers 1.5%UNISON is recommending a British Waterwayspay offer of 1.5% or £250, whichever is higher,consolidated into the basic salary for “level threeperformers” and above.

If accepted, this will be in the August paypacket, backdated to 1 July 2010.

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Members in higher and further education – along with colleagues in other unions and students – staged a ‘day of dissent’ in June.

Demanding the government protect education funding and recognise thateducation offers a way out of the recession, members from more than 100 collegesand universities protested in their workplaces and in rallies in cities across the UK.

Meanwhile, further education members in England are being consulted on a payoffer of 0.2% or £50 a year, consolidated, while UK-wide talks in higher educationcontinue in an attempt to get a pay offer members can be consulted on.

Find out more about the day of dissent, including pictures and comments from around the country, at unison.org.uk/dayofdissent

FIGHTING THE CUTS

UNISON members act todefend public servicesOur Million Voices for Public Services campaign has been putting thearguments before the public and politicians for more than a year – but with the election of a new coalition government and the huge cuts announced in its June budget, campaigning has stepped up a gearand members around the country are taking action.

Showing that they won’t take the blame for the bankers’ economic crisis,UNISON branches across the country – from Surrey to Glasgow and pointsbetween and beyond – took to the streets on budget day.

In Glasgow, some 150 union members gathered at lunch time in GeorgeSquare to protest against the cuts while another 200 took part in anevening demonstration.

Similar events took place in Edinburgh, Kingston in Surrey (pictured),Camden and towns and cities all across the UK.

And in the north-east of England UNISON played a key role in setting up a Public Services Alliance along with the Northern TUC, PCS and Unite.

HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Dissent grips the nationENERGY

Don’t playScrooge …UNISON is calling on ScottishPower andoutsourcing company Accenture to thinkagain on plans to make 200 workersredundant by Christmas.

Immediately after winning a multimillionpound contract for ScottishPower’s ITservices, Accenture announced that it was making 60% of the workforce, in eastKilbride and north Wales, redundant andmoving the work to India.

The union is consulting lawyers overwhether the move breaches the TUPE(transfer of undertakings) regulations.

Staff and students at the community college in Hackney, East Londonmade their voices heardST

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UNISON ‘win a car’ Terms and Conditions: Entry into the prize draw is automatic for UNISON members who apply for a: car insurance quotation (by telephone or online) and/or provide a renewal date for car and/or breakdown insurance (via coupons or online) through LV=Frizzell between 01/05/10 and 31/10/10. No purchase is necessary. One entry to the prize draw is available for one car insurance quotation and/or one renewal date for car and/or breakdown insurance. A maximum of 3 entries per person are permitted. The prize is a Mazda 2 1.3 TS2 5dr car with an ‘on the road’ guide price of £10,645. There is no cash alternative or refund available. The prize does not include any expenses arising in relation to the prize. The prize is non refundable and non transferable and is subject to availability. LV= reserves the right in its reasonable discretion to substitute any prize with an alternative prize of similar value. The prize draw is open to residents of the UK (excludes Channel Islands and Isle of Man) over 18 and under 80 years of age. The prize draw is not open to staff of LV= or UNISON or to their immediate family or to anyone directly connected with the prize draw. No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, delayed or damaged in the post. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt by LV=. The prize draw will be held on 12/11/10. THE CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF ENTRIES IS 31/10/10. A winner will be randomly selected by a judge appointed by LV=. The judge’s decision is final. The winner will be notified by post or telephone by 19/11/10 subject to UNISON membership being confirmed. All reasonable efforts will be made to contact winners. Where contact cannot be made an alternative winner will be selected at random and notified within 14 Days. The names of the judge and/or the winner are obtainable by sending an SAE to: UNISON Car PD, LV=, FHG B6, County Gates, Dorset, BH1 2NF up to 2 months after the closing date. The winner agrees to participate in publicity relating to the draw and to publication of his or her name and likeness and county of residence in various publications, mailings and websites for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize draw and for related marketing purposes. LV= reserves the right to amend the prize draw terms and conditions and to withdraw the prize at any time. Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited: registered address County Gates, Bournemouth, BH1 2NF.

UNISON acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative to the Liverpool Victoria group of companies for General Insurance . LV= and FRIZZELL are registered trade marks of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited and LV= and FRIZZELL are trading styles of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited, registered in England and Wales No. 3232514 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, register number 202965. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth, BH1 2NF. Tel 01202 292333.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Injury added to insultUNISON has hit out at councils in England, Wales andNorthern Ireland who have refused to pay even the £250 a year rise for low paid public workers promised in thegovernment’s budget.

Council employers are still refusing to make any pay offer– and have now declared they won’t even pay out theminimal rise promised in the budget.

In Scotland, members are being asked to reject a threeyear pay offer described as “unacceptable” by UNISON lead negotiator Dougie Black.

Councils have made a three year offer of 1% in the firstyear, 0% in the second and 0.5% in the third.

POLICE AND JUSTICE

Honour pay dealPolice minister Nick Herbert has been urged to “give police staff his backing, and pledge to honour the third year of their pay deal” – something the coalition government has already done for police officers.

The move comes after Wiltshire police authority unilaterally broke the national deal and refused to pay staff the agreed 2.58%rise for this year.

“Inflation is running at 5% and VAT will push prices up even morenext year,” noted national officer Ben Priestley. “It is only right thatpolice staff get the same assurances on their pay as police officers.”

HEALTHCARE

Back where they belongHealth workers in Northern Irelandcelebrated the end of the last remainingprivatised NHS contract in April.

More than 200 employees providing cleaning, catering,portering, transport, security andtelephone services in Belfast’sMusgrave Park Hospital returned in house in April (pictured), after

19 years of privatisation.“This was the longest and last

privatised contract in our healthservice,” said regional secretary PatriciaMcKeown. “It is the final in-housereturn of workers who were put through hell to serve political dogma.

“They have persevered, and justice is theirs at last.”

FIND OUT MORE

unison.org.ukhealthcare

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30

FICTION MUSICFICTIONRE

VIEWS

Time Flies… 1994–2009Oasis

Oasis finally broke up last year,after yet another back-stagealtercation between thefamously squabbling Noel and Liam Gallagher.

It was, as they say, the end ofan era: for the UK music scene,for the tabloids who feasted onthe brothers’ antics, and for theManchester boys themselves,who had been at the forefront of Britpop, and at the top of thecharts for 15 years.

Billed as “the complete singlescollection” this is a timely andapposite compilation. And these26 tracks provide an amazinglyconsistent array of catchy,stirring rock and pop.

Songwriter Noel is perhapsthe Beatles’ most famousdisciple – Don’t look back inanger, their first number one –is one of many that could havebeen knocked out by Lennon & McCartney.

But there are many otherinfluences here, from TheRolling Stones and The Kinks, to The Stone Roses. The result isnever merely derivative, becausethe final ingredient of such greatsongs as Wonderwall, Roll withit, Some might say, andSongbird is Liam’s voice, onemoment full of attitude, anotherrousing, then surprisingly sweet.

If these were the vinyl days,Time Flies would quickly beworn out. As Liam would say,“mad for it”.

DEMETRIOS MATHEOU

House RulesBy Jodi PicoultPublished by Hodder & Stoughton(hbk)

After her hugely popular bookabout self-sacrificing siblings, My Sister’s Keeper, novelist JodiPicoult examines two youngbrothers caught up in the legalsystem in this compelling thriller.

Fifteen-year-old Theo is a bright,normal kid who lovesskateboarding. His older brother,18-year-old Jacob, is also verybright, but not so normal (or“neurotypical”, as the bookexplains), because he has Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism. This meansJacob has trouble making eyecontact, has peculiar obsessions – in his case, with forensics – anddifficulty empathising with others.

All these traits make him look likea prime suspect when his tutor isfound dead. Even though peoplewith Asperger’s almost never lie,Theo and even the boys’ single-parent mother have their doubtsabout Jacob’s innocence.

Told in brisk little chapters byalternating voices, this is prettygripping stuff. Never one to shirkher research, Picoult crams in a lotof information about autism anduses the condition inventively togenerate suspense, while stillmaking Jacob’s charactersympathetic. Her style can be a littleclunky at times, and this could havedone with some judicious editing,but there’s no denying Picoult’s skillas a storyteller.

LESLIE FELPERIN

The Last WeekendBy Blake MorrisonPublished by Chatto & Windus (hbk)

When Ian and Emily Goade receivea surprise invitation to spend theAugust bank holiday with oldfriends, in a remote country house,they’re sceptical about the motive.But, desperate for a break, theytake up the offer.

Ollie and Daisy Moore are aptlynamed – they seem to have more of everything. Ian, who knew themboth at university, has always beeninvolved in a fierce competitionwith Ollie, his more privilegedfriend. Ian is jealous yet adoring,resentful of Ollie’s patronage, yet besotted.

As the weekend begins, amidchronic traffic and in swelteringheat, tensions start to bubblebeneath the surface of theserelationships.

And once at the house, adevastating piece of news combines with a long-forgotten bet, to ratchet up that tension.

Blake Morrison’s take on thecountry house mystery may have apretty predictable denouement andsome sketchily drawn characters,but it’s driven forward by the central character, Ian, who narrates the story.

The thing is, just how reliable anarrator is he? In his developmentof Ian, Morrison makes us wonderabout the difference betweendelusion and reality, fantasy andtruth. These questions are what givethe novel its impetus and interest –in an increasingly horrific way.

AMANDA KENDAL

31

MUSIC DVD DVD

Can’t Be TamedMiley Cyrus

I’ve been listening to Miley Cyrussince I was eight, when she wasfamous for playing HannahMontana on TV. Every time shehas a new album, or film, I’mreally excited.

This is her third album, and herbiggest break from her TV image,which is aimed at kids. She’s 17now, and seems to want acompletely different audience.Miley wants to go global!

I think she might lose some ofher younger fans. Her old songscame from the heart, and wereabout things we all thought about,like believing in yourself. A lot ofthe new ones are love songs, andquite grown up. In PermanentDecember she talks about “sexyboys in every city”, with cars,money and clothes. We don’t havethat at school in west London!

But I really like the music. She used to sing with just aguitar, or a small band, but nowshe uses lots of instruments andcomputers. And it’s a lot morerock than pop. Liberty wall hasnice harmonies and a complexrhythm. Can’t be tamed sounds a bit like Lady Gaga.

She used to be famous for beingher daddy’s little girl. Now she’sdefinitely just Miley Cyrus.

JOSIE DIXEY WATSON

BrothersDirected by Jim Sheridan

Hollywood remakes of Europeanfilms are usually unnecessary, andregrettable. But Brothers stands upvery well in its own right. Aretelling of a Danish film of thesame name, it offers a powerfulreflection on the damage done toarmy families back home, by theoccupations in the Middle East.

Tobey Maguire plays a respectedmarine officer, Sam Cahill, whogoes missing, presumed dead whileon tour in Afghanistan. In hisabsence, his brother Tommy (JakeGyllenhaal), the dark sheep newlyreleased from prison, becomes agood friend to Sam’s wife Grace(Natalie Portman) and his twoyoung daughters.

But Sam is not dead. The film’sfirst half moves between the States,where the family is coming toterms with their loss, and theAfghan desert, where the marine isheld prisoner by Taliban fighters;the second half deals with Sam’sreturn home. Rather than joy,Grace and her girls feel increasinganxiety as they have to deal with achanged man – traumatised, bitter,and dangerously jealous of hisbrother’s place in their hearts.

Jim Sheridan directs withrestraint, allowing the actors tocarry the heavy emotional load ofhis story. Maguire, with the mostgruelling journey to convey, justnicks the honours.

DM

The Last Station Directed by Michael Hoffman

Pictures of the great Russiannovelist Leo Tolstoy show aseemingly doddery old man, with a beard so long you could hangdecorations on it.

But appearances can deceive.And according to The Last Station,his later life was far from doddery.This is a rollicking tale full of loveand lust, egomania and folly, andthe tragedy of a creative talentlanguishing amidst pettysquabbles.

Based on the novel by Jay Parini,it concerns the almighty battle overTolstoy’s literary estate – betweenhis wife, the Countess Sofya (HelenMirren), and Valentin Chertkov(Paul Giamatti), the leader of thewriter’s pacifist movement, theTolstoyans, who believed that Warand Peace and Anna Kareninashould be bequeathed to theRussian people.

Tolstoy’s country estate may seema land of bucolic bliss, but is in factthe venue for an ill-tempered battleof wits, with the writer himself(played by Christopher Plummer as a jovial man of the people) caughtin the middle.

Set in 1910, this could be thesort of literary, period piece that flounders on the big screen.That it doesn’t, is due to a scriptabuzz with intelligence andhumour, brought to life by asuperlative cast.

DM

A special review by 11-year-old Josie DixeyWatson

32

Alphajig Each of the 26 answers starts with a different letter of the alphabet– solve the easy clues and work out where the answers go – usethe answer lengths to give you help. I’ve even given you two tostart you off – so you can cross off T, C and the clues to themstraight away – and now you know where 3 others go.

by Caper

w

d

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SWOR

DS Puzzle fun!

z

A plain puzzleA nice and easy plain crossword to warm you up for the sterner challenges ahead.

ACROSS1 Performing complex

calculations (6, 9)9 Long grained rice (7)10 Person from Tel Aviv,

say (7)11 Toy on a string (2-2)12 Evergreen houseplant –

Anagram of as it’s rapid (10)13 Crime against the nation (7)15 Small Italian dumpling (7)17 More flavoursome (7)19 Taking skin off an

orange, say (7)20 Decisively beaten so

as to look inferior (10)22 Things sold at an

auction (4)25 More shabby (7)26 Cobain’s band (7)27 Novelty event involving

tying limbs together (5-6, 4)

DOWN1 Common name of

Norbert Stiles (5)2 Northern side dish (5, 4)3 Mild Dutch cheese (4)4 Deep red (7)5 Joining up (7)6 Flesh eater (9)7 Clumsy (5)8 Pulling a negative face (9)13 Retaliation in kind (3, 3, 3)14 Painting of inanimate

objects (5, 4)16 Small sausage (9)18 Set aside for future use (7)19 Coin – A hundred equalled

a Deutsche Mark (7)21 Someone giving

instruction (5)23 Frighten (5)24 Dry and dusty (4)

n

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■ Sticky ooze (3)■ First name of Arsenal

player, Campbell (3)■ Mesh (3)■ Flightless Aussie (3)■ Famous American college (4)■ Encourage (4) ■ Garden party (4)■ Pile high (4) ■ Small drum generally

played in pairs (5)■ One spelling of Russian

Emperors (5)■ Heats (5)■ Monetary unit of Poland (5) ■ Refuse to take notice of (6)■ Footballer between the

sticks (6)

■ In the present time (7)■ Sustained period of low

rainfall (7)■ Nervous – rhymes with

glittery (7)■ Collection of books (7)■ Less noisy (7)■ Pastry dish or a hat (4,3)■ Shake or oscillate (7)■ Keep oneself from taking

action or piece of a song (7)■ Using a copier (8) ■ Of a well in which water

rises by pressure (8)■ Soldiers in formation

walking in front of adignitary (5, 4)

■ Short witty comments (3-6)

WINTICKETS TO A LONDONSHOW!Send your answers to all three puzzles to the

address below by Friday 24 September

OverlapsEach clue contains a definition of the answer as usual – but also aconsecutive letter mix of the answer – straddling more than one wordbut never “touching” the definition – for example7 Deadliest new gun (4)

Gives STEN which is defined by GUN , the letters of which can be found in DEADLIEST NEW – all mixed up

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w b

d f

ae

e

ACROSS5 Airport workers making

stand for fuselage (6, 5)7 Deadliest new gun (4)8 I don’t be especially well

behaved (8)9 Girl meets priests at places

of worship (7)11 Polluting air contains

smoke (5)13 Fear special weapon (5)14 Older aunts amble (7)16 Occupant wants entire

dwelling (8)17 Philip ate Middle Eastern

bread (4)18 Piece of food cooking

arouses alligator (7, 4)

DOWN1 Show one’s bum on

motorbike (4)2 Rooks enter game (7)3 Eats red flower (5)4 Frightening maniac is one

good at tricks (8)5 Red top journos,

nevertheless, regretstupidity (6,5)

6 Basic woman flaunted (11)10 Expensive metal – except

aluminium (8)12 Scales the forts (7)15 Started growing beans (5)17 Bad for operations (4)

ANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUEAlphajigAdmire, Byron, Chamber, Dry runs, Err, Fabrics, Graphic, Hush, Ice cube, Ju-ju, Knee, Lord, Mollusc, Nineteen, Opt, Precisely, Quips, Richer, Steel, Tor, Use, Vultures, Wrecker, X-rays, You said it, ZebedeeAlphajig 2Across: 1. UNISON 7 Priest, 8 Narrow, 9 Used, 10 Libretto, 11 Blue jay, 13 Alter, 15 Local, 17 Outrank, 20 Iolanthe, 21 Mope, 23 Claire, 24 LouderDown: 1 Urns, 2 Needle, 3 Italian, 4 Snobs, 5 Orwell, 6 Northern, 12 Loo rolls, 14 Rubella, 16 Arabia, 18 Rumour, 19 Steel, 22 PreyOverlapsAcross: 4 Samba, 7 East Ender, 10 Orchard, 11 Often, 15 Melville, 17 Unstable, 18 Tartar sauce, 19 At large, 20 Inter, 22 GasDown: 1 Gym, 2 Easter, 3 Ebony, 5 Bachelor pad, 6 Self-assured, 8/2A Private eye, 9 Felafel, 12 Bee, 13 Nurseries, 14 Ale, 16 E-mailing, 21 Tan

Fela! is an award-winninghybrid of dance, theatre andmusic, based on the life andworld of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

It is showing at the National Theatre in London in November andDecember and we have five pairs of tickets to give away to the firstfive correct answers to this issue’s competition drawn from ourlucky hat.

The prizes are courtesy of The National Theatre. If you don’t want tomiss out, you can find out more about the show, and booking detailsat nationaltheatre.org.uk/fela (booking office 020 7452 3000).

But for a chance to win free tickets, please send your filled-ingrids for all three of this issue’s crosswords in one envelope,together with your name and address, to U magazine crosswordcompetition, UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9AJ, toreach us by Friday 24 September.

The lucky winners of digital radios from the last issue are:D Clegg, Bolton; Rachel Dilworth, London; Mr WGH Tickner,Dagenham; Dawn Harrison, Devon; Lynn Thomson, Aberdeen;May McFaden, Glasgow; Pam Young, Grimsby; Colin Newland,Middlesex, Donna Bailey, Birmingham, Mrs J Morris, Lincolnshire.

WINTICKETS TO FELA!

Got something to say?U welcomes readers’ letters (we reserve the right to editcontributions). Please send them to The Editor, U Magazine,UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9AJor email them to u.magazine@unison.co.uk

You must provide your full name and address although we will of course not print it.

Stand up, speakout, be counted

As a retired UNISON memberI usually scan somewhatquickly when I receive themagazine. However when Icame upon your article in thelatest edition ‘Stand up, speakout, be counted’ I found it tobe a breath of fresh air.

What an excellent article,well written and nicely laidout. The article came across as genuine and real. Lots ofapplause from me.Ed Forteby email

Over 65 doesn’tmean over the hill

As a member of UNISON I feel that I should speak outabout the workers who areapproaching age 65 who havebeen discriminated againstand are being forced to retirewhen they are asking for oneor two years more work togive them a better life whenthey retire.

We are the mostexperienced and reliablepeople I know and should be given the choice.Alphenis AnthonyLeicester

Carer speaks outAfter almost 25 years in theNHS it is with a heavy heartthat I write. Over the years Ihave watched a great healthservice where patients werefirst all the time go into a bigdecline where now we aretop heavy with managers whojust don’t care.

In some wards trained staffdon’t touch patients at all. If there are two nursingassistants on duty they are left with the lion’s share of thework. Fortunately the ward Iworked in the staff were handson, we worked as a team.

There is a constantmovement of patients, at alltimes during the night. Peoplein their 80s getting moved at2am, 3am, 4am or 5am – nowonder these poor patientsare confused.

Patients should be ourpriority. The job I loved doing, caring for people, is

LETTER

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34

not there any more. There are great nurses out there and some good managers who understand what ishappening.

I’m sorry to sound off like this.Name and address supplied

Still active!In response to your letter ‘Still active’. I am in the WestMercia police branch ofUNISON (retired). Howwonderful to hear of UNISONgroups that have a life! Iwould love to go on days out and activities, not toostrenuous though!Jennifer BechelliStourport

Thank youI wanted to write and thankUNISON for their part insponsoring me to attend BirzeitUniversity. I’m at the final

UN

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FOR UNISONMEMBERS ANDTHEIR FAMILIES

STAND UP

SPEAK OUT

BE COUNTED

‘The job I loveddoing, caring forpeople, is not there anymore’

‘How wonderfulto hear ofUNISON groupsthat have a life!’

SIM

ON

CLA

RK

/EY

EBO

X

We think all our membersdeserve a bouquet. And soevery issue we send one toone member, nominated byfriends and colleagues, as atoken to all those membersdoing something special – or even something ordinary.

As always, we had lots ofnominations for this issue –every one of whom deserves abouquet. So we had to make a tough choice.

But the winner of this issue’sbouquet is Julia Kendall. Juliawas nominated by her friendson Ward G of the mental healthunit at Neath Port Talbothospital in Wales, in particularLinda Davies.

Julia has been at the hospitalfor years, and Linda writes thatshe “has always had a specialway of nursing our elderly,frail, scared, violent andconfused patients with anabundance of empathy andreassurance.” Even when herjob becomes difficult andfrustrating, she manages to“see beyond the illness.”

Julia and her family have had ahard time recently, as a cancerJulia previously suffered fromhas returned. Linda writes that

Julia is “a mother, a daughter, a friend, a colleague, aninspiration”. She would like totell Julia that all the staff at WardG believe she is “incrediblybrave and courageous” andwant to say thank you to her for her “unfailing support and unfailing courage”.

We agree with Julia and abeautiful bouquet of flowers is on its way to her now.

If you’d like to nominatesomeone, write to us, markingyour envelope ‘Bouquet to a member’, saying why yournominee deserves a bouquet,and giving their name andaddress and your contactnumber. We will pick out alucky winner and send themthe flowers.

Write to Bouquet to amember, U magazine,UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place,London WC1H 9AJ.

Bouquet to a member

stage, the final semester. I amenjoying the last three months at this lovely university.

About the university life, it’s really hard to leave thisuniversity which I consider as the best. Thanks to the all the British unions who coveredmost of my financial commitmentsthrough giving grants.

I am practising in an engineeringoffice at the same time side by sidewith my study. I feel I am little busybut any way I hope it will offer memore chances in work opportunitiesin future.

I am really grateful to the friendsof Birzeit University and the Britishunions. I want to send all myregards with all respect andappreciation to your efforts thatyou exert to make learning

affordable for the needy andstudents who can’t pay for it.Murad Daragmeh, BirzeitPalestineNote from editor: UNISON is part of a coalition of unions thatsponsors a student at BirzeitUniversity in Palestine tocommemorate Yusef Allan the founder of Trade Union Friends of Palestine.

‘I am reallygrateful to thefriends of BirzeitUniversity and theBritish unions’

To members of UNISON as required by the TradeUnion and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act1992 and the Trade Union Reform andEmployment Rights Act 1993.

1 UNISONIncome and expenditure statement for the year ended 31 December 2009 £000s

Members’ subscriptions 167,098Donations by Branch members 299 Member’s local levy 231 Non-membership income 13,956Total income 181,584Allocations to Political Funds (5,688)Operating costs 175,896Total expenditure (167,020)Net income 8,876Net interest and profit on sale of assets 1,229Taxation (302)Surplus for the year (see note below) 9,803Actuarial losses on pension scheme (34,154)Deficit for the year (24,351)Reserves at 1 January 2009 107,992Total reserves as at 31 December 2009 83,641

GENERAL POLITICAL FUNDIncome – members’ voluntary contributions 2,800Total expenditure (2,188)Net income 612Net investment income 85Surplus for the year 697Reserves at 1 January 2009 3,882Total reserves as at 31 December 2009 4,579

AFFILIATED POLITICAL FUNDIncome – member’s voluntary contributions 2,888 Total expenditure (2,515)Net income 373Net investment income 14Surplus for the year 387Reserves at 1 January 2009 849Total reserves as at 31 December 2009 1,236

NoteThe Income and Expenditure Statement shownabove is the sum of the General Fund andIndustrial Action Fund at National, Region andBranch level plus our share of other UNISONactivities, Care Connect Learning Ltd (CCLL),College of Operating Department Practitioners Ltdand Managers in Partnership. Ownership of CCLLwas transferred to a third party in December2009. In addition the impact of the staff pensionschemes has been included in full in accordancewith FRS 17.

The breakdown of overall surplus is as given below.

General FundNational 9,189Branches (1,030)Regional lay committee’s (406)

7,753

Industrial Action FundNational 1,263Branches 102

1,365

Group companies and Pension scheme 685Overall surplus for UNISON (before actuarial losses on pension scheme of £34,154,000) 9,803

2 Remuneration paid to President, GeneralSecretary and members of the executiveStatement of salaries and other taxable benefitsprovided to the president, the general secretaryand members of the executive

President - No salary or other taxable benefits nil

General SecretaryBasic salary £92,688London weighting £4,639Taxable expenses £2,347Car benefit £6,903Total salary and benefits £106,577Employer’s national insurance costs £10,816Employer’s contribution to UNISON staff pension scheme £24,919Total salary and on costs for the year ended 31.12. 2009 £142,312

Members of the Executive –No salary or other taxable benefits nil

3 Statement to the members“A member who is concerned that someirregularity may be occurring, or has occurred, inthe conduct of the financial affairs of the Unionmay take steps with a view to investigatingfurther, obtaining clarification and if necessary,securing regularisation of that conduct.

The member may raise any such concern withsuch one or more of the following as it seemsappropriate to raise it with: the officials of theUnion, the trustees of the property of the union,the auditor or auditors of the union, theCertification Officer (who is an independentofficer appointed by the Secretary of State) and the police.

Where a member believes that the financialaffairs of the union have been or are beingconducted in breach of the law or in breach ofthe rules of the union and contemplates bringingcivil proceedings against the union or responsibleofficials or trustees, he should consider obtainingindependent legal advice.”

Before taking any steps as set out in the aboveparagraphs as laid down by the Trade Union andLabour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 andthe Trade Union Reform and Employment RightsAct 1993, it would be advisable for the memberto communicate initially with the BranchSecretary, then the Regional Secretary andfinally the Financial Officer or the GeneralSecretary. After taking such steps, if themember is not satisfied then the member should resort to the remedies as set out in the first three paragraphs above.

A full set of the financial statements isavailable for inspection from your branchsecretary / regional secretary.

UNISON INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF UNISONWe have audited the Financial Statements ofUNISON for the year ended 31 December 2009which comprise the Consolidated RevenueAccount, the Consolidated Balance Sheet, theConsolidated Cash Flow Statement and therelated notes, for the union and the group, plusthe Affiliated Political Fund and the GeneralPolitical Fund on pages 26 to 29. These FinancialStatements have been prepared under thehistorical cost convention and the accountingpolicies set out therein.

This report is made solely to UNISON’smembers as a body. Our work has been

undertaken so that we might state to UNISON’smembers those matters we are required to stateto them in an auditors’ report and for no otherpurpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law,we do not accept or assume responsibility toanyone other than UNISON and UNISON’smembers as a body, for our audit work, or for the opinion we have formed.

Respective Responsibilities of Officers andAuditorsThe union’s officers’ responsibilities for preparingthe Financial Statements in accordance withapplicable law and United Kingdom AccountingStandards are set out in the Statement of Officers’Responsibilities. Our responsibility is to audit theFinancial Statements in accordance with relevantlegal and regulatory requirements and InternationalStandards on Auditing (UK and Ireland).

We report to you our opinion as to whetherthe Financial Statements give a true and fairview. We also report to you if, in our opinion, the Foreword and the Report on the FinancialStatements are not consistent with the FinancialStatements, if the union has not kept properaccounting records, or if we have not received allthe information and explanations we require forour audit. We read the information contained inthe Foreword and the Report on the FinancialStatements and consider whether it is consistentwith the audited Financial Statements. Weconsider the implications for our report if webecome aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the FinancialStatements. Our responsibilities do not extend to any other information.

Basis of OpinionWe conducted our audit in accordance withInternational Standards on Auditing (UK andIreland) issued by the Auditing Practices Board.An audit includes an examination, on a testbasis, of evidence relevant to the amounts anddisclosures in the Financial Statements. It alsoincludes an assessment of the significantestimates and judgements made by the officersin the preparation of the Financial Statements,and of whether the accounting policies areappropriate to the union’s circumstances,consistently applied and adequately disclosed.We planned and performed our audit so as toobtain all information and explanations which weconsider necessary in order to provide us withsufficient evidence to give reasonable assuranceas to whether the Financial Statements are freefrom material misstatement, whether caused byfraud or other irregularity or error. In formingour opinion we also evaluated the overalladequacy of the presentation of information inthe Financial Statements.

Unqualified opinionIn our opinion the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with UnitedKingdom Generally Accepted AccountingPractice, of the state of the group and union’saffairs as at 31 December 2009 and itstransactions for the year then ended.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Horwath Clark Whitehill LLPChartered Accountants and RegisteredAuditors, St Bride’s House, 10 SalisburySquare, London, EC4Y 8EH

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRSRE

SULTS

36

Community Service GroupElections 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

COMMUNITY – GREATER LONDONNumber of eligible voters: 9704Number of votes cast: 885Turnout: 9.1%Number of votes found to be invalid: 8Total number of valid votes to be counted: 877General SeatResult (1 to elect)POWELL, Mary 327 ELECTEDHORE, Charlie 285GRAY, John 265

COMMUNITY – NORTH WESTNumber of eligible voters: 6534Number of votes cast: 548Turnout: 8.4%Number of votes found to be invalid: 2Total number of valid votes to be counted: 546General SeatResult (1 to elect)AITMAN, Tony 262McVICAR, Isobel 284 ELECTED

COMMUNITY – YORKSHIRE & HUMBERNumber of eligible voters: 4787Number of votes cast: 458Turnout: 9.6%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 76Total number of valid votes to be counted: 382Result (1 to elect)PALMER, Glyn 167FIRTH, Gary 215 ELECTEDFemale SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 84Total number of valid votes to be counted: 374Result (1 to elect)CADE, Yvonne 207 ELECTEDJONES, June 167

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-1) was sent the details of the ballot and2) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

Energy Service GroupElection 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

ENERGY – NORTH WESTNumber of eligible voters: 3721Number of votes cast: 279Turnout: 7.5%Number of votes found to be invalid: 1Total number of valid votes to be counted: 278General SeatResult (1 to elect)AHMED, Firoz 48MELIA, Michael 230 ELECTED

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-3) was sent the details of the ballot and4) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

Health Service GroupElections 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

HEALTH – GREATER LONDONNumber of eligible voters: 38236Number of votes cast: 3525Turnout: 9.2%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 584Number of votes found to be spoilt: 10Total number of valid votes to be counted: 2931Result (1 to elect)HOCKEY, Len 1389DAVEY, Mike 1542 ELECTEDFemale SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 440Number of votes found to be spoilt: 15Total number of valid votes to be counted: 3070Result (1 to elect)MAIDEN, Janet 1875 ELECTEDHIRST, Monica 1195

HEALTH – NORTH WESTGeneral seatUNISON has confirmed that candidate Caroline Bedalebecame ineligible to hold union office from 14th April2010 Therefore Harry Hanley is duly elected.Female SeatNumber of eligible voters: 62763Number of votes cast: 4423Turnout: 7%Number of votes found to be invalid (blank): 233Number of votes found to be spoilt: 10Total number of valid votes to be counted: 4180Result (1 to elect)COLLINS-BARRETT, Lesley 1788REISSMANN, Karen 2392 ELECTEDReserved SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 221Number of votes found to be spoilt: 9Total number of valid votes to be counted: 4193Result (1 to elect)KEARY, Kathleen 2012PATTERSON, Angela 2181 ELECTED

HEALTH – SOUTH WESTNumber of eligible voters: 27339Number of votes cast: 2924Turnout: 10.7%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 361Number of votes found to be spoilt: 5Total number of valid votes to be counted: 2558Result (1 to elect)CLAWSON, Jim 881O’RYAN, Francis 752DAVEY, Roger 925 ELECTEDFemale SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 389Number of votes found to be spoilt: 6Total number of valid votes to be counted: 2529Result (1 to elect)TAYLOR, Joan 543BRAILEY, Trudie 1135 ELECTEDPRICE, Ann 851

HEALTH – YORKSHIRE & HUMBERNumber of eligible voters: 44454Number of votes cast: 3933Turnout: 8.8%Number of votes found to be invalid: 27Total number of valid votes to be counted: 3906Female SeatResult (1 to elect)SMALES, Karen 1797BROWN, Alison 2109 ELECTED

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-5) was sent the details of the ballot and6) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

Local Government ServiceGroup Elections 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – EASTERNNumber of eligible voters: 44337Number of votes cast: 5235Turnout: 11.8%Number of votes found to be invalid: 28Total number of valid votes to be counted: 5207General SeatResult (1 to elect)GASKIN, Peter 3699 ELECTEDGRACE, Jeff 1508

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – EAST MIDLANDSNumber of eligible voters: 54695Number of votes cast: 6034Turnout: 11%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 342Number of votes found to be spoilt: 23Total number of valid votes to be counted: 5669Result (1 to elect)SHARMAN, John 2196BUCKWELL, Richard 3473 ELECTEDFemale SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 2360Number of votes found to be spoilt: 10Total number of valid votes to be counted: 3664Result (1 to elect)NICHOLLS, Josephine 2146 ELECTEDBERRISFORD, Nicole 1518

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – GREATER LONDONNumber of eligible voters: 67039Number of votes cast: 6505Turnout: 9.7%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 14Number of votes found to be spoilt: 1020Total number of valid votes to be counted: 5471Result (1 to elect)McLOUGHLIN, John 3510 ELECTEDDALEY, Peter 1961Female SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 767Number of votes found to be spoilt: 16Total number of valid votes to be counted: 5722Result (1 to elect)HOWARD, Sonya Kay 3752 ELECTEDBACK, Margaret 1970

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – SCOTLANDNumber of eligible voters: 90830Number of votes cast: 10111Turnout: 11.1%Number of votes found to be invalid: 22Total number of valid votes to be counted: 10089General SeatResult (1 to elect)FERGUSON, Mark 7136 ELECTEDMcFARLANE, Jim 2953

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – SOUTH WESTNumber of eligible voters: 47407Number of votes cast: 5862Turnout: 12.4%Number of votes found to be invalid: 30Total number of valid votes to be counted: 5832General SeatResult (1 to elect)BEHAN, Nigel 2981 ELECTEDOLGARD, Nick 2851

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – WALESNumber of eligible voters: 53601Number of votes cast: 5045Turnout: 9.4%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 517Number of votes found to be spoilt: 5Total number of valid votes to be counted: 4523Result (1 to elect)EVANS, Mark 2552 ELECTEDHARRIMAN, Mike 1971Female SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 1205Number of votes found to be spoilt: 0Total number of valid votes to be counted: 3840Result (1 to elect)

GRAHAM, Cathy 3164 ELECTEDWEBB-THORNTON, Linda 676

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDENumber of eligible voters: 84174Number of votes cast: 8541Turnout: 10.1%General SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 1714Number of votes found to be spoilt: 7Total number of valid votes to be counted: 6820Result (1 to elect)PICKERSGILL, Glen 3483 ELECTEDBOARD, Jim 3337Female SeatNumber of votes found to be invalid (blank): 1158Number of votes found to be spoilt: 8Total number of valid votes to be counted: 7375Result (1 to elect)CROWTHER, Linda 4309 ELECTEDWALLER, Angela 3066

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-7) was sent the details of the ballot and8) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

Police & Justice ServiceGroup Elections 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

POLICE & JUSTICE – YORKSHIRE &HUMBERSIDENumber of eligible voters: 4872Number of votes cast: 781Turnout: 16%Number of votes found to be invalid: 4Total number of valid votes to be counted: 777General SeatResult (1 to elect)BULL, Gary 574 ELECTEDVENTRESS, Ian 203

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-9) was sent the details of the ballot and10) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

WET Service GroupElections 2010Our report of voting for the above elections whichclosed at 5pm on 14th May 2010 is as follows:

WET – EASTERNNumber of eligible voters: 1218Number of votes cast: 312Turnout: 25.6%Number of votes found to be invalid: 1Total number of valid votes to be counted: 311General SeatResult (1 to elect)ROOKE, Philip 162 ELECTEDMARTIN, Stuart 149

Electoral Reform Services can confirm that, as far asreasonably practicable, every person whose nameappeared on the electoral roll supplied to us for thepurpose of the ballot:-11) was sent the details of the ballot and12) if they chose to participate in the ballot, had their

vote fairly and accurately recorded.All voting material will be stored for six months.Alexander K Lonie, Manager of Trade Union andMembership Organisations Sector

SGE ELECTIONS2010

37

Our report of voting for the above electionwhich closed on Friday 11th June 2010 at 5pm isas follows:

Number of eligible voters: 1,487,759Total number of votes cast: 217,027Turnout: 14.6%Number of votes found to be invalid: 911Total number of valid votes to be counted: 216,116

ResultDave PRENTIS 145,351 ELECTEDRoger BANNISTER 42,651Paul HOLMES 28,114

As Scrutineers appointed in accordance withSection 49 of the Trade Union and LabourRelations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (asamended), we are satisfied as to each of thematters specified in subsection 52(2) withregard to the election. The following pointsshould be noted:

1) The person appointed under section 51A tocarry out the storage and counting of votingpapers was Electoral Reform Services Limited.

2) The person appointed under section 51A tocarry out the distribution of voting papers wasElectoral Reform Services Limited.

3) A copy of the register of voters (as at therelevant date) was examined in accordancewith section 49(3). The examination tookplace at our own instance and did not revealany matter that should be brought to theattention of the trade union.

We would draw your attention to sections 52(4),52(5), and 52(6). Section 52(4) requires that acopy of this report be published and madeavailable to all members of the union within athree month period from today. This does not,however, mean that every member has to benotified individually.

Alexander K LonieManager of Trade Union Sector

ELECTION OFGENERAL SECRETARYRE

SULTS

UNISON is Britain’s leading

public-service trade union

with over 1.3 million members

working in the public services,

private, voluntary and community,

sectors and in utilities.

We are recruiting to vacancies

across the UK

For details go to

unison.co.uk/jobs

Local Organisers £23,610 pa (£28,249 Greater London only) To recruit new members and work with regional organising teams, mapping membership

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Area Organisers £33,701 pa (£38,340 Greater London only)You will be required to live within reasonable travelling distance of the area you are

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To build recruitment and organising initiatives and campaigns in our branches, train and

develop stewards, undertake case work, advise, support and mentor branch officers and

stewards in representation and negotiation.

UNISON offers a generous benefits package to all staff. Explore your potential – go to unison.co.uk/jobs.

Closing date: 24 September 2010UNISON is a dynamic, progressive union, committed to equality. We encourage men and women of all ages, Black and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to work with us.

There has never been a more important time to protect our members in the public services and

encourage those who are not members to join a powerful voice.

Are you a people person with good listening and problem solving skills?

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UNISON is looking for enthusiastic, flexible and resourceful individuals to support our growing organisation.

We need:

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