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 (Archive)
Please find below a list of archived weekly bulletins. If you are
interested in more information about any of the bulletins below, please
contact the Branch Office who would be happy to help.
Please note however, that the archived bulletins are for reference only
and any offers may have expired.
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Day of
Action 30th November
25.11.11
We have heard from members at FHQ and Kettering to confirm that they
will be holding a picket line. These will run in the morning only to
finish at 10:30. Members will then be encouraged to head in to
Northampton town centre for the March and Rally. If you want to hold a
picket at your station or place of work please contact the office or
your local rep to let us know as there are rules about the running of
picket lines and we have equipment that we can get to you.
As explained last week, we feel the best way for members to get involved
would be to attend the March and Rally.
The March will assemble in Beckett’s Park between 11:00 – 11:30 to leave
the park at 12 noon. We will be taking the UNISON Regional Police Staff
Banner with us so look out for that if you want to meet up with us and
March together.
As many of the schools are shut children will be welcome at the March –
I am taking mine! Something to tell their friends when they get back to
school.
The March will go through the town centre arriving at the Market Square
for 13:00 for the Rally.
It has now been confirmed that your days pay will not be deducted until
the January pay run. The UNISON branch will also pay the pension
contribution for all our members who strike.
We would encourage anyone who is unable to take strike action or is
exempt under the “life and limb” cover to make a contribution to the
hardship fund. Contact the office to do this.
Why we are striking?
The Government is asking public sector workers to pay more into their
pension scheme in contributions, stay at work longer and receive less in
their pension when they do retire. All this extra cash will not go back
in to the scheme it will go towards paying off the national debt.
UNISON has produced a ready reckoner if you want to find out how much
extra you will be expected to pay, how much longer you will be expected
to work and how much pension you will lose. Follow the link below:
www.unison.org.uk/pensions/yourpension.asp
You are welcome to pass this on to non-members who are in the LGPS as
they also need to know what we are fighting for. The proposals affect
their pension too!
Many of the arguments used by the government for taking money from
public sector pensions are false…
MYTH - There's a big public sector pensions deficit that has to be
repaid.
There is no funding gap - the public sector schemes were assessed for
long term risk and adjusted accordingly three years ago and are now very
secure. Both the local government pension scheme and NHS pension scheme
are currently cash rich with income far exceeding outgoings. The LGPS is
the fourth biggest investor on the FTSE.
MYTH - Public services and public service pensions are causing the
financial crisis.
It was the banking sector's reckless risk taking and excessive greed
that caused this global recession.
MYTH - We're all in it together. Everyone has to make sacrifices
right now - why not public sector workers?
We are all facing cuts to our public services - on top of this public
service workers are facing unprecedented job cuts and a pay freeze. We
will all end up paying more tax if people drop out of the scheme to end
up relying on the state in their old age.
MYTH - It's not fair, why should the public sector get good pensions
when the private sector doesn't?
The average occupational pension generally is £9,500 a year whereas the
average public service pension is £7,800 a year and for women working in
local government the average is £2,800 a year; hardly huge pensions.
UNISON thinks everyone deserves an adequate pension, including workers
in the private sector. We should improve bad schemes rather than make
good ones bad. Providing adequate pensions means that fewer people will
be receiving welfare handouts after retirement, which would cost the
taxpayer more money in the long run.
MYTH - Taxpayers are paying for public service workers' pensions.
That's not fair.
Public sector workers earn a wage for providing a service to the public.
They pay for their pension from their salary. One in five people working
in the UK works in public services. They are taxpayers too!
We hope you will join us on the 30th to show the government that what
they are proposing is unfair, unjust and unnecessary!
UNISON Christmas
Fayre
UNISON has organised a Christmas Fayre which will be held in the Sports
Hall at FHQ on Wednesday 14th December from 10:00 – 15:00. The response
from members who wanted to have a stall at the Fayre was amazing and it
promises to be brilliant event! All we need now is for as many people as
possible to come along and enjoy!
I have attached a poster that you can put up around the Force to help us
advertise this event and also a leaflet detailing the stalls, treatments
and health checks that will be available to you on the day.
Appointments can be booked for massage with Liz Thomas, Reflexology
taster sessions and manicures to avoid long queues or disappointment on
the day. All are charging £5 to cover costs.
If you would like to book an appointment please call or email me and I
can do this for you. Otherwise just speak to the stall holder on the day
to see if they have any spaces.
UNISON members who attend the Fayre will be given 5 free entries into a
prize draw.
Every stall holder has been asked to make a donation to the draw so
there will be some lovely prizes on offer.
Non-members are also able to enter but they will have to pay £1 for 1
ticket.
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Ballot
29.10.11
The ballot closes at 10am on Thursday 3rd November and the cut off date
to request a ballot paper if you have not received one is
Monday 31st
October.
The proposed changes to the pension scheme mean that members will be
expected to pay 50% more in contributions but the extra money will not
go back in to the scheme. The scheme does not need the extra money as it
can easily cover the pension payments required and is in a healthy
position. The extra money will go straight to the Treasury to help pay
for the banking crisis. In return for helping to bail out the banks with
their extra contributions, LGPS members will be expected to work longer
before they can claim their pension and the pension they get will be
worth considerably less!
If you have not yet voted we would urge you to do so as a low turnout
would be taken as a sign that members are willing to accept these
changes without a fight. Even if you are not a member of the LGPS think
of your colleagues who have worked hard for many years and paid into a
scheme that is more than capable of paying the pension they signed up
for only to be faced with the goal posts being moved!
Please fill in your ballot paper and pop it in the post today – it costs
you nothing to send it back! To request a ballot paper please phone
0845 355 0845 before
31st October.
Interview Tips
The HR ICAN Leads for each review have extended an offer to any member
of staff who would like some tips on good interview practice to contact
them. If you are not sure who your HR lead is please contact us or HR
Services on 5678.
UNISON Christmas
Fayre!
Thank you to everyone who has responded so far about the Christmas Fayre.
It is proving very popular and we already have a wide selection of
stalls lined up!
If you are interested in having a stall I still have a few places
available so just contact Jenny Cheney to find out more.
For everyone else, make a note in your diaries. It’s an ideal
opportunity to pick up last minute prezzies or treat yourself!
Wednesday 14th December in the Sports Hall at FHQ 10:00 – 15:00
We already have stalls confirmed offering handmade jewellery, photoart,
handmade handbags, manicures, Body Shop products and treatments and
there are many more on the horizon! There will also be a free prize draw
for members.
Offers
There are offers available to download below for Superbreak Winter
deals, BonMarche and Croyde Bay.
Also, in last weeks
bulletin I advertised Women in the Driving Seat – a confidence course
for drivers run by Vauxhall Danetre Garage.
We were provided with an out of date flyer so the current flyer is
attached which gives a little more detail about the course and states
that the course is not just open to women, men are equally welcome to
book a place!
As a Lealta member you can now benefit from the following savings with
Halfords Autocentres;
· 33% Discount off MOTs
· 15% Discount off Servicing
· 5% Discount off Repairs
· Plus FREE 15 Point Check!
With over 240 centres nationwide, Halfords Autocentres is the UK’s
leading independent car servicing, repair, tyre and MOT network. Now
part of the Halfords group, our name may be new, but our centres have
been a feature of the towns and cities of Britain for a decade or more.
Halfords Autocentres provides dealership quality work at affordable
prices to around 650,000 customers every year, with over 8 out of 10
saying that they would recommend us to a friend. Our expert service is
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locally like for like!
INTERESTED…
· To redeem & book visit
www.halfordsautocentres.com/lealta
· You will then need to present a valid LEALTA CARD in-store at the
Halfords Autocentre you book your vehicle into in order to redeem the
discount at point of sale. |
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