UNISON Pressure Forces Change
Dear Member
After the rejection of the Trusts proposed operational redesign we have had further meetings with the Trust.
These have been productive discussions, and due to the pressure placed on the Trust from the ballot rejection and the very real threat of industrial unrest by over 3000 UNISON members throughout the Trust, that had the potential to cause massive disruption to service delivery, the Trust has now moved further from its original position. They have listened to UNISON Yorkshire Ambulance Branch and to members concerns and have conceded that to withdraw meal subsidies was unacceptable and have now agreed to reinstate them, backdated to the 20th January, and are now included as part of the new package that the Trust wishes to bring forward.
The Trust has decided that in order for them to deliver the required level of performance to meet patient needs and to meet the cost savings and improvements required by the end of this financial year, and also to some extent to clear current confusion for staff, allowing for child care planning etc, decided to go ahead and bring in the changes put forward on Monday 10th Feb. They have however acknowledged the need for UNISON to ballot members on the revised offer that they will implement on the 10th February.
We as a branch committee, after pursuing members concerns, now feel that we have reached a point where the Trust has bowed to the pressure placed on them, and met all the mandates dictated by the Members in order for us to be able to move forward with the Trust operational redesign proposal. It is important for members to see how the strong stance of UNISON has forced the Trust to move on every part of their original proposal. We as a branch has fulfilled all the mandates put forward from members at the original meetings last year.
These changes are as below.
- Exclusive Meal Breaks back on base station with protected run back when out of meal break window
- Commitment by the trust to monitor occurrence of late meal breaks and work in partnership with UNISON to resolve any issues
- No enforced staff movement
- No enforced leave within rota's
- Part time/ Flexible working staff maintained on own rota line
- Commitment to Extra training included in package
- Reinstatement of an Urgent tier
- Maintenance of subsistence payments - Backdated to 20th Jan
- Timescales extended from October 13 to February 14
- Improved and protected relief policy to include dedicated station relief
- Increased staffing levels – Paramedic and ECA
- A solid commitment to better manage end of shift overtime
- Commitment to honour all annual leave already booked
- Commitment to adhere to current annual leave policy
- A guarantee that although rotas are being introduced on the 10th, any problems or on-going issues will be reviewed in order to give members and Trust best fit.
- End of use of Private providers on A&E
We as a branch committee now feel that we have fulfilled the demands put forward by members, and corrected issues with the trust that caused the fantastic response to reject the initial ballot.
Although members will now be required to work the new rotas under duress we as a committee are now in a strong position to come back to members. Due to the significant changes put forward from the initial ballot the Branch Committee once again asks members to vote. It is worth noting that this ballot is solely a vote on the Trusts revised Operational Redesign proposal.
We are required to have another indicative ballot, rather than going straight to electoral reform ballot, despite the introduction of the plan by the Trust, due to these significant changes from the original vote. We would ask members to look at the list provided of the victories that we as a branch, standing strong together have achieved through tough negotiation and urge each and every member to have a vote on whether to accept this new package or reject.
A ballot of members will commence from Friday 7th February for a period of two weeks, with local meetings arranged for first week. All meeting dates, ballot forms and voting procedures will follow shortly.
