TUESDAY 16 September 2003 @ 1:00 PM IN THE PICASSO ROOM St CLEMENTS HOSPITAL

Present: Sandra Smith, Arthur White, Julie Cracknell, Ian Talbot, Steve Cook, Sue Ablitt (member), Margarita England, Philip Bloyce (Chair) and Annette Petty (Minutes)

Apologies: Wendy Arbon, Georgia Murray, Glyn Reynolds, Ray Hill, Cliff Dawson, Judith Wilson, Elizabeth Potter, Andy Willcox, David Edginton, Pat Burgess, Kay Dawson, Matt Robinson and Paul Taylor

1.   Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 19th August were agreed as a true and accurate record.

2.   Matters Arising

a)   Page 1 4a - Marilyn Wright having left the Trust is to submit some Unison short term project works to Ian Talbot.

b)   Page 2 4b - Unison Suffolk Healthcare Branch have severed its affiliation with the Ipswich Labour Party (disagreement towards Foundation Hospitals). John Cook from ILP will be contacting Ian Talbot regarding the Branch annual affiliation of £1600 - Ian to deal on receipt. Unison Suffolk HealthCare Branch to continue its affiliation to Amnesty International and Unison Welfare.

c)   Page 2 4b – Stewards/Reps to report back at 21 October meeting - regarding Christmas Parties for Unison Members only - it was decided that £2000 would be made available for 10 parties @£10 per head. Annette to write/email the Stewards/Reps requesting this information. 

d)   Page 2 4b - Geoff to forward information to Annette on HCA’s grading NVQ Training for Recruitment Training Day in October.

e)   Page 3 7a - Ian, Georgia and Steve to attend the Activist Training Event at Cambridge on 7 October. 

f)   Page 3 7c - Steve Cook to provide assistance/support on the Student Induction Day on 7 October (note amended date).

3.   Presentation by Britannia Building Society

Wendy Sealy - Affinity Development Manager for Britannia Building Society and four colleagues (trainee managers) gave a short presentation to the meeting on Unison Member Benefits that Britannia Building Society offer. Britannia have had a long working relationship with Unison and have over two million members. The main benefits Britannia offer are:-

a)    Britannia Members Reward Scheme - a thank you scheme sharing profits to members

b)    Points System - over the past 7 years Britannia have given back to members over £300 million.

c)     Member Discounts

d)    Mortgage and Savings Accounts

In addition the Britannia Building Society have a Member Council made up of 24 people and give £67000 per annum to Unison Welfare.

4.   Urgent Correspondence

The meeting welcomed Margarita England, nominated by Sue Ablitt and ratified as the new Steward for Felixstowe Constituency.  Annette to inform Judith Alderton, Anne Clarke, and Carole Clarke in due course (Stewards handbook and Training Course list given to Margarita).

5.   Conference Feedback

Deferred to October meeting.

6.  Stewards/Officer Reports

a)   Ian Talbot explained to the meeting that stewards/reps will all have to attend a minimum of two Branch Meetings per year – and if they don’t then their role as steward will be relinquished. Stewards will also be encouraged to hold Member Meetings prior to the Branch Meeting.

7.      AOB

a)   Membership - 23 New Members for September.

b)   Unison Subscription increases wef 1 October - Annette to send out Pay Sub Bands letter to all stewards (in addition to information already sent).

c)   Unison Diaries 2004 - 1800 diaries have been ordered at a cost of £2000 to the Branch - stewards/reps to ensure that members receive their diary.

d)   Ipswich PCT and Waveney PCT have attained Improving Working Lives status.

e)  Jane Sutton has resigned as Senior Branch Steward at Hartismere, the Branch sent Jane a bouquet to thank her for all her hard work and support over the past 10 years.

f)   Judith Wilson - H&S Rep at Sudbury CMHT has recently returned from 7weeks sick leave and the Branch sent her a bouquet of flowers.

g)   Training Courses - Agenda for Change Workshop 22 October and Recruitment Training Day 29 October (Rembrandt Room, SCH). General Recruitment Campaign to take place November - January 2004.

Annette to send out programme/letter in due course. The meeting discussed ways to encourage stewards to recruit new Unison members and to offer incentives for the steward who recruits the most members in a month e.g. over 10 new members recruited they would receive £50 vouchers of their own choice and under 10 members £30 vouchers. 

The Branch needs to “improve its services to members” and be run “like a business”. It was suggested that a job description should be created to include “Expectations the Branch expects of a Steward/Rep”. Nominations at the AGM also to be reviewed and a complete review of the Branch Rules will be discussed at November’s Branch Meeting.

h)   NVQ Payments - to be discussed at the October meeting.

i)    Women’s Away Day - The next away day is to be held on 7 October at Cambridge entitled “Domestic Violence in the Workplace”.

8.   Date/time of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 21 October at 1pm, Picasso Room, St Clements Hospital. 

Apologies received from Philip Bloyce

Debbie Smith (Organising Assistant from Region) will be attending to give a short presentation on student nurse recruitment (in particular the recent “Fresher’s Fayre event” held at Suffolk College on 16/17 September).

There being no further business the meeting closed at 3pm