Learning Disability Alliance Scotland Newsletter July 2011

We have provided a link to Learning Disability Scotland's newsletter below.

There are two main articles in this edition.

First looks at how the dominant position of local authorities in funding of social care for people with learning disabilities might affect the development of Self Directed Support. A fuller version of this article is available at http://tinyurl.com/SDS2011

Our second article looks at the increasing charges applied for social care services and wonders if this is a new form of "tax" on the most vulnerable.

Mobilise: A week-long Festival of Campaigning skills happening in Edinburgh from 13-20 August 2011

UNISON Scotland's brings you MOBILISE at the Edinburgh festival.

What is Mobilise?

It does exactly what it says on the tin - brings people together and prepares for action. The art of creative campaigning.


We don’t teach protest theory - our workshops are preparation for action. Leaflets are designed, printed and distributed. Blogs are written “live‟ and uploaded. Films are shot, edited and broadcast. Skills learnt - jobs done. MOBILISE is a unique chance to work with artists and performers and develop your creative campaign skills.

For information and booking http://www.mobilisefestival.co.uk/

UNISON calls on Glasgow City Council to halt attacks on people with learning disabilities

UNISON, Scotland’s largest union in public services, has joined together with communities across Glasgow to fight against service cuts.


Trade unionists and members of the public packed out a meeting last week to share concerns over personalisation and fears that Glasgow City Council is using this process simply as a means to save money.

Glasgow City Council started its personalisation agenda last summer. While UNISON supports the principles of personalisation, which are about providing people with more independence, control and dignity, this is not what is happening in Glasgow. The council has always been explicit in its ambition to realise 20 per cent savings as a result of the process.

Mandy McDowall, regional organiser for UNISON, said: “We’re not against the concept of personalisation, but direct payments should be used to complement a range of public services and should not be used as a disguise for cutting services.

“We held this meeting to bring together those who are being directly affected by these cuts. The meeting was packed with staff, users and members of the community who all wanted to share their experiences. We heard from carers who are having their packages cut by 50 per cent; staff who are having their terms and conditions slashed and communities who are suffering facility closures.

“Each person had a different story to tell and the true human cost of each and every cut was laid bare.”

Parents, carers, service users, campaign groups, academics and disability groups were all in attendance at Thursday’s meeting. UNISON says the meeting will be the first of many and is calling on Glasgow City Council to put a halt to service cuts.

Simon Macfarlane, regional organiser for UNISON, added: “Glasgow City Council has not properly assessed the impact of these cuts and is rolling ahead with scant regard to the devastating consequences.


“We’re calling on the council to call a halt to this process and to reinstate the packages that service users had before the new personalisation agenda was agreed, until a thorough review of the process and the impact on people with learning disabilities is assessed. This assessment must involve service users, their families and front line workers and their unions.”

URGENT UPDATE - £250 LUMP SUM CASH

UNISON PAY PRESSURE PAYS OFF. You will have been advised that TMF are making a one off pay award of £250 pounds to staff. Whilst falling well short of our aspirations for a 2.5 % increase for all and the introduction of the Scottish Living Wage of £7.20 per hour as a minimum rate’ the announcement came within days of us launching our petition to the Board on pay! This shows UNISON pressures counts. Help us keep up the pressure, make sure you and your colleagues have signed our pay petition (you can’t print one off this blog). Thanks to the many members who have already done so. Together we make a difference in UNISON!

URGENT UPDATE – GLASGOW HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICES

We understand that GHSS staff will be issued with new contracts and workplans in the next few days and be given 7 days to sign. We have written to Lorraine Eivers asking what will happen if staff don’t sign. We will keep you posted on the response. However, as previously advised if you are unhappy with any proposed pay cuts, reductions in hours, work locations or workplans then don’t go in to meetings alone and don’t sign anything you are unhappy with. SEEK ADVICE FROM UNISON!

Personalisation Networking Meeting

Arising out of the current crisis in learning disability services in Glasgow brought about by a bastardised version of personalisation UNISON and Defend Glasgow Services have called a meeting for those affected by the issues. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss what is happening and how workers, service users, carers, families and activists can work together. Whilst focussed on the current experiences in Glasgow the meeting may well be of interest to those from other areas facing similar issues.

The meeting is not a rally, rather a chance to share news, tactics and information. If you have an interest in personalisation please consider joining us on:

7th July 2011

10 am

UNISON House

14 West Campbell St

Glasgow

G2 6RX

UNISON members letter

Dear Member

We are writing to update you on a number of matters. Please take note of the following and when you are finished with this letter why not share it with a non member and encourage them to come on board.

Glasgow Housing Support Services

UNISON met with management on 22 April in the Joint Consultative Committee. During this meeting we expressed significant concern about communication and consultation with regards to what is happening in GHSS. A full and frank discussion took place following which we wish to draw the following points to members’ attention:

• The personalisation process being run by Glasgow City Council is not about tailoring services to best fit service users’ needs; instead it is primarily about saving money. UNISON is working with carers, families and service user groups to challenge what is happening and has a campaign networking meeting planned for 10am on 7th July at UNISON House, 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow G2 6RX aimed at those who want to take the fights against the cuts forward.

• Service user involvement in design of support packages - there is strong evidence to suggest that service user involvement in determining their package and needs has been patchy and in some cases completely lacking. We think it is important that staff flag this up with managers and record where they are concerned that support packages are not appropriate to the service user’s needs.

• Over the last week staff have been called in to meetings to discuss workplans. We are concerned that staff were not offered the right to representation and it has been agreed that from 27th June onwards members will be advised of their right to be accompanied. At these meetings many staff have been shown workplans involving a reduction of hours and split shift working. It is inevitable that the move to more tailored services will have an impact on staff and our discussions with members indicate that there is an understanding of this. However, workplans must be reasonable, equitable and fair whilst recognising different people have different domestic and other pressures which should be accounted for. UNISON is clear that members should not agree to a reduction in their contracted hours unless they are content with this. Members should also be explicitly clear whether they have issues with the workplan being suggested to them or not. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself then you should arrange to be accompanied by a UNISON representative.

• With regards to shifts and working patterns these need to be reasonable and practicable. Workers are entitled to a decent life away from work and it is for the organisation to deliver sustainable work patters whilst also offering more flexibility to service users. If the Mungo Foundation fail to get this right then staff will become burnt out and ultimately leave which will have a detrimental impact on service users. UNISON intends to keep a close eye on this and we would welcome members keeping us advised of how the workplans develop.

• In summary if you are unhappy with your proposed hours or workplan speak up now with UNISON representation and support. If you do not it is likely you will be deemed to have accepted the changes!!

Pay

We remain stuck in an impasse with the Mungo Foundation, you our members have voted clearly to seek a pay rise and they are emphatic they can’t afford one. So far they have declined our request to meet with the Board, we will keep pushing for this and look at other ways we can exert pressure on the organisation to give staff a pay rise. The STUC will be organising another march and rally in Glashow in September as part of their continuing There is a Better Way Campaign (www.thereisabetterway.org). These and other initiatives are vital in showing funders, employers and politicians the impact of low pay and the strength of feeling of our members.

As part of our ongoing campaign for decent pay please sign the enclosed petition which we will submit to the board and encourage others to do so. More copies can be found on our website at: www.unison-mungofoundation.blogspot.com .

Recruitment

Please encourage a non member to come on board, the more members we have the more clout we have. They can join online at www.unison.org.uk/join or by calling 0845 355 0845.

Working Time Directive

We would like to remind members that you cannot be compelled to work more than 48 hours a week on average including sleepovers. We know that due to financial pressures many members look for additional sleepover shifts to make up their wages, we understand this and simply say be careful of your health and keep yourself and others safe. However, there are some staff that are being put on the rota for shifts including sleepovers which take them over the 48 hour average. Please note that you can in no way be forced to work more than 48 hours, if you are on a rota for more than 48 hours in any one week please let UNISON know. You should only work more than 48 hours a week if you have signed an opt out from the Working Time Directive (you can opt back in at any time).

Keep your details up to date

We want to keep in touch with you as much as possible; this is difficult if we don’t have your up-to-date details. Please check your details and update them if necessary. You can do this online at http://www.unison.org.uk/membership/update.asp or by calling 0845 355 0845.