Arena Winter 2015

48 Pages·2015·5.84 MB·English

by  Century One

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2015
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The magazine of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
arena
PUBLISHED BY
USDAW
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HEAD OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
UsdawUnion Mike Glover
EDITOR
Peter Rees-Farrell
[email protected]
General secretaryJohn Hannett
REPORTER
Standing up for members at work Mairead Bradley
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
T Sarah Bailey
his year has been one of the most turbulent in recent ADVERTISING & DESIGN
history particularly, but not exclusively, in the retail Century One Publishing
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T.01727 893 894
rise of the discounters, a price war, and big pay rises at the Co-op, [email protected]
Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. W.www.centuryonepublishing.uk
While the National Minimum Wage has increased, and even
ADVERTISING MANAGER
with a further increase for over 25 year-olds next April, this can’t Jonathan Knight
make up for the massive tax credits cuts our members face in the T.01727 739 193
coming months and years. [email protected]
We also face yet another battle to retain some sort of common DESIGN & PRODUCTION
sense on Sunday trading after the Tory Government announced Heena Gudka
plans to further deregulate the only day our members can have PRINT
some time off with their families. Polestar UK Print
An Usdaw delegation went to Westminster in October to make Paper produced from ecologically
our case to the politicians that not only are the vast majority of sustainable sources.
members against more Sunday trading, as are many retailers and
arenais the membership magazine of
consumers, but workers will face increased pressure to work the Union of Shop, Distributive and
should the legislation go ahead. This is just the beginning of our Allied Workers (Usdaw).
campaign. We want all of our members to lobby their local MP Published quarterly, arenais distributed
and councillors. to Usdaw members.
It’s been a tough year with challenges to come in 2016, so
Copyright:Reproduction in whole or
I want to place on record my appreciation and thanks to our part by any means without written
members, reps, staff and officials for their support during 2015 permission of the publisher is strictly
and wish you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. forbidden. The publisher accepts no
responsibility for errors, omissions or
the consequences thereof. © arena 2015
John Hannett, General Secretary
Watch reps, officials and MPs
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p18
p33
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On the march for fairness
p45
Inside this issue
Legal Plus & FirstCall Usdaw
f2ro2mW dianyn oinneg o ffo trh yeior umMemembebresrhsi pge.t free legal help Hazards ahead for drivers
People like you Workers’ health in focus
45David CohenA union learning rep helped 34Winter driving...in-store searches, heating
transform David’s life and he’s never looked back. issues and robbery fears all feature.
Features
Regulars
12Abusive callsFind out the legislation available to
help stop abuse against call centre workers. 04Latest NewsPay rises andcampaign heads
to Westminster to stop Sunday deregulation.
14Night shift workingYour questions answered on
this growing yet ‘invisible’ workforce. 40NewRecruit a FriendTwo prizes of £250
20Angela’s storyAngela Sweeney, traumatised by each now on offer in our recruitment draw.
an armed robbery, is backing the Respect campaign .
28Summer schoolsActivists tell how they enjoyed Letters
the union’s popular residential training courses.
30 Lifelong LearningStill changing lives after 15 42Have Your SayYour views, your pictures and
years, arenacelebrates the award-winning campaign. your ideas take centre stage.
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News
Sunday is hours
Usdaw is piling the pressure on the Government to
“There is no doubt that
abandon its plans to deregulate Sunday trading extended opening in large
stores will lead to even more
More than 60 per cent of retail come under pressure to work retail staff being pressured into
staff come under pressureto unsocial hours and that is working longer hours on
work on Sundays while only 6 per particularly true on Sundays,” Sundays. That’s why more than
cent would prefer to work longer said general secretary John 90 per cent of shopworkers
on Sundays, a new survey from Hannett, who led an Usdaw oppose any extensionto
Usdaw has shown. delegation to Westminster in Sunday trading hours.
Around 10,000 shopworkers October to lobby MPsto oppose “The Sunday Trading Act is a
took part in the survey which has any plans to deregulate Sunday great British compromise,
been passed to the Department trading. Around 50 MPs turned which has worked well for over
of Business, Innovation and up, mostly Labour but some 20 years – retailers can trade,
Skills as part of its consultation Tories. customers can shop, and staff
on the Government’s plans to “Shopworkers value their can work. We want Sunday to
devolve decision-making on Sundays and the shorter opening remain a special day, different
Sunday trading to councils. hours for large stores helps them to other days, when
“Our members have to balance their working life with shopworkers can spend some
consistently told us that they responsibilities at home. time with their family.”
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News
Cash in
pocket
Members at Morrisons to
vote on bumper pay deal
Ussitsgadnffai fiwinc ahMnaots r prniaseyog nroistsi,ea w tfeohdri caahll sruetbajielct Ptsaatkyae grnaet cereesnc hetranevtely
to a ballot, will see the basic rate delighted that we have agreed a business.”
rise to £8.20 from £6.83. rise that takes staff way past that Usdaw has also been in
As arenawent to press to £8.20. negotiations with the company to
members were voting on the new “The new consolidated hourly protect jobs, seek redeployment
deal that will be paid from March rate is now the highest of the big and minimise any compulsory
2016. four supermarkets, which is paid redundancies since it sold its
National officer Joanne every hour not just when staff 140-strong convenience arm to a
McGuinness said: “For some work at times that attract private equity firm in September,
time we have been talking to the premium pay. It is a big step and announced it was to close 11
company about taking retail staff forward, shows that the company of its stores in England.
uWpa gtoe aFnodun bdeaytoionnd rtahtee ,L civuirnrgently ainrvee psrte ipna trheed sttoaff www.usdaw.org.uk/news
set at £7.85 an hour. So I am to help grow the
Lidl U-turn in NI after Usdaw raises pay problem
Lidl quickly bowed to pressure from Usdaw
after it initially said its pay increase would
not apply to workers in Northern Ireland.
In late September the company
announced an increase in its hourly rate to
£8.20 an hour across England, Scotland and
Wales, and £9.35 an hour in London, but
excluding stores across Northern Ireland.
The angry reaction from Usdaw’s
Northern Ireland members saw the company
reverse its decision within two weeks.
General secretary John Hannett said: “This
was a victory for fairness and shows the
importance of trade union pressure.
“Our campaign for recognition in the
Usdaw is company continues and we are actively
fcoarm repcaoiggnniitnigon stroercerus.i”ting members across the company’s
06arena
Play fair News
Workers are being penalised
by cruel Tory Government cuts
Hundreds of Usdaw members travelled to
Manchester in early October to protest
against the Government’s cuts to working
tax credits during the Conservative
Party’s annual conference.
Balloons, banners and flags were
waved through the city’s streets as up to
60,000 marchers made their feelings
known on the Tories cruel cuts for
working families.
General secretary John Hannett was
one of the speakers at the event. “Many
thanks to all of our activists who turned
out on this TUC organised rally. Our Activists were
campaign to protect working people, vocal during
the march
their jobs, their terms and conditions and
their families goes on. We want fairness
not austerity.”
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arena 07
News NEWS
IN BRIEF
Scam warning
Workers who can access their
pensions at 55 are being
warned yet again about the
dangers of pension scammers
and fraudsters after figures
OlBe’raGedrnaeddra yF rwainthce TsUC rbeeveena lsetdo lmeno rine tthhaen fi £ve9 mm ohnatdhs
since April this year – double
Double first the sum stolen in the same
period last year.
Police’s failure
Two Usdaw activists won national
recognition at this year’s TUC conference A police officer who refused to
go to the aid of a shop
Congratulations toBrenda Shaw Brenda accepted her prize manager who was
andJanise Corfieldwho won from TUC general secretary apprehending a shoplifter was
two of the most prestigious Frances O’Grady in front of a sacked for gross misconduct in
national awards at this year’s packed audience. Unfortunately September. The incident
TUC conference held in Brighton Janise couldn’t get to the happened in December last
in September. conference but her prize has year outside a Tesco store in
Equality rep Brenda won the already found its way to her in Liverpool. Three other officers
TUC’s Gold Badge award for the North West division. present were disciplined.
outstanding achievementand “Brenda and Janise have
her commitment to promoting done themselves and the union Tax credits plan
mental health support in the proud,” said general secretary
workplace, while Janise won the John Hannett. “They fully Chancellor George Osborne
health and safety award making deservethe recognition, well has been forced to rethink his
it a double first for Usdaw. done to both of them.” controversial tax credit cuts
after the House of Lords
rejected his proposals. Any
changes may be contained in
JyaAenwaiasr’ersd aOst r Ntghiagisnhitsing his Autumn Statement.
Milk merger
The £80m takeover of Dairy
Crest’s milk division by
German yogurt maker Müller is
set to be given the green light
by competition authorities
leaving just two companies to
process the majority of the
UK’s milk – Arla UK and Müller.
Contract News
boost in-store
Workers can upgrade their contracts to
reflect their normal working hours
Members at Sainsbury’s who National officer Joanne work regular overtimeon the
work regular overtime on the McGuinness said: “All same days and times each week
same days and times each week employees in this situation and have not yet been
can now have their hours should have been approached to approached about the possibility
reviewed under a new discuss whether or not they of increasing your hours, then
agreement between the would like to voluntarily increase please speak to your line
company and Usdaw. their contracted hours. manager in store.”
This follows changes to “This is a good newsstory for This follows the company’s
holiday pay legislation and both Usdaw members in Sainsbury’s decision, after representations
Usdaw and Sainsbury’s are as the union has long argued the by Usdaw, to increase pay by 4
looking to uplift hours to reflect importanceof having contracts per cent with most staff moving
these regular work patterns that reflect the hours that from £7.08 to £7.36 an hour
where possible. members normally work. If you from October.
P r i d e
m a r c h e s
PLmtUholysanemdr dcuaoohnwunei ot,sa hnM ci,n’t saBi vt nelhiascqechtu kssea puesloimntteosymrlu , fa rleBaenrigd dram attYh tiGo nePrlgykarih sfdlgaeeomww,,
arena 09
People
like you
AJaeDta etnhl eWigse ayeteeka sMrc ’ssep eAetnainnkguinagltive
R ep Jean Charitable rep breaks the including organising the
Weeksis pain barrier to help raise many campaigns we run in-
one of money for cancer victims store. Sometimes I only get
thousands four hours sleep.
of Usdaw members “I do what I do because I
who regularly take part in the doing Race4Life and the get a great sense of
annual Race4Life event to raise second time I’ve run 10km. I achievementknowing I’ve
money and awareness for mainly jog and power walk, it helped a member or persuaded
national charity Cancer doesn’t matter how you get a new member to sign up. As a
Research UK. round. There was 20 of us rep I’ve learned a lot about the
Jean’s commitment is even from our store this year, we’re union and myself.
more remarkable as she suffers a great team and we all have “I delivered my first
from a condition called our own reasons for taking proposition at the Annual
scoliosis, which affects the part. Delegate Meeting this year and
curvature of her spine and “It’s such a brilliant spoke in front of hundreds of
causes her pain on a daily atmosphereon the day with people. It took me four years to
basis. crowds cheering you pluck up the courageto do that
“I was diagnosed at the age throughout and willing you on and I had tears in my eyes
of 12 and I’ve had two major at the finish line.” when I finished.
operations,” said 46 year-old Jean, a mother-of-four and “It’s an achievement I’ll be
Jean, a night-shift worker for grandmother-of-two, has proudof for the rest of my life.”
Tesco in Bletchley, Milton shown the same commitment
Kdaeyy“snI aehsna.dve t hgeoroed a drea ysosm aned th biandgs aryenepad,r sda. e r“toIel rewm sohirneka’ stni hiognehl datss f soao ru I1n 1ciaornry toFhoner b umenioinorgen a’isn r fweoperm bvsiasittiiteo:n
Iin ctaenrf’te rdeo w, bituht mI dyo dna’ti llye tl iifte. ouunti oan l otat sokfs my www.usdaw.org.uk/bearep
“This is my eighth year during the day
10arena