Secretary's Corner
May 2009
Extension of Dynamic Deployment trial – Fact or fiction.
I would like to confirm to members that whatever rumours may be around at the moment suggesting that the staffside have agreed to an extension of the Dynamic Deployment (DD) trial beyond the 1st April 09 are totally untrue. Following discussions back in December 08 regarding the use of DAP sites, the DD working group agreed to a 3 Month trial to allow local staff and Managers, to locate, agree and sign off DAP sites as outlined in the SOG. To reiterate advice given in April’s newsletter, where this work has not been carried out locally and in partnership, then these locations should not be used until suitable sites are found, agreed and signed off at Local LPFs.
The ballot for the positions of Branch Health & Safety Officer and Cambridgeshire County Lead Representative has now been concluded and the results can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. I would like to say thank you to all those members that took the time and trouble to cast their vote. As a democratic member led union, this is one of those opportunities to have a real input into how your Branch is run and who represents on your behalf. I would also like to thank the 4 candidates who took part in the election process, most of this work is carried out by volunteers in their own time, without individuals taking this level of interest our members would have no representation at all, so thank you and best wishes to you all for the future.
Following on from the open letter written on behalf of the Branch to the Trust Board as outlined in last months newsletter, a meeting was convened on the 29th April 2009 between senior Branch officers Kevin Risley, Barry Jarvis, Frank Ward and Jackie Robinson. Unison Regional Officer John Toomey, Maria Ball (Trust Chair) Hayden Newton (Chief Executive Officer) Seamus Elliot (Director of HR) and Jagtar Singh (Non-Executive Director). The meeting went well even though time was not on our side and some of our concerns were unable to be discussed in great detail. There was recognition from all those present that the partnership working arrangements that have proven to be very successful in the past had been allowed to deteriorate in some (but not all) areas of the Trust. There was also an apology given (which was excepted) by the management team that invitation had not been extended to some important high profile strategic meetings recently which had allowed staffside involvement into the decision making processes of the Trust to not take place. The management team gave assurances and stated that they were still fully committed to working with Unisons staffside officers and suggested that it was now time to draw a line in the sand and consider the way forward. It was agreed by all those present that we hold a complete review of all partnership activities within the Trust both locally and centrally to allow staff at all levels to have fair input into the Trusts forward plans. External expertise is available and would be sought where appropriate.
I will, as always, keep members posted of progress.
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