Sunday, January 27, 2008

Barnet College UNISON team reports...........

Firstly, we would like to welcome to the Steward's Team Kirsty Watson, who joined in the autumn, and is already providing an invaluable contribution as UNISON rep on the new College Learning Committee.

Kirsty says some more about herself below:
"I joined the team in October 2007 and, as the newest member, I have only been working on one case. However, I have joined the Learning Committee as your UNISON representative and I intend to make sure that it delivers equal opportunities for all who wish to participate in a non-threatening environment. The Learning Committee is meeting up again in February, so any Feedback from members who have attended the drop-in sessions would be greatly appreciated.
I am also concerned with the cleanliness of the college in general (having had uninvited mice in the office I work with). The cut backs provide an unsatisfactory working environment.
The final issue that I would like to see resolved in the near future is lack of supply of drinking water. It is, after all, a Legal Requirement that fresh drinking water is supplied to employees and this requirement is not being met at present."


The key Health and Safety issues that Kirsty has highlighted above will be pursued vigorously by your UNISON reps in joint consultation with our UCU colleagues- there are clearly health and safety issues that affect other college sites apart from the Business Park.

Three other key issues that your Union is currently pursuing (again, jointly with UCU and the other teaching unions) are:

- the cost of living pay increase, now long-overdue


- the future of Collective Agreements in the light of the new Academic Management Spine contracts that UCU members were required to sign last summer. This has implications for all of us, and should be of general concern


- feedback on the results of the recent staff survey (conducted as part of the valuing staff initiative by the College). We hope that you all returned your forms!

The Barnet College Stewards Team

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