The Suffolk County Branch of UNISON is located in Rope Walk in
In the Branch Office, we have three Branch Organising Staff, Janet, Chris and June; your Branch Secretary, Case Manager and Equality Officer Helen Muddock; Chairperson, ACS & CYP Lead Paul Aldous; Service Conditions Officer, ESnE and CSD Service Lead Steve Warner; Service Conditions Officer and Health and Safety Officer Malcolm Gibbs.
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BRANCH OFFICE STAFF
Janet, June and Chris spend most of their time dealing with membership and keeping it as up-to-date as is possible. They answer all phone calls and are the members’ first point of contact. Basically they keep the Office running smoothly.
They also take minutes at all Branch meetings, write agendas, organise venues for meetings and recruitment, organise Steward/ Rep induction’s etc. Please phone the Branch Office Staff if you need anything – if they do not know the answer, they will know someone that does. If you need any information, they will also research it etc. They are there to assist you in any way they can but they don't represent members with Casework.
Branch Officers are all elected annually. The full time seconded Officers have all put their careers on hold to serve the Branch and our members and 3 of the team have worked in local government all of their working lives, so they know what’s going on!
Some other officers rely on being released in paid time to carry out their Trades Union duties, so when they are not doing union work, they are doing their own jobs. The Branch has an excellent team of officers who cover all aspects of the union – Service Conditions, Health & Safety, Equality Officers, Life Long Learning to name just a few, so if you are looking for an answer to a particular query, the Branch has an officer who will be able to give you the information you need.
Helen Muddock is your Branch Secretary. She manages the Casework within the Branch and sometime take on Cases, specifically disability related cases. She co-ordinates the work of the Branch as a whole and deals with Strategic Operations; Policy; Branch Development; Corporate Health and Safety; Campaigns; Bids and Funding; Negotiation with the Employers at a strategic level; Equality; Communications and the Branch Website and generally ensures smooth running of the Branch. She is also one of the Joint Secretaries to the Partnership Board.
Paul Aldous is our Branch Chair, as well as a senior lead for Academies, Residential Homes, CYP and ACS. He leads on Pay, Job evaluations and Occupational progression appeals. Paul also guides the Branch on Single Status and HAY.
Malcolm Gibbs is a Service Conditions Officer, a Lead CASEworker and one of our Health and Safety Officers. Malcolm, as well as undertaking casework, also undertakes Health and Safety Inspections and is part of the National Standing Orders Committee.
Steve Warner is one of your Service Conditions Officer. He is a Caseworker and also co-ordinates the Service Areas, CSD & ES&E.
Maryanne Robinson is our Vice Chair and also a Service Conditions Officer. She leads our work in the West of the County. As well as undertaking casework, she is active in the ACS and Library service areas.
Polly Smith is a Service Conditions Officer and Equality Officer. Polly also serves on the National Home Care Forum, Regional Women's Committee and the Regional Disabled Members' Committee.
David Church is a Service Conditions Officer and is based in the North of the County but covers Schools thoughout the County. David leads our work on Schools Organisational Review and takes on casework. David is an elected member of the National Schools Support Work Forum.
Adrian Hunt is our International Officer and is also a Lead Rep in Traded Services (soon to become EFMSL).
Dave Evans is our Life Long Learning Officer and also one of our Health & Safety Officers.
Andrew Dicker and Maryanne Robinson are our Welfare Officers and provide welfare support to members in the Branch.
Jean Thomas is our Lead Representative for Homefirst and deals with Casework for us in the West of the County.
Ryan Jay is our Young members Officer and also serves on our Health and Safety committee.
Last but my no means least, our Branch is supported by our Regional Officer, Michelle Bradley. Michelle provides support to the Branch Team, and deals with high level Cases which may be approaching Employment Tribunal. She specialises in Equal Pay, Equalities and TUPE regulations.
MEMBERSHIP
The Branch has a new membership system called the RMS – this is a national system which replicates the membership application forms.
If you are aware of ANY changes to your members circumstances, such as:- if you are on maternity leave, change your name, home or work address or are off sick for a length of time and your pay decreases (as your subscriptions may also decrease), please let the Branch Office know as soon as possible and we will make the necessary changes. Also, please be aware that if you have even the slightest change of employment circumstances, your payroll number changes and this often results in payroll ceasing your union contributions and payroll do not inform UNISON of this. Therefore we rely on members to tell us.....you can update your details yourself online clicking here.
CASE FORMS
UNISON nationally are now using a “CASE Management System”. If a member requires Branch assistance, this form must be completed fully. This information will then be entered onto the management system. If we need to refer cases to Regional Office or for Legal assistance, the form MUST be signed by the Branch Secretary before being sent to Region. CASE forms can be obtained from the Branch Office. Please note, Regional Officers will not offer assistance with any cases unless referred by the Branch.
WELFARE
If a member ever falls on hard times, UNISON has its own Welfare Service. This is a registered charity and is there to assist members and their dependants in times of crises, such as bereavement, redundancy, illness, relationship breakdown and personal injury. Welfare Assistance forms are available from the Branch Office.
AGM
The Branch holds its AGM usually at the beginning of the year. Details of next years AGM will be advertised well in advance, so watch this space! Please try to attend and get as many members as possible to come along. It is the one opportunity for members to hear what the Branch has been doing with their money and to have their say. After all – it is a member led union!
HELP KEEP OUR RECORDS UP TO DATE
It is important that you let us know if you move house, change job or workplace so we can keep our records up to date and ensure you recieve the latest newsletter and ballot papers. Please let us know if you are not receiving any correspondence from us, or if you move house or job. Please telephone the office and ask for Chris 01473 584333, or update your details online yourself by clicking here.