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FOR UNISON MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Yourpublicservicesneed

YOU!

WATTIEWEIRploughs through the Scottishsnow to keep Edinburgh running

SARAH, NICOLAAND STACEYtell us why the educationalmaintenance allowancematters to them

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WELCOME TO

from Dave PrentisUNISON’s general secretary

Talk to us: phone 0845 355 0845Monday to Friday 6am to midnight and Saturday 9am to 4pm

If you want to change membership details, call this number, visit the website orget in touch with your branch or region. Calls may be recorded for trainingpurposes. Textphone 0800 967 968

Visit our website at www.unison.org.uk

As the new year begins, the Tory-ledgovernment is showing its truecolours. Before the election they promised to protect front line services, to protect the NHS, to protect the mostvulnerable in our society.

But now 140,000 local government jobs are to goin England and Wales alone, a radical shake up to the NHSthreatens to turn this great service into little more than abrand, and inevitably those that will lose out will be thevulnerable that the government vowed to protect.

The impact on our communities could be devastating.Research shows that the cuts to public services hit the poorest the hardest. Services such asSureStart, giving our very youngest children a fair startin life; the educational maintenance allowance,that enabled hundreds of thousands of young people tostay on in education; and pensions for low-paid workersthat are being chipped away. Meanwhile the bankers keeptheir bonuses, their massive profits and their tax loopholes.UNISON will fight for a fairer way, to protect your

schools, your hospitals, your communities and your jobs.On 26 March we’ll be in London, marching for publicservices. Join us and let us know you’re coming atunison.org.uk/million.

VOLUME 18, NUMBER 4U is published by UNISON – the public serviceunion – and distributed to every member. Nonmembers pay £30 a year.

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES The Editor, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H9AJ Tel: 0845 355 0845; Textphone 08000967968Email: u.magazine@unison.co.uk

ADVERTISINGRedactive Media Group, 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP020 7880 6200; info@redactive.co.ukWhile every effort is made to ensure the reliability ofadvertisers, UNISON cannot accept any liability. Inclusion of advertisements does not imply any recommendation.

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U magazine is available in audio format by contacting Pat Payne, UNISON communications, at the address above.

THIS ISSUE10 Give us a fair chance

Young people losing without theeducation maintenance allowance

14 Protect our public servicesPublic services are under threat across the UK

16 About a boyHow public services are keeping Isaac happy and healthy

24 Me and my jobA story of a true gritter and his snow plough

26 Labour linkHow a local councillor switched sides

REGULARS4 26 March march for public services5 News20 U@work pensions update22 U@work28 Crosswords30 Review of the year to come32 Letters

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4 TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK ●

MARCHFOR PUBLIC SERVICESJoin UNISON on 26 March in London to tell the governmentthat savage spending cuts are unnecessary and unfair

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It’s going to be an important day – and weneed to make sure it’s as big as possible.

On 26 March, thousands of people will jointhe TUC in a national demonstration againstthe government’s cuts.

The cuts are starting to bite now: we’reseeing services axed, while people are losingtheir jobs and their homes – and it’s not justpublic sector jobs that are going.

In the meantime, the coalition continues tosay that there’s no alternative to the cuts and,with support from most of the media, people– including our members – believe it. But thisis a myth.

And it’s not just ‘the usual suspects’ sayingit’s a myth either – economists from across the political spectrum are saying as much,including those such as Cambridge economistHa-Joon Chang, whose book 23 Things TheyDon’t Tell You About Capitalism explains the

PLEDGE TO BE THEREfacebook.com/amillionvoices

We’ll be assembling at 11am on VictoriaEmbankment, London, between TemplePlace and Blackfriars to march to a rallyin Hyde Park. Contact your region fordetails of local plans.

To find out more or sign up online go tounison.org.uk/million or facebook.com/amillionvoices

False Economy launchesA new website has been launched foranyone concerned about the impact ofthe government's spending cuts on theircommunity, their family or their home.

The site, False Economy, is partsponsored by UNISON as part of its A Million Voices for Public Servicescampaign. It has launched with a filmpresented by actor Sam West.

Visit the site to get active, givetestimony on the effects of cuts on youor your community, or find out moreabout the alternatives to the Tory-ledcuts. www.falseeconomy.org.uk

roots to what’s really been happening in theworld in recent years in layman’s terms.

And it’s worth coming along. We’ve alreadywon small battles. We’re building coalitions withcommunities across the UK to win even more.

When we work together to show thecoalition, at local or national level, just howmuch opposition there is to their slash-and-burn approach, they’re back-tracking andwavering.

And with elections coming up in May, wehave the chance to really show what we thinkabout policies that hurt individuals and familiesand communities on the basis of a myth.

We can help to do that by making sure thatas many of us as possible will be in London on 26 March – showing, in UNISON, ouropposition to what the government is doing.

5● TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

FIND OUT MOREunison.org.uk/

million

Cambridgeshire County Council has committeditself to a “full and meaningful consultation” withUNISON, after it announced up to 450 jobs cuts for the coming year.

The cuts will come from directly employed councilstaff, with the possibility of further similar cuts in thefollowing two years.

Before the general election, the county council had projected 350 job cuts, but that has increased.

UNISON regional organiser Cheryl Godberexplained that the union was waiting to hear thedetail of the council’s proposals before deciding on a course of action.

EASTERN

Cambridgeshirefaces huge cuts Fifty UNISON learners met in Leicester at

the end of November to celebrate theirlearning successes and also find out moreabout educational opportunities throughUNISON, the Workers’ EducationalAssociation and the Open University.

Despite the cold and snow, learners fromacross the East Midlands attended a host of workshops and enjoyed a presentationabout the cuts facing public services.

This generated a lot of interest aboutunion’s Million Voices campaign and theTUC march in London on 26 March.

In the afternoon, regional secretary Helen Black presented certificates toactivists completing their courses.

You can find out more about ourcampaign at unison.org.uk/million and about learning and organising at unison.org.uk/laos.

EAST MIDLANDS

UNISON LEARNERS CELEBRATE

Music eventof 2011

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6 TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

Policing by the region’s biggest force couldsuffer if it sheds 450 non-uniformed posts tosave £34m, UNISON has said.

In November, Northumbria Police revealed that it is looking to shed almost a quarter of its workforce over the next two years as it tries to cope with a 25% funding cut from central government.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: “There is no way the streets of Gateshead,Newcastle, Sunderland and other major

towns on Northumbria’s patch can be kept safe with 25% fewer police staff.

“Police staff do vital work includingfingerprinting, scene of crime, emergency control room operators, and working as detention officers. They play an important role in combating crime.”

Regional organiser Peter Chapman added: “One positive thing from early discussions is that Northumbria are committed to avoidingcompulsory redundancies if they can.”

NORTHERN

PRENTIS WARNS ON POLICE CUTS

GREATER LONDON

Health jobs go in LondonMore than 3,000 jobs in London will be lostthrough the abolition of primary care trusts,UNISON has said.

Regional head of health Chris Remington saidthe jobs will now be axed by April, a year quickerthan announced under the government’s plans fora shake-up of the NHS.

“The health white paper paves the way formassive job losses as primary care trusts are

abolished. In London alone, 3,300 jobs are set to go and these losses are being changed fromtwo years into one.

“This will cause widespread disturbance to health service provision in the capital ascommissioning expertise will be lost and there is no system in place to replace it.”

For more information on UNISON’s campaignfor the NHS go to unison.org.uk/ournhs

Tameside council in Greater Manchester hasannounced 800 job cuts over the next fouryears, to save £100m.

Anne Keighley of the union’s Tamesidebranch said: “We’ve worked very hard to avoidcompulsory redundancies in Tameside andhave always promoted the fact we’ve got a verywell trained, flexible workforce that are veryadaptable to a whole number of situations.”

But Ms Keighley said that any cuts werelikely to have an effect on services, adding:“We’re right down to the bone in a number of services now.

“In some areas we’re probably going to have a reduction of staff, we will be finding it difficult to provide services.”

The union has described plans to cut almost3,000 posts from Greater Manchester Policeas “deeply worrying” for the region.

NORTH WEST

Tameside wieldsjob-cutting axe

YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

Sheffield fights The Sheffield Anti-Cuts Campaign held its firstmeeting in late November, with more than 300people attending.

The council, which has a very small Lib Demmajority, has proposed 44% cuts to its budget andis already attacking workers’ terms and conditions.

The UNISON branch has been out recruitingacross all the services in the city, using a giantbillboard showing ‘Cleggzilla’ stamping over local services. It is building toward making sureSheffield’s presence is felt on March’s Londondemonstration against the cuts.

For more information search for UNISON Sheffield on facebook.

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8 TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK ●

Members working for hospital services contractor Compass Medirest in Southampton and in Buckinghamshire have been driven to strikeaction by management’s refusal to implement the Agenda for Changenational agreement.

“It’s not just about the money – it’s about the way we are treated.” says Jo Spear, UNISON rep at Southampton General Hospital.

Jo and her fellow domestic cleaners voted to take strike action inDecember because management refuses to pay the final part of theAgenda for Change terms and conditions package until April 2011 and will not discuss the payment of back pay.

The government has financed Southampton University Hospitals NHSTrust since 2006 to pay the agreed rate, but Compass Medirest staff,who until October did not get sick pay, are still waiting. Now they havehad enough.

“We’re all up for it, feelings are so high,” said Jo, who works on thechildren’s cancer ward. “We are all concerned about walking off ourwards and them not being cleaned, but we have to look out for ourfamilies – we’re not getting the same benefits as other NHS staff.”

Jo and her fellow UNISON activists have built membership to 94%during their campaign for equal treatment. “We tried and tried to get meetings with the company and the trust, but they didn’t take us seriously.”

Porters and catering staff, as well as domestics working for CompassMedirest at Wycombe and Amersham hospitals in Buckinghamshire walked out for 48 hours on 15 December.

As the first snows of the wintergripped the UK, UNISON WestMidlands took to the roads on aweek-long organising campaign forthe NHS, which more than warmedthe hearts of all involved.

This intensive week saw activists,branches and regional staff joinforces for a blitz focussed onfighting back against cuts and theprivatisation plans outlined in thegovernment’s health white paper.

Culminating in a regional healthconference, events took place acrossthe region from Stoke in the north toCoventry in the south, Worcester inthe west to Burton in the east – and537 new members were signed upto the UNISON family, together withplenty of new stewards.

WEST MIDLANDS

A warm reception

Somerset local government branch is facing a battleover the county council’s plans to axe £43m worth ofservices and 700 jobs.

Regional secretary Joanne Kaye said that theConservative-controlled council’s plans include cuttingyouth clubs and bus subsidies.

Yet at the same time, it has just hired a new corporatedirector for children and young people’s services on anannual salary of £135,000 – £23K more than any othermember of its senior staff.

The union is already backing a new campaign in thecounty, Friends of Somerset Libraries, to defend thelibrary services against massive cuts.

And in Cornwall, UNISON held protests outsideCounty Hall as the Conservative-dominated countycouncil rushed through a budget to slash £170m.

SOUTH EAST

SOUTH WEST

Somerset and Cornwall fight back

DRIVEN TOSTRIKE ACTION

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9● TALK TO US: 0845 355 0845 ● VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK

CYMRU/WALES

Can’t smile without you

SCOTLAND

Police fear

UNISON member Karen Addyman has teamed up with two nursing colleagues and legendarylyricist Geoff Morrow to re-release the single Can’t smile without you.

The song, which was originally recorded by Barry Manilow, who co-wrote it with Mr Morrow,has been released to support the charity Nurse Aid. The charity, which is open to all members ofthe nursing family, is hoping that it will raise awareness and provide funding for nurses in need.

Ms Addyman, who is a community psychiatric nurse at Talygarn Hospital in Pontypool, joinedsurgical nurse Alexis Mendoza from Harrow, Middlesex, and practice nurse Maxine Brooks fromBirmingham to record the single under the name The Nurses.

The three nurses were selected via an appeal through nursing journals.Find out more about Nurse Aid at nurseaid.org.uk and join the the Facebook group

at facebook.com/TheNursesuk or follow them on Twitter at @thenursesuk. The singlewas released in November and can be bought as an mp3 file on Amazon or iTunes.

Police officers will be tied up with more deskwork if Northern Constabulary proposed cutsgo ahead, UNISON officials in the Highlands are warning.

The union said that reducing the number of staff will have a significant impact on frontline policing.

The Northern Constabulary plans to close 16stations throughout the region, cut 25 officers’posts and axe 50 police staff jobs as part of a£4.7million package of cuts.

UNISON steward Frank Winston toldThe Press and Journal: “There is noacknowledgement that the support staff are theone constant in this organisation, cops comeand go and when they arrive at a new station,they rely on support staff who tend to have livedand worked for a long time in the area. I knowthis from personal experience having been aNorthern Constabulary policeman.”

Regional organiser Ken Matthews said:“UNISON is calling on members of the public toexpress their concerns to their MPs, MSPs andlocal elected councillors to let them see the trueeffect of these unjust Westminster budget cuts.”

SOUTH EAST

A new beginningWhen South Oxford district council and the Valeof White Horse council merged their workforcesunder the shared services banner, UNISONdecided that it made more sense to operate as a single branch to provide a stronger voicerepresenting members across both councils.

The proposed new name for the branch isRidgeway, which will be confirmed at the AGMearly this year.

But to mark the end of the old branches and the launch of the new one, members took a boatdown the Thames, crossing the boundariesbetween the two local authorities.

Recording for Nurse’s Aid (left to right) AlexisMendoza, Karen Addyman and Maxine Brooks

facebook.com/thenursesuk

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Stacey Perry andNicola Dineley

The government says that theeducation maintenance allowance(EMA), which it intends to abolishin January 2011, makes “little

difference to most teenagers”. In November and December 2010, tens of

thousands of students and staff from collegesand six-forms throughout the country took tothe streets to disagree.

For thousands, the tiny sum offered by theEMA represents the difference betweenstaying on in education – on a path that couldshape their futures for the better – or havingto leave.

“By taking an axe to the EMA, thegovernment is chopping away at the future ofthe next generation,” says UNISON generalsecretary Dave Prentis.

“We know that this support has resulted inan increase in the number of young peoplegoing to college in the last seven years, anddramatically halted the number dropping out.

“UNISON supports the young people whoexpected EMA to help them stay in education.This attack on their life chances is an attackon us all.”

Launched in 2004 by the Labourgovernment, the EMA scheme pays 16 to 18-year-olds from low-income families up to £30a week, depending on family income, to stayin education.

The money is paid into the teenagers’ bankaccounts to use on books, course equipment

and travelling to school or college. Theallowance is stopped if students fail to attendclasses regularly.

The EMA has become a key factor inimproving participation in further educationin some of the most deprived areas of the UK.In some areas of Birmingham, Leicester andthe North West, as many as four-fifths ofstudents receive the EMA.

UNISON has spoken to staff and studentsat Walsall College in the West Midlands,exactly the kind of area that will be hardesthit when the coalition scraps the EMA.

The college currently has 2,300 students inreceipt of EMA, around 70% of its 16-18 yearold learners. And many of them will have toend their studies if they lose the allowance.

fairchanceThree college students from Walsall want to tell the governmentto reconsider its education funding cuts. Here, they tellDemetrios Matheou what these cuts will mean to them.

Give us a

The EMAencourages a

lot of young people tokeep going through theeducation system. Formany of them who don’thave parents to fall backon, it’s crucial

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Gail Houghton is the college’s learnerexperience co-ordinator, responsible forthe needs of the students away fromtheir courses, such as extra-curricularactivities and financial advice.

“I’m sure some government ministersthink that the EMA is pin money, whichthe students spend on cigarettes andbeer,” she says. “In fact, that supportencourages a lot of young people to keepgoing through the education system. Formany of them who don’t have parents tofall back on, perhaps living alone, it’scrucial. Now they will be part-waythrough their qualifications, but unableto afford to stay. It’s going to be tough.”

Ms Houghton’s assessment of thesituation goes beyond education. “Weare going to get a lot of homeless 16 and17-year-olds around here, because theparents will not be able to keep them athome. The EMA enables a lot of thesestudents to be self-sufficient within the household.

“These decisions are being made bypeople who are so far removed fromreality,” she adds. “They don’t anticipatethe impact, because it’s not their world.”

Sarah Howard is a 17-year-old whohas been living alone for the past sixmonths while studying an AchievingTogether course at the college. Thecourse is designed to improve her levelof English and maths, paving the way,she had hoped, for a hairdressingcourse. Hairdressing runs in the family,says Sarah, and to become a hairdresserherself “is my dream”.

She receives the full £30 EMA. “It’s so important. With my income support, I don’t get that much to last me throughthe week. I need to buy all my books and stuff for my course and it would bea struggle without the EMA.”

When the government announced its

intention to cut the allowance, Sarahattended the first Westminster protest,with a number of her fellow students.

“I do feel angry,” she says. “We needthat money to stay on our courses. We can’t carry on without it. Thegovernment isn’t giving us a fairchance.”

Another student who attended thatprotest was 18-year-old Nicola Dineley.After two years studying business,Nicola is in her first year of a BTECcertificate in applied science. She saysshe loves science and would like to studyit at university before a related career,such as a lab technician. She lives withher parents, and has qualified for theEMA for the first time, receiving £20 aweek, from which she pays rent as wellas her college expenses.

And it seems that studying science is a

particularly expensive business. “I don’tjust have to buy books, but also my labcoat, lab glasses and other equipment,”she says. “So when I found out they werecutting the EMA it was reallydepressing. I know I can’t afford all thatstuff without it.

“I don’t know if I’m coming back nextyear,” she adds. “It’s not just me. A lot ofus would struggle.”

With the special perspective that her

These decisionsare being made

by people who are sofar from reality. Theydon’t anticipate theimpact, because it’snot their world

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“We need thatmoney to stay

on our courses. Thegovernment isn’tgiving us a fair chance

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role at the college gives her, GailHoughton observes that, “apart fromthe obvious fact that the EMA enablesyoung people to study, another hugebenefit is that it gives them a level ofindependence from their parents. It isthe first time they have the experienceof managing their own money.

“We do financial literacy work here,covering the different ways that theycan spend the EMA and bonuses, howto make budgets, to save money. Itrepresents their first step into theadult world.”

Seventeen-year-old Stacey Perry,who is studying for an NVQ level 2diploma in hairdressing, is onestudent who has embraced thisopportunity. “At the moment Idon’t take a lot off my parents.That’s why I like having my EMA.

It’s my money, to sort out my books, myhairdressing kit – which has just gone up to£110 – and other things that I need. I like thatindependence. My parents would want to helpmore, but I choose to do it this way. So I’mgutted that we’re losing it.”

Stacey is a little more hopeful than some ofbeing able to continue. “My parents will help mealong. But other people will find it harder. Andthere are no jobs going at all. So if you can’tafford to stay at college, you have nothing.”

Like her friends, she has been campaigninghard to make the government change its mind,but is not optimistic. “The students organiseda petition in the college, and got a lot ofsignatures for it, which we gave to the localMP. But no-one’s listening.”

Any MP who professes to believe thecoalition line that the EMA doesn’t make adifference should go to Walsall College andspeak with Sarah, Nicola and Stacey. Theywould meet impressive, hard-working youngpeople, who have a very clear idea of what theywant to do in life, and are desperate to begiven a chance. Five minutes with these youngwomen would make them feel ashamed. UDemetrios Matheoud.matheou@unison.co.uk

There are no jobsgoing at all. If you

can’t afford to stay atcollege, you have nothing“ “

FIND OUT MORE

emacampaign.org.uk

UNISON is part of the Save EMACampaign, alongside the NationalUnion of Students, the University andCollege Union, the National Union ofTeachers, the Association of Teachersand Lecturers, Unite, NASUWT andthe GMB.If you or someone you know could beaffected by the abolition of the EMAplease contact Jennifer Mitchell atj.mitchell@unison.co.uk.UNISON members will be joining theTUC demonstration in London on 26March, against the full programme ofgovernment spending cuts. To find out more or sign up online go tounison.org.uk/million orfacebook.com/amillionvoices.

The Tory-led government isringing in the new year with140,000 job cuts in localgovernment in England and

Wales, an NHS shake up that risksbringing marketisation andfragmentation, cuts to educationfunding and an attack on public serviceworkers’ terms and conditions.

The government justifies the cuts andreorganisations by saying it has no choicebut to reduce spending. Defending cutsto child benefit, housing benefit, schoolsports funding, books for children andthe education maintenance allowance, it has argued that there is no alternativeand that ‘tough choices’ must be made.

But UNISON is part of a growingcoalition of community groups, charities,economists, trade unions and membersof the public, who disagree. Not only domassive public spending cuts riskcreating a country where the poor andthe vulnerable suffer the most, they alsomake no economic sense.

Professor Joseph Stiglitz, a NobelPrize winner in economics, explains: “Ifyou have a household that can’t pay itsdebts, you tell it to cut back on spendingto free up the cash to pay the debts. Butin a national economy, if you cut back onyour spending, then economic activitygoes down, nobody invests, the amountof tax you take goes down, the amountyou pay out in unemployment benefitsgoes up – and you don’t have enoughmoney to pay your debts.”

And a report by consultancy firmPricewaterhouseCoopers backs this up.The report shows that public spendingcuts, with an expected 600,000 public

service job losses, could lead to 500,000private sector workers losing their jobs.

UNISON general secretary DavePrentis challenges the government’slogic: “The coalition has got it wrong.By only having a strategy for cuts, it hasno plans for growth and recovery. Itspublic spending cuts are poisoning the private sector and condemning the country to widespread, long-termunemployment and low growth. Thismeans misery for millions of familiesand for taxpayer’s who will be left topick up the long-term bill.”

So how is UNISON working locallyand nationally to protect public serviceworkers and the services they provide?

The government has asked localcouncils to find innovative ways to deliverthe same services for less money. But ithas front loaded the cuts to local councils’budgets – insisting that councils will haveto cut 11% from their budgets over thenext year. This means that far frominnovating, councils are rushing to chopservices, or to privatise them. LucilleThirlby, UNISON’s senior nationalofficer for local government explains:“The government says it wants localgovernment transformed – demandinginnovative ways of delivering services –but with this level of cuts most localauthorities are looking at cutting someservices completely and salami slicingothers, this is not transformation”.

Across the country councils are rushingto privatise services in the belief thatcosts will be saved. In Edinburgh 4,000jobs are being privatised; Lancashire hassigned a £1.9bn contract for services;Cardiff has a 15-year contract for IT; and

Suffolk county council wants to outsourceall its services, employing staff only tomanage contracts.

UNISON is fighting back. In Suffolk,the union commissioned a report by theCentre for Local Economic Strategies tolook into how the community, servicesand public and private sector workerswould be affected by the council’sproposed cuts. The report showed thatcuts would affect the poorest areas themost. It also worked out the exact effectthat public service job losses would haveon private sector jobs.

For every public sector job in Suffolk,between 0.3 and 0.5 private sector jobsare created. So if 1,000 public sector jobsgo, around 400 private sector jobs go.Suffolk currently employs around26,000 staff – the knock on effects oflarge scale job losses in the area would bedramatic. Heather Wakefield, UNISONnational secretary for local government,warns that the proposals “will have adevastating impact on members’ jobs,the local economy and local services.”

She continued: “We need analternative route, as cutting hard and fast will devastate the Suffolkcommunity and ruin any chances of recovery from the recession.”

Nationally, the alternative is providedby UNISON’s A Million Voices for PublicServices campaign, which includes analternative budget outlining how thegovernment could cut spending and raiseincome. The union is also campaigninghard to protect members’ pensions andterms and conditions as well as runningnational campaigns such as Love yourLibraries, Our NHS Our Future,

FIND OUT MORE

unison.org.uk/campaigns

Public services are under threat across the UK, but UNISON isworking locally to defend your job and the services you provide

Protectour public services

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Academies – Defend your School and Save the Educational Maintenance Allowance.

The national executive council has set up a£20m fighting fund, vowing to use it to “bebolder and more radical in the way we opposethe cuts, raising our profile and showing realleadership.” As Dave Prentis said, “This ismoney set aside for a rainy day, and we’regoing into a monsoon.”

But it is locally that UNISON will befocusing its resources. We’re giving tools tolocal activists to help them challenge cuts.Training and factsheets on financialknowledge will help. For example, manycouncils hold enough cash reserves to financethemselves for a whole year – this informationcan be useful when a council claims it has nochoice but to cut services.

The union is also developing a ‘cutscampaign pack’ with help on communitycampaigning, influencing your local council,dealing with the media, using social mediaand recruiting volunteers to help with yourcampaign as well as running nationalcampaigns to protect specific services and terms and conditions.

We’ll also be out in force on 26 March,when thousands of people will join the TUCmarch in London, to tell the government thatsavage spending cuts are unnecessary andunfair. We don’t believe the government whenit says we are all in this together – its publicservice cuts will hit the most vulnerable thehardest. Join us in defending jobs and servicesand speaking out for a fairer alternative – fairtaxation; investment in our local communities,health and education; and a more equal andjust society. UDiana Harrisond.harrison@unison.co.uk

UNISON’s national campaign toprotect public services is A MillionVoices for Public Services. To find outmore and let us know you’ll join us on26 March go to unison.org.uk/million.For more information on cuts inhealth and UNISON’s response see‘About a Boy’ on page 16.For more information on cuts to theeducational maintenance allowanceand UNISON’s response see ‘Give usa fair chance’ on page 10.

Add yours at unison.org.uk/million

We will be bolderand more radical

in the way we oppose thecuts, raising our profile and showing realleadership

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Isaac has musculardystrophy and, as hisparents tell Clare Bayley,public services are keyto keeping him happyand healthy

Stuart White has an academicinterest in the role of the publicsector in a civilised society – heteaches politics at Oxford

University. But his enthusiasm for publicservices is personal as well as theoretical.

Two years ago Stuart’s son Isaac wasdiagnosed with a progressive musclewasting condition, Duchenne MuscularDystrophy. Stuart and his wife Kathyrely on a team of over a dozen healthand education professionals to helpthem manage Isaac’s complex needs. A

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assistant, Isaac wouldjust flounder. Hewould just exist in the classroom, hewouldn’t learnanything

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Isaac has Greta Shepherd, a full-timeteaching assistant, to support him at school. And as she explains, “Without his TA, Isaac would just flounder. Hewould just exist in the classroom, hewouldn’t learn anything. With the best willin the world, with 30 kids in the class, the teacher wouldn’t be able to meet his needs.And his twice weekly physio sessions –crucial to maintain his ability to walk –would just go out of the window. Having aTA means that Isaac is included, he’s one of the class.”

He also has speech therapists,physiotherapists, occupational therapists anda range of special educational needs supportservices and medical specialists. All thisenables him to flourish and continue inmainstream education.

Crucially, it also helps to delay the timewhen Isaac will have to use a wheelchair, and prolongs his life expectancy.

Now that all councils are being asked tomake immediate and deep cuts, Stuart andKathy are understandably worried aboutIsaac’s future.

“Research has shown that where services are good and well co-ordinated, lifeexpectancy for people with DMD is 30 yearsplus. Where services are poor, it can be as lowas 18 or 19 years,” explains Kathy starkly.

“Research is ongoing and they are close tofinding a treatment which would effectivelyhalt or slow the muscle wastage. But we’realso very worried about cuts to researchfunding,” she adds.

Isaac needs a large team of professionalsbecause of his multiple physical, medical andeducational needs. “We personally value andrespect the dedication, expertise and care ofthe people providing the public services. Wehave experienced what it is to receive goodquality services.”

Even so, as Kathy reflects, “it took thewhole of the first year after diagnosis to workout who they all were, why we needed them,and how to get them to liaise with eachother.” Families in their situation need anddeserve support in finding their way aroundthe system. Without that support, thatdifficult time would have been so much more bewildering and distressing.

The family were eligible for disability living allowance, but the 40 page form wasintimidating even to an Oxford academic.Stuart and Kathy relied heavily on themuscular dystrophy regional care adviser to help them apply for the benefit.

About a

Where servicesare good and

well-coordinated, lifeexpectancy for peoplewith DMD is 30 yearsplus. Where servicesare poor, it can be aslow as 18 or 19 years

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And despite all of the support theyreceive, Kathy has decided to give upwork this year in order to concentrate on managing Isaac’s care. She is alreadyoperating at full stretch and working withthe public sector to provide her son’s care.She is outraged at the Conservatives’ so-called big society agenda.

“The idea that we could cut back all the services we currently get andvolunteer to step into the breach isridiculous,” she says.

“Why should the burden of deficitreduction fall on children and thevulnerable?” she asks. “We know thatthese cuts are going to hurt poorerpeople and disabled people. Cuts at thislevel will lead to a two tier system withan adequate private service for peoplewho can pay and an inadequate servicefor people who can’t.”

“I’m in the top 10% of the populationearning over £40,000 a year,” Stuartpoints out wryly. “The idea that we couldgo out and buy what we get from the NHSand the local education authority is just…”he breaks off, laughing in horror at thevery idea. “It’s just absurd!”

And Kathy adds: “It’s not just thefinancial issue of buying the services –we’ve benefited from the professionalswho have an overview of the situation.

I can’t see how we as parents could meetIsaac’s needs without that overview thatthe local authority has.”

Stuart and Kathy are active inOxfordshire’s local anti-cuts campaign,Save Our Services. The council leadersrecently invited local people to a ‘BigDebate’ to discuss the best way toimplement the cuts.

“I regard these services as rights,” saysStuart. “Given the overall scale of cuts,they were effectively asking us to discusswhose rights were going to get violated.Of course we’re anxious about our son,but even if nothing happens to hisservices that will be at the expense ofsomebody else’s services.

“I resent being put in a position whereI’m being invited to squawk on behalf ofmy child’s rights, knowing someone elsewill have to pay, who has just as muchright to their service.”

The philosophical point was not loston the council leaders who, however,had no satisfactory answer to thequestion.

“Those of us who are concerned in onearea have to show solidarity to those inanother area,” insists Stuart. “We can’t sitin our silos and fight a particular cut – wehave to come together, share informationand show support for each other.”

He is keen to raise the debate abovethe level where citizens are pittedagainst each other, squabbling over who is most deserving.

Save Our Services is a coalition ofresidents, trade unions and other groupsworking together.

“The best way we can fight thesedraconian cuts is by unions, service users,community groups and the public gettingtogether and telling politicians, locallyand nationally, that we oppose them,” saysUNISON regional organiser Steve Waite.

“The council needs to fight backagainst these government imposed cuts instead of implementing themwithout question,” he continues. “Save Our Services is a local campaignand it’s taking that message toOxfordshire council.”

Why should the burden of

deficit reduction fall on children and thevulnerable? We knowthat these cuts aregoing to hurt poorerpeople and disabledpeople

“

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We personallyvalue and

respect the dedication,expertise and care ofthe people providingthe public services

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And they will be joining UNISON tomarch for public services at the TUCmarch on 26 March 2011 in London.

Stuart is a passionate speaker andbrilliantly combines a practical approachwith highly intelligent reasoning.

His academic research is intophilosophical issues around the welfarestate, and he has published widely on thesubject, including a book, The CivicMinimum, about social rights. He arguesvery cogently that cuts are not the way tomanage the country’s deficit. And he alsohas an alternative solution.

“The obvious way to share the burden is through the tax system, not throughspending cuts. Through the tax system, you can put the greatest burden on thestrongest shoulders. That’s the basis of acivilisation,” he says. UClare Bayleyc.bayley@unison.co.uk

I regard theseservices as

rights… Given theoverall scale of cuts,they were effectivelyasking us to discusswhose rights weregoing to get violated

“

“

FIND OUT MORE• Find out more about Save Our Services in

Oxford at indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford• Find out about UNISON’s Million Voices for Public

Services campaign at unison.org.uk/million• Speak up for the NHS: Our NHS Our Future is UNISON’s

campaign for a quality NHS that is publicly owned, not driven by profit. For more information go tounison.org.uk/ournhs

• UNISON will be marching for public services on 26 March in London. To find out more or sign up see the article on page 4, go to tuc.org.uk,unison.org.uk/million or facebook.com/amillionvoices.

OUR CAMPAIGNunison.org.uk/million

Our pensions are under attack. Alreadythe government has changed the way itallows for inflation – from using thestandard retail price index to using thelower consumer price index, whichdoesn’t include housing costs, tocalculate annual increases.

And other attacks are being lined up,courtesy of Lord Hutton’s independentpublic service pensions commission. Itsinterim report back in October 2010admitted that public sector pensions are far from ‘gold plated’ and rejected a ‘race to the bottom’.

But it did argue that final salaryschemes favour so-called high fliers inpublic services, and suggested lookingat moves from final salary pensions to a career average or including someelement of ‘defined contribution’ –where you have an individual pensionpot which is used to buy a pensionwhen you retire: how much you getdepends on the state of the financialmarkets at the time you retire ratherthan your final salary.

The commission also suggested thebest way to save the government moneyin the short term was to increase whatmembers pay - something taken up byChancellor George Osborne in hiscomprehensive spending review. Theseincreases will be phased in from April2012, to save an extra £1.8bn a year forthe Pay As You Go schemes alone. Theeffect will be to make each personpaying in to a public pension schemepay an average 3% more of their pay.The low paid could pay a bit less of theincrease with middle earners payingsignificantly more.

But Hutton still has to make a finalreport before March’s budget, andUNISON has presented evidence putting our arguments in defence of our members’ pensions.

All public service schemes werereformed and renegotiated in 2007 to keep them both affordable andsustainable. The Hutton commissionitself admits that these reforms reducedcosts by 10%.

If you then add the effect of the change from the retail price index to theconsumer price index when calculatingthe annual increases in pensions, costshave been cut by 25%.

The combined effect is that the value of benefits has already reduced from anaverage of 24% to 18% of pay. Furtherchanges would reduce benefit valuesfurther. This could cause the very race to the bottom that the commission andgovernment say they wish to avoid.

Indeed, a Pensions Week article warnsthat increasing workers’ contributions by 3% on average could see as many as350,000 people opting out of publicservice pension schemes because theycan’t afford it – and these people wouldthen have to rely on state benefits toavoid poverty in their old age.

On top of that, any move that included‘defined contribution’ elements ratherthan defined benefits would place all therisk on individual scheme members –potentially leaving generations of savershaving to rely on tax-funded statebenefits when they retire.

A defined benefit scheme, like thecurrent final salary pension scheme orpossibly a good career average schemerevalued in line with earnings, is the onlything that can deliver a reasonableincome in retirement.

There has also been talk of furtherraising the retirement age in public sector pensions – which, like so manycomments on the issue, ignores reality:the local government pension scheme,the 2008 section of the NHS pensionscheme, the reformed teachers’ pension

scheme and the new civil service pension scheme all already have normalretirement ages of 65.

And far from being ‘gold plated’, theaverage public sector pension is just£7,800 a year – and a lot less for manylocal government and NHS workers,particularly women.

But what it all boils down to is that thegovernment wants to impose increases in the amount you pay and to increaseretirement ages so you either retire intopoverty or work for longer if you are ableto do so. The pension schemes havealready been made affordable andsustainable and there is already anagreed process for sharing costs andchanging benefits if the cost of theschemes go up or down.

UNISON will be arguing in support ofyour pension rights through the Huttonreview. But the government might pressahead with changes anyway. And then allof UNISON – all our members – will haveto ask whether we can afford to sit backand allow ourselves and future pensionerspay the costs of the banking crisis. U

UNISON members will be joiningthe TUC demonstration in Londonon 26 March, against the fullprogramme of governmentspending cuts. To find out more or sign up online go tounison.org.uk/million orfacebook.com/amillionvoices.

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U@WO

RKPENSIONS UPDATE

OUR PENSIONS PROTECT

UNISON is here to get you compensation

for everything your accident has cost you.

The legal service is FREE and you will

always keep 100% of the compensation.You can claim for any accident – at work,

on the road or on holiday. Your family is

also covered.

UNISON’s lawyers, Thompsons Solicitors,

have been working with UNISON members

over many years. This experience helps

you to get the maximum compensationyou are entitled to in the shortestpossible time.In 2009, 97% of UNISON members

surveyed would recommend Thompsons.

So if you or a member of your family have

had an accident call UNISONdirect on0845 355 0845 (Textphone 0800 0 967 968)

Accident?An apology won’t pay the bills.

Conditions apply. Accidents outside of the UK are covered where we can pursue the case through

the courts in England/Wales. Family members are covered for accidents outside of the workplace.

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UNISON and other council unions have asked for a 2011 pay rise of atleast £250 a year for the 1.6 million council workers in England, Walesand Northern Ireland.

The Tory-led local government employers have so far refused to paythe 67% of council workers earning less than £21,000 the £250 wageincrease promised to them in the budget, earlier this year.

The unions are calling on the employers not to freeze councilworkers’ pay for the second year running, saying it will hit theoverwhelmingly female, and overwhelmingly low paid, workforce hard.

“Councils can afford this small increase,” says UNISON head of localgovernment Heather Wakefield. They have billions in their reservefunds stashed away.”

In Scotland, employers have imposed a three-year package of a0.65% rise for 2010 and pay freezes for 2011 and 2012.

HEALTH SERVICE

Employers offer a tough choiceNHS employers have offered a guarantee of no compulsoryredundancies – in return for a pay freeze, including incrementalprogression, for two years.

Health staff on less than £21,000 a year would still get their £250 a year increase under the offer, which would apply to healthworkers on bands one to six. For staff on bands seven to nine,covering managers and senior clinicians, trusts have said they willtry to find alternatives such as redeployment, before making anyredundancies.

As well as job security, the offer would protect Agenda forChange terms and conditions, which have been under attack in a number of NHS trusts, and the employers would ask thegovernment not to implement the 1% increase in members’pension contributions, due on 1 April 2012.

UNISON senior national officer Mike Jackson said members face a tough choice, with families to feed and mortgages to pay.

“We will have to give this offer serious consideration,” he added,“but the final decision will be in the hands of our members.”

POLICE STAFF

Wiltshirepays upUNISON pressure has seen Wiltshirepolice pay a 2.58% rise to police staff thatwas due as part of a three-year deal.

The police authority had originally usedgovernment cuts as an excuse not tohonour the deal – though it did pay theincrease to police officers. But now policestaff will also get the rise, backdated toOctober.

“UNISON and staff are absolutelychuffed,” commented branch secretaryMichael Murphy.

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Pay claim submitted

As well as job security, theoffer would protect Agenda

for Change terms and conditions,which have been under attack in anumber of NHS trusts

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A MILLION VOICES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES

Union commits £20m to protectingmembers and services“These are unprecedented and challenging times and weface our biggest test yet,” UNISON’s national executive councildeclared in December 2010 as it agreed to set up a fighting fund of up to £20m to fight the attacks on public services.

“We need to be bolder and more radical in the way we oppose the cuts, raising ourprofile and showing real leadership,” said a report on “defending our members –defending public services,” which was adopted by the NEC meeting in London.

The money for fighting the cuts includes £10m in the union’s industrial actionfund, some £5.5m to help regions and branches organise against job losses andservice cuts and campaigning money from the union’s general political fund,including £2m from reserves.

“This is money set aside for a rainy day, and we’re going into a monsoon,” general secretary Dave Prentis told the meeting.

THE LAW AND U

Legal changes that affect you at workThe 2010 Equality Act came into force at the end of last year and includedchanges to equal pay law which could affect you.

These are in two main areas.Up until now, any one making a claim for equal pay had to find a direct

comparator – a person of the other sex doing the same work, or work of equalvalue, who was being paid more.

But in many areas of work, this hasn’t been possible because, for instance,work is done almost totally by women. Because of that UNISON has beenarguing for the law to allow hypothetical comparators.

The new law allows a woman who doesn’t have an equal pay claim becausethere is no direct comparator to bring a claim for direct sexual discriminationinstead, using a hypothetical comparator.

This is a step forward, but different legal tests exist for equal pay and sexdiscrimination, so cases which might succeed in one area might fail in theother. And individuals do not have a choice of which claim to make.

There has also been a change to the defences employers can use to justifydifferent pay.

Case law on using so-called ‘genuine material factors’ to justify differences inpay has been confusing and often contradictory.

The new act makes it clear that an employer can only justify a pay differencewith a material factor if that does not itself directly or indirectly discriminateagainst women.

If you think you have a legal issue at work contact your local UNISON repor branch for help and advice on whether the union can provide free legalhelp. See page 34 for information on equal pay claims.

FURTHER EDUCATION

Rises acceptedin England Members working in English furthereducation colleges voted to accept a pay rise of 0.2% or £50 a year,whichever was higher, by 53% to 47%.

Their colleagues in English sixth formcolleges have voted to accept a 0.75%pay rise, backdated to September2010. This gives a new hourlyminimum rate of £6.41.

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Add yours at unison.org.uk/million

“This is moneyset aside for a rainy day,and we’regoing into a monsoon”

FIND OUT MOREsee page 34

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I’m a skilled road worker forSouth Edinburgh Council. Thejob involves the resurfacing ofroads and footpaths – so it’sdrainage, storm damage and

the winter gritting. I drive a snowplough and when it’s loaded up,between the weight of the ploughloaded with salt and the vehicle, it’snear enough 20 tonnes.

We’re professional drivers and we’rekeeping everything going – the buses,the food chain. You just try to helpeveryone the best that you can. I like tothink that we’ve got a wee bit of pridein ourselves to know that I can walkhome tonight and see that I’ve openedup these major roads.

I went into the armed forces when I was 17 years old, then worked for a private company for 11 years andstarted with the council in April 1979.In the 30-odd years I’ve been hereI’ve never come up against conditionsas bad as this winter. If we don’t clearthe main roads then no food gets in,no fuel gets in, there’s no publictransport. So the winter gritting getstop priority over any job that we do.

I feel a million dollars… …when I’m out there with the snowplough clearing the roads. If there’s a fallen tree or debris over cars androofs we’re called out and we’ve got to clear all that up. You really takepride in getting there and being ofassistance to people. You can’t stop

for the rain – we’ve just got to work inthese horrendous conditions – hail,rain, sleet or snow.

Nobody moves until we do…We go on dangerous roads, but there’s nobody there to help us along.A snowplough can slide just the sameas anybody else – that’s why we’requalified drivers.

I get a buzz……when I’m out doing my job and I’min control of the vehicle. The vehiclenever controls me. If it slides I speakto it and I shout at it – just like a bairn.People think there’s something wrongwith you, but I say ‘I’m giving it atelling off for sliding’.

When you’re driving a snowplough……you’re like a puma going on a hunt.You can’t move because it takes fullconcentration. It’s not the vehicle infront you’ve got to watch, it’s the onefour or five in front of them, becauseif we’re stuck behind the traffic thennobody goes anywhere and thenpeople say: “Where are the gritters?”.

Life would be great if……everyone had a gritter at their homebut life’s not that easy. Nobody seemsto think “Who comes to dig the guys’cars out of the snow that are comingout in these treacherous conditions toget the food chain open?”

Your whole body is turned upside down……when you work a day shift, a nightshift, back to a day shift – you’re upat four in the morning to get into thedepot for five and that’s through to10 o’clock at night, then back homeand back up at four o’clock in themorning again.

There are a lot of times you neverget to be with your family…This year hopefully I can have timewith my wife, daughter, son and mygranddaughter, but if mother naturedemands it, my Christmas meal willhave been put aside and I’ll have goneout and done what I’m paid to do andkept the roads open.

I’ve seen cheering crowds…They stand at the side of the road andif they see you coming along with aplough and you’re clearing the snow –they’ll put their hands up and clap. It gives you a wee bit of pride that atleast I’m keeping somebody happy. It’snice to see. You’ll always get one ortwo Victor Meldrews, but I’m big andugly enough, as my mum used to say,to just take it on the chin.

After a day’s work……I get in, get my tea, put my feet up and watch my football or myhorseracing on the television.” UCelestine Laportec.laporte@unison.co.uk

This true gritter and his snow plough have kept the roads of Edinburgh clear during the worst cold snap in years

WATTIEWEIR

If you think Wattie’sdoing a good job then add your voice to our campaign A Million Voices atunison.org.uk/million

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If we don’t clearthe main roads

then no food gets in,no fuel gets in, there’sno public transport

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When you’redriving a snow

plough, you’re like a puma going on a hunt

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SwitchingLocal councillor Elaine Costigantells U about what drove hertough decision to switch fromConservative to Labour

FIND OUT MORE

unison.org.uk/labourlink

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UNISON AUTHORISED MEMBERS BENEFIT

Exclusive discounts for you and your family on a brand

new Vauxhall vehicle, including the new British built

Astra, when you claim your Partners discount.

Visit your local Retailer now to claim your discount – plus

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Partners discount is on list price, delivery and factory-fitted options. Offer is available on new vehicles registered between 04.01.11 and 31.03.11 inclusive, subject to availability, and are available to eligible Partners. All other sales categories are excluded. UK-supplied vehicles only. Offer may not apply to all retailer stocks. Contact retailer for details. Partners includes all employees and pensioners of nominated companies and their nominated eligible relatives. Partners prices include a Partners discount saving, Customer Savings (inc. VAT) where applicable, number plates, delivery, Vehicle Excise Duty and a first registration fee. Excludes fuel and insurance. Vehicle shown may feature factory-fitted options and accessories such as metallic paint available at extra cost. We reserve the right to change or withdraw any aspect of the Partners Programme without prior notice. .

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My father was a Conservativecouncillor for 36 years, and Idecided I would do the same to represent the people in my

community” says Elaine Costigan, explainingher decision to become a Conservativecouncillor in for Wednesbury North inSandwell in 2002.

A part-time sales manager for CharlesCantrill Ltd, a small business based inWednesbury, Elaine’s commitment to thetown is undoubtable – it’s the place she wasborn and brought up and what drove her tobecome a councillor.

It was also what drove her decision, inJuly 2010, to leave the Conservative partyand move to Labour. What began as a sensethat things were not right came to a headwhen Woodgreen High School, in Elaine’sward, lost sorely needed funding for itscrumbling school building as part ofeducation secretary Michael Gove’s cuts to the Building Schools for the Futureprogramme.

To make matters worse, the school wasoriginally told that the funding was safe,only to find out the next day that this was an error – the funding would be cut. “Thechildren and parents were devastated,”Elaine explains, “they had been so relieved atfirst to hear the plans were going ahead but

then to have their hopes dashed the next day was particularly devastating.”

This wasn’t Elaine’s only concern though. “I am against the fees in higher education. I know there is a cost to education but thefamilies in my area are not rich. The youngpeople today are asking: ‘I know there’s adeficit, but why are they asking students to payfor it?’ That was asked of me at a local school.”

Elaine reels off further cuts and theimpact she’s worried they will have on hercommunity: “The cuts to council funding are affecting all sorts of things like trafficcalming near schools. Children’s safety iscompromised. The 20% VAT rise whichcame in January will affect the low paidmost. There are no pay rises in the public

sector but costs are going up. Elderly peopleare fearful that they will lose their winterfuel allowances. Child benefit has not beenthought through properly. Being aboutsingle income, it could make people thinkthey will be better off separated thantogether. What does that say about keepingfamilies together?”

Elaine worries “it’s too much too soon. I am passionate about the people I representand I don’t think Tory policies are in theirbest interests.” UVal Gibsonu.magazine@unison.co.uk

Elaine’s commitmentto her home town

drove her decision, in July 2010, to leave theConservative party andmove to Labour. Whatbegan as a sense thatthings were not right

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GET INVOLVEDHave you ever thought aboutrunning for public office? Thiscould include becoming a localcouncillor, becoming a schoolgovernor, or even becoming anMP. If so UNISON can offer youhelp and advice. Contact yourlocal branch for more informationor get in touch with Labour Linkat l.labourlink@unison.co.uk.

“

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Alphajig Each of the 26 answers starts with a different letter of the alphabet– solve the easy clues and work out where the answers go – usethe answer lengths to give you help. I’ve even given you three tostart you off – so you can cross off K, C and N and the clues tothem straight away – and now you know where V goes

by Caper

w

d

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DS Puzzle fun!

z

A plain puzzleA nice and easy plain crossword to warm you up for the sterner challenges ahead

ACROSS1 Bring a charge against (6)4 Of a private nature (8)10 Series of steps (9)11 Wed (5)12 Burn slowly without a

flame (8)13 Yellow bird (6)15 And (4)16 Roman gown (4)17 Wild dog (5)20 Item of furniture (5)22 Animal fat (4)23 Operatic prima donna (4)26 Terrifiying woman (6)27 Tradesman, generally (8)29 Point of a church (5)30 Find fault with (9)31 Walked slowly (8)32 A paved road (6)

DOWN1 Helper (9)2 Soft leather from a

antelope (7)3 High pitched (6)5 Jug (4)6 Compassion (8)7 Tell a story (7)8 Place to pull over when

driving (3-2)9 Fast equine beast (9)14 Place to eat (9)18 Dwelling in a block (9)19 Remains of a mollusc, say,

found on a beach (8)21 A defence (7)24 Think about (7)25 An actor’s text of a play (6)26 Lush place in a desert (5)28 Continued pain (4)

n

a S

■ Garland of flowers (3) ■ Slippery fish (3)■ Homer’s exclamation

suggesting stupidity (3) ■ How to address a knight (3)■ Adhesive (4)■ Disgusting (4)■ Likewise (4)■ Midwestern American state (4)■ Beams of electromagnetic

radiation that can penetratematter (1-4)

■ Discovers (5)■ Strange (5)■ River- loving character in

Wind in the Willows (5)■ Type of film showing

life- story of a celeb (6)■ International organisation

promoting collaborationthrough education (6)

■ Person of the same race or family as another (7)

■ Short bits of wood that flareup or competitive games (7)

■ Massive unspecified number (7)■ Henry, English organist and

Baroque composer of sacredmusic (7)

■ Standing behind otherswaiting to be served (7)

■ To cancel out and make void (7)■ Expensive smoked fish eggs (7)■ Caribbean island (7)■ In a manner that is fair and

true (8)■ Double veils worn by some

Muslim women (8)■ Change to a sloping font (9)■ In a manner displaying

awareness for feelings forothers (9)

b

OverlapsEach clue contains a definition of the answer as usual – but also aconsecutive letter mix of the answer – straddling more than one wordbut never ‘touching’ the definition – for example 4 Comment on impressionist (5)

Gives MONET, which is defined by impressionist, and can be found in COM(MENT O)N – all mixed up

29

n

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d

a

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ACROSS2 Dam a Cornish river (3)4 Comment on impressionist (5)7 Big tall boy is male beast (5,4)10 Cheap doughnuts cooked in

water (7)11 Massage neck and elbow (5)15 Woman in restaurant swears,

I think (8)17 Picnic for sale outdoors (8)18 Shop keeper giving Roger

receipt (11)19 A hint – miraculous vitamin (7)20 Once more Ian agrees (5)22 Strange old doctor (3)

DOWN1 Change colour when talking (3)2 Cello irritates dog (6)3 Combine germ embryos (5)5 Small place to cook chicken

teeth tarts (11)6 Brilliant at fencing ?

Imagine! (11)8 Get to a cosy bungalow (7)9 Island I dream about (7)12 Nasty old bag (3)13 She works on a farm –

Maria did yesterday (9)14 The cabaret’s brilliant (3)16 To design a city (3,5)21 Did a difficult sum (3)

WINA DIGITALRADIOSend your answers to all three puzzles to the address below by Friday 4 March

fANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUEA plain puzzleAcross: 1 Vacuum, 4 Cardigan, 10 Lunchtime, 11 Slave, 12 Up-market, 13 Notice, 15 Easy, 16 Cast, 17 Error, 20 Train, 22 Lark, 23 Camp, 26 Season, 27 Moderate, 29 Lemon, 30 Turquoise, 31 Exchange, 32 DetestDown: 1 Vol-au-vent, 2 Cinemas, 3 Ushers, 5 Aged, 6 Discover, 7 Glacier, 8 Niece, 9 Miserable, 14 Starboard, 18 Represent, 19 Insomnia, 21 Anaemic, 24 Avarice, 25 Secure, 26 Solve, 28 Stag.Alphajig Alto, Balder, Caveats, Darkest, Ewe, Firms, Glue, Holistic, Inoculate, Jesters, Kuwaiti, Lea, Men, Neutral, Ohio, Parched, Quietly, Re-examine, Sly, Tattoos, Ulster, View, Weird, Xylem, Youngest, ZaireOverlapsAcross: 2 Ram, 4 Cater, 7 Solitaire, 10 Madness, 11 Caped, 15 Fortieth, 17 Sob story, 18 Unfortunate, 19 Ice-cold, 20 Ploys, 22 YamDown: 1 Rat, 2 Rabies, 3 Medal, 5 Counterfeit, 6 Bread boards, 8 Tantrum, 9 Heather, 12 Doc, 13 Pseudonym, 14 Bra, 16 Horsefly, 21 Oak

For your chance to win a digital radio, pleasesend your filled-in grids for all three of thisissue’s crosswords in one envelope, togetherwith your name and address, to U magazinecrossword competition, UNISON, 1 MabledonPlace, London WC1H 9HJ, to reach us by Friday 4 March.

The five lucky winners of a digital radio from the lastissue are:Mr A Leonard, Southampton; Mrs R Elliott, East Riding; Mrs HRowlinson, Leigh; L M Jones, Bristol; Mrs E Raison, Abbots Langley

WINA DIGITAL RADIO!

ah b

Julian Barnes, the author ofMetroland, Flaubert’s Parrot and LoveEtc…, opens 2011 with his collection ofshort stories, Pulse. Ranging from thedomestic to the unexpected, thevineyards of Italy to the English seasidein winter, the stories here deal withlove, marriage, reconciliation andmemory – one hopes with the insight,humour and poignancy thatdistinguishes Barnes’ writing.

Could it be that we finally receive adecent telling of the life and times of the singer Edith Piaf, in English? NoRegrets: A Biography of Edith Piaf maybe that book. It’s written by CarolynBurke, whose Lee Miller – On Both Sidesof the Camera was the first full-lengthbiography of the legendaryphotographer. Burke is also a translator, art critic and Francophile.Fingers crossed that she will bring theLittle Sparrow to life.

For those who haven’t yet discoveredthe delights of Geoff Dyer, OtherwiseKnown as the Human Condition: Selected Essays and Reviews will be aperfect starting point; seasoned fans will need no encouragement. Whetherwriting novels, criticism or travel

journalism, Dyer is one of today’s mostunusual British writers, witty, versatileand decidedly leftfield. This collectionof 25 years of essays, reviews andmisadventures sees Dyer pursuing the shadow of Camus in Algeria, writing about the photographerRichard Avedon and saxophonist David Murray, reflecting on fashionand life on the dole.

On the food front, expect to getexactly what’s written on the tin withRosemary Shrager’s AbsolutelyFoolproof Classic Home Cooking. TheEnglish chef, who shot to fame as thehaute cuisine teacher on the TV realityshow Ladette to Lady, and later helpedto wean fast-food families onto healthycuisine in Kitchen Showdown WithRosemary Shrager is a real character,with an accessible style.

Love or loathe the Windsors, this has tobe the Royal Wedding of Wills and Kate.The future king and queen tie the knoton 29 April. Expect the nation to grindto a halt, in a cheerier manner than theone currently being contrived by thegovernment.

Fans of Britpop will be particularlyheartened by the news that Pulp are to reunite for July concerts in HydePark. In 2007 Jarvis Cocker declaredthat “Hell would have to freeze over”before the band returned to the stage.Those who believe that the writer ofCommon People was the best thingabout Britpop are very pleased he’s thawed.

30

BOOKS

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

EVENT OF THE YEAR

PREV

IEWS

The

to come 2011culturalyear

1

You may already have had a chance to see The King’s Speech, which was released in thefirst week of 2011. If you haven’t – do so. LikeThe Queen a few years ago, this fond, funny,consummate British drama about one of thecountry’s best-loved monarchs is heavilytipped for Oscar success, and rightly so.

The monarch this time around is GeorgeVI, who had the thankless task of replacinghis brother Edward VIII when the latter

abdicated in order to pursue his love affairwith Mrs Simpson, then the equally wretchedjob of accompanying the country throughWorld War II. Everyone knows those twothings about George; what is less known isthat he had the most appalling stammer.

The film’s title refers both to the great painsthat King George went to, to conquer hisimpediment, but also to the very particularradio address he had to make to the nation, on the eve of war. The film charts the journey,physical and emotional, which George makestowards that fateful moment, guided by a mostpeculiar speech therapist.

Colin Firth plays George, Helena BonhamCarter Queen Elizabeth (best known to mosttoday as the Queen Mother) and GeoffreyRush the Australian therapist LionelLogue, whose lack of kowtowing before the royal was marvellously daring, andunderstanding of the psychologicaldimension of stammering ahead of its time.Wonderfully written and acted – Firth andRush joust magnificently – this moves andamuses in equal measure.

It takes a great actor, and one with a lotof goodwill in the bank, to reprise one ofthe most famous roles by one of cinema’smost enduring icons. But Jeff Bridges cantick both of those boxes. All eyes will be on Bridges as he gives his version of theirascible one-eyed lawman RoosterCogburn, in the western True Grit.

The fact that this is directed by the CoenBrothers – who refresh any genre they turntheir hand to – and that we don’t seeenough westerns these days, are two morereasons to seek out the film, about a USMarshall who helps a teenage girl trackdown her father’s murderer.

The must-see of the springtime may be Pirates of the Caribbean: On StrangerTides, if for no other reason than to see

Johnny Depp reprise his loveable rogueCaptain Jack Sparrow. There is addedincentive in the knowledge that those soppylovebirds Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloomhave been left in the harbour, with Deppjoined instead by Penelope Cruz, IanMcShane as Bluebeard, and that man Rushagain as Sparrow’s old enemy Barbossa. Hoistthe mainsail!

One of the most intriguing films of the yearhas to be Cowboys & Aliens. Set in Arizona in1973, it has Harrison Ford and Daniel Craigas cowboys – and the only ones standing inthe way of an alien invasion.

Craig also features in The Adventures of TinTin: Secret of the Unicorn, Steven Spielberg’s“motion capture” animated adaptation ofthree Tintin stories. Young Scot Jamie Bellwill be the actor whose every move is turnedinto an animated Tintin, with Andy Serkis –who perfected the technique as Gollum inLord of the Rings – as Captain Haddock. UDemetrios Matheoud.matheou@unison.co.uk

FILMS

PICTURES: 1 Geoff Dyer, 2 Cowboys & Aliens,3 The King’s Speech, 4 Pulp, 5 Johnny Depp

2

3

4

5 PA PH

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Got something to say?U welcomes readers’ letters (we reserve the right to editcontributions). Please send them to The Editor, U Magazine,UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9AJor email them to u.magazine@unison.co.uk

You must provide your full name and address although we will of course not print it.

Big society?I liked the KitchenConfidential article in thelatest issue, and am pleasedthat UNISON is able to help.

While I think that we allrealise we all need to do whatwe can to reduce spending, it’s how we do it that matters.The current plans to cut staffnumbers and scale backpensions etc while expectingso-called efficiency savingsmake little sense and only serveto convince the wider publicthat public sector employeesare lazy and need these cutsetc to make them work as hard as people in employmentoutside the sector.

The scope of cuts isamazing, aside from theobvious places such aspolice, health etc, there are those affecting folk incountryside services.

I worked in that sector as alocal government employeefrom June 1991 until March2010 for two employers,Ipswich Borough Council andlatterly and for the majority

of the time for SouthCambridgeshire DistrictCouncil. Ipswich are nowlooking at making seriouscutbacks in their service which will have serious effectson what the public get fromthe parks there. SouthCambridgeshire transferred meand a colleague under TUPE toa very small charity with a verysmall dowry on 1 April 2008.After almost two years I wasredundant as they could notafford to keep me on, so muchfor their financial planning andassurances to the council. Theynow employ more casual self-employed staff in a bid tolower operating costs at vastlylower rates.

There are threats tocountryside staff all over thecountry and threats toservices to the public as parkswill close as we need themmore than ever as placeswhere folk can de-stress.

The arts and museums arealso small service areas undersevere threat, all services thepublic need which will not be

taken on by the private sectoras how can you make moneyout of them.

Surely without someservices you lose the right tobe called a caring society,although I suppose the BigSociety will help keep themrunning – there’ll be loadsmore volunteers about whenthe long term unemployedget involved.Malcolm Busbyby email

Swimming successI wanted to let you know that London’s DisabilitySwimming Squad, which issponsored by UNISON, tooktheir largest squad ever to theNational Championships with22 swimmers, and came home with almost as manymedals – 21.

UNISON agreed a three-yearsponsorship deal with thesquad last year, which enablesLondon to give each teammember a full team stripincluding shirts and hoodedtops, each embroidered withthe swimmer’s name as well as the London team andUNISON names.

The team had a fantasticchampionships. Last year wetook a large team and theyperformed well, but this yearwas even better. Every

LETTER

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32

swimmer achieved a personalbest or won a medal, and theteam spirit among them wasfabulous, In that respect theUNISON sponsorship hasmade a huge difference to thesquad, even the newcomersinstantly feel as they belong.Izabel Grindalby email

Food for thoughtI would like to respond to JohnRoberts’ and Gill Mitcham’sletters in the last issue.Compassion in World Farminghas some admirable aims butcan as so often happens (egRSPCA) have members whoare vegetarian or vegan whoreally have the hidden agendaof wanting everybody to stopeating meat. This leads to thesituation where they losecredibility.

UN

ISO

NA

UTU

MN

2010

FOR UNISON MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

KitchenconfidentialMeet Audrey, the dinner lady whohas to provide her own cutlery

WIN!

Ed MilibandLabour leader

UNISON midwife quizzes the new

Digital radios up for grabs

UNISONsponsorship

has made a hugedifference to thesquad, even thenewcomersinstantly feel asthey belong

““

The reference to ‘animals sent toslaughter are distressed and panicstricken... fecal contamination...defecated in sheer fright’, showsthat the writer of the second letter(Gill Mitcham) doesn’t takeaccount of the mentality of sheep,cattle, horses etc.

As a farmer of some 30 years, I can assure her that they‘defecate’ at the slightest changeto the pattern of their lives.Moving from one field to anothercauses them to do it, or beinghassled by another animal, or alorry rushing past their field etc.

I have had personal experienceof taking lambs to slaughter. Iregularly took a trailer of 20 or solambs to our local abattoir.

They didn’t like being loaded,and if you have ever tried to drive20+ lambs up a ramp you willknow how stubborn they can be.

However, once in, they settle –they are with lambs they havegrown up with and nobody isshouting or pushing them up theramp, so they settle.

They may ‘defecate’ a little inprotest at being shut in a trailerwhich has never happened before,but 10 minutes down the road and

off loaded into a building – withme still there talking to them –standing in a pen for five minutesor so and by the time I’ve collectedthe booking slip they are dead.

Not a bad way to go,considering how some of ushumans are shipped of this earth!

I will enjoy my steak, thankyou, knowing that if I haveshopped carefully, the animal itcame from has had a comfortablelife and a quick death. Are weassured of this option?Rosemary Allenby email

I will enjoymy steak,

thank you,knowing that if I have shoppedcarefully theanimal it camefrom has had acomfortable life

The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exemptcharity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).

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“

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If you want to make an equal pay claim, you should contact UNISON as soon as possible.

There is a strict time limit on making a claim. You have only six months from any change in your employment situation.

So you must contact UNISON urgently if you have for example in the last six months:

� ended your employment (eg you retired or resigned);

� changed your contract or terms and conditions (eg the number of hours you work);

� changed job, but stayed with the same employer;

� stayed in the same job, but transferred to a new employer (sometimes known as a TUPE transfer).

If you have already made a claim, you must tell us whenever your circumstances change (eg you move address or there is any change to your employment situation).

We cannot help you unless you register your claim and keep us updated.

Has your council implemented Single Status? If it hasn't you may have an equal pay claim!

Has your council implemented Single Status and given protection payments to people on the grade you've been been placed on, but not you? If it has you may have an equal pay claim!

Do you have an equal pay claim? Make sure you check the time limit!

For more information, or to request a claim form or fact sheet, call UNISON on 0845 355 0845 (textphone 0800 9 967 968)* or contact your regional offi ce on:Eastern 01245 608 918East Midlands 0845 355 0845Greater London 0845 355 0845Northern 0845 355 0845Northern Ireland 0845 355 0845North West 0161 661 6740Scotland 0870 7777 006South East 0845 355 0845South West 0117 968 9479Cymru/Wales 029 2072 9415West Midlands 0121 685 3127Yorkshire and Humberside 0845 355 0845

* lines are open 6am to midnight, Monday to Friday; 9am-4pm Saturday.

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Probiotic – 5 billion ‘friendly’ bacteria 90 caps £9.95

Cod Liver Oil – 1,000mg 240 caps £9.95

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Ginkgo 3,000mg & Ginseng 600mg 120 tabs £3.45

Opti-Omega 3 – 1,000mg 60 caps £6.95

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delivery only. Prices valid until 28.02.11. ‘£2 off when you spend £15 or more’ conditions: Offer code may only be used once and not in conjunction with any other

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ºFor UNISON members who are UK resident, aged 18+ A monthly fee of 95p will be payable on an active card with a balance. Other charges may apply for certain transactions. The UNISON Prepaid card has been

arranged by UNISON and Union Income Ltd (“UI”). The card is issued by Newcastle Building Society(“NBS”) pursuant to a licence by Mastercard. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International

Incorporated. NBS subscribes to the Banking Code, copies of the Code are available upon request. Prize draw rules: terms and conditions apply see www.UNISONPREPAID.com/prize_draw_rules

APPLY NOW FREE for your chance to WIN!

0800 107 8065 www.UNISONprepaid.com

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WIN £1,000When you apply for a UNISON Prepaid Plus MasterCard ... & Card is FREE to apply

Love being in controlLove your UNISON Prepaid CardWith UNISON Prepaid Plus you load your card with money before youshop so there’s no chance of getting carried away.

Plus, you can use your card wherever you see the MasterCard Acceptance Mark, at home or on holiday or to share money with family anywhere in the world and in lots more ways so it’s a card you can feel good about.

Apply before the 31st March 2011 and you will be entered into our draw to WIN £1,000 loaded onto your card.

(quote UP01/11)

®

®

UNISON’s membership services department has been working in partnership with UNISON Welfare to find products and services that will help UNISON

members during the credit crunch and economic downturn.

One of the main things we wanted was to find an alternative to credit cards and debit cards which have caused many people so many problems with debt but are almost impossible to live without these days.

Many shops and businesses will not accept cheques any longer and most of us do not feel comfortable about carrying large amounts of cash around so ‘plastic’ has probably now become the most widely used payment method.

But because of the credit crunch an increasing number of UNISON members are

finding that if they do apply for a credit card they will get turned down because of tougher lending criteria or that they will only be offered a card with very high interest rates. Or they may risk running up an expensive overdraft if they use their debit card.

The UNISON prepaid plus card is an excellent alternative because you cannot run up debts and you decide how much money you want to put on the card. The card can be used like a credit card or debit card anywhere in the world and it is available to every member so no-one will be turned down if they apply.

Unlike many prepaid cards the UNISON prepaid plus card is free to apply for and there is no charge when you use it to buy something. We have worked hard to keep other charges as low as possible and

you can find all the terms and conditions at www.UNISONprepaid.com.

Maureen Le Marinel NEC member and Chair Services to Members Committee: ‘UNISON is always looking to introduce products and services that we think offer members added value and benefits. This card was specially designed for UNISON members’ and provides a great alternative to credit cards and debit cards’.

You can find out more details about the card by visiting UNISON’s website www.unison.org.uk and going to the UNISONplus pages and apply online or you can telephone 0800 107 8065 (please quote UP01/11).

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Congratulations to UNISON member

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...our new and improved Croyde Bay Holiday Resort

Introducing...

Set on the stunning North Devon coast,

Croyde Bay Holiday Resort is a superb

holiday choice.

This spring we will be opening a range of new accommodation

options, including hotel-style rooms and luxury tents. Or you can

stick to what you know and love and rent one of our traditional

summer chalets or self catering cottages.

Whatever you chose you’ll be able to enjoy a host of on-site

facilities including the fabulous Oasis leisure pool and

spa, tennis, bowling, adventure playground and children’s

entertainment in the peak Summer weeks. Or use the resort

as a base to get out and about to enjoy the beautiful Devon

landscape – it’s completely up to you.

On-line booking now available

For more information or to book a holiday visit

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2011 Self Catering Cottage Holidays from £29.50* Our Self Catering cottages offer the freedom to do as you please.

Each cottage has two bedrooms and a high quality sofa bed in the lounge.

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The following dates are available...

Spring:

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3 nights: 29 April, 17, 24, 27 June

Autumn:

4 nights: 12, 26 September

3 nights: 3, 6, 9 September

* £29.50 per person per break based on a minimum of 5 people sharing. Cannot be used in conjunction

with any other offer. Prices are inclusive of UNISON discount. Subject to availability, offer may be

withdrawn at any time.

Telephone only bookings.

this summer we are introducing our

dune side, Berber-style tents! Out with your

sleeping bags and in come our big, comfy beds.

Glamping, cool camping, posh camping

– call it what you will, it’s a million miles from

the camping we once knew.

www.croydeunison.co.uk or call us on: 01271 890890

Discounts!10% off for UNISON membersWe also offer discounts to senior citizens, single

parents and groups at selected times. Call for details.

50% off holidays for low paid UNISON membersCheck out the website for details.

New