UNISON Aberdeenshire Branch Campaign
Equal Pay
What did we achieve?
- We provided advice to many of our low paid members to help
them to reach a decision about whether or not to accept their
offer. A number of the solicitors present sent people over to
us for advice.
- From this the branch gained 6 new contacts from amongst the
areas previously without representation.
- The branch has lodged grievances on behalf of over 100 of our
members to protect their right to compensation for past inequalities.
This includes a number of group grievances, including one on behalf
of classroom assistants. It has also lodged tribunal claims for
many members who would otherwise be time barred.
- Aberdeenshire UNISON covers a geographically large and rural
area. In attending the signing days we were able to meet a large
number of members and non-members, many of whom work in isolated
areas.
- Membership has increased by 10%, we believe in part as a direct
result of UNISON's attendance at the signing days. It now stands
at 2686 members
- We were able to widen out the involvement of branch stewards
in the process and increased their knowledge of equal pay and
their confidence in their activist role.
- We raised the profile of the branch amongst our members and
the public at large.
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Where to now?
To a large degree we consider that we did achieve the aims we set
ourselves when we planned the campaign with the additional benefit
of increasing our branch membership. However, it does not end here.
Although many people accepted their offers, others have chosen to
pursue equal pay claims with the union's support. So the campaign
has generated more work for the branch.
It is hoped, however, that all the work which was put into the
campaign will pay dividends for the branch in the long-term as we
look to the way forward from here. We have identified the following
as the next steps for the branch and we will now be looking at how
best to achieve these aims.
- Continuing to represent those who did not receive or did not
accept an offer.
- Building a classroom assistant network " Supporting, training
and developing the new contacts
- Encouraging the existing stewards, who became more active because
of the equal pay campaign, to keep up these activities; and ensuring
the branch officers delegate and involve the stewards more.
Prepared by Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair, UNISON Aberdeenshire
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