Whether it’s your transport to work or transport to the beach, UNISON has got your transport worries covered.
On the same day, Northern Ireland will be holding elections
for the legislative assembly. Although not everyone gets a vote in England, a
significant number will - particularly those living in cities and towns.
You can find out whether you get a vote in England from the
electoral commission website at bit.ly/3Dcr7A5.
Most of the council seats up for election were last
contested in 2018. The political landscape of the UK has undergone huge changes
in the past four years. From parliamentary gridlock around Brexit to the 2019
general election Tory landslide; from the pandemic to the cost-of-living
crisis, this is now a different and, in many respects, more challenging world.
Many of the issues that can decide local elections remain
the same, such as bin collections, the state of neighbourhood parks and
pavements, and access to libraries and other local public services. These
issues are important for UNISON because it's our members who deliver such
services and who've seen up close how over a decade of Tory cuts have taken
their toll on the ability of councils to deliver.
However, such elections are also a really important
opportunity for voters to send a message to the prime minister and the
government about how effectively they are handling the issues of the day, and
how they are conducting themselves in office.
This will be the first big electoral test for Prime
Minister Boris Johnson since the revelations about parties held at 10 Downing
Street during the pandemic.
These gatherings took place at a time when many of our
members were on the COVID frontline, and when the vast majority were faithfully
following the rules that Mr Johnson himself had explained at government press
conferences.
It will also be the first opportunity many will have had to
respond to the government's priorities in the face of the cost-of-living
crisis.
As we've learned over recent days, people in the UK now
face the biggest decline in their living standards since records began in the
1950s.
Who the government shields and protects in the face of this
tells us much. And as we've also seen, the policy choices that the government
is making are, as is always the case under the Tories, hitting the worst off
the hardest.
Many charities have been quick to point out that below-inflation
increases in universal credit are going to push many more families into
poverty.
Furthermore, as was revealed in post-spring statement
comments from the chancellor, the government's proposed pre-election 2024 cut to
income tax is premised on two years of public sector discipline:
Getting Involved
There are three activities described here. Hopefully, we
will all be able to do at least one thing.
First, foremost and easiest - make sure you vote and
encourage friends and family to do so too. Even give people a lift to and from the polling station. Local elections are notorious for
low turnout. Low participation is a bad enough thing in itself, but it also
helps the Tories.
If you're going to be working a long shift or be on holiday,
make sure that you have a postal vote. Your local council will have details on
its website about how you can do this.
Many are more likely to listen to and trust people they
know than l official voices on political issues.
Finally, you can help out with local Labour Party
campaigns. If you've not done this before, don't worry. There will always be a
welcome for newcomers and a range of tasks so that everyone can help in a way
that best suits them.
Your local UNISON Labour Link officer will be able to help
put you in touch - and signpost the priority seats that the union is
concentrating on.
We know that while you are focused on dealing with the current crisis caused by coronavirus – health and safety have never been more important.
We can never have too many safety reps at work. So if you already doing the additional role of Safety Officer, Fire Evacuation Coordinator or Fire Warden, why don't you join the team at UNISON@LJMU and become a Safety Rep. You are already doing the work.
Click on the image of the document for more information or ask one of the Branch Safety Reps or the Health and Safety Officer for more information.
What to do
Encourage the person you are concerned about to talk about how they are feeling. Surprisingly, asking them a direct question about whether they have thought about suicide can also make all the difference. Some people think that asking someone whether they are having suicidal thoughts will put the idea of taking their own life in their head.
This is a MYTH. Evidence shows that asking a direct question actually opens the door and gives them permission to speak about it.
There are three important steps to remember:
You must not forget to look after yourself. This is a very stressful
situation. You may find it helpful to discuss your feelings with another
friend, or a confidential service.
If you find yourself alone in trying to support a person in distress, it’s very important that you don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger, ask for help or call 999 if you feel you need to.
When someone is contemplating suicide, their words and actions can give clues or warning signs.
Not everyone is the same and each situation will be individual. The following warning signs are a guide only and hopefully, give you the permission to reach out and start a conversation.
This is NOT an exhaustive list. If your concern is not listed below trust your instinct.
Suicide is preventable. We can all make a difference and
reach out to someone we are concerned about. There is a need to talk about
suicide openly and remove the myths and stigma.
We need to encourage people to talk about their feelings and acknowledge that they may be struggling. Talking about suicide does not come easy and you are not alone if you feel unsure about what to do and say.
A university student edition of the training is also available to help if you are concerned about a student, focusing on information and scenarios related to experiences at university and what to be aware of.
If you are out on and about on a night out in Liverpool or Knowsley. You find yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation, find a member of the Door or Bar Staff and "Ask if Angela is working tonight?"
Mental Health is so important. Here is the Hub of Hope database and you can access it via https://hubofhope.co.uk/ by entering your postcode you get access to the catalogue and the database is filtered to resources local to your location.
When you select the relevant topic from the catalogue the list of resources will be displayed with the relevant information in such as, if the service is open or closed for the day or if they are in person, over the phone or online support.
During the course of representing members with issues. It has come to the branches attention, that bullying has been going on. For a change we are not talking about Management or Team Leaders, bullying staff. We already know this goes on with LJMU. When the branch is informed by members of it happening, UNISON@LJMU attempt to dealt with it swiftly along with HR.
The bullying we are talking about is currently being performed by Staff Members, Bullying Management and Team Leaders. UNISON@LJMU will not stand for any form of bullying within the work place, from anyone.
It’s come to our attention that the bullying has been occurring via E-Mails, Texts and WhatsApp messages. It has forced two Team Leaders to resigning from their posts within their departments and the University losing valuable staffing resources.
As always, if you see any form of bullying taking place, please report it HERE.
As part of LJMU's focus on staff wellbeing, they are offering free e-vouchers to get your flu jab this winter.
Flu is contagious and it can be passed through coughing, sneezing or by touching contaminated surfaces. Most flu outbreaks usually happen in late autumn or winter and being vaccinated is likely to give you effective protection against the strains of flu virus contained in the vaccine.
All you need to do is email to request an e-voucher E.Cousins@ljmu.ac.uk, make an appointment with your nearest participating Boots Pharmacy and present the e-voucher when you go for your vaccination.
Please note: if you are already eligible for a free flu jab through the NHS please do not request an e-voucher through LJMU. Instead, contact your GP.
Welcome to Talk Liverpool
We are a free NHS service offering psychological therapies to adults in Liverpool who are feeling depressed or anxious.
Our range of treatment programs are designed to give you the right information and to help you develop the skills you need to overcome your problems. We have a range of options on offer, including short courses which run regularly in locations near you (suspended during Covid-19), or online help which you can use from the convenience of home.
Talk Liverpool is Improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) service. This means we aim to get you the right help at the right time. It also means we only use psychological therapies that have been shown by research to help with depression and anxiety.
Talk Liverpool is part of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust – improving the lives of the people of Liverpool is at the heart of what we do.
https://www.talkliverpool.nhs.uk/
This does not currently happen. This is a gender issue; women are turned away if they are not due for their population screening, despite health care professionals wanting to carry out the test. This doesn't happen to men in relation to prostate examinations.
Since the age for a smear test was put up to 25 in 2004, the number of women under 30 dying from cervical cancer has almost doubled. Cervical cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, with a recovery rate of 99.7% if caught early enough. So why are the Government letting this happen?
Our fight for change is in the final crucial stages.... Would you like to be part of it?
Cervical cancer is preventable in 99.7% of cases.... So no one should be dying.
You can support our campaign by signing our petition, sharing it and contacting your MPs. Please tag @NorthWestUNISON on Twitter and use #SmearOnDemand
https://twitter.com/VictimSupport/status/1450012542466674688?s=20
Working safely with Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
Eyes and eyesight testing
