Aberdeenshire UNISON
       
 
 

AGM 2016

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

AGM vows to fight for public services, for public service jobs and for the trade unions who protect them

AGM crown Inverurie

A lively aggregate AGM saw members at two meetings, the first at Woodhill House and the second at the Kintore Arms, Inverurie, throw their weight behind campaigns to champion public services and public service workers and to fight the Tory government's anti-union bill.

Click here for photos on picasa

Branch development officer, Steve Gray, called on all branch members to write to their MPs, MSPs and councillors urging them to oppose the anti-Trade Union bill and to press the Scottish Government to seek a way to stop the bill being enacted in Scotland.

He told members that this bill was the biggest threat ever seen not just to workers' rights but to human rights.

"It's not just about the big headline stuff, like strike ballots," warned Steve, "It's a direct attack on your right to join a trade union and to be represented individually or in negotiations over pay, working hours, holiday leave, sick leave, pensions and workplace conditions."

Susan Kennedy
Susan Kennedy, Asst Secretary moves the motion on administration of medications

The AGM also backed a local campaign to call for the appropriate provision of healthcare staff to carry out the administration of medications or medical procedures within council and third sector settings; and to put a stop to the voluntary administration of medicines that puts low paid and often untrained staff at risk.

Susan Kennedy, proposing the motion said, "For too long our members who are amongst the lowest paid are being asked to undertake medical procedures which would normally be carried out by trained health professionals. It puts them at risk and their service users at risk and it has to stop."

Kate ramsden
Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair moving the motion on SSSC

And those members working in professions subject to registration with the Scottish Social Services Council pledged to encourage colleagues to join UNISON for their own protection and to urge members to contact the branch if they are under SSSC investigation.

There was good discussion at both meetings on all the motions, which were passed unanimously across both meetings. Three will now be submitted to our national conferences.

Champion council services
Our speaker at the aggregate meetings was Carol Ball, Joint-Vice Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee alongside our own Inez Teece. Our thanks go to Carol for a very interesting and powerful presentation on council cuts and the Scottish campaign to champion Local Government services and members.

Carol Ball
Carol Ball, Vice Chair Scottish Local Government Committee and AGM speaker

Carol spoke of the huge cuts facing councils around the country and detailed the campaign by UNISON Scotland's Local Government Conference to oppose the cuts.

"You can't underestimate the scale of the cuts we face," Carol told the meetings.

"There has already been £500 million cut from council budgets and 40,000 jobs have already gone. Now we face even more cuts with Glasgow set to lose 3,000 jobs over the next two years and Edinburgh and South Lanarkshire 2,000."

In Aberdeenshire councillors have pledged to avoid compulsory redundancies but jobs lost through vacancy freezes and an end to temporary contracts are still jobs and services lost and puts pressure on those left behind to do more with less.

Health services have been protected by this Scottish Government. But, said Carol, councils also provide for our nation's health. "We care, nurture and support our elderly and vunerable adults through home care and other services; we protect and support our most vulnerable children through classroom support at school, free school meals, through social work services to vulnerable familes; we protect the environment through waste management, and other green initiatives.

Ann Gray, Treasurer
Ann Gray, Treasurer

"As a union we need to all champion council services so people value them in the same way they rightly value the NHS.

"When will we say enough is enough?" she asked. "When council services are all gone? Then it will be too late."

The AGM approved the nominations for the branch officer and steward posts and the branch made its annual plea for more stewards to come forward.

Vote of thanks and honoraria for treasurer for excellent work
The accounts were adopted and approved and a vote of thanks and the annual honoraria was approved for our hard-working treasurer, Ann Gray who keeps our finances healthy and transparent.

Inez Teece, Branch secretary
Inez Teece, Branch secretary

The annual report set out a challenging year past and further challenges to come and Branch Secretary Inez Teece called on all members to play their part in fighting cuts and in opposing the anti-union bill.

She told the AGM that the branch and UNISON Scotland has invested in staff to support our members in the voluntary sector and amongst third sector employers.

"We know that the third sector also has many challenges and when councils are facing cuts these are often passed on to that sector, even though they provide vital services for our most vulnerable."

These new staff will improve the services to third sector members and will support them to campaign and organise to protect jobs, terms and conditions and services.

James Mulholland
James Mulholland,
Pensions Champion

State pension - paying more for less
James Mulholland, our branch Pensions Champion spoke at both meetings to detail the changes to the state pension - changes that will see those of us in the Local Government Pension Scheme pay 1.4% more per year on National Insurance for little if any gain in our state pension.

The meetings closed with thanks to the key Branch Officers and the Branch Committee for their work over the year and to the staff in the UNISON resource centre who support all the work of the branch.

 

AGM at Woodhill

AGM at Woodhill

AGM at Woodhill

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INVITATION TO THE 2016 BRANCH AGM

PLEASE NOTE SAME ARRANGEMENTS AS LAST YEAR

Click here for a poster

The AGM will be held on WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2016

12noon till 2pm in Committee Room 3, Woodhill House, Aberdeen and 7 till 9pm in the Kintore Arms, Inverurie

AGMAll members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Aberdeenshire Branch of UNISON on 17th February 2016. There are 2 venues and times to enable
you to attend.  Firstly 12-2pm at Committee Room 3, Woodhill House, and later from 7-9 p.m. at the Kintore Arms, Inverurie. 

The AGM is the branch's supreme policy making forum. It will elect the Branch Officers and stewards for 2016, set policy on important issues affecting all members and can amend rules.

Our speaker will be Carol Ball, Vice-Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee and our branch pensions champion James Mulholland will be on hand to give an update on pensions.

Please come along and hear more about what the branch is doing for you and what you can do to support the branch.

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A G E N D A

1.

Chairperson’s remarks

 

2.

Appointment of Tellers/Minute Taker

 

3.

(a)  Minute of AGM 2015

(b)  Matters arising

To be available at meeting

4.

Annual Report

The Annual Report on the work of the branch.  Questions and discussion will follow.

 

To be available at meeting

 

 

 

5.

Ratification of Branch Officers

 

 

Ratification of Branch Stewards

 

 

 

 

6.

Treasurer’s Report and Presentation of Accounts

The accounts for the year ended 31 December 2015

 

To be available at meeting

 

 

 

7.

Speaker – Carol Ball, Vice Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee

 

 

 

 

8.

Motions

  1. Honoraria
  2. Cuts and Political Strategy
  3. Anti Trade Union Bill Campaign
  4. SSSC – Scottish Social Services Council
  5. Administration of Medications

 

 

 

 

 

9.

Any other competent business
(This should be advised to chairperson before the start of the meeting)

 

 

 

 

10.

Close of meeting  

 

 

 

 

If you wish advance copies of the papers to be tabled at the meeting, please contact the Resource Centre on 01224 620624 or e-mail grampianresourcecentre@unison.co.uk     

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Preliminary Notice
The preliminary notice was sent out on 7th December, to allow members time to consider and put forward nominations and motions and to meet deadlines for the agenda which will be sent out no later than Friday 29th January 2016.

Branch officer and steward posts
Nominations are invited for stewards and branch officer posts. Any nominations should be on the forms below and should be returned to Inez Teece, Branch Secretary at UNISON Freepost (AB048), 7 Alford Place, Aberdeen AB10 1ZQ no later than Wed 27th Jan 2016. PLEASE NOTE THAT EXISTING STEWARDS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE IN POST MUST ALSO COMPLETE AND RETURN A FORM

Click here for steward's nomination forms

Click here for branch officer's nomination forms

Description of branch officer roles

Motions and other business

Any member can submit a motion or let us know of any other business for consideration at the AGM. Motions need to be signed by two members and sent to Inez Teece, Branch Secretary at UNISON Freepost (AB048), 7 Alford Place, Aberdeen AB10 1ZQ no later than Wed 27th Jan 2016.

Click here to see last year's motions.

But don't let the talk of motions and deadlines put you off. This is your chance to raise anything you would like the branch to be doing, provided that it is within UNISON rules. If you would like to raise an issue but don't know how to write a motion, get in touch with Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair. You can email her or contact her via the Branch Resource Centre on 01224 620624 and she will help you to find the right way to do it.

The AGM is your chance to have a say on our future direction. Come along and find out more about how UNISON is campaigning to protect public services and members jobs, and get involved!

A buffet will be available at both venues and members of the Branch Committee will be on hand to answer any questions or just to chat.

We very much hope that you will come along and look forward to seeing you there.

Yours sincerely

Inez Teece                                        
BRANCH SECRETARY                      

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AGM 2016

AGM Home
Branch Rules Feb 2011
 
Deadlines for AGM 2016
Nominations for branch officer and steward posts, must be submitted on appropriate forms to the branch office by Wed 27th Jan 2016.

Motions for the AGM should be signed by two members and sent to the branch office byWed 27th Jan 2016.

The AGM Agenda with the nominations, motions and any rule changes received by the closing date will be mailed out from Friday 29th Jan 2016.