Transforming Rehabilitation revolution and engaging with decision makers both inside and outside Parliament. The thanks of the Service Group, as ever, go out to the activists, branch officials and regional staff who make the work of the Service Group such a success across all three nations; and of course to our members who support the work of the union in so many different ways. Section 1 of the report covers the work of the service group and its sectors against each of the NEC’s four objectives. The sectors are as follows: Police Staff (England and Cymru/Wales) Police Staff (Scotland) Probation Staff (England and Cymru/Wales) CAFCASS (England) Section 2 of the report provides national updates from UNISON Scotland and UNISON Cymru/Wales and from each of the regional police and justice committees. Section 3 of the report an update on the work in progress on delivering the actions in respect of motions passed at the 2016 Service Group Conference. Section 4 contains information on: Membership of the Service Group Executive (SGE) Membership of the Service Sector Committees Representation on negotiating bodies and external stakeholder groups SGE attendance record Meeting record Service Group circulars/joint union releases Service Group Staff Section 1: Meeting the NEC Objectives Objective 1: recruiting, organising, representing and retaining members Membership and Density Membership Membership in all sectors of the Service Group has continued to decline as a result of cuts to the workforces in which we organise. In August 2017 our membership was: Police Staff (England and Wales): 33,409 Police Staff (Scotland): 2,594
Open Plan Offices and Interview Booths UNISON and Napo registered a formal dispute with Sodexo over its failure to address concerns over their open-plan interview booths, which have left our members at risk of disclosing personal data when interviewing service users. Both unions contacted the Office of the Information Commissioner in 2016 to raise a complaint about this, but unfortunately this has, to date, had no material impact on the dispute, which remains in force. Union Workplace Stress Survey Napo and UNISON have drafted a joint union workplace stress survey for Sodexo members, which is due for release in September 2017. Workloads UNISON has continued to the case for an effective workload management tool for the Sodexo CRCs. 1.2.6.2 Interserve Negotiating Machinery Following successful negotiations with Interserve over the course of 2016/17, UNISON was able to put a recommendation to members in early August 2017 to vote to accept proposals to set up national bargaining machinery for members in the five Interserve CRCs. Members voted unanimously to accept the proposals. 2017 Pay Claim Our probation pay claim was submitted in June 2017. Interserve has acknowledged the claim, but negotiations have yet to start. Interserve has paid the contractual increment to staff who are entitled to receive it in May 2017. Third Party Contracts In March 2017, UNISON and Napo wrote to Interserve to take issue with the company’s actions in employing CRC staff to undertake third party contracts with commissioners, such as local government or the health service, on non NNC pay and conditions. We have yet to reach an agreement with the company on this issue. Secondment Agreement In 2016 the unions concluded a secondment agreement with Interserve which allowed members who were due to transfer to the company’s separate Professional Service Centres to retain their CRC terms and conditions and pensions. Joint Union Workplace Stress Survey UNISON and Napo undertook a joint union workplace stress survey of our members in the five Interserve CRCs during March 2017. The results, which have been shared with the Company,
led the unions to call upon Interserve to: Establish a joint working group to oversee the stress identification and management process, and for this group to include adequate trade union representation. Remove the triggers for stress in the workplace and provide a safe system of work for all Purple Futures staff in relation to workload Ensure that individual and stress risks assessment are completed and reviewed when necessary, and that trade union health and safety reps are involved in the risk assessment process Agree with the unions a workload management tool, which provides all staff with the reassurance that their workloads will be set according to strict criteria to protect both staff health and safety and public protection. 1.2.6.3 Other CRCs Information relating to the bargaining situation in the other CRCs can be found in the Regional reports in Section 2. The reason for this lies in the fact that negotiations with the other CRCs are undertaken by UNISON Regional officials. 1.2.7 CAFCASS Overview Following a period of change within CAFCASS, 2017 was a year of relative stability for the majority of members based within the organisation. Vic Walsh, a UNISON Regional Organiser in the North West, took over responsibility for the employer at the beginning of the year. Membership & Recruitment Membership figures across the employer fell over the period 2016/17 from 266 to 245. This drop can be attributed to staff leaving the organisation. CAFCASS have outlined their plans to increase workforce recruitment of new staff over the next year, consequently we expect to increase these figures, and have factored this into the reps strategic organising plan for 2018. Reps & Activists Over the past year, the number of accredited UNISON reps within CAFCASS has increased. There are now five active reps spread geographically across England, undertaking casework and engaging in bargaining with the employer. Workplace Issues There are a number of workplace issues affecting UNISON members within CAFCASS, primary among these are the high levels of caseloads prevalent in many areas, and the increasing workloads resulting from the proliferation of compliance tools. The increasing workloads means that many Family Court Advisers are now undertaking unpaid work in the evenings and weekends just to keep up. This is having a detrimental effect on the health and well being of
Apprenticeships, including proposals for the PCSO apprenticeship Role Profiles, including the PCSO role profile Leadership Review Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) UNISON consulted branches on HMIC’s proposed 2017/18 inspection programme in January 2017. Branches were asked to respond to HMIC directly. 1.3.1.6 Independent Police Complaints Commission UNISON has continued to attend the IPCC’s Association and Trade Union working party. We surveyed police branches in August 2017 over views about the effectiveness of IPCC independent investigations of police staff. IPCC has been invited to run some interactive workshops at the 2017 Police and Justice Service Group Conference to consider the outcome of the survey. 1.3.1.7 National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) National Policing Vision 2025 In 2016, UNISON consulted police branches on the draft National Policing Vision drawn up by the NPCC and sent in our response to the Vision at the end of June 2016. NPCC finally published its ‘Policing Vision 2025’ in November 2016. We were pleased that NPCC took on board our comments about removing any references to the service having coped well with the cuts and removing references to privatisation. Police Reform Board UNISON supported a bid, being sponsored by the Police Federation, to the Police Transformation Fund for a pilot to set up a Police Medical Welfare Service to enhance occupational health. We supported the bid on the strict understanding that the proposed Service would complement and not replace existing force occupational health services. The bid was approved by the Police Reform Board at its meeting in June 2017. Fitness Testing Working Group (FTWG) UNISON is represented on this working group. The latest position is that the NPCC is due to contact the Police Staff Council to find out the Council’s position on mandatory fitness testing for police staff. National Uniform Specification Group UNISON is represented on this group on behalf of police staff. Abuse of Position for a Sexual Purpose Strategy
Bargaining and Negotiating Branches have been engaged in reorganisations as resources have been stripped out of police budgets. ‘Smarter working’, working’ and ‘hot desking’ are just some of the management buzz words branches have encounted as synonyms for cuts and job losses. Police precepts have increased in council tax hikes across Wales as our communities who have had to pay more to make up for at least some of the Westminster Government cuts. Campaigns Our highest profile campaign has been in the Wales CRC. Working Links, which has the Welsh contract and two South West England contracts, has spent the last 18 months reducing the overall work force by 44%. UNISON has suffered membership losses and has had its steward base decimated as a result. We believe that new working systems are dangerous and unsafe. UNISON and our sister unions in probation have been in dispute with the company for over a year, and whilst we have slowed the pace of job losses, we have yet been unable to reverse them. Community Payback Supervisors are one of the last groups to face reorganisation and job losses ,including a job re-design. UNISON members here have provided stubborn resistance to the management, and their dispute continues. In NPS we continue to try to ameliorate the affects of national policies locally. Resources Our coordination between branches has been severely hampered this year because of a number of unavoidable factors. Therefore branches have in the most part had to rely on their own resources. Unfortunately, we were not able to replace the Fighting Fund Area Organiser who had maintained our recruitment in both parts of the probation service, found new activists to become reps and supported members in the CRC and NPS. East Midlands Region Recruitment, organising and representation Recruitment-wise, the year started really well for police branches and it is only down to a significant number of police staff becoming police officers that not all branches showed an increase in membership. All branches are using innovative ideas and getting out there raising UNISON's profile. Nottinghamshire Police have been impressing members and non-members alike with a UNISON-liveried caravan serving bacon and sausage cobs. It was a real hit and one week they recruited 18 new members and counting! Recruitment is slower within the probation branch, but with the continued difficulties facing the fragmented probation sector it has not been easy. The branch is about to start a concerted recruitment campaign across the region and by the time of conference we hope to see the
An increase in bullying complaints, some at the highest levels, has, as a consequence, branches campaigning for greater accountability, transparency, equal treatment for members. Objective 4 Branch assessment processes continue to assist branch improvements in efficient working arrangements. Probation – North West Branch The probation branch has undergone key changes following departure of experienced officers. A reorganisation has resulted in current and new activists filling key leadership roles. The branch is utilising regional pool arrangements to address casework and geographical pressures and has played a key role on national bargaining arrangements for the Interserve CRC contracts. Staffing reductions and streamlining, combined with a freeze on recruitment has affected recruitment and retention, however, the Probation sector in the West has potential for recruitment. The botched introduction of the new IT infrastructures and equipment across the CRCs continues to impact on members. The branch/region has organised actions in Lancashire and Cumbria as part of the national action plan on Sodexo. NPS Payroll problems following outsourcing to SSCL is a key issue affecting members, with errors on pay, pensions and allowances. Sickness absence procedures continue to be applied punitively within NPS and support for members affected by E3 is ongoing and will continue as we face impacts of phase 2 on members. South East Region Objective 1 The region has five police and justice branches, with a total line count membership of 4279 at the end of September 2016. 723 new members joined in 2016 but there was a net decrease of 208 members over the year. By the end of June 2017, 439 new members had joined and 385 left; a net increase of 54. This is an improvement in both areas in comparison to 2016. Sussex Police and Justice branch presently have the best recruitment rate. Across the branches, 22 new stewards and 6 health and safety representatives had been recruited by June 2017. Objective 2 Hampshire Constabulary demonstrated willing to adopt the 2017 Police Staff Council handbook in full, albeit the branch has had to pursue cases relating to the full implementation of maternity benefits.
Sussex Police have instead selected elements of the handbook for partial implementation. They are also negotiating with the branch on a variation to the scheme of unsocial hours payments. Surrey Police are not in the PSC and members voted in favour of acceptance of a 1.5% local pay award for 2017/18. As part of alignment with Sussex Police, Surrey Police are undertaking a restructure likely to result in redundancies within the Information and Crime Management team. Thames Valley Police continue to collaborate with local forces regarding Contact Management, Joint Operations Unit, ICT, Counter Terrorism and ERP. They will commence a review of all police staff terms and conditions later this year. The 7 Force Strategic Collaboration Programme is evolving across the east of England involving Kent and Essex sharing a Serious Crime Directorate and Support Directorate (e.g. HR functions, payroll etc.). The impact of a Kent and Essex Management Command Review looking at, “ongoing blue light integration opportunities,” is yet to be determined. Thames Valley Police and Sussex Police have entered into co-location arrangements with the fire service. Surrey Police branch representatives have been involved in supporting members through several IPCC cases. Sussex Police branch successfully challenged custody firm Tascor Ltd’s attempt to reduce bank holiday pay received by staff without providing adequate notice of change to contract. Probation employers continue to undertake reorganisations resulting in changes to roles, terms and conditions and in some cases, relocations and redundancies. Objective 3 In response to Kent Police’s use of volunteers, the branch has submitted a paper responding to the consultation, criticising the lack of meaningful engagement on behalf of the employer and the poor quality of the process. Objective 4 The region’s service group committee’s autumn seminar is set to include sessions on the IPCC’s role and Defence Medical Welfare Service. A fighting fund area organiser is undertaking an 11 project with focus on a building UNISON’s structure in relation to organising probation members. They have established stewards with paid release in three out of the four probation employers. They have developed contacts, undertaken casework and provided support in negotiations to members within non-Police employers. West Midlands Region The police staff branches continue to work in an environment of significant cuts to the police budgets. West Midlands Police still have £14m to save, Staffordshire has £9m to save,
West Mercia has £9m to save and Warwickshire has a further £6m to save. All these savings are to be achieved by 1st April 2018 and come when the security threat still remains at severe. As a consequence there is a constant pressure to reduce expenditure which in most cases falls on police staff, either in reduction in numbers and redundancies, or reduction in shifts and associated pay. Against this backdrop West Midlands Police, under the insistence of the Labour PCC, is taking on 800 new police officers, many of whom are former PCSOs, or members of police staff. There is commitment to backfilling these posts. Elsewhere in the region there is a move from the PCC to take over control of the fire and rescue services in Staffordshire and in West Mercia. This is not a move that is welcomed by the staff concerned and UNISON is involved in representing the members concerned. Both the Warwickshire and West Mercia CRC and the Staffordshire and West Midlands CRC are struggling with inadequate funding. Cuts to staffing have left the remaining staff very stretched. Staffordshire and West Midlands (SWM) CRC, which is owned by Reducing Reoffending Partnership (RRP), has in many respects ceased to operate as distinct company, because RRP treats both SWM CRC and the East Midlands based Derbyshire Leicestershire Nottinghamshire and Rutland (DLNR) CRC as one entity. The UNISON branches covering both CRCs are now working closely together. The UNISON membership within the National Probation Service, as with colleagues elsewhere within NPS, is coping with the changes brought in through E3. Staff may not be happy as to where they are being deployed, but there are no immediate job losses. Against this background, across all parts of the service group, there has been little appetite for campaigning to improve terms and conditions or pay, as staff continue to reel under the continued pressures. Yorkshire & Humberside Region Branches in the Yorkshire & Humberside Region have focused heavily on retention of membership density to ensure influence with the respective employers is maintained. Both Humberside and North Yorkshire Police branches have two of the highest density levels within UNISON. West Yorkshire Branch have seen an increase in membership during 2016/17 and increased their density levels to over 50%. Within the Probation Service, UNISON has been particularly active following the appointment of a Fighting Fund Organiser (FFO). A number of activities have been undertaken during 2017, including monthly drop-in sessions which were particularly successful in East Riding having identified new workplace reps.
Motion 2: Volunteers – Policing on the Cheap and Motion 3: Powers for Community Support Volunteers and Police Support Volunteers FOI questions on use of volunteers sent to forces in England and Wales in July 2017 Motion 5: Rules Take Advantage of Members Suffolk Police Branch drafted member questionnaire in May 2017 Motion 6: Black worker representation in police and justice workforces On line survey of Black members’ experience in the workplace drafted in July 2017 Draft survey sent to National Black Police Association and Association of Black Probation Officers seeking their support in July 2017 Motion 7: Survey of branches and members – disability related matters Action pending Motion 8: Budget cuts and the effect on equalities training Action pending Motion 9: Improving workplace equality and diversity in the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies Letters sent to National Probation Service and 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies asking for latest workforce diversity data in June 2017 Motion 10: Health and Safety in the Probation Service PROB/04/2017 issued in July 2017 with details of how to conduct health and safety risk assessments, the health and safety rights of probation workers and the responsibilities of employers for the safety of employees. Motion 11: Flexible Working in Operational Roles Police circular with questionnaire for members working in operational roles drafted in April 2017 Motion 12: An inflexible police service Action pending Motion 13: Recruiting and organising LGBT members in police and justice Action pending Motion 14: Staff care = staff retention