Your Branch Secretary

Our Branch Secretary Retires

Jane Evans former Branch Secretary

Dear fellow UNISON members. Last Friday (0610/23) I stepped down as  Branch Secretary, to become a retired member.


Like most (all?) of you, I never envisaged taking on this role. I have always cared about fairness and equality, and try to stand up for these values, so it felt natural to take over as a workplace steward when our existing steward left. Over lockdown I found myself first covering the role and then being seconded to it. 

 

It has been a real privilege to represent us all. It has been rewarding and challenging in equal measure; a very steep learning curve and often impossible not to feel imposter syndrome. But I have met some amazing activists, from our and other UNISON branches, and from other trade unions. I was never a budding Angela Raynor! (though I did have the opportunity to meet her at this years UNISON national conference). Angela Raynor joined UNISON as a care worker - 'born in Stockport , raised in the trade union movement.' UNISON provides so many opportunities to gain the skills and confidence to support yourselves, each other, and the valuable work you do for our communities. You might be amazed at what you could achieve.


Our lives are very busy. You may feel you have no free time to become involved. But being an 'activist' need only take a moment. Unison is one of the two largest trade unions in the United Kingdom, with over 1.2 million members, working in public (including outsourced) services. UNISON has influence - you may have heard Christina McAnea speaking at this year's Labour Party conference. Is your voice being heard? UNISON, and unions in general, are what they say on the tin; a collection of people standing together to improve working and living conditions. Being an 'activist' might just mean keeping your contact details up-to-date. That's easy to do (see the link below), but not always done. It should certainly include voting in ballots on your pay and conditions. We are still waiting to hear the outcome of this year's NJC pay ballot. This could probably have been resolved months ago if more than half the members in all employers had voted, whether for or against. It is our responsibility to vote. 


If you think you would like to get more involved, you can do it in small steps. Become a workplace contact, sharing information with colleagues and encouraging them to join. Come and see what happens at our Branch Executive meetings. While the majority of our members are women, branch membership is diverse: LGBT+, Black, Disabled; concerned about a range of wider issues, including equality and climate change; working in schools, social care, libraries, archaeology and museums, highways, refuse collection, admin etc etc. All your voices need to be heard, but it is up to you to achieve that. After 13 years of cuts and with an election likely next year, there has never been a more important time to stand up for public services and public service workers.

 

My UNISON | UNISON National


With best wishes for the future 


Jane


Jane Evans (she/her)

Former Branch Secretary 

UNISON Worcestershire Branch 

30 Love's Grove, Worcester WR1 3BU 

01905 26186 

My UNISON Membership | UNISON National

My UNISON allows you to manage and update your membership details, change your address, or find out how to cancel membership.

www.unison.org.uk

 
Your Once Branch Secretary Jane Evans

I’d like to introduce myself. My career has been as a Finds Archaeologist. I have been employed by WCC/ Worcestershire Archaeology since 2007, though first worked for the County Council in the 1980s (H&WCC). Before that I was employed on various ‘Manpower Services Commission’ schemes (how many people remember those?!); on archaeological projects in Peru, Ecuador, and Iraq; and even as a ‘dresser’ for a West End theatre.
 
In between employments with the County Council, I was employed elsewhere or, juggling work/ a young family and working freelance. 

You may wonder what a Finds Archaeologist will bring to the role of UNISON Branch Secretary! The success of any archaeology project relies on collaboration and good communication, also important to this role. Field archaeologists work in a competitive commercial environment, where managing time and competing priorities is a constant necessity. 

Most importantly though, I have been an activist and union member all my working life, because I care about fairness and equality. I have been UNISON workplace steward for 7 years and was elected Branch Chair in 2020. Since August I have been covering the Branch Secretary role, working closely with our Treasurer, to keep Branch business running smoothly. UNISON members have all had a hugely challenging year. Branch staff and other officers have shown great commitment, maintaining UNISON’s support to members throughout. It has been a privilege working alongside them. I hope now to bring stability to Branch, so we can plan ahead. I am keen to champion the needs of members, working alongside other branch officers and stewards. 

I want to build stronger links with all our employers, to ensure all members are represented. And I want to engage with you, our members. You might not currently see yourself as a union activist - being Branch Secretary was not my career plan. But if, like me, you wake up in the morning concerned by news of injustices and climate change, or simply want to improve working conditions, then getting active in UNISON will give you a voice. 

There is a friendly, supportive team of officers to welcome you, and Ida Patrone, our Recruitment Officer, will provide lots of support. 

There are a number of Officer roles vacant including:

Branch Chair 
Branch Environmental Officer 
Branch Women's Officer 
Branch Young Member's Officer
Branch Health and Safety Officer


Come and join us! Contact Ida at IPatrone@unisonworcestershire.co.uk to find out more.

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