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About LAS UNISON
When the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE), National Association
of Local Government Officers (NALGO) and the Confederation of Health
Service Employees (COHSE) merged in 1993 to form Unison we had eleven
branches within the London Ambulance Service.
Each of those branches had a Branch Secretary and an executive committee
and ranged in size from fifty odd members to six hundred members (my own
branch, NUPE North West London had six hundred).
It
was UNISON’s policy to have single branches based on the employer so the
following years were devoted to getting the eleven LAS Unison branches
down to one. Numerous negotiations and meetings took place between the
lay officials and the full time officers of the union. Every branch was
represented in what turned out to be very difficult talks. Every branch
had its own tradition and some found it difficult to give that up and
work within one branch, under one set of rules, led by one Branch
Secretary and one Branch Committee.
The majority of members knew it was the right thing to do as well as the
only way forward and in 1997 the largest ambulance branch in the United
Kingdom was born. After the elections for the Branch Secretary and
Branch Officers the LAS UNISON branch held its first Annual General
Meeting on the 19th
March 1997. It was held at the headquarters of the National Association
for Teachers in Higher Education (NAFTHE) in Kings Cross.
We
have not looked back since. Through the hard work of our branch, branch
officers, stewards and health & safety representatives our membership
has grown year on year. We have always strived to do the right things on
behalf of all London Ambulance staff by being an influential voice in
negotiations for better pay and conditions.
LAS UNISON has majority seats on the Staff Council and the Branch
Secretary currently holds the position of
Staff-Side Secretary on behalf of all unions with
seats on the Council.
Unison representatives have had huge influence in shaping the future
direction of the London Ambulance Service and
by their efforts pay has increased, career
opportunities have improved, recruitment has risen and funding has been
greater than before. Funding which is vital for the
future of our Service.
The LAS is a better place to work because of UNISON’s organization,
involvement and support.
UNISON believes in the future of the London Ambulance Service as a
successful public service and we want to play
a central part. The NHS is changing and so are
Ambulance Services. We cannot sit on the sidelines or others will take
decisions that affect us. A successful Service means
better pay, more staff, less workload and job
security for all.
To
achieve that we have to enter negotiations, form partnerships, look to
the future and not to the past and be strong
enough to make difficult decisions. The union
is the only organisation we have to improve our working lives and
we should take with a pinch of salt those that
sit on the sidelines and oppose everything,
every time and all the time.
Since 1997 our branch has been at the forefront of ambulance issues and
we will continue to lead the way to better
pay, better training, better career pathways
and better protection at work.
Eric Roberts
Branch Secretary |
