Branch Executive Report 2005

The Branch Executive has met bi monthly during the year. Some of which I have been forced to miss. Unfortunately since taking on the Chair of this Branch my workload has increased considerably, and I have experienced some difficulty in obtaining backfill time with my Management and it is for this reason that I will not be seeking re-election as Chair.

I take this opportunity to apologise to all our members for not being as active as I would have wished to be. Our membership is now over 7500 number and we are still the largest branch in the South West. We are still seeking active members to become stewards and we have many workplaces without any steward at all.

Stewards and officers of the Branch are volunteers and the Executive wishes to thank them all for their involvement and commitment. This work is recognised by members to be of real value. I list below the Members of the Executive and their roles and take this opportunity to thank them for all the work on behalf of us all:

President Maureen Elsom, Chair Carol Jackson, Vice Chair Roberto Franceschini, Secretary Moira Macdonald, Assistant Secretaries Julia Chiverton, Roger Spackman, Treasurer Dave Parsons, Assistant Treasurer Mike Dunstone, Auditor Mr J Goldfinch (+1 vacancy), Welfare Officer Royston Davis, Education Co-ordinator Dave Henley, Life Long Learning Officer Rose Gander, Publicity Officer Andy Bowman, Assistant Publicity Officer Des Gander, Women's Officer Ann Hydes (job share), Young Members' Officer Lesley Harper, Membership Services Officer (Vacancy), Membership & Recruitment Officer Stewart Gregson, Equality Officer Yacob Cajee, Labour Link Officer Graham Parkhouse, Sports and Social Secretary (Vacancy), Health and Safety Officer (Vacancy), International Relations Officer Darienne Flemington, Black Members Officer Yacob Cajee, Retired Members Secretary Colin Lomax, Disabled Members Officer Steve Gallin, Lesbian and Gay Officer Contact UNISON Office, Matford, County Hall.

The work of the Branch is carried out by the Officers and we are always seeking ideas and help from the membership to make our Branch more representative and effective. We take part in South West Region activities in UNISON through Regional Committee and Regional Council. Thanks to the activists who have give up their weekends to this. At the start of the year our SW Regional Officers assigned to us were Helen Eccles and Fiona Bentley we thank them for their assistance. Since last September Ken Pearson has been with us and we welcome Tanya Palmer who joined us during January 2006.

Branch Delegates attended the following UNISON annual national conferences: National Delegates; Local Government; Women's; Disabled Members; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. The Branch was also represented at SW Regional Council and had members on SW Regional Committee

We thank our Branch Office Staff Caroline and Carol for their hard work and assistance under very difficult circumstances. Their Manager Lesley has been unwell for most of this year and we hope that her health will go on improving. Others have helped in the office and we thank Moira MacDonald Branch Secretary, and her two Assistant Branch Secretaries Julia Chiverton and Roger Spackman. I would like also to mention Paul Preece and Ray Jackson for their continued support throughout the year.

This has been a very difficult year for our members and officers who work for Devon County Council. We are dealing with a range of issues across all Directorates, Job Evaluation, and the Six Point Plan reorganisation of Social Services, and now a Recruitment Freeze. Most difficult of all, and affecting some members beyond the County Council is the attack on our Pensions by the Government.

Our special thanks to Moira Andrews and Roberto Franceschini as DCC Staff Side Leaders who, along with a dedicated team of representatives have dealt with and are continuing to address a number of service conditions issues with management through the Devon Joint Consultative Committees (JCCs) and with the Council's employers, the democratically elected Councillors at the County personnel Partnership Committee.

I should like to make special mention of Roberto Franceschini our Branch Vice Chair who for many years was the Branch Chair. Without his support I would have been in an even more difficult situation with the task of Chair of this Branch.

This Branch also encompasses other public sector, and voluntary, charity and private sector employers. Some of these employers fall significantly short of the employment standards that Devon County aspires to. I wish to especially to thank stewards who are with these other employers, many of whom face considerable difficulties.

I would ask all members of UNISON to remember that we are all part of UNISON. We all need to support each other and work together. We especially need input from our low paid, part time members, most of whom are women, and we would encourage more young members, black members and disabled members and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members to become involved.

Carol Jackson - Branch Chair