Dear Colleague
UNISON AGM
For those of you who were unable to make it to either parts of the AGM held on Wednesday, you missed some interesting debates and comments. As you'll know, the second meeting was held in March at Hereward Hall and was very well attended, so thanks to everyone who came along and participated so well - democracy in action! The meeting in March was organised following a request from colleagues in the area so if you'd like us to come to you next year, talk to Pete Gaskin in the Branch Office.
The high attendance at both meetings is obviously a reflection of the level of anxiety people feel about how we provide services to the public, and the increased pressures we all face on a daily basis. You will be aware that this is set in the context of the Council's recent announcements that they "need" to find savings of £84 million in the coming years and that 300 posts will have to go.
The overall feeling of members at the meetings was that they were despondent, disillusioned, anxious and angry in what the future may hold for them. It was therefore great at the Cambridge meeting to have two excellent speakers - Jon Rogers from UNISON's Executive Council and Tom Woodcock from Cambridge Trades Council - who left people feeling that much can be done to engage with colleagues, service users and the community at large to try and dispel the myths there are around the public sector! Which brings me nicely on to...
Campaigns At next week's Branch meeting we will be looking at future campaigns and communications to you and the people who live and work in Cambridgeshire. Don't be a passive by-stander - let us have your views on the campaigns that you feel UNISON should be involved in or, better still, volunteer to be part of the campaigns group! Whilst our meetings will probably be held in Cambridge, in this world of email you don't need to be at the meetings to influence what we do!
Dates for your Diary We'll be encouraging all of you to speak up for public services and join in with events that have been planned to defend services to our communities.
Question Time? - no, not that one! We have our own version which is being held at Emmanuel College Wednesday week, 10 March, between 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm - doors open at 4.00 pm. The speakers are:
* Our own Heather Wakefield, UNISON> '> s National Secretary for Local Government
* Professor Keith Ewing, Institute of Employment Rights
* Dr John Lister, London Health Emergency, and
* Eileen Short, Chair of Defend Council Housing
If you'd like to be in the audience, contact Peter Gaskin on 01223 717016 or Liz Brennan, Branch Secretary of the Cambridge City Branch, on 01223 457047.
Future events will include a march and rally organised by Cambridgeshire Against The Cuts (CAC), which is being held in Cambridge on 20 March. Details will be sent out shortly, along with information on a National March and Demonstration in London on 10 April.
Please contact the Branch Office on 01223 717015 if you> '> d like more information about what happened at the AGM, are interested in joining the campaigns group, would like us to come and talk to you and colleagues about what's going on in the Council and your thoughts and views, or have any comments to make.
The union is the strength of its members - make a late new year's resolution to get more involved! Sheila Morley Branch Chair
