Wales TUC - September 2015 – Issue 24All Wales Trade Union Equality Network Newsletter

Another packed edition of the All Wales Equality Network Newsletter, this edition gives details of meetings, FREE Wales TUC run courses on becoming a Trade Union Equality Rep along with the most recent updates, news articles and much more. If you would like your news to appear in future editions of this newsletter please email Rhianydd Williams

Sign up to the All Wales Equality Network Newsletter here

All Wales Network Equality meetings October 2015

October 2015Milford Haven - Wednesday 13th October 20151300-1600 Unite the Union Robert St, Milford Haven, Dyfed SA73 2HS

Llandudno – Friday 16th October 20151030-1300 Venue Cymru, The Promenade, Llandudno, Conwy LL30 1BB

Aberystwyth – Monday 19th October 20151400-1630 National Library, Penglais Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU

All Wales Network Equality meetings January 2016

January 2016Swansea - Wednesday 20th January 20161030-1300 Unite the Union, High St, Swansea SA1 1LF

Colwyn Bay – Thursday 21st January 20161030-1300 Coleg Llandrillo. Llandudno Road, Rhos on Sea, Colwyn Bay LL28 4HZ

Aberystwyth – Friday 22nd January 20161030-1300 National Library, Penglais Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU

Email Rhianydd Williams if you or any of your colleagues would like to attend any of the above All Wales Network Equality meetings.

Wales TUC Equality Forum Leads1

LGBT – Phil Dixon ATLBME – Steve Wakefield UNITEWomen – Beth Davies NUT and Jane Setchfield NASUWTDisability – Steffan ap Dafydd NUTYouth - TBC

Please email Rhianydd Williams for contact details

Wales TUC want your stories...........

From the good, the bad to the ugly if you have a story to share about your role as a Trade Union Rep we’d love to hear from you.

What experiences have you had as a Trade Union Rep both in and out of your workplace?

Have you influenced any decisions on workplace policies or practices?

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a Trade Union Rep?

Has your Trade Union involvement influenced your work or social activities within your local communities? And if so, how?

Please get in touch by email: Rhianydd Williams or call me on 02920 347010

Thanks from your TUER Network Project Officer

As my secondment to Wales TUC Cymru comes to an end I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support and commitment over the past year, and of course helping to grow the Wales TUC Equality Networks. I will be returning to my full time role at BBC Wales and will continue to serve BECTU members within Wales. Should you wish to get in touch please email: nicola.savage@bbc.co.uk Best wishes, and many thanks Nicola

TUC e-notes

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TUC Education eNotes

eNotes are a great resource to help reps keep up to date on key workplace issues. Each eNote is a self-contained module that contains a mixture of text, video and quizzes. They last between 20 and 45 minutes and can be returned to as many times as you like.

NEW: Supporting Learners into Higher Learning NEW: Migration NEW: Fit for Work Industrial Partnerships Work-related Upper Limb Disorders Domestic Violence Building a Stronger Workplace Union Facility Time Bargaining for Skills A Living Wage Apprenticeships Equality Law Supporting Mid-life development Additional Paternity Leave Understanding Universal Credit Climbing Frame Supporting Learners Vulnerable Employment The Sick Note European Works Councils

More info here: http://bit.ly/1zonfJ2

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Become a Trade Union Equality Rep - Free courses available now

These are the latest courses available for those who would like to become a Trade Union Equality Rep. This is a FREE course and it’s interesting, inspiring and will help you to make a difference at work. It’s also a great learning opportunity for you and you will be supported in your new role by the Wales TUC and by your union. Give it a go!

Devolved Public Sector in WalesThe Wales TUC has developed a new 6-day training course specifically for those working in the devolved public sector in Wales who would like to become trade union equality reps. The role of the trade union equalityrep in the public sector is supported by the Welsh Government and all devolved public sector workplaces and as such has been allocated additional facility time to allow trade union equality reps to carry out their role effectively. This new course is available at venues across Wales, and is offered one day per week over six weeks.

For more information visit: http://bit.ly/1Ikd0JE

Find your Credit union

Several unions have credit unions but if your union doesn’t, find out where your nearest credit union is here:

http://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/home

Don’t keep it to yourself; let your members, colleagues, friends and family know about the advantages of a credit union.

Credit unions are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. All deposits in credit unions are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000.

TUC National Events

Sunday, 4 October TUC National Demonstration at Conservative Party Conference, Manchester

Tuesday, 20 October TUC Pensioners Committee meeting

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WAVE Wales - Check out the Equal Pay Barometer

Men’s annual average earnings are £22,921 but women’s are only £16,412. This is because so many women work part time and this work is concentrated in low paying jobs.

This simple barometer, based on a labour market survey in Wales will show you the jobs that men and women do in employment and self employment whether full or part time, and how much they get paid for it.

Visit the @WAVEWales @CUWave Equal Pay Barometer to see what men and women earn in the jobs they do http://ow.ly/BEiFU #letstalkaboutpay

Public Health Wales launches information for transgender community

Public Health Wales has launched information resources on screening services specifically for the transgender community. The resources include a leaflet, frequently asked questions, a series of short films and an information card. These were produced in partnership between the Screening Division of Public Health Wales, Transgender Awareness Wales, FTM Wales, Unique Transgender Network and the NHS Centre for Equality and Human Rights.

All of this information is available on the Screening for Life website www.screeningforlife.wales.nhs.uk.

World Mental Health Day 10th October 2015

"Dignity in Mental Health" is the theme for this year's World Mental Health Day, which takes place on 10 October 2015.The annual event is focused on global mental health education, awareness and advocacy and we'll soon be announcing a full programme of activities and support.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/world-mental-health-day/world-mental-health-day-2015/

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Mental Health First Aid

‘’MHFA Training is for everyone'’Front line workers particularly often have to deal with people with experience of mental distress but lack the skills and confidence to support them appropriately.

With 1 in 4 of us affected by mental health problems each year, people across Wales are being offered a short training course to deal more effectively with these challenges. In an ambitious project, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, The 12 hour course does not train you to be a therapist, counsellor or mental health professional but it will teach you to:

Give initial help to someone experiencing a mental health problem Deal with a crisis situation or the first signs of someone developing

mental ill-health. Guide people towards appropriate help.

Interested...

2 Day MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID COURSE

Cost £85 per person

9.30 – 4.30

This session is open to everyone so please Call Sue Carlick and find out how you can enrol in this fantastic Programme.

Mental Health First Aid6

Please Note: If you are applying for funding to pay for your course fees Please contact your ULR at your workplace to find out about WULF Funding or alternatively call - Project Officer Sue Da’Casto- 02920 022759 or e-mail Sue.DaCasto@unitetheunion.org.uk or Deri Bevan - 02920 347010 or e-mail dbevan@tuc.org.uk

Tel Sue Carlick: SueCarlick@hotmail.co.uk - 07903343997

Future - MHFA 2 Day Course Dates 2015

Cardiff – October 19-20th - 1 Cathedral Rd Cardiff CF11 - 9SD

North Wales – November – 3-4th - 64, Chester Street, Flintshire CH6 - 5DH

Cardiff – December – 3-4th - 1 Cathedral Rd Cardiff CF11 - 9SD

Book Prescription Wales

Book Prescription Wales is a scheme that aims to help people with mild to moderate emotional problems to make use of high quality self-help books that have been specially selected by psychologists and counsellors working in Wales.

You can find out more here:

http://gov.wales/docs/dhss/publications/130815booken.pdf

You can find the list of recommended books here:

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/888/current%20booklist.pdf

Health & Safety of Migrant Workers – TUC Guide

The TUC has produced a new guide on health and safety and migrant workers.

It is available on the TUC site at:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/migrantworkershealthandsafety

Wales TUC - Mental health and work

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Gofal has been working with the Wales TUC to develop a workers' guide to mental health

and wellbeing. This was launched at the Wales TUC Equalities Conference in April 2014 and

distributed to trade union equality representatives from a range of organisations. The

booklet is available in English and in Welsh.

     

In September 2014 at the Wales TUC mental health conferences in north and south Wales

we launched a comprehensive mental health briefing for trade union representatives.

The toolkit was developed by Gofal in partnership with the Wales TUC and there were

several opportunities for trade union representative to feed into this process.

It provides information about mental health, talking tips and how to access help and

support. It also includes a number of tools to help trade union reps to improve mental

health and wellbeing in the workplace.

The briefing is available in English and in Welsh.

National Demonstration – Manchester, 4 October 2015

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action poin

This autumn the TUC is to organise a national demonstration in Manchester against the government’s austerity agenda and attacks on trade unions. It will take place on Sunday 4 October and will begin with a march through central Manchester, culminating in a rally close to the Conservative Party Conference.

Workers and community organisations from across the country will join the demonstration, which will be the first the TUC has organised under the Conservative government.

Contact your Union for more information and transportation details.

The Trade Union Bill

http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/tradeunion.html

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2015-2016/0058/16058.pdf

The Bill creates statutory duties for the Government to report on full employment, the creation of new apprenticeships and the Troubled Families Programme.

It amends the Child Poverty Act 2010 to become the Life Chances Act and the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission to become the Social Mobility Commission; it removes the child poverty targets in the 2010 Act.

The Bill cuts the benefit cap to £20,000 (£23,000 in London).

It freezes most working age social security benefits and tax credits for four years.

It restricts the child element of Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit to two children per family and removes the family element from CTC and UC.

It abolishes the work-related activity component in employment and support allowance and the limited capability for work element in universal credit.

The Bill makes UC claimants responsible for a child aged 3 or 4 have to be available for and actively seek work and those with a child aged 2 attend work-focused interviews.

It abolishes support for mortgage interest payments and replaces it with a loan (with interest charged on it) recoverable interest-bearing secured as a second charge on claimants’ properties and reduces social housing rents by 1% a year for 4 years from April 2016.

You can find out more here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/tubill

Consultation – Welsh Government

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Revision of the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice for WalesWelsh Government is asking for your views on the additions and amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice for Wales.The new draft Code takes account of the changes to relevant legislation since the previous Code was written. In particular: the requirements in the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 with regards to care and

treatment planning and the expanded provision of independent mental health advocacy the relationship between the Act, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of

Liberty Safeguards.Please submit your comments by 27 November 2015.

The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015

This consultation relates to draft statutory guidance to be issued under this power. The guidance outlines the National Training Framework on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence and a series of proposed requirements to be made on the relevant authorities under the Act in relation to the delivery and standards of training in relation to these issues. In establishing the Framework and proposing these requirements the Welsh Government aims to create a consistent standard of care for those who experience violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence and an unfailing standard of service throughout the public service to this client group.Please submit your comments by 23rd October 2015

Looking for a Board position?

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What are public appointments?

Our public bodies need board members who reflect Welsh society - people from all walks of life. Public appointments are usually for members of committees which advise, monitor and take decisions on public services across Wales, both locally and nationally.

You can apply to organisations that include:

public bodies, eg Arts Council of Wales, National Museum Wales regulatory bodies, eg Care Council for Wales, General Teaching Council for Wales advisory and specialist bodies, eg Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse, Welsh Food

Advisory Committee

You could help run these organisations and offer advice, drawing on your own experience. Some positions are unpaid, but most will cover your expenses.Some appointments processes are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Anyone can apply: Public Appointments – Welsh Government

The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales, and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.

The Welsh Government believe public bodies should have board members who reflect Welsh society - people from all walks of life - to help them understand people's needs and make better decisions.That is why the Welsh Government is committed to increasing diversity and encourages applications from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, Black Minority Ethnic, Women and Disabled people.

New website shows how Welsh laws differ from rest of UKA new website has been launched to help people understand the way laws in Wales are starting to diverge from the rest of the UK.

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The National Assembly can pass laws for Wales in 20 specified devolved areas of economic, social and cultural importance to citizens, including health, education, agriculture, transport, housing and the environment.

The Cyfraith Cymru / Law Wales site has been spearheaded by the Welsh Counsel General, Theodore Huckle QC to raise awareness of the growing body of Welsh law being passed by the National Assembly for Wales and made by the Welsh Ministers.

Read more and visit website.

Employment tribunals lose power to make wider recommendations in discrimination cases

Implementation date: 1 October 2015

The Deregulation Act 2015 removes the power that allows employment tribunals to make wider recommendations (that may benefit others and not just the claimant personally) in discrimination cases.

Employment tribunals were given the power to make recommendations for the benefit of the wider workforce in relation to discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010.

Employment tribunals have the power to make recommendations but these are to be limited to what steps an employer should take to reduce the adverse effect of the discrimination in relation only to the claimant.

Source: XpertHR

Truth lies and migrants Have your heard friends or relatives quoting questionable ‘facts’ about migrants? Are you tired of hearing anti immigrant stories in the news?

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Are you finding it difficult to tell the truth from the propaganda? Then you need the Wales TUC booklet on Truth, lies and migrants. This bilingual document unpicks these arguments by providing the facts on migration, giving you the latest information on where people work, live, travel to and from.

Presented in a readable, graphic led booklet, the Wales TUC challenges the perception that Wales is losing out because of migrant workers and actually shows that in truth, it is benefiting because of it.

If you would like to order a copy of this document please contact Gavin Pearce on 02920 347010 or gpearce@tuc.org.uk.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economic-issues/equality-issues/truth-lies-and-migrants

Wales TUC Consultation Documents / responses

The Wales TUC written responses to consultations are available by following this link: http://bit.ly/1NsqFwr If you would like to find out more about any of these responses, or other consultations that may not be listed here, please contact the Wales TUC by emailing

Wtuc@tuc.org.uk or call 02920 347010

Recent Cases:

Disabled social worker 'made to feel like Little Britain character' by boss

Mother dismissed over absenteeism suffered sex discrimination

Chef wins payout after being sacked by text message

Hartlepool Sixth Form lecturer WAS unfairly dismissed, tribunal finds

Harrods security guard who was 'victim of witch hunt after row over cup of coffee' wins £18,000 for unfair dismissal

Domestic worker awarded £184k in UK’s first caste discrimination case

Equality & Human Rights Exchange Autumn Events

The Equality and Human Rights Exchange Autumn Events Dear members,

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Our Autumn Equality and Human Rights Exchange events are to be held between 10.00 and 15.00 in:

Swansea on Wednesday 30th September Caerphilly on Thursday 15th October Bangor on Wednesday 21 October

Exact location details and an agenda will follow the week before the event. In the morning session, the Equality and Human Rights Commission will give a presentation and lead a workshop on the emerging findings of our Is Wales Fairer? report. Delegates will explore how the equality and human rights challenges the report identifies can assist public authorities set their Public Sector Equality Duty objectives for 2016 -2020. It would be helpful if delegates can bring copies of their current equality objectives to inform the discussion. In the afternoon session, a Welsh Government representative will give a presentation and lead a workshop on the recently-passed Well-being of Future Generations Act and its links to equality and human rights. Delegates will discuss ways in which the duties under the new Act and the Public Sector Equality Duties can complement each other. Lunch will be provided. To register please use the following link

Events:

Networking Fair comes to Swansea

Women in Public Life Networking Fair: Swansea

Date: Thursday, 15 October 2015Time: 12.30 - 14.00Location: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea

Dame Rosemary Butler AM, Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, has the pleasure of inviting you to the Women in Public Life networking fair during Senedd@Swansea week.

Do you want to use your skills to become a board member or to participate in public life? The networking fair will be a chance for you to discuss vacancies with the organisations advertising public appointments and other organisations who offer mentoring and development programmes.

Lunch will be provided, please inform the booking line of any dietary requirements you may have.

To register for the event, contact: Contact@assembly.wales / Phone: 0300 200 6565 by 30 September 2015.

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Chwarae Teg Autumn Events

Business Spa and Career Spa by Chwarae Teg

This Autumn Chwarae Teg will be running a series of free events to promote Agile Nation 2’s Business programme and Career Development programme. At these events you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the new programme designed exclusively for small and medium sized businesses; this includes an exclusive preview of our "Unconscious Bias" workshop.

The Career Development programme will give you an exclusive look at the new programme and the opportunity to talk to our experts with informal advice that will help you start to see your career potential. At select events you’ll also be introduced to the benefits of mindfulness.

To view all the events, go to Chwarae Teg's Eventbrite page

Events:

Superwoman 11

It’s ten years since the first ever Superwoman in October 2004. Come and celebrate the tenth anniversary with our inspirational and entertaining speakers.

When: Thursday 22 October 2015 5pm to 8.30pm

Where:– Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2YB.

Cost: £35 – net proceeds of the event will be donated to our two charities, Velindre Cancer Centre and Cancer Research UK.

Speakers:

Dr Manon Antoniazzi, Director Heritage, Sport and Tourism, Welsh GovernmentCaroline Jones, Knickers Model’s OwnEmma Watkins, director of CBI WalesVictoria Wade, Victoria Wade Landscapes

For full details please go to the Events section of our website www.superwoman.org.uk. You can download the full flyer and booking form there, or alternatively email Caroline Hazell at carolinehazell@thompsondarwin.com.

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