Eric Roberts – Branch Secretary

Eddie Brand – Branch Chair

George Achilles – Equal Opportunity Officer

Michael Apps – Retired Members Officer

Gary Edwards – West Sector

Mark Belkin – Education Officer

Dave Smith – North East Sector

David Lamey – South West Sector

Bryan Arnold – Treasurer

Rob Sydney – Communication Officer

Fred Phillips – Membership Officer

Jenny Wade – South East Sector PTS

Jim Underdown – North West Sector

Joe Easterbrook – CAC

Claudette Mcnaughton – CAC

Clive Tombs – South East Sector

Steve Harbord – North West Sector

Karen Walling

Julie Shirt

Paul O’ Neil

Andrea Shields

Phil Thompson

The Branch Committee welcomed the following new members;

Ian Lee – Branch Health & Safety Officer

Sarah Hardy – South West Sector

Karen Macdonald – North West Sector

Minutes from 21^st March 2003 agreed as true record.

The Branch Secretary tabled his report that included;

Result of Agenda for Change first ballot. Members had accepted the 3 year pay deal and gave authority for early implementer sites to go ahead.

Legal information and compensation update.

Legal opinion regarding patient removal.

The Committee agreed £100.00 donation to breast cancer charity

The Committee agreed £500.00 donation to the Magical Taxi appeal. The branch will have it’s name on the side of a black cab which will take a child to Disney World – Paris.

The Committee agreed a retirement grant for a North East member.

ER updated committee on Agenda for Change and answered questions. More information will be sent out once the early implementer ambulance sites (East Anglia and North East) reported back on their negotiations.

The Committee congratulated Eric Roberts on his election to the Unison National Executive Committee (NEC).

The Treasurer gave a verbal report to the Committee.

The Membership Secretary circulated names of new members – The Committee agreed to accept them to the Branch.

The Education Officer updated the Committee on forthcoming courses. The Committee was also informed on the planned Learner Reps programme and that the Branch Secretary had got an agreement with the Service on a partnership approach. A letter inviting applications would be sent out in the near future.

It was agreed that the Education Officer should be put forward to train as a Lay Tutor. This would help with the Branch’s plans to run our own steward courses.

The Health and Safety Officer gave a verbal report as well as circulating a brief outline of his plans.

The Communication Officer reported that the Branch website would be ready to launch on 1^st July 2003. This is Unison’s 10^th birthday. The website address is www.lasunison.com and will have all the information that will be useful, and of interest, to members and activists. Information about the site will be circulated.

The Committee thanked RS for all his work.

Five retired members had applied to go to the Retired Members conference, which will be held in Plymouth this October, as visitors. The Committee agreed to send Dave Adamthwaite and three others who were chosen at random. They were A. Dower, D. Cook and F. Bellini

The Welfare Officer reported on the Unison Welfare AGM, and, although he reported good news regarding £400,000.00 of grants to members and a new scheme for the use of Croyde Bay he also informed the Committee that the Welfare had invested money on the stock exchange and had sustained losses. Part of the invested money was from the sale of convalescent homes.

It was agreed that the Welfare Officer write to the head of Welfare to complain on behalf of the branch. SH agreed to bring letter to next Branch Committee meeting.

The Committee was informed of the progress concerning 12 hour shifts within the control room.

The police cad system was still giving serious concern and once again would be raised at the next CAC joint meeting. It would be passed to Staff Council if not resolved.

The Committee was informed of the ‘single staffing’ issue. Unless health and safety issues were agreed the Committee remained concerned. This would be taken to Staff Council and guarantees regarding staff and patient safety would be sought.

The issue regarding the new LDV vehicles not being risk assessed before being put on the road was raised. PTS Sub Group should deal.

JU raised the issue of the proposed annual leave agreement particularly in regard to block leave. ER stated that block leave is optional and if a station didn’t want leave this way it wouldn’t be forced. This would be clarified at the next Staff Council meeting.

The Committee debated the proposals with most members not seeing many problems although clarification was needed in some areas. The issues that were raised will be taken to Staff Council. The Branch Secretary reminded the Committee that if the proposals were agreed it would help the negotiations regarding extra pay for this year on top of the national agreement.

8^th July 2003

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