Union Mail – December 2014: ViewPoint/NEC Vacancies

ViewPoint

The annual ViewPoint survey is now underway and we’d encourage all NGSU members to complete the survey.  This is your chance to give feedback to Nationwide management and the Nationwide Board
– so please take this opportunity to make your voice heard.

The Union believes ViewPoint is an important initiative and we welcome the positive actions that are taken to address areas of concern highlighted by the responses.  However, from time to time, we do have to alert the organisation to practices that can undermine the integrity of the survey, for example, employees being made to complete ViewPoint while sitting with their manager.  I’m pleased to say that the business is clear that it wants honest views expressed and is responsive to our concerns.  We welcome the strong messages that have been issued to the branch network about managers not acting in a way that can be perceived as influencing the way questions are answered.

We hope action like this will help create an environment in which employees feel safe to give honest answers.  This is important if the survey is to provide an accurate reflection of the views that exist within the Society.  It’s also important that you try to answer either positively or negatively where you can, rather than being neutral.

If you are concerned about the way ViewPoint is being managed in your area of the business please contact us.

Tim Poil
General Secretary

National Executive Committee

I would like to advise members of a number of changes to the National Executive Committee (NEC).

National Executive Officer (NEO) – Vacancy

A vacancy for National Executive Officer has arisen on the NEC for the remaining period of the 2014/2015 term of office. Members who would like to be elected to the NEC must be nominated by two NGSU members. Nomination forms must be received at the Union’s Office by 5pm on Friday 2nd January 2015. In the event that more than one nomination is received an election will be held. Only members who are employees of Nationwide are eligible for roles on the NEC in accordance with the Union’s rules.

For more information and a nomination form please call Kerry Wagg, Reps Support Officer, on 01295 710767.

Steve Barnes

The NEO position becomes available as Steve Barnes will be leaving Nationwide due to redundancy at the end of December. Steve has been an active member of NGSU during his long service at Nationwide and has served on the NEC as Treasurer and as Union President during the 2012/2013 term of office. I would like to thank Steve for his huge contribution to the Union and wish him well for the future. I am also pleased to confirm that Steve will be continuing to support our individual cases work in Swindon over the next 12 months.

National Regional Officer (South 1) – Appointment

The position of National Regional Officer for our Branch Network South 1 has been vacant for some time. I am pleased to confirm that I have now received a valid nomination from Dawn Gibbons, PBM, Wandsworth Branch. Dawn is elected to the position unopposed for the remaining period of the 2014/2015 term of office.

National Regional Officer – Cheshire & Derbyshire

The Union’s Cheshire and Derbyshire constituencies and Regional Council have been integrated into our Retail North Branch structure. This means that the need for National Regional Officer for Cheshire and Derbyshire falls away. The position has been held by Daniel Barnes, BM Swadlincote, and I would like to thank Dan for his contribution to the NEC.

Tim Poil
General Secretary

NGSU News in Brief

Joint Consultation and Negotiation Committee

The Committee is currently considering the impact of the Employment Appeal Tribunal decision in respect of Holiday Pay. As reported in the last edition of Union Mail, a definitive decision is still someway off but these early discussions are helping us to understand the potential implications that arise from the decision. The Committee is also overseeing work in relation to the operation of the Harassment and Bullying procedure; reviewing Performance Management rating descriptors and appeals process; a review of Loyalty Awards and Car Allowances. The annual review of allowances will begin early in the New Year.

Union Regional Councils

The Union’s Regional Council have been meeting in November and a range of issues impacting on members across all areas of the business have been identified. Union Officers and Reps will be raising these issues at the appropriate Employee Involvement Business Committees. We have been particularly concerned about feedback from the Mortgage Consultants in the Branch Network who are contending with a number of on-going issues arising from MMR. Reps from the Branch Network will be meeting with the Performance Directors in December to discuss this and other issues.

Charitable Reserve – Ebola Crisis Donation

The National Executive Committee has approved the payment of £1,000 donation to Disasters and Emergency Committee’s (DEC) ‘Ebola Crisis Appeal’ from the Union’s Charitable Reserve.

The Charitable Fund was created in 2005 and allows the Union to make donations recognising our wider responsibility to the national and international community. Requests for charitable donations are considered and authorised by the NEC.

Union Office – Christmas Opening Hours

The Union’s office will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and re-open as normal from 29^th December. We’d like to wish members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Book Signing

In our Winter edition of Rapport magazine we featured the fund raising activity for Cancer Research by Marie Bucknell-Smith. Marie has written a book about her experiences, ‘Once The Fog has Lifted’, and will be signing copies on Saturday Dec 6^th at Quinway, in the High Street, in Melksham. The book signing will take place between 12.00pm and 4.00pm.

December Draw Winners

First Prize : £11,558

127627 : Cara Wyles of Tunbridge Wells branch

Second Prize : £5,000

109135 : Amanda Beasley of Sheffield Call Centre

Third Prize : £2,000

110573 : Ashley Morgan of Enterprise Development (Swindon Support Services)

Fourth Prizes : £500

132514 : Michelle Hirst of Enterprise Development (Swindon Support Services)

102288 : Michaela Jones of Wrexham branch

131712 : Nicholas Christmas-Webb of Payments, Banking & Savings (Swindon Customer Services)

NGSU members can increase their number of chances in our monthly draw at any time during their Union membership. You can have a maximum of 10 chances – each chance costs just £1. Every month 75% of the draw pool is returned to members as prizes and 25% is retained to help meet the running costs of the Union.  The draw is restricted to NGSU members only.

To enter the draw or increase your chances please email us at ngsu@ngsu.org.uk, call us on 01295 710767 or download an application form from our website.

If you pay your Union subscriptions by salary deduction we can collect your draw subscriptions that way too.