Jobcentre Safety Dispute - Zoom Meeting for members

 Jobcentre Safety Dispute

Please see the attached briefing.

On Wednesday 26 May at 17:30, the Branch is hosting a Zoom meeting for all members about the Jobcentre Safety Dispute. The guest speaker will be Martin Cavanagh, PCS DWP Group President and PCS Deputy President. The joining details are below. Please note: you cannot use your work device to join this meeting, and you must attend in your own time.

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 987 0732 9323
Passcode: 045391
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PCS News

 To all PCS members in DWP Leicestershire,

Welcome to the latest edition of the PCS Leicestershire Branch weekly email. As a Leicester City fan, I’ve missed having a midweek match to watch so this week I started re-reading an autobiography by one of my favourite musicians. Someone once said writing about music is like dancing about architecture, but this book avoids the limited clichés used by music writers and instead concentrates on the author’s love of music, and the highs and lows of carving out a career in the music ‘industry’ while being true to his art. I don’t read enough, but I’m enjoying this. If you haven’t read something for a while I highly recommend it.

 

Government must work with unions to secure decent future for all – from the PCS website

The civil service must engage with the trade unions on the enormous challenges confronting our society to secure a decent future for everybody, is the call to the government from PCS.

 

We have made clear to the Cabinet Office that the range of issues confronting us, particularly in planning for a post-pandemic world, cannot be dealt with in isolation or through delegation. We think that proper central planning will be required if the UK is to recover and in prime minister Boris Johnson’s words “build back better”; and that proper collective bargaining is needed to facilitate this. Significant pay increases for UK government workers should play a major part in creating a path to economic recovery.

 

We have asserted our priorities:

·         Job security and future ways of working

·         Pay

·         Terms and conditions

·         The establishment of proper collective bargaining.

 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a pay freeze for 2021 to apply across the entire public sector. The Cabinet Office advised us that a 0% pay remit will contain no additional funding to support the lowest paid. The pay freeze is the focus of our campaign for pay justice for our members who have continued to deliver public services throughout the pandemic. We will also look to coordinate campaigning with other public sector unions fighting for fair pay.

 

We have held 2 fair pay days in January and February and in the run-up to the next one on 31 March, we will be highlighting the impact of pay inequality on disabled members, women and black workers.

 

During the week of 22 March, there is a series of meetings in regionally based ‘Locals’ aimed at members wishing to get involved in the pay campaign. The sessions will focus on building for pay rallies on 31 March.

 

Our national executive has agreed a national pay claim for 2021 and a number of sectoral pay claims that complement it, including in DWP, DfT, Home Office, MOJ and MOD.

 

On 8 March we wrote to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove setting out our claim. In addition to progress on coherence of pay scales, we are seeking a cost of living rise of 10%. This would recognise our members’ vital contribution during the pandemic and provide a degree of restitution for the adverse effect on their living standards of years of pay restraint.

 

Our sectoral pay claims potentially open the door to greater coherence of pay scales within sectors and greater flexibility around business cases, which may produce funding for pay even when there is a pay freeze in place. Using this approach, PCS has scored a number of successes, including in the Home Office, the Department for Transport, the Department for Work and Pensions and in HM Revenue and Customs. We are in talks with the Cabinet Office on the developing pay remit guidance, due to be issued on 31 March.

 

DWP work coaches – PCS wants to hear from YOU

Work coaches at the DWP have always been key workers, helping jobseekers get back into work. But with coronavirus and the resulting economic insecurity, the essential role of the work coach has been brought further into the spotlight. The role is seen to be so pivotal to the UK’s recovery that the Department for Work and Pensions hired 4,500 work coaches last October, with a further 9,000 expected to be recruited by the end of this month.

Employment minister Mims Davies has said: “Work coaches are at the forefront of our national recovery and will be there for jobseekers striving to get back on their feet.”

And she’s right. But work coaches also need to look out for each other during this dangerous time.

Whether it’s social distancing in the workplace, adequate PPE, issues around taking sick leave, or stress and mental health, work coaches have a great number of challenges to confront at work. That’s why 2,400 work coaches have joined PCS, the civil service union, in the last year.

And we want to hear what matters to those work coaches, and also what matters to those work coaches that haven’t yet joined PCS. That’s why we’re launching a survey for all DWP work coaches. We want to hear what work coaches have to say, whether they are union members or not.

The survey only takes 6-8 minutes, and you don’t need to find lots of information to fill it in. We just want to hear what matters to you.

If you are a work coach, please complete our survey and share it with all of your work coach colleagues.

Green Tips

Your Green representative, Donna Pellegrini, presents this week’s advice.

It’s the job we all hate but has to be done, deep-cleaning the loo. When you stop using bleach to clean the toilet you find stains appearing, because all you’ve been doing is bleaching them out, but the limescale is still there. To get rid of the limescale, greenly, use citric acid. Make your own loo cleaner using 200g citric acid and 150ml water, emulsified with a squirt of eco-friendly washing-up liquid, put in a spray bottle and use that instead.

 

Membership on the increase

The branch now has 525 members, which is a pleasing increase on previous months. Homeworking severely restricts the opportunities for your reps to recruit new members to the union. I urge all of our members to encourage their non-member colleagues to join PCS.

Industrial Relations

Your reps regularly meet with both CMG and Jobcentre managers. We raise collective issues about safety, the application of DWP policies and procedures, changes, and much more. We look to the management to consult with us about their plans so we can represent members’ issues at the earliest possible point. We sometimes escalate issues when we can’t resolve them informally at the local level. We can’t always achieve everything we seek, but we continue to try.

 

Flexi Credit for Office Based Workers

The one hour per week flexi credit for office-based workers has been extended to April. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled. The expenses for homeworkers are still available as well. Please make sure that you claim what you are entitled to.

 

Support for Carers

The guidance has been updated. If you are a carer or a manager for someone who is please read the PCS circular here. During this coronavirus pandemic normal caring arrangements can change at very short notice so it is a good to be prepared.

BAME Risk Assessments

Initial numbers suggest that uptake was lower than expected. Both management and PCS encourage members to make use of these  risk assessment. The process is here. If you are BAME or if you manage BAME staff please read the procedure. We strongly recommend that managers encourage their BAME staff to have this risk assessment.

Communications

If you know any PCS member in the branch who has not received this email, please ask them to contact me so I can add them to my distribution list.

Facebook

The branch has a Facebook page. You cannot access it on official equipment. From your Facebook account, search for PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch and ask to be added. If you use a different name on Facebook (or for PCS), let me know when you ask.

 

Other News

The PCS homepage is here: https://www.pcs.org.uk/

The PCS DWP page is here: https://www.pcs.org.uk/department-for-work-and-pensions/news

The branch blog is here: www.pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.co.uk

Getting Help With A Personal CaseI

t’s helpful and important that you follow the instructions in the branch blog http://pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.com/p/how-to-get-help-with-personal-case.html. Send your request to the branch email inbox LEICESTERSHIRE.PCSMAILBOX1@DWP.GOV.UK so it can be allocated to an available rep. Please give an outline of the issues.

Have a good week. Stay safe.

Tom Fall | Branch Secretary | PCS Trade Union | DWP Leicestershire Branch

A New Term

Welcome to the PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch weekly email, the first following the 2021 Annual General Meeting, and my first as your new branch secretary. Chris Willars is a hard act to follow, but I’ll do my best, and hopefully continue to make a difference. For those who don’t know me (and for some of those who do), I have been a PCS member since I joined the DHSS in 1987. I have been a union representative almost ever since, including a period as the branch secretary for Leicester Pensions branch before it merged with the Work Services branch. It may come as a disappointment to readers of Chris’s weekly emails to learn that I know nothing at all about cricket (also Rugby and Formula 1 before you ask). I am a Leicester City fan, where I have a season ticket, so I may mention football occasionally, but not today. I’m also a musician, I play guitar in a couple of local covers bands. I occasionally give in to new guitar syndrome, much to my wife’s exasperation. 

I’m looking forward to being your branch secretary and working with our team of representatives to support our members and develop our newer reps. 

 

Annual General Meeting

Our first ‘virtual’ AGM took place on 23 February on Teams. It was well attended and ran encouragingly smoothly. Our DWP Group President, Martin Cavanagh, gave an excellent speech and took questions from the virtual floor. The meeting confirmed your new Branch Executive Committee (see below) and agreed five motions for DWP conference, including the recommendation of Distinguished Life Memberships for Martin Foreman and Dave Richards.

 

Coronavirus

A large percentage of our members are now working at home, with minimal numbers working in the offices. Jobcentres are providing a service for vulnerable people who can only engage with us in person, and they should be staffed on a voluntary basis. Members who should be at home shielding should be working at home or on Special Leave With Pay if they are not able to work due to the unavailability of equipment. If you have any queries about the working at home policies or any other Coronavirus work-related questions please contact us.

 

Pay

PCS is supporting the TUC pre-Budget lobby at 7.30pm on Tuesday 2 March. We need members and reps to register for the event. The details are on the website here: https://www.pcs.org.uk/news/join-the-fight-for-fair-pay-this-payday including the registration link for the event itself here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/rally-workers-budget. You’ll need to register so you can take part on your own computer equipment, not official equipment.

 

Industrial Relations

Your reps regularly meet with both CMG and Jobcentre managers. We raise collective issues about safety, the application of DWP policies and procedures, changes, and much more. We look to the management to consult with us about their plans so we can represent members’ issues at the earliest possible point. We sometimes escalate issues when we can’t resolve them informally at the local level. We can’t always achieve everything we seek, but we continue to try.

Flexi Credit for Office Based Workers

The one hour per week flexi credit for office-based workers has been extended to April. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled. The expenses for homeworkers are still available as well. Please make sure that you claim what you are entitled to.

Support for Carers

The guidance has been updated. If you are a carer or a manager for someone who is please read the PCS circular here. During this coronavirus pandemic normal caring arrangements can change at very short notice so it is a good to be prepared.

BAME Risk Assessments

Initial numbers suggest that uptake was lower than expected. Both management and PCS encourage members to make use of these  risk assessment. The process is here. If you are BAME or if you manage BAME staff please read the procedure. We strongly recommend that managers encourage their BAME staff to have this risk assessment.

Green Tips

Donna Pellegrini, our branch Green Rep, highlights some green issues below.

WHY THE GREEN NEW DEAL MUST BE FEMINIST! Free webinar 11^th March; 12.30-1.30pm

Hosted by the Women’s Environment Network, this will be an opportunity to meet the authors of the UK Feminist Green New Deal policy paper, ask questions, share your experiences and help shape the Feminist Green New Deal Manifesto that will be launched at COP26 Glasgow Climate Talks in November.  See here for further details.

 

Plant trees

No, you don't plant anything; Ecosia does. It's a search engine that plants trees with the money it makes from ads. Every time you click on an ad in your search results, you're helping to reforest the Earth. I like doing this in between streaming videos of people planting trees.

Be aware, if you block adverts, you won't be helping the planet. You might prefer to use Google – it's reportedly buying enough green power to match all its electricity needs.

You can also support the Friends of the Earths’ call for more tree cover. https://act.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/tell-uk-government-double-tree-cover?source=FN0000AWR&_ga=2.53674027.264137040.1614087841-1746758389.1614087841&_gac=1.15975042.1614087841.EAIaIQobChMIyef-3JGA7wIVVuDtCh3_0gICEAAYASAAEgKp4fD_BwE

Join PCS and Encourage Others To Join

There are many good reasons to join a union. PCS seeks to negotiate the best deals for its members across the whole Civil Service and in the individual departments. Locally, union reps engage with local management about collective issues, and support individual members with personal cases and guide them through the procedures. The strength of the union comes from its membership; the more members, the stronger the union, the louder our voice. Please encourage everyone you know, everyone you work with, to join their union.

 

PCS Branch Reps

Following the AGM, here are your branch representatives:

Branch Chair: Simon Williams

Branch Secretary: Tom Fall

Branch Vice Chair (CMG): Alan Groves

Branch Vice Chair (WSD): vacancy unfilled, to be discussed at next Branch Executive Committee meeting

Branch Assistant Secretary (CMG): Bash Chilwan

Branch Assistant Secretary (WSD): Jennifer Fernandes

Branch Organiser: Ashraf Haji

Branch Treasurer: Noel Corry

CMG Site Reps: Halima Ali, Darren Baxter, Bash Chilwan, Noel Corry, Tom Fall, Alan Groves, Ashraf Haji, Ismail Matwadia, Donna Pellegrini, Idris Umarji

WSD Site Reps: Sarah Buxton-Adams, Jennifer Fernandes, Ravneet Maini, Wendy Payne, Hassan Rawat, Simon Williams

 

There are still places open on the Branch Executive Committee for reps in WSD, particularly in the workplaces outside of Leicester city. If you work at Coalville, Hinckley, Loughborough, Market Harborough or Melton Mowbray and are interested in becoming a site rep and would like to discuss it, please let me or Simon know.

 

PCS Membership Records

It’s important that the branch representatives can see which part of DWP you work in, including your workplace. We’ve recently seen a number of members move from CMG into WSD. If you’re one of those members, and you haven’t previously told me about your move, please let me know.

 

Communications

If you know any PCS member in the branch who has not received this email, please ask them to contact me so I can add them to my distribution list.

 

Facebook

The branch as a Facebook page. You cannot access it on official equipment. From your Facebook account, search for PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch and ask to be added. If you use a different name on Facebook (or for PCS), let me know when you ask.

 

Other News

The PCS homepage is here: https://www.pcs.org.uk/

The PCS DWP page is here: https://www.pcs.org.uk/department-for-work-and-pensions/news

The branch blog is here: www.pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.co.uk

 

Getting Help With A Personal Case

It’s helpful and important that you follow the instructions in the branch blog http://pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.com/p/how-to-get-help-with-personal-case.html. Send your request to the branch email inbox LEICESTERSHIRE.PCSMAILBOX1@DWP.GOV.UK so it can be allocated to an available rep. Please give an outline of the issues.

 

That’s all for now. Feedback is welcome. Stay safe, and please follow the Covid-19 advice about handwashing, social distancing and facial covering.

 

Tom Fall | Branch Secretary | PCS Trade Union | DWP Leicestershire Branch | Child Maintenance Group | 60 Wellington Street | Leicester | LE1 6DS | thomas.fall@dwp.gov.uk | LEICESTERSHIRE.PCSMAILBOX1@DWP.GOV.UK

Get help with a personal case here

NOT the PCS Latest News

All good things come to an end. Both my career and England’s form with the bat.

 

Those of you who joined me at the PCS Branch AGM will know that I no longer hold any union positions but the branch will run very well without me guided by a bunch of committed, talented reps and officers.

 

The new secretary, Tom Fall, will continue to send out the Friday e-mails.

 

Before I retire I am taking one last opportunity to thank you, the members, for your support over the years. My union work has been frustrating, hard work at times but has been the most rewarding part of my career. The satisfaction I have got from getting a good result in negotiations, winning a dispute, or getting a good outcome in a personal case will take some beating.

 

Under normal circumstances on my last day on Friday I would go down the pub with my mates.

 

Instead I will sit at home & have a few beers. If you want to join me & say hello and/or goodbye I will be on Zoom from 16:30 for a couple of hours or so.

 

Contact me or any member of the BEC for the link.

 

Remember that together we are strong.

 

And whatever you do, make a difference.

 

 

Chris Willars 
Ex-Branch Secretary PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch

PCS Latest News

All square in the cricket as India outplayed England in the second test. The day/night third test will be interesting. I’m also looking forward to the AGM on Tuesday (see below). And thirdly I’m looking forward to my retirement from the Civil Service at the end of next week. It’s been rewarding being your Branch Secretary but It’s time to move on and let someone else take over. Stay strong without me. Annual General Meeting Our AGM will be on Teams this year. We will hold it on Tuesday 23 February 2021 starting at 13:30. It should last no more than 2 hours. Please block out your diaries. The agenda is attached which includes the link to join the meeting. Nominations have closed but there are still gaps at some sites so please consider standing. The deadline for motions has also passed but I can still accept emergency motions. And this year as guest speaker we have booked Martin Cavanagh, our DWP Group President. He will definitely be worth a listen. Full details were included in the e-mail I sent out last week. Please let me know if you want a full set of documents. Pay Pay will be a major campaign of 2021. PCS and other unions representing key workers in the public and private sector will fight against a pay freeze. Join the Branch AGM to get the very latest on pay from our DWP Group President, Martin Cavanagh. I’ll update you with our next steps as the campaign develops. Watch out for all member Zoom meetings on paydays. The latest PCS circular on pay is here. Covid-19 - Free Legal Advice and Support for PCS members If you have been affected by coronavirus at work please read the circular here. PCS is looking at what legal redress members may have. Coronavirus We have been actively negotiating with managers at local and national level. We have argued for as many people to work from home as possible. Jobcentres will still need to provide a service for the very small number of vulnerable people who cannot deal with us in any other way than face to face. We should now be working with bare minimum numbers, staffed by volunteers only. Members who should be shielding should work from home or be on Special Leave with Pay if they cannot. If this is not happening in your site please get in touch with us. We are arguing for stopping Saturday working in Jobcentres but this decision will be a national one. CMG have agreed to increase the amount of staff working from home as well. I believe that the CMG centre are moving quickly to enable this. See here for more details. We are still key workers but many staff will have their children at home for a number of reasons. Please discuss any problems this may cause you with your manager. If you have any concerns about any of the issues above, or anything else, please get in touch with us. We continue to meet with both CMG and Jobcentre managers on a regular basis and advocate for the safety of our members. We don’t always achieve everything that we want but we will keep on trying. Brook Street Staff PCS is still negotiating hard for Brook Street staff. See here for the latest. Flexi Credit for Office Based Workers The one hour a week flexi credit for office based workers has been extended to April. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled. The expenses for homeworkers is still available as well. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled. Support for Carers The guidance has been updated. If you are a carer or a manager for someone who is please read the PCS circular here. During this coronavirus pandemic normal caring arrangements can break down at very short notice so it is a good idea to be prepared. BAME Risk Assessments Initial numbers suggest that uptake is lower than expected so far. Both management and PCS are encouraging the risk assessments to happen. The process is here. If you are BAME or if you manage BAME staff please read the procedure. We strongly recommend that managers encourage their BAME staff to have this risk assessment. LGBT History Month February is LGBT History Month. Why not join Proud, the PCS grouping for LGBT+ members? See here for more about LGBT+ History Month. Green Tip of the Week Our branch Green Rep, Donna Pellegrini, gives some hints and tips on green issues. Join the Build Back Better campaign. Please see the web site for events and campaigns. This campaign is backed by PCS and we are on the steering committee. The damaging effects that producing clothes has on the environment are pretty significant. Fast Fashion is mostly to blame, as clothes that fall into this category are produced in massive quantities. These quantities are produced only to be disposed of in billions, which can take up to 200 years to decompose for certain synthetic fibres (such as polyester). These types of fibres also threaten our biodiversity. When washing these garments, microplastic fibres end up in oceans, which are ultimately ingested by animals. Consumers could be mindful of the type of clothes that they buy, which textiles they are made of, and look for companies that have promised to reduce their emissions and water pollution from producing garments. JOIN PCS REMEMBER in times of crisis it is more important than ever to join a union. Ask all your colleagues, friends and relations to join a union and if any of your colleagues are members but don’t get this e-mail ask them to e-mail me and ask to be put on the list. PCS Branch Reps There is a list of reps on the Branch Blog. Please find out your local one. If you don’t have one on site why not volunteer? PCS Records It’s a good idea to make sure that your details are correct, both to comply with GDPR and so that PCS can contact you. You can use the update function, here and or log on to the PCS web site to register or check and update your details. If you cannot update your details please get in touch. If you get an e-mail, a text, or a call from PCS to check your details and ask about your participation it is genuine. Please say hello from me and help our PCS team. Communications It is essential that members know what is going on in the union. Please talk to your colleagues and your nearest rep (if you have one on site). There is also information of the web sites. If you register as above you will receive information about campaigns and what is going on in PCS. Recruitment The more members we have the stronger we are. We are planning an extra push on recruitment. If your colleagues are not members ask them to join. If they don’t receive these e-mails ask them to drop me a line and I’ll put them on my distribution list. Facebook PCS also has a national and local branch Facebook page but you cannot view these on DWP equipment. Log on to your Facebook account and search for PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch. If you are not a recognisable member of the branch you won’t be added so let me know your real name if you use an alias on Facebook. Other News Other news is, as usual, on the relevant web site. PCS National News PCS News in DWP The branch blog, www.pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.co.uk. How to get help with a personal case Please follow the instruction on the branch blog. Do NOT contact me personally or it may slow down your case. DO NOT SEND THE FORM TO THE PCS LEGAL E-MAIL ADDRESS. In order for us to effectively negotiate on your behalf please let us know of the issues in your workplace by replying to our PCS branch mailbox or by clicking reply to this e-mail. Unlike last week, this coming week is not packed with events. In fact there are no significant religious or secular festivals or any local events. This means that the obvious highlights are the Branch AGM on Tuesday and my retirement on Friday. Please stay home, stay safe, and look after yourself, your family, your friends, and your colleagues. Whatever you are doing make a difference. Chris Willars Branch Secretary PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch

PCS Latest News

The cricket went the way my heart wanted and England won against India. Roll on the second test.

 

Irrespective of if you follow cricket or not here is the latest news.

 

Annual General Meeting

Our AGM will be on Teams this year. We will hold it on Tuesday 23 February 2021 starting at 13:30. It should last no more than 2 hours. Please block out your diaries. The agenda is attached which includes the link to join the meeting. Nominations have closed but there are still gaps at some sites so please consider standing. The deadline for motions has also passed but I can still accept emergency motions. And this year as guest speaker we have booked Martin Cavanagh, our DWP Group President. He will definitely be worth a listen. Full details were included in the e-mail I sent out earlier this week. Please let me know if you want a full set of documents.

 

Site AGM

The date for your site AGM should be coming out very soon. For example the CMG site AGM is on  16 February 2021 at 13:00.

 

If you have not heard please ask your site rep. A list of reps is on the branch blog.

 

Pay

Pay will be a major campaign of 2021. PCS and other unions representing key workers in the public and private sector will fight against a pay freeze.

 

Join the Branch AGM to get the very latest on pay from our DWP Group President, Martin Cavanagh.

 

I’ll update you with our next steps as the campaign develops. Watch out for all member Zoom meetings on paydays.

 

The latest PCS circular on pay is here.

 

Covid-19 - Free Legal Advice and Support for PCS members

If you have been affected by coronavirus at workplease read the circular here. PCS is looking at what legal redress members may have.

 

Coronavirus

We have been actively negotiating with managers at local and national level. We have argued for as many people to work from home as possible. Jobcentres will still need to provide a service for the very small number of vulnerable people who cannot deal with us in any other way than face to face. We should now be working with bare minimum numbers, staffed by volunteers only. Members who should be shielding should work from home or be on Special Leave with Pay if they cannot. If this is not happening in your site please get in touch with us.

 

We are arguing for stopping Saturday working in Jobcentres but this decision will be a national one.

 

CMG have agreed to increase the amount of staff working from home as well. I believe that the CMG centre are moving quickly to enable this.See here for more details.

 

We are still key workers but many staff will have their children at home for a number of reasons. Please discuss any problems this may cause you with your manager.

 

If you have any concerns about any of the issues above, or anything else, please get in touch with us.

 

We continue to meet with both CMG and Jobcentre managers on a regular basis and advocate for the safety of our members. We don’t always achieve everything that we want but we will keep on trying.

 

Brook Street Staff

PCS is still negotiating hard for Brook Street staff.See here for the latest.

 

Flexi Credit for Office Based Workers

The one hour a week flexi credit for office based workers has been extended to April. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled. The expenses for homeworkers is still available as well. Please make sure that you claim it if you are entitled.

 

Support for Carers

The guidance has been updated. If you are a carer or a manager for someone who is please read the PCS circular here. During this coronavirus pandemic normal caring arrangements can break down at very short notice so it is a good idea to be prepared.

 

BAME Risk Assessments

Initial numbers suggest that uptake is lower than expected so far. The process is here. If you are BAME or if you manage BAME staff please read the procedure. We strongly recommend that managers encourage their BAME staff to have this risk assessment.

 

LGBT History Month

February is LGBT History Month. Why not join Proud, the PCS grouping for LGBT+ members?

 

Green Tip of the Week

Our branch Green Rep, Donna Pellegrini, gives some hints and tips on green issues.

 

Join the Build Back Better campaign. Please see the web site for events and campaigns. This campaign is backed by PCS and we are on the steering committee.

 

Many people who have the capability of working from home are being urged to do so over the coming weeks and months. Not going into the office is considered to be an effective way of preventing the spread of the virus because it reduces the risk of people coming into contact with others. But using more gas and electricity while working from home is inevitable.

 

Lighting our homes makes up about 10-15% of our annual energy bills, switching from traditional bulbs to energy saving bulbs can reduce this by a quarter

 

You can save up to £49 on your annual energy bills by switching off the lights when you leave a room and switching to energy saving light bulbs, (£14 turning off the lights and £35 switching to energy saving light bulbs).

 

You can also look on the intranet to find if you can qualify for claiming back some of your energy costs back while working from home, see https://intranet.dwp.gov.uk/page/temporary-policies-claiming-expenses-1-june#Household expenses

 

JOIN PCS

REMEMBER in times of crisis it is more important than ever to join a union. Ask all your colleagues, friends and relations to join a union and if any of your colleagues are members but don’t get this e-mail ask them to e-mail me and ask to be put on the list.

 

PCS Branch Reps

There is a list of reps on the Branch Blog. Please find out your local one. If you don’t have one on site why not volunteer?

 

PCS Records

It’s a good idea to make sure that your details are correct, both to comply with GDPR and so that PCS can contact you. You can use the update function, here and or log on to the PCS web site to register or check and update your details. If you cannot update your details please get in touch.

 

If you get an e-mail, a text, or a call from PCS to check your details and ask about your participation it is genuine. Please say hello from me and help our PCS team.

 

Communications

It is essential that members know what is going on in the union. Please talk to your colleagues and your nearest rep (if you have one on site). There is also information of the web sites. If you register as above you will receive information about campaigns and what is going on in PCS.

 

Recruitment

The more members we have the stronger we are. We are planning an extra push on recruitment.

 

If your colleagues are not members ask them to join. If they don’t receive these e-mails ask them to drop me a line and I’ll put them on my distribution list.

 

Facebook

PCS also has a national and local branch Facebook page but you cannot view these on DWP equipment. Log on to your Facebook account and search for PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch. If you are not a recognisable member of the branch you won’t be added so let me know your real name if you use an alias on Facebook.

 

Other News

Other news is, as usual, on the relevant web site.

 

PCS National News

PCS News in DWP

The branch blog,www.pcsdwpleicestershire.blogspot.co.uk.

 

How to get help with a personal case

Please follow the instruction on the branch blog. Do NOT contact me personally or it may slow down your case. DO NOT SEND THE FORM TO THE PCS LEGAL E-MAIL ADDRESS.

 

In order for us to effectively negotiate on your behalf please let us know of the issues in your workplace by replying to our PCS branch mailbox or by clicking reply to this e-mail.

 

This week is packed with events. Today is Chinese New Year as we move into the year of the ox. Happy New Year to everyone who is celebrating it.

 

Sunday is Valentine’s Day. If you have a partner have fun. If you don’t, take the opportunity for a bit of self-care.

 

Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras. It is celebrated in different ways in different cultures, often with carnivals, dancing and feasting. In the UK it is Pancake Day which may be dull in comparison but can still be easily done in your home during lockdown. I’ll be having pancakes as usual this year.

 

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent for Christians. Lent is a period of partial fasting and abstinence for 40 days before Easter.

 

If you are observing some, all, or none of these events please stay home, stay safe, and look after yourself, your family, your friends, and your colleagues. Whatever you are doing make a difference.

 

 

Chris Willars 
Branch Secretary PCS DWP Leicestershire Branch