UNISON South West is one of twelve regions representing public service and voluntary sector workers throughout the UK. For more information about on a wide range of issues affecting UNISON members across the UK visit http://www.unison.org.uk/.
Guide to Regional Staffing
This guide is intended to inform Lay members and activists in the South West about the role of paid staff in the Region and the team structures within which they are organised. It covers the work done at our three Regional Offices and the Dorset Area Resource Centre, but not the work of Branch-employed staff.
Introduction
Our aim for UNISON in the South West is to become a growing and flourishing trade union, serving the interests of our members. We will do this through the four UNISON objectives: organising and recruitment; representing and negotiating; campaigning; and being efficient and effective.
All these objectives are linked to each other and the degree to which we are successful will be measured by how well we keep them in balance. Members, and non-members, will respect and support an organisation which is perceived as one in which resources and energy are directed to addressing the principle concerns of employees in the public services.
Staff Roles
Regional Officers
These are the staff most likely to be seen by members and activists on a regular basis. Each RO is allocated to a number of Branches, often in a defined geographical area, and their main task is to support these Branches and help them to develop.
They do this in a variety of ways. Discussions with Branch Officers and the Branch Executive ensure that two-way communication between the Branch and the rest of UNISON is well-informed and purposeful. They also provide support in negotiations with employers, particularly with the more complex bargaining areas.
Members can be supported in disciplinary and grievance cases by Regional Officers in agreement with Branch Officers. In only the most difficult cases are members represented directly by RO’s but support and advice can be provided to stewards where necessary to enable most cases to be dealt with at local level.
Branch Development Organisers
These Officers share with RO’s the job of assisting Branches to recruit and organise members. This will include the mapping of members and non-members, arranging recruitment events and helping to identify new activists.
BDO’s work with Branch Executive teams to devise a Branch Development Plan to guide ongoing organisational work and monitor its success. This will include identifying training needs and appropriate courses for new activists.
Regional Education Officer
In the South West, the Regional Education Officer works closely with the Education and Training Committee. She/he oversees and manages a comprehensive Regional Programme of training for activists and members on a wide range of issues, including stewards, learner representatives and branch officers training. The REO supports both Branches and Regional Organisers regarding UNISON’s educational policy, organising around learning and by customising appropriate courses.
This is a pro-active role, constantly adapting and developing educational techniques for equipping Branches and activists to deal with the problems they face. The REO works closely with Learning and Organising Services in Head Office and liaises with Unionlearn, the Workers Education Association and the Open University.
Learning Development Organiser
This is a relatively new post at Regional level and has been provided to respond to the rapidly expanding agenda around work-related training for UNISON members. The LDO works closely with Branch negotiating teams and Union Learning Reps to persuade more employers to provide adequate training opportunities.
Regional Women’s and Equalities Officer
This is a post designed to encourage and facilitate women’s participation at all levels of the union and help to develop our understanding about the range of issues around equality and diversity. The RWEO works alongside the Regional Women’s Self-Organised Group and also co-ordinates the activities of the Region’s other Self-Organised Groups and convenes the SOG Liaison Committee.
It is the responsibility of the RWEO to be at the forefront of the equalities agenda, at work and in society. This requires a detailed knowledge of legislation and a wide range of contacts, within and beyond the Region.
Organising Support
All Organisers have secretarial and administrative support, based in one of the Regional Offices. These staff also have frequent contact with members and Branches, either responding to telephone enquiries or playing an active role in recruitment and branch development work.
RMS staff also work in Regional Offices, usually with responsibility for supporting a specific group of Branches in membership administration. This includes acting as ‘buddies’ to Branch staff or activists who run RMS locally. They have a role in ensuring that any industrial ballots are conducted smoothly and legally.
Support for Democratic Services
Staff at Regional Office in Taunton have responsibilities for ensuring the smooth running of Regional Council, South West Committees and other regional committees, Service Groups and Self-Organised Groups. This work is focussed in a small team, but includes organising and support staff who act as Secretaries to committees.
The Democratic Services staff also take responsibility for the regional administration involved with the National Delegate Conference and Service Group Conferences, including the registration of Branch delegates and organisation of the Regional delegation.
The roles described above are those of staff who most frequently meet, or are in contact with, Branch activists. There are also a small number of staff who keep the Region running in accordance with UNISON’s fourth objective, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness. These include IT and finance specialists, receptionists, clerks, cleaners, Regional Managers and the Regional Secretary.
Team Structures
Regional Management Team
The RMT has five members; a Regional Secretary and four Regional Managers.
Each Regional Manager takes responsibility for one of UNISON’s national Objectives. In addition, they manage three geographical teams, the Regional Resources, Organisation and Communication Team and the Membership Development Team. Two Regional Managers act as Head of Health and of Local Government.
The RMT is supported by a Senior Secretary working to the Regional Secretary and other secretarial staff. There is also a Regional Communications Co-ordinator in the team, working on media and web-site development.
Geographical Teams
We have three geographical teams in the Region; North, South and Dorset.
In both the North and South Teams, there are eight Regional Organisers and two Branch Development Organisers. Organisers are supported by Secretaries in each team, whose role includes assisting with organising and recruitment, and responding to member and Branch queries. Duties to support our Membership System (RMS) are performed in all our offices, with individual clerks taking responsibility for groups of Branches.
In the Dorset Team, there are three Regional Organisers, a Branch Development Organiser and Resource Centre Assistants. The RCA’s range of duties include secretarial support, RMS work and providing assistance to members and activists using the Resource Centre.
Regional Resources, Organisation and Communications Team
This team is managed by a member of the RMT, supported by the Taunton Office Manager. It handles a number of cross-regional activities including finance, administration, democratic services, IT and support for RMS.
Secretarial staff in the Taunton Office are managed by the Senior Secretary, who is a member of the ROC Team.
Membership Development Team
The MDT has responsibility for two areas of the Region’s work; equalities, and education and training. The team currently comprises an RMT member, the Regional Education Officer, the Learning and Development Organiser (LDO), the Women’s and Equalities Officer and secretarial and support staff. Branch Development Officers are also members of the MDT and help to link MDT plans with those of the Geographical Teams.
The addition of the LDO has been an important recognition of the work that has been done, and that remains to be done, in the field of workforce development. We intend to involve negotiators more closely with this area of activity.
Similarly, equality is a key issue for all staff. The agenda is changing very rapidly and we are keen to remain at the forefront of social and industrial developments across the range of disadvantage.
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