Why I am standing for the SGE: by Hywel Robinson

We need to build a sense of community, togetherness and solidarity

I am currently writing to Branches in the Yorkshire and Humberside region seeking nominations for the general seat in the Community Service Group. I am a rep in the Northern Health and Community branch. 

I have worked as a mental health residential support worker for around 14 years.  During that time, I have witnessed first-hand the declining morale of workers in the care sector.  Our members in the care sector have been some of those who have borne the brunt of years of austerity.  Many have seen worsening terms and conditions, reductions in working hours and for some the stripping down of their once good pension schemes.  Not to mention many years of pay freezes followed by small pay rises that have barely, if at all, met the rate of inflation. 

Meanwhile, many CEO’s and Senior management across the sector have continued to see their pay rise far more, widening the gap between us and them to near staggering degrees.  Many employers in the sector, claim to be caring, respectful, valuing fairness and equality, yet it seems clear to the many who work for them that this is nothing more than lip service.  Like the call from the Conservatives just before austerity really began to bite, “All in it together”, the lie is now laid bare.  That’s why, I decided to become more involved in Unison and became a rep around 10 months ago.

Some may say that 10 months is not a long time but during this time I have put my all into learning and getting involved as much as I can, taking on many cases, always being quick to respond to members, 7 days a week whether in work or on days off.  I have supported members with sick pay and annual leave issues through to capability meetings, management of change, redundancies, disciplinaries and grievances. 

I have begun to be involved in recruitment and have helped with surveys, promoting communication with the members.  I now sit at quarterly meetings with the senior management team, Branch committee meetings, Branch management meetings and will shortly be involved in pay negotiation meetings.  I am passionate and committed to the cause and for many years before becoming a rep I was committed to supporting and fighting for people's rights.  

Before beginning my job as a mental health support-worker I did various voluntary roles.  These roles included part running a weekly group for unemployed fathers at a sure start centre, helping out at a day centre for the homeless and also with a service user led charity offering befriending and advocacy for those with mental health issues.

Since becoming a support worker, I have often gone beyond what has been expected of me and have fought to get people benefits and treatments they had been denied and also worked hard to ensure people have either maintained their tenancies or moved on, depending on their circumstances and wishes.

During my time as a rep I have discovered how many people are living with little to no hope of a brighter future.  They have not only lost faith in their bosses and the government but they are also losing faith in the opposition and sadly in Unison.  “What have they achieved for us in recent years?  They have no real power anymore” I hear them say.  I can understand this, because I was at that point myself, However I am tired of the negativity, tired of how this negativity spirals and leads people into a sense of hopelessness, losing any sense of control and power. 

We need to find ways to re-enthuse people, re-build a sense of community, of togetherness, of solidarity.  For it is only then, together, that we can fight the fight that needs to be fought. This is why I am standing in this election.  The fact that the seat I am standing for has been empty for several years and has been left empty without members being encouraged to take it up is a sign of what has been going wrong in UNISON.  We need to change that.

IT IS TIME FOR REAL CHANGE