Lancashire

waking up

hello to anybody out there-it is a shame this set-up does not allow for easy inter-change of view.Did not feel like making an entry on the Napo Forums today as current discussions there seem way off the point to me;time to "wake up and smell the coffee" as it were;the Prob Service is drifting off on an iceberg to tropical waters with a percentage of n'er-do-wells who are drilling into the ice-ie:things ain't looking rosy and we need to plug some holes.The Exec is planning a local campaign and will be looking for branch support.If we want our jobs we need to get focussed and build up support from all and sundry as we ain't going pull off these needed changes to the NOMS bill etc on our own.Please pass on ideas and news of action taken to any of the Exec-the following may be easiest to get hold of:
Fariha Quraishi-Lanc
Ray Smith-Burnley
Eve Chester-Preston
Cheers-Eve

trip to London

went to London on Wed 29th Nov to represent Lancs at the Stop the Bill lobby-an exhilerating day! Will try to condense copious notes made from heart-warming speeches-in essence-hold our MPs to account and get in touch with them to inform of the direconsequences for Crim Justice if it goes through as it stands.Am trying to get photo added but its currently telling me my file is 2 large!!(the photo IS Big Ben after all!)Very sorry-have just learnt that in error I've deleted said picture AND several I took of Morecambe office AND Avenham to illustrate cramped office conditions.IT is not really my forte,,,will have to try again.

keep on reading!

we now have a Branch digital camera as well as assorted disposible cameras which I am passing out to offices as I do H+S tours.Please use the disposibles if there is an accident at your office and you want to record details/evidence.So far we have one at Burnley with Ray Smith;one at Lancaster with Roger Frankland;one at Blackburn with Helen Canning and one at Avenham St with me,Eve.I will be getting some more and sharing them out! In the meantime I will try putting the pictues from the digital on here of egs of problem situations across the County once I've got the hang of the tech involved!

photo of banner

am trying to download photo of our new banner but am no IT buff so here goes...Eve

Branch Banner

Lancashire Branch now has a banner which made its first public appearance at the Pulic Sector Unions Rally held in London on 27 June. Indeed the banner currently features as the background to one of NAPO website's photos of the event.

Lancashire Branch Banner

Lancashire Branch now has a banner which made its first public appearance at the Public Services rally in London on 27 June.

PSR templates

Our motion was passed at NEC today

PSR Templates

Our motion was passed at NEC today

Lancs response to Restructuring

have not managed to plough my way through the whole Response to Responses document but have looked at the contributors page and,being struck by the frequent ref to Lancs,did some sums.There were 44 individual replies from Lancs branch staff in addition to the overall Branch response letter done by Fariha.Out of the 232 individual responses made across the country to the Charles Clarke document on our potential future,19% came from us!!If every one of the 42 Prob Napo Branches had sent in 44 Branch members replies like us,there'd have been 1,848 individual replies not 232. No one can say we don't care and don't play our part! As always now it's a case of "lets keep plugging away" Cheers,Eve

picket and photo news

sorry can't access remaining photos

]]> summary of our efforts! Lancs dun good in short-overall feelings of pride (and even exhileration in some quarters!)
Preston: Albert Edward;small but select Napo/Unison co-working team
Avenham St and Crown Court-Crown Ct team solidly out and majoriy of Avenham St;colleague in neither Union or LGPS came out in support and management came out with brews
CS staff in Amicus have asked for Napo membership forms
Skem:closed!!
Chorley;3 Union reps picketed and were influential in office closing due to unsafe staffing levels
Leyland;the flying 3 from Chorley again-lots of support from passers-by and beeping(Police and Fire Engine too!)
Blackpool/Fleetwod;strong Unison/Napo picket and again CS staff expressing interest in joining unions
Blackburn:19 Napo and 9 Unison out,CS staff in neither Union were so impressed by staff being out in the rain they are asking for membership forms
Lancaster/Morecombe;staff travelled in from as far as Kendal to lend support and again staff not even in the LGPS came out too-great support
Nelson;closed!!
Burnley;not many Napo members here but was picketed;however a lot of staff crossed the line,no Unison staff out(is this a "target for change"??)
Staff from across the grades incuding field and prison managers came out on the picket line and similarly staff from across the grades have been applying to join the Union
So was it worthwhile?? YES!!

photo from Leyland

]]> got lots of good responses from public in Leyland both via beeping (Police and Ambulance included!)and by conversations and comments from passers-by-sadly this office stayed open.photo by Eve

photo from Chorley

]]> freezing but very worthwhile picket-led to the office being closed!photo by Eve

more shots of Preston

further photos!

]]> photo taken of Preston Office in ction by Roger Peel