Community Issue 28 | Spring 2015
stronger together
STAND UP FOR
STEEL
learning in action Communitas Learning Centres announce the launch of an exciting range of new courses including:
HEALTH & SAFETY ●●First Aid at Work – three-day full course and two-day refresher ●●Emergency First Aid at Work – one day ●●Manual Handling ●●Fire Awareness
IT ●●ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence ) Level 1, 2 and 3 – full course or single modules ●●BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT) Computer and Online Basics Award ●●BCS Digital Skills Award For information, prices or to book a course: Visit our website www.learninginaction.co.uk Call 01709 547922 or email sales@communitas.org.uk Freephone 0800 0778841 (Between 8am–6pm) www.unionlawyers.co.uk
Do you need advice relating to: An accident/injury or industrial disease An assault Medical negligence A divorce or family matter Buying or selling your home Preparing a will or other probate matter Then visit www.unionlawyers.co.uk or telephone 0800 0778841 to be signposted to Community’s panel solicitors for your area Personal legal services, with the exception of family, conveyancing and wills/probate matters, are also available for relatives of Community members
Freephone 0800 0778841 (Between 8am–6pm) www.unionlawyers.co.uk
2 Community Spring 2015
label
Use your vote
stronger together INSIDE … News
Dear member, We are on the verge of two very important votes for the union. The country goes to the polls on 7 May with the opportunity to elect a new government. After that, our members in Tata Steel will be voting on industrial action to stand up for their pension. We understand not every member will share the political views of the union. However, we expect most of you will agree that we cannot afford another five years of the Tories in power. The average family is over £1,600 worse off because of the cost of living crisis. The bedroom tax and other changes to benefits have had a disproportionate impact on the lives of disabled people. There has been a massive rise in the numbers of people on zero hours contracts. And over one million people have had to turn to food banks to survive. Only Labour is saying they will act to reverse attacks on trade unions, tackle exploitation of workers and restore access to workplace justice. Labour is the only party that can form an alternative government. So my plea is simple: if you don’t want a Tory government back in power, please vote Labour. Community will always support our members to maintain and improve their terms and conditions of employment. As a union we aim to work with employers not against them because we want organisations to be successful and for our members to be fairly rewarded for their part in that success. Unfortunately, employers don’t always share that view and they stop working in partnership with us. This is what is happening in Tata Steel, after Tata took the unnecessary and unjustified decision to close the pension scheme. We’re urging Tata members to stand up for their pension and vote YES YES in the ballot. Whether it’s the general election or the Tata ballot, please use your voice and use your vote.
Community negotiates end to Whistl zero-hours contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 G4S redundancy notice scandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tory minister’s ‘insult’ for Community disabled members . 5 Community executive members re-elected to TUC . . . . . . 5
Steel
Government benches empty as MPs debate steel industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Pensions
Ballot for action after Tata spurns talks on pension scheme closure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Election
Shadow Home Secretary’s pledges end to immigration employment abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Law at work
How government has denied justice in the workplace . . . 9
Prison football project
Community and football mangers team up to launch rehabilitation initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Our Community
MPs join drive to help young people find work . . . . . . . . 11
If you have any comments or suggestions for the next edition please contact the editor on editor@community-tu.org or on 020 7420 4000 Stronger Together. Spring 2015 Editorial Office: 465c Caledonian Road, London, N7 9GX Tel: 020 7420 4000 email: editor@community-tu.org Cover picture: Launch of Stand Up For Steel. Gus Campbell Photography Printed by The College Hill Press www.collegehillpress.co.uk
Roy Rickhuss General Secretary
Community Spring 2015
3
news
Community negotiates end to Whistl zero-hours contracts COMMUNITY HAS negotiated an end to zero hours contracts at Whistl. The deal, backdated to 1 January, also increases the number of staff who can earn a living wage and includes a commitment from the company to work with the union towards all employees earning a living wage. The agreement with Whistl was secured before the Labour Party announced that it would ban exploitative zero hours contracts. Community’s members across Whistl were balloted on the deal and an average of over 85 per cent voted in favour. “The ballot result is confirmation of the way Community has approached negotiating and organising within Whistl to achieve better terms and conditions on behalf of our members,” said General Secretary, Roy Rickhuss. “The recognition by Whistl management that it needed to move away from workers on zero hour
contracts and work towards implementation of a living wage is a major breakthrough. This deal is a big step towards our objective of securing a living wage for all Whistl employees, which we will continue to pursue. “Through our engagement with Whistl, we have shown that employment standards can be improved by constructive and effective trade union involvement in the sector. “But we also welcome Labour’s commitment to tackle zero hours contracts which, if a Labour government is elected in May, will mean further improvements, not just for workers at Whistl but for the increasing hundreds of thousands who have been on zero hours contracts across the UK.” After six months service all workers in Whistl’s end-to-end delivery units, who are currently on zero hours contracts, will initially be offered new contracts with guaranteed hours calculated using an average of the hours worked over the previous 12 weeks.
G4S redundancy notice scandal G4S GUARDS were shocked to be handed redundancy notices while they were handcuffed to prisoners who were being escorted on hospital visits. Community, which represents the guards, said that workers were given the choice of redundancy or cuts to pay and hours that would cost more than £4,000 a year as G4S tried to save money on a ‘loss leader’ contract, which was signed in 2011. Community is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently review its procurement practices. “This sort of shoddy employment practice should not be happening in Scotland in 2015 and G4S is right to apologise for the distress it has caused,” commented Community’s General Secretary Roy Rickhuss. “The SNP must also take some responsibility because this contract was
signed on its watch. “It’s time the Scottish Government ended its hands-off approach to procurement and committed to an urgent review of the way contracts are awarded. “Prioritising cost over value, which leads to unsustainable ‘loss leader’ contracts being awarded, is exactly the approach that creates this sort of situation: a race to the bottom and poor treatment of workers, which jeopardises important public services.” 56 guards received letters and at least 10 of them were with prisoners at the time. “In 20 years, I’ve never heard of such an inhumane way of treating staff,” said Community’s Lead Organiser, Steve Farrell. “It was humiliating, degrading and a total disgrace.
4 Community Spring 2015
“G4S should be ashamed.” He pointed out that there are many ways of communicating with employees. “It’s a terrible indignity to serve such a letter in front of someone else, never mind a handcuffed prisoner.” The indignity for G4S workers was compounded when other redundancy
notices were delivered by colleagues who normally monitor tagged offenders. Community had been in consultation with G4S for months and had put forward proposals which met the company’s objectives, but the company rejected the union’s plan in favour of its original proposal, which it implemented immediately.
Representatives from Community’s justice and custodial services sector in Scotland attended the Scottish Parliament in March to discuss their concerns about the sector with MSPs. John Pentland (fifth from left), Chair of Community’s parliamentary group, Labour MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, hosted the delegation
Tory minister’s ‘insult’ for Community’s disabled members
COMMUNITY WELCOMES APPRENTICES
COMMUNITY HAS taken on six young people who will work as Apprentice Regional Organisers in our offices in Motherwell, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Kidderminster, Earls Barton and London. The six young people, aged between 18 and 23, will participate in an apprenticeship programme developed by Community with support from our learning and support provider Communitas. Each apprentice will work towards a Business Administration qualification while also participating in modules on trade union organising. All the apprentices are earning a living wage for the duration of their two-year apprenticeship. Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “One of the commitments I made on becoming General Secretary was to invest in young people and provide more support to our regions. I think we have gone some way to achieving that by taking on our six apprentices. I have already witnessed their enthusiasm and fresh ideas and they are a welcome addition to Community’s team.” ■■ Pictured (l-r): Michael Davies (Earls Barton); Georgina Wood (Rotherham); Ashley Andrews (Kidderminster); Chloe Dye (Middlesbrough); Christopher McEnroe (Motherwell); Mujahid Ali (London)
WHILE CAMPAIGNING in the General Election, Conservative Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith, visited the Pluss social enterprise in Exeter, where dozens of disabled Community members were at risk of redundancy – but he did not speak to them. Two Pluss factories face the axe after the local Conservative council pulled its funding as public finances were squeezed by the government’s austerity. Labour’s Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw (right) said: “What an insult for Iain Duncan Smith to visit without speaking to staff and ignorant of the fact they’re losing their jobs. Some have worked there since the 1970s and will find it impossible to find other jobs.” Community’s branch secretary at Pluss Stephen Gallin, said: “Workers are devastated they face losing their jobs. It will be incredibly difficult for them to find another job, if not impossible. These are very vulnerable people who come here not only to work, but to meet people.” “If Iain Duncan Smith had come here and seen for himself how this factory runs, maybe it would have helped.” Community is in discussions with Pluss management in an attempt to save the jobs by forming a co-operative to run the factories.
Tracy and Carol re-elected to TUC
COMMUNITY NATIONAL Executive Council members Carol Hodgson and Tracy Barlow have been re-elected to two important TUC committees. Carol Hodgson was also re-elected to serve on the TUC Black Workers Committee. Carol holds the national ethnic minority seat on Community’s NEC. Textile worker Tracy (right, speaking at the Women’s TUC) was elected to serve another term on the TUC Women’s Committee at its conference in March. A past president of Community, Tracy holds one of the women’s seats on Community’s NEC, where she represents members in the midlands, the north west and north Wales. At the TUC Women’s conference, Community spoke about the level of poverty pay for women. A recent report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation discovered that women’s pay has fallen under the coalition government and that 26% of women are paid less than the living wage.
Community Spring 2015
5
steel GLENN ASHLEY
Government benches empty as MPs debate steel industry A PARLIAMENTARY debate on the steel industry called by the Labour Party took place on the same day that Community launched its Stand up for Steel campaign. The Labour benches were busy with MPs standing up for steel from Clydebridge to Corby and Teesside to Trostre. The sparsely populated government benches revealed the priorities of the Tories and Liberal Democrats. Speaking in the debate, Frank Roy, Labour MP for Motherwell and Wishaw and a former steelworker, summed it up well when he told Parliament: “The people who ensure that we have steel are the people who ensure that we have oil rigs in the North sea; that we have pipes bringing gas and oil from the furthest north; that we have a Channel tunnel reinforced with steel in the south; that we have the ships that sail from our ports, the planes that fly from our airports, the buses and cars that drive on our roads, the trains that go along our rail tracks, the bridges, the buildings and the white goods. I could go on and on. That is the steel industry of the 21st century.” Thus Frank demonstrated how steel is still integral to so many aspects of our lives, not least the jobs that steel provides and supports. This is why Community has been calling on the Scottish, Welsh and Westminster governments to Stand up for Steel. “This campaign is not just for steelworkers,” said Roy
6 Community Spring 2015
Rickhuss, “Without a vibrant steel industry we will not have vibrant manufacturing and construction industries or rebalance the economy away from its dependence on financial services. Steel is a vital foundation industry on which the UK economy is built. “It’s been great to see so much support for the steel industry, from the Labour MPs in Parliament and their constituencies to members and their families right across the union who sent postcards.” Only Labour MPs turned up to the campaign launch, which featured a giant postcard to the Prime Minister calling on him to Stand up for Steel. Thousands of people backed the campaign, including X Factor and I’m A Celebrity star Jake Quickenden and the Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team.
Without a vibrant steel industry we will not have vibrant manufacturing and construction industries or rebalance the economy away from its dependence on financial services
pensions
Ballot for action after Tata spurns talks on pension scheme closure COMMUNITY MEMBERS at Tata Steel are balloting for industrial action in defence of their pension – the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). Tata bosses want to close the scheme, which has provided dignity and security in retirement for generations of steelworkers. Decent pensions and opportunities for early retirement from hard shift work have supported thousands of families in steel communities across the UK. Tata’s decision leaves Community on the verge of national industrial action in the steel industry for the first time in over 30 years. But this isn’t just about Tata, this is about Community as a union taking action to defend the terms and conditions of our members. Roy Rickhuss explains: “As a union we want to work with employers, not against them. But unfortunately in this case it is no longer possible because of the unnecessary and unjustified decision by Tata to close its pension scheme. “Community had been in negotiations with Tata Steel for months and we had made an offer to the company which we felt could have resolved the challenges the scheme is facing. “After five months of negotiations Tata suddenly decided it wanted to close the pension scheme. So far, the company has not taken up Community’s offer to re-enter meaningful discussions to find a solution, which, regrettably has left us with no choice but to ballot our members for industrial action.”
Community’s NEC unanimously authorised the industrial action ballot, with council members from outside Tata Steel speaking passionately in support of the course of action because an attack like this on the terms and conditions of Community members needs the union to respond as one. Community reps throughout Tata Steel will be urging members to vote YES, YES on the ballot papers.
ROY MEETS NSPCC REPS General Secretary Roy Rickhuss recently visited the NSPCC in Birmingham where he could hear first-hand from NSPCC Community reps about the important work of the charity and some of the challenges faced by our members. Our network of reps in NSPCC is growing and more NSPCC staff are joining Community.
OCS signs new partnership agreement with Community COMMUNITY HAS signed a new agreement with OCS which will improve the partnership between the union and the facilities management company to the benefit of both OCS employees and the company. Welcoming the agreement, Steve McCool,
National Officer for Community, said: “This new partnership agreement will create a platform for both OCS and Community to drive forward the changes needed to deliver improved services to OCS’s customers while raising standards in industrial
relations, employee education, health and safety and the environment. We hope this agreement for Port Talbot and Llanwern will be the benchmark that can be rolled out across the UK where we already have existing relationships with OCS.”
Community Spring 2015
7
news Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper tells Community how a Labour government would stop exploitation of migrant workers and the effects it has on local workers and honest businesses Yvette Cooper, centre, campaigning with supporters
We will end exploitation to benefit everybody LABOUR KNOWS that Britain only succeeds when working people succeed. Our movement was built on the principles of fairness at work and upholding workers’ rights and that’s why, in this election, we’re fighting for a fair deal at work for all. That means improving employment laws – but it also means reforms to stop exploitation of the immigration system too. Over the last few weeks and months, I’ve travelled up and down the country attending public meetings and people are raising their concerns about the way recruitment agencies and dodgy employers are exploiting immigration to undercut local wages and jobs. That’s unfair on everyone – on responsible businesses that are being undercut, on local workers who see their terms and conditions pushed down, and on migrant workers who are being exploited for trying to support their families and get on. I’ve heard so many stories – agencies who only advertise abroad, migrant workers who don’t know employment rights not being paid the minimum wage and then being used to undercut everyone else, people put on unfair zero hours contracts. One of the worst cases was Eastern European workers brought here by a gang to work on poverty pay, forced to sleep on bug-ridden mattresses six to a room, held in the back of a transit van for five days at a time, then they had dogs set on them if they complained. The police tried to stop it but said they couldn’t prosecute because the workers were here legally and they’d consented to work, so there was no crime. People treated like animals, used to undercut local wages and jobs and responsible businesses losing out as well. This is against everything Labour and Community believe in. It’s a race to the bottom in which all working people lose out. We want to see an end to exploitation and undercutting. So the next Labour government will, for the first time, make this exploitation of workers a crime. We’ll outlaw agencies who only recruit from abroad, we’ll close the loopholes in the minimum wage,
8 Community Spring 2015
and we’ll increase fines for employing people here illegally. We’ll clamp down on exploitative zero-hours contracts and deliver an £8 per hour minimum wage, so that work pays for all. Working with trade unions like Community, we’re campaigning to protect wages and tackle exploitation – something our movement was created to do. But Labour is the only party prepared to stand up for working people and to stop exploitation. The Tories and UKIP would make it worse. They want to cut workers’ rights – making it easier for employers to exploit immigration, undercut local pay and leave everyone worse off. All they offer is divisive rhetoric, rather than practical answers. Our action against exploitation is part of our plan to reform the immigration system. We know that immigration is important for Britain, but that’s why it needs to be controlled and managed so the system is fair. With Labour, we will have stronger borders with 1,000 more border staff and a new system to count people in and out of the country, so we can tackle illegal immigration and make sure rules are enforced. We will introduce new restrictions on benefits, so people contribute first and can’t claim for at least two years. And we will have smarter controls so we can welcome top talent or university students who bring billions into Britain but restrict low-skilled migration. In each of these areas, the Tories have failed. They aren’t getting the basics right – be it on border checks or employment rights – and that undermines confidence in the whole system. Meanwhile UKIP are more Tory than the Tories – they just prey on people’s worries without any practical answers, and their plan to cut rights at work would only make things worse. That’s why we need Labour’s better plan. We won’t turn our back on the world or divide communities, but we will ensure immigration can be managed and controlled, in a fair system.
Working with trade unions like Community, we’re campaigning to protect wages and tackle exploitation – something our movement was created to do
How government denies justice in the workplace A change of government is urgently needed if access to justice in the workplace is to remain a possibility for ordinary working people. Below, our partners Union Lawyers Ltd outline what the coalition government did to limit access to justice. SINCE THE Tory-led coalition government came to power we have seen the widespread and uncompromising erosion of access to justice. This has nowhere been more acutely felt than in the workplace where the government’s determination (it would seem largely in the name of the economy) to crack down on “health and safety” has been apparent. During the Parliament now ending we have witnessed multiple measures that have weakened access to justice in the workplace. For example, the legislation that removed the right of injured workers to rely on their employer’s breach of the law to establish civil liability, thereby making it more difficult for injured working people to succeed with a claim against their employer. There have been radical changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme which mean that people who face violence regularly because of the nature of their work – such as nurses, shopworkers or prison officers – will generally recover less compensation (and in certain circumstances no compensation) than they were entitled to before. The government changed the law which has meant that many innocent victims of workplace accidents/ industrial disease (who are not in a trade union) face having to pay legal costs from their compensation, even if they win their claim. The government also tried to limit the duty owed (to themselves and others) by certain self-employed workers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Finally, there have been unprecedented increases to civil court fees representing perhaps the most significant threat to access to justice for seriously injured victims of workplace accidents /industrial diseases who now have to find up to £10,000 to bring court proceedings. Neither have employment rights been immune to
government policy affecting access to justice. As well as the significant increase of zero hours contracts, we have also witnessed the introduction of tribunal fees of up to £1,200 for workers who wish to bring a claim against their employer, resulting in the denial of access to justice for many as demonstrated by the subsequent sharp decline in the number of claims brought. The government doubled the minimum period of continuous employment required to claim unfair dismissal from one year to two years, enabling employers effectively to ignore employment rights during the first two years of employment. There was a reduction to the limit of compensation that may be claimed for unfair dismissal amounting to a flagrant attack on employment rights and the low paid in particular. If the Conservative Party were to form the new government, there could be worse yet to come. The party has proposed several alterations to the law that would affect employment rights still further, including changing the rules on industrial action and capping public sector enhanced payments. These proposals amount to a further unjustified attack on employment rights. There can be no doubt that during the last five years we have seen the gradual dismantling of the rights of ordinary workers, whether with respect to the protection that they should be afforded at work, their employment rights generally or the ability to challenge their employer when necessary.
There have been radical changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme which mean that people who face violence regularly because of the nature of their work – such as nurses, shopworkers or prison officers – will generally recover less compensation (and in certain circumstances no compensation) than they were entitled to Community Spring 2015
9
news
George Burley, former Ipswich manager and Scottish international, talks tactics
Community and football managers team up in prison project COMMUNITY AND the League Managers’ Association (LMA), which represents professional football managers, have committed to a unique partnership in the private prison estate, where Community represents thousands of workers. The project uses the power of football to help prisoner rehabilitation and improve relationships between prisoners and officers. Community members and prisoners take part in one day coaching clinics led by an LMA Ambassador. So far the clinics have been held in HMP Peterborough (Sodexo) and HMP Kilmarnock (Serco) and have proved a great success with former England captain Terry Butcher and Ipswich Town legend George Burley participating as the LMA
Ambassadors with UEFA Pro licenced coach Ian Foster supporting. Each clinic follows a set format with 20 participants made up of prison officers and prisoners learning various drills from the LMA Ambassadors and Coaches. The participants then sit down in a classroom format and design their own coaching drills which they later deliver under the LMA’s supervision. Finally the LMA Ambassadors have a question and answer session about life style choices with the participants before handing out certificates to mark the event. Roy Rickhuss believes: “This partnership sees both organisations working together to promote our partnership but more importantly helping to rehabilitate individuals from
a criminal culture”. Research has shown that well planned and skilfully delivered sports-based activities can be an effective way to reduce violent incidences and improve relationships between staff and prisoners. Building these relationships is vitally important for Community’s members who work in the prisons and have day-to-day contact with the prisoners hence the importance of staff participation in the coaching clinics. Taking into account the initial success of the coaching clinics both Community and the LMA have another 4 events planned later this year. Both organisations are also working together to further develop the partnership and establish a longer term project.
Contributions changes: more help for lower paid COMMUNITY IS providing more support but the grade bands have been adjusted they are paying less. For example, only those for lower paid workers by cutting contriupwards, so that many members should find earning over £44,000 will pay the top rate. The bution rates for the lowest paid union recognises the cost of living crisis and increasing the threshold at that many members have been facing GRADE EARNINGS CONTRIBUTIONS which higher rates apply. The move and therefore for the overwhelming Per Week (£) Per Year (£) Per Week (£) Per Month (£) majority of members contribution rates follows a comprehensive review of 1 0 – 270 0 – 14,000 1.14 4.94 Community’s contributions. The will be frozen or reduced. 2 271 – 385 14,001 – 20,000 2.86 12.39 review canvassed members’ views Having delayed changes for over a about our rates and found strong year, members in Justice and Custodial 3 386 – 577 20,001 – 30,000 3.33 14.43 backing for the union’s long-held Services will now pay the standard 4 578 – 846 30,001 – 44,000 4.52 19.59 principle that people should pay rates according to earnings. 5 847 + 44,001 + 5.70 24.70 according to what they earn. The table shows the standard Non-working 1.14 4.94 Not only have contribution rates contribution rates which will apply *Different rates will apply for Whistl and LCN members been frozen for a second year running from 1 June.
10 Community Spring 2015
Our Community – helping young people find work LABOUR MPS are working with Community and the union’s learning support provider Communitas to help find employment opportunities for unemployed young people in some of the areas that most need them. In recent months, Lucy Powell in Manchester, Karl Turner in Hull, Caroline Flint in Doncaster, John Healey in Rotherham, Nic Dakin in Scunthorpe and Steve Rotheram in Liverpool have all launched local Our Community projects developed by Communitas. The projects aim to get young unemployed people back to work by working in partnership with local businesses, learning providers and Jobcentres. The initiative combines learning and work experience to give young people a better chance of accessing jobs. Lucy Powell, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, launched her project at Manchester City Football Club in March and was joined by local employers keen to support the scheme. Lucy said: “We have to get to grips with youth unemployment and I am pleased to support this project which aims to give young people the support they need to get in to work. “It is more important than ever that young people are supported to get the skills that they need. “This Government have done nothing to help young people get the skills they need. Labour have pledged to create 80,000 new high quality apprenticeships by the end of the next parliament, and introduce an Apprenticeship Guarantee whereby every school leaver who gets the grades can start on a training scheme.” Under the Our Community work experience initiative, employers offer between 16 and 30 hours each week for between two to eight weeks. The scheme is entirely voluntary. The young person doesn’t lose benefits while on the scheme and has their travel to and from work paid. Before they go into the workplace each young person receives two weeks pre-employment training. “I am really pleased Community and Communitas have been able to support these initiatives in some of the areas that most need them,” said Roy Rickhuss. “Building on the work we did with Pat McFadden MP and Frank Roy MP, Communitas has built a project that will empower working people to create better communities. Too many young people are suffering
because they are unemployed and it is beholden on all of us to do what we can to help support them to find rewarding employment. It’s good to see so many local employers getting involved in this initiative.” John Healey pointed out that “there are still fewer 16 to 24-year-olds in employment in Yorkshire now than four years ago, and those in work are more likely to face low wages and insecure working conditions including zero-hours contracts.” “We risk a lost generation, either stuck on low-paid jobs or dependent on benefits, if our young people remain overlooked and unsupported,” said the Wentworth and Dearne MP. “However many new jobs are created locally, young people are often the forgotten piece of the jigsaw,” said Caroline Flint, “So many finish school or college and get trapped because employers are looking for people with experience in the workplace – experience they don’t have. I’m determined to change this.” Nic Dakin echoed these comments saying, “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get valuable skills and experience which will aid them in getting a job in the long term.” “What this scheme shows is how Jobcentreplus, Communitas and local businesses can work with one another to come up with innovative solutions which are aimed at tackling the chronic problem of youth unemployment in the area and across the country in general.” Steve Rotheram commented: “With more than 2,700 young people unemployed in Liverpool Walton I was keen to engage with as many local companies as possible and encourage them to take part in this worthwhile scheme.”
Don Valley Our Community project partners: (l-r)Christina Shepherd, Head of Skills and Learning at Communitas, Ian Hanks Jobcentre Plus, Caroline Flint MP, Sean Scorer, Lead Organiser, Community and Colette McKenna, City of Liverpool College
GRANTS FOR CHILDREN WITH FAMILIES IN UK FASHION AND TEXTILE TRADE
DO YOU work in the UK fashion and textile trade? Or do you know someone who works, or has previously worked in the industry and cares for a child aged 0–18? If so, a charity may be able to provide financial support. Community has been contacted by a trade charity – the Fashion
and Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT) that provides education and wellbeing grants to children and young people of those who work in the industry. Established in 1853, FTCT works with businesses and employees, offering a helping hand to their children when families fall on hard times.
Education and wellbeing grants cover the cost of a range of items from specialist therapies, learning and mobility equipment, tutorial support to simple household goods that make the world of difference to a child’s life. “Fashion and textiles” applies to a number of job roles in retail,
manufacturing, head office, distribution, tailoring, design, soft furnishings and more. If you think you or someone you know may be eligible, visit the charity website or contact the friendly team in confidence and they will be able to help you further. ■■ www.ftct.org.uk
Community Spring 2015
11