NGSU Rapport

rapport The Nationwide Group Staff Union magazine

Helping our reps help you

Issue 95 July 2020

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Locked up in lockdown

It’s good to talk

Coping with anxiety

U O Y R O F P U G N I K A SPMEeet your new NEC mem bers

2 95 JULY 20

Supporting our fantastic members Like most jobs, the role of NGSU President has been changed dramatically by everyone needing to go into lockdown.

Because we’ve had to cancel all the roadshows we had planned, I haven’t had the chance to meet members, new members and potential members face-to-face like I would normally.

However, I have met more of our reps than I would usually, because I have been able to chair all the Regional Council meetings as I don’t have to travel any further than my own home office to attend on Microsoft Teams.

Similarly, I’ve been able to deliver inductions to new recruits all over the country. One day, I did an induction in Caledonia House in Glasgow and then an hour later I did another one in Northampton because, again, they were both on Teams, so I can reach more people by doing them that way.

And when we first entered lockdown, I

rapport July 2020

NGSU Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury, Oxon OX17 2QT Tel: 01295 710767 Fax: 01295 712580 ngsu@ngsu.org.uk www.ngsu.org.uk NGSU We use bitly URLs to convert long web addresses into shorter ones throughout the magazine.

To avoid single-use plastics, we use a biodegradable polywrap produced from potato starch.

was also able to help with more Individual Cases Officer (ICO) cover on the phone, which is not part of my day-to-day role but I did that to help the union and to help the members themselves. The whole reason I became an NGSU rep in the first place was to support people like that, so that wasn’t a problem for me.

It’s been brilliant to see how you have all responded so positively to the challenges of delivering for Nationwide members right now.

Everyone in the branches really wants to serve the customers and stay safe themselves – even when some customers have treated them appallingly. Remember to report all incidents, especially as you told us they have been increasing when we surveyed you recently. But all the staff have been fantastic, in all parts of the business, including the support staff working behind the scenes to make sure all the systems are working and the housekeeping staff in the admin centres who have been working really hard to make sure everything is safe and clean.

One thing I’m sure about from my own experience over the past four months is how hard everyone in NGSU has been working to support our members. We have kept in daily contact with the Society as the situation unfolded and we have offered extensive support to members, especially when they have been struggling.

Although the country-wide lockdown is easing, we all know that this isn’t over yet. But we will be here for you throughout because we are your union.

Stay safe and well everyone!

Bev Cubbon President @PresidentNgsu @ngsupresident

BIG SUPPORT FOR 2020 PAY REVIEW The vast majority of our members have welcomed the outcome of this year’s pay review, which involves a £400 increase from July for all eligible Level 1 and 2 employees; a £1,200 Sharing in Success (SIS) bonus; and the promise of no compulsory redundancies for the rest of this year.

“We have worked hard over many weeks to arrive at an agreement and we believe the settlement is the best that could be achieved,” says General Secretary Tim Rose.

“There is no way of disguising that these were difficult negotiations but I can report that they were conducted in a good spirit on both sides and demonstrate our mutual commitment to address issues together.”

The one element of the pay review that disappointed some members was the break with performance ratings, which meant people who had worked hard to achieve a higher rating over the previous 12 months could not have those efforts rewarded by a differential in the individual pay awards.

Although not opposed to the principle of rewarding high performance, the union has been raising concerns for a number of years about the way the process was negatively impacting three particular staff groups – employees in Level One; those from black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities; and part-time workers.

No organisation with a strong focus on inclusion and diversity such as NGSU could rest easy about members of

these groups tending to receive lower ratings and therefore lower pay.

As the Society continues to work with the union to weather the impact of the Covid19 crisis, its leaders should remember all the different ways that Nationwide staff have contributed to keeping the business afloat during the first few months of the pandemic, Tim says.

“As the better times return, we expect the Society to recognise the approach that the union and employees have taken in responding to the challenges that the pandemic has created and for this to feature in our continued discussions on all matters that concern our members,” he says.

MORE INFO l Read the joint statement on the pay review: https://bit.ly/2ZPIq6G l Read the special issue of Rapport on the pay review: https://bit.ly/2ZL6jMH

We’re still here for you, even tho ugh our roadshows aren’t!

NGSU won’t be hosting any of our popular roadshows in our various admin centres around the country, while the need for social distancing remains in place for the rest of the year.

But our network of NGSU reps and the team of officers at Middleton Cheney and around the country are as busy as ever dealing with members’ queries and concerns, while our

email, phone, and webchat serv ices have been operating as usual throughout the pandemic.

So if you would have raised a wor krelated issue with us the next time we visited your site, please get in touc h with your rep or National Regional Offi cer; send us an email; give us a call; or get in touch through our webchat serv ice.

4 95 JULY 20 Job promise remains in place The Job Promise remains in place, nobody will be made compulsorily redundant during 2020 and the Society is not running a voluntary redundancy programme – despite what you may have heard in the media.

As we spelled out in the April and July editions of Union Mail, we expect organisational change to emerge from the operating reviews that have become standard practice in recent years.

But we will continue to support our members and challenge the business rationale of any proposals the Society tables for consultation and negotiation.

We already know that some business areas have identified that that they will need fewer people in certain roles and will no longer need some other roles at all.

Where this is happening, people in the potentially affected teams are invited to express a preference to leave via redundancy before a selection process is applied, which will reduce the number of people

having to go through an assessment.

As always, the need to retain particular skill sets means that the Society won’t be able to agree every redundancy request.

And no one who expresses a preference, or is otherwise selected, for redundancy will have to leave in 2020, although they can ask to do so.

In addition, some parts of the business are expected to identify new opportunities, and anyone affected by a change programme in their own area will be able to apply for such roles while they are still working for the Society.

MORE INFO l If you’re in the scope of a preferencing exercise or have entered the formal consultation process of a change programme and need help, please call us on 01295 710767.

HELPING PEOPLE ACCESS BETTER SANITATION NGSU has ‘twinned’ our toilets at Middleton Farmhouse with two toilets in Bangui District, Central African Republic, as part of a sanitation charity initiative to help people in desperate poverty to have access to a latrine, clean water and the information they need to stay healthy.

The combination of unsafe water supply, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene causes nearly 90 per cent of cases of diarrhoeal disease, which kills 1.8 million people every year, most of them children under five in developing countries.

We chose the Central African Republic as the location as it’s among the 10 poorest countries in the world and ranked 188 out of 189 for human development on the Human Development Index (HDI) 2019.

Find out more at: https://www.toilettwinning.org

!

THANK YOU The daughter of NGSU member Jeeya Kaur, who has been shielding during the pandemic, painted this picture (below) for the team in her branch. We share the sentiments!

BAME VOICES NEEDED IN COVID-19 DEBATE NGSU is asking our black and minority ethnic (BAME) members to share their experiences at work during the coronavirus crisis by completing an online survey organised by the TUC. The TUC is keen to hear from BAME workers in all sectors of the workforce so that it can help place their concerns at the centre of discussions about the impact of Covid-19 on BAME workers and how employers and unions can do more to tackle racism at work.

Since the beginning of the crisis, BAME workers have been reporting cases where they have been singled out for more dangerous or difficult work; not been furloughed despite having health conditions; had their hours cut or lost their jobs ahead of their white co-workers; and suffered racial abuse by colleagues or customers.

In addition, data analysed by Public Health England (PHE) reveals people from BAME communities who contract coronavirus are also likely to be at higher risk of severe infection and have been dying in greater numbers than their white counterparts.

Part of the reason for these disparities is that members of BAME communities are more likely to live in overcrowded households situated in deprived areas and more often have jobs that expose them to higher risk.

We encourage all our BAME members to complete the TUC’s survey at https://bit.ly/2O2Ogw3

Travel Club saves the day

An NGSU member who booked a honeymoon in Mexico in March was very glad she mad e the arrangements through our Travel Club, as news of the advance of Covid-19 reached the newly-weds.

Missy Harrington flew out on in the middle of March, when the travel industry was still operating normally and the government had made no arrangements for lockdown.

But the longer their break went on, the more alarmed the couple became as they followed the news of how the Covid-1 9 crisis was unfolding at home.

But Benchmark Travel, who operate the Travel Club for us, kept in touch about arrangements for their return home. “Benchmark confirmed that TUI had to get us home due to us booking a package, whereas it may have been a very different story if we had booked flight s and hotel separately.”

And the moral of the story? “I have definitely learned from this experience to always book a package deal and I will only ever use Benchmark Travel to do this !”

6 95 JULY 20

Bournemouth National Regional Officer Louise Chissell explains how she supports her team of reps so they can better support their members.

Helping the reps help you

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s the National Regional Officer (NRO) for the Bournemouth Administration Centre, Louise Chissell’s top priority is supporting the seven other NGSU union reps who look after the needs of the hundreds of people who usually work at Portman House in the centre of the seaside town.

“I look after all the reps in the building, which is especially important at the moment because we have a team who are mostly new to the role, so it’s about helping them effectively serve the members,” she explains.

Using her own eight years’ experience as a rep in the building, Louise is able to pass on helpful tips to the team about how to plan and organise the best use of the eight days of facility time a year each rep has to carry out their role.

“A lot of what I do is about helping them structure their time and how they balance being a rep with their day jobs,” Louise says.

“I advise the reps to book out a couple of hours every month that they can tell their managers about – and that’s the time they can update the notice boards, send emails out to members or talk to new starters who might not have joined the union yet.”

She also draws on her memory of

how well the team was supported by the NRO who was in post when she first took on the rep’s role in 2012.

“When I first became a rep, our NRO was very experienced, very confident and managed us reps really well,” she recalls. “There was a big gap when he left the business and the reps team wasn’t running the way it had been without that central person.”

Louise took on the NRO role herself two years ago, keen to help the team work better as a unit to deliver more effective support to the members again.

“My boy was a little bit older, I was back at work full-time and I thought it might be good to take on the role and take up the slack,” she says.

For Louise, one of the broader challenges of being an NRO is building trust with all her members so that they

TOP TIPS FOR REPS l Break down your union tim e into hours and plan when you’ll need to take it. l Let your manager know you r schedule so they can plan accordingly. l Always speak to new starters who might not have joined the union yet – even if they don’t join immediately, they will know you are the person to go to about wor kplace issues.

IT’S YOUR

UNION

understand the union’s position on an issue even when they disagree with it.

Take what happened to motions from the administration centre at the most recent national conferences.

Some were passed, like one calling for improved maternity pay – which the union’s negotiators went on to win from the Society. But not everything was voted through.

“There was one issue that a member brought to me that we raised at conference and I had to go back to her and say, ‘Unfortunately, it wasn’t successful’. But she still felt heard because we had raised the issue at conference, even though we didn’t get the outcome she wanted,” Louise says.

WHO IS YOUR NATIONAL REGIONAL OFFICER?

There are 10 NROs, who all attend the National Executive Committee (NEC) to raise the concerns of NGSU members in their region / administration centre.

Regions: l Central & East of England – Nimisha Nandha l London & South East – Chris Cooper l North, North West and North Midlands – Sue Walker l West & South West – Jean Morgan Administration Centres: l Bournemouth – Louise Chissell l Caledonia House and Glasgow Mortgage Centre – Barry Murphy l Northampton, Sheffield, Wakefield and Manchester – Donna Clarke l Swindon and London Admin Centres – Casey Sherwood (Swindon & London Admin Centres – Relationships & Distribution); Pete Goldsworthy (Swindon & London Admin Centres – Resilience & Agility); Sarah Daly (Swindon & London Admin Centres – Other Communities).

Continuing her role both as a rep and as an NRO during the Covid-19 crisis has presented problems, especially since Louise started working from home.

“That’s made a real difference because people only usually come to talk when it’s quite a serious matter. Quite often you pick up on things when you’re in the coffee area at work and someone says, ‘You won’t believe this!’ And that’s where a lot of times, I can step in and say, ‘This is the policy’,” she says. “But that’s not happening right now because we can’t congregate in the coffee area now I’m not in the office!”

Nonetheless, her years as a rep do mean that people know where to turn for help, even if they have to do that virtually at the moment.

“I’m quite lucky in that I’ve been a rep for my area for so long everybody knows me as the rep so everybody can message me directly,” she says.

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It’s good to talk Swindon-based Eddie Tylee, who is one of thousands of people all over the country dealing with anxiety, stress or depression in their daily working lives, has discovered the benefits of opening up to his colleagues about his experience.

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hen Eddie Tylee was told that he wouldn’t be able to carry on working in Optimus House during lockdown (having asthma ruled out staying), he was initially looking forward to working from home.

As someone whose anxiety can be triggered by the pressures of office work (he’s a customer administrator specialising in ISAs), Eddie could only see the upside of an enforced break from his Swindon workplace.

But that’s not the way homeworking has worked out for him.

“I always thought, with my anxiety, that I’d prefer to work from home,” he says. “But it’s had quite a massive impact on me. Although I consider myself quite anti-social, I’ve found it quite lonely. It’s actually taught me I do need social interaction.”

Now 34 years old, Eddie has been living with General Anxiety Disorder

TOP TIPS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH ANXIETY 1 Talk to someone you trust.

2 Write down your experiences.

3 Enrol on an online CBT course.

since he was a teenager. “As a youth, I suffered quite badly with depression,” he says. “You feel you’re worthless, which can really break you down mentally and – without the proper support as an adolescent – that can manifest later in life as anxiety.”

But living with the condition for the past two decades has taken its toll not simply mentally but also physically as well, which means Eddie now has constant tremors and bouts of IBS. The anxiety can be triggered by a huge range of pressures, from large crowds when he’s away from work to fears in the office that he’s made a mistake that will land him in trouble.

“If I’m working away and think I’ve done something wrong, no matter how small it is, it can trigger quite a bad attack,” he says. “You freeze and there’s the usual things you hear about anxiety, like deeper breathing, sweating and the feeling of dread.”

When those feelings take hold, he

just wants to get out of wherever he is.

“Whether that is going out for a cigarette break or getting a coffee, you just want to get away from the situation,” he says.

But avoidance only makes everything harder the next time. “Long-term, that hinders your progression: the more you avoid it, the worse it’s going to be next time round,” he says.

Eddie’s had counselling and taken courses in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – both of which provided short-term relief – but the biggest breakthrough came two years ago when he started talking to his co-workers about what he was going through.

“I was always quite a closed book, I wouldn’t talk about my feelings,” he recalls. “But it got to the point where I was just so bottled up that I just started blurting it out – and once you got me started, I couldn’t stop!”

As a result, he’s opened up to colleagues and made new friends by connecting with other people he never dreamed could be suffering from anxiety and depression as well.

“It’s just a great atmosphere when people know, it’s the best feeling that you can have,” he says. “And it helps people understand – although they don’t necessarily suffer from anxiety, they understand what I’m suffering and can take me aside and ask, How are you?.”

He’s also found putting his experiences on the page has helped. “I’ve never kept a diary but currently I’m writing a book about my life and although it’s brought up some painful feelings, it’s a relief to get it all down and it’s helping in the long run,” he says.

Nor is Eddie alone. Far from it. More than 600,000 workers reported stress, depression or anxiety in the latest Labour Force

TOP TIPS FOR CO-WORKERS 1 If a co-worker seems to be struggling, don’t ignore it – ask them how they are.

2 Use open questions – ‘How are you?’ is more helpful than ‘Are you okay?’

3 Don’t push it – someone living with anxiety will talk about it when they’re ready.

Eddie Tylee (below)

Survey, while the conditions account for accounts for 44 per cent of workrelated ill health and 54 per cent of working days lost (2018/19 figures).

Eddie’s own experience has led him to think about how office life could be made more inclusive for the significant numbers of workers dealing with anxiety. Setting up somewhere people working in openplan offices could go to re-compose themselves would help, for example.

“An open plan office is great for communicating with your team but when you suffer from anxiety, sometimes you feel all eyes are on you – when they’re not and you know they’re not,” he points out. “Some sort of closed-off area would offer a bit more of a security blanket for the person suffering anxiety.”

For Eddie today, the key thing is not to suffer in silence.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you’re never alone: there’s always somebody who will help you – and most likely, that’s a person you least expect,” he says.

“Find that someone you trust and speak to them about what’s going on in your head: talking has been the best thing for me – better than any therapy I’ve had or any reading I’ve done.”

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Locked up in lockdown For people living with controlling partners, lockdown may have reduced their chances of contracting Covid-19 but massively increased their vulnerability to abuse.

Here’s how you can help.

F

or many people living with a controlling or abusive partner, the lockdown measures introduced to save lives and protect the NHS at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis had the unintended consequence of depriving them of the respite represented by going to work.

Instead of being able to spend the working day away from their partner and in the company of supportive co-workers, they have instead been forced to share their space with the person making their life a misery almost all day every day.

And whether or not they talk to their co-workers about what they

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available at any time, day or night, on 0808 2000 247.

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

“Domestic violence is defined as any violence between family members, including current or former partners both of a heterosexual and same-sex nature, whenever and wherever the violence occurs. It may also be controlling behaviours or threats of a physical, sexual, emotional or financial nature. It harms women and men of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.”

From the Society’s employee guide to domestic violence. Read the full document: https://bit.ly/2zVXkQ5

are dealing with, the workplace can operate as a place of refuge for anyone experiencing domestic abuse, which can occur in same-sex as well as heterosexual relationships and can include men among its victims.

Sadly but unsurprisingly, lockdown has been marked by a massive spike in the numbers reaching out to organisations that support people experiencing domestic abuse (which includes living with someone who is controlling, manipulating or humiliating, as well as someone who uses verbal, physical or sexual violence).

The National Domestic Abuse helpline reported a 25 per cent increase in calls since the coronavirus lockdown began, as well as a 150 per cent increase in visits to its website.

NGSU and Nationwide strongly urge anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse to seek help and support as soon as they are able.

The Nationwide Employee Guide sets out how the Society supports members experiencing domestic abuse, through time off to deal with specific situations including court appearances; financial help form the Welfare Fund; the

free, confidential counselling and information helpline EmployeeCare.

It also details different ways to support colleagues experiencing domestic abuse, including by understanding the impact domestic violence may have on their work life; the best ways to respond when someone confides in you; and supporting them to take further action.

TUC Education has also produced a very helpful online resource, Domestic abuse and coronavirus. The interactive tool takes you through how domestic abuse is on the rise during the Covid-19 crisis; and how to spot signs and provide support to co-workers living with controlling and abusive partners. It also includes a detailed list of sources of further support and further information.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU SUSPECT A COLLEAGUE MAY BE SUFFERING DOMESTIC ABUSE?

“The single most important thing you can do is to listen and believe. You can be a link to the outside world for people at risk of abuse. You can spot signs, provide support and help stop victims from suffering further abuse. You must do this carefully and sensitively or your attempts to help could backfire and put someone in more danger.” l From the TUC Education guide Domestic abuse and coronavirus. Access the online resource: https://bit.ly/2zUQzxQ

HOW TO HELP A COLLEAGUE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC ABUSE

l Keep the lines of communication open to reduce isolation. l Remember someone may not be able to speak freely if their abuser is monitoring their exchanges. l Ask if they can talk freely before you ask if there’s anything wrong. l Ask them to cough or repeat a word to alert you if something isn’t right. l Agree a code word they can use with you to raise the alarm. l Let them know you’re there to help and the conversation is confidential. l Listen carefully to what they say and support their choices. l Make them aware of other ways they can get help and support.

Ask them to keep a journal of any abuse they’re experiencing: the Brightsky mobile app is one way you or they can do this discreetly: https://www.hestia.org/brightsky

HOW NOT TO HELP

l Don’t wait for someone to com e to you: if you suspect abuse, ask them sen sitively. l Don’t dismiss or doubt them if they disclose anything to you. l Don’t call the police or involve others against their wishes: only do so if you believe their life is in imminent danger. l Don’t pressure or steer them towards any course of action: let them know the options and support them with what they wan t to do. l Don’t insist they leave the hou se: they may be forced to return. l Don’t pressure them or judge them for not trying to escape.

MORE INFO

s line is alway ployee Care 9804.

Em 6 s 75 y’ et 00 ci 08 So The nwide staff on tio Na to 0800 e e: bl availa use Helplin + Domestic Ab galop.org.uk @ lp National LGBT 24 hours) he 999 5428 (not

12 95 JULY 20

Changing work for the better Wherever she’s worked within Nationwide over the past 23 years, new National Executive Officer Jackie Lewchenko has always tried make a difference.

J

ackie Lewchenko’s desire to help change things for the better was what drove her decision last year to become a union rep for the Risk Community, where she has been operations manager for the past four years.

“I’ve always strived to make a difference at work, whatever I did, so when I saw the vacancy for the rep, I just thought it was a great way of extending what I was already doing at the time,” she says.

Jackie has enjoyed helping people who come to her with work problems. “They might come to you in tears but by the end of the conversation they feel like they’ve been listened to and something might be able to be done – you can see the difference you make,” she says.

But being a rep also means having the chance to change working life for large groups of people as well as just individuals, she points out.

“It was a rep who brought the idea of a six-week sabbatical for

If you would like to contact a member of the NEC, you can email ngsu@ ngsu.org.uk or call 01295 710767 to arrange for them to contact you.

“I’m really interested in the strategy side of things and being able to shape how the union is run” people who have worked at the Society for 25 years to conference a couple of years ago and now that’s been agreed, which I think is amazing. Being a rep, you can change conditions for everyone at Nationwide – it’s more powerful than I realised when I started,” she says.

Now Jackie has an even bigger chance to change things for the better since taking over one of the vacant seats on the National Executive Committee (NEC) in May. “I’m really interested in the strategy side of things and being able to shape how the union is run,” she says.

IT’S YOUR

UNION

equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) committee, most recently designing a recruitment toolkit to help managers develop a more diverse workforce that better represents their local communities (the toolkit proved so successful that it is now being rolled out Society-wide).

With the impact of Covid-19 set to create massive challenges both for the Society, for the union and for NGSU members in the months ahead, Jackie is keen to roll up her sleeves and help in any way she can in both her union roles.

“I like a challenge and always work best when there’s an issue that needs addressing,” she says.

“So I’m looking forward to making things better: if I can make a change at Nationwide through the union then that’s my job done.”

As well as offering a fresh pair of eyes on all the issues likely to reach the NEC over the coming months, Jackie is keen to contribute in two areas she passionately cares about: mental health and equality and diversity.

Improving people’s understanding of mental health issues has been close to her heart since losing someone to suicide whom she believes would be here today if there was less stigma about discussing mental health issues, especially among men.

That’s why she and two of her colleagues recently became qualified Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), so that all 850 people in the Risk community know who to approach if they are struggling with anxiety, depression or stress.

Jackie has also been playing an active role on the Risk Community’s

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC)?

The National Executive Committee (NEC) is made up of the General Secretary, President, 10 National Regional Officers and nine National Executive Officers.

The NEC is responsible for implementing the policies agreed at the union’s National Conference and representing the views of members expressed at Regional Council Meetings.

NEC members are elected for a two-year term of office, unless they are elected to fill a vacancy, in which case their term will be shorter. The one exception is the General Secretary, since that is a full-time post held for a five-year term of office.

In the event of more than one nomination being received for the individual posts (or more than nine nominations for the Executive Officer positions), an election will be held.

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New National Regional Officer Casey Sherwood wants to be the voice of his members on the National Executive Committee (NEC)

Speaking up for the members

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aving the support of the NGSU throughout a long and difficult grievance procedure in his previous role at Nationwide House convinced Casey Sherwood to put himself forward as a union rep a couple of years ago.

“I went through an awful grievance process as a result of discrimination that led me to being put on the redeployment register but the union supported me through all that time,” he recalls.

“I was having a conversation with my Individual Cases Officer (ICO) saying I’d like to get more involved in the union and luckily that was around the time the elections were due, so I put myself forward and that’s how I ended up as a rep.”

Now working in Complaints Policy Change & Governance at Optimus House, where he has continued as a rep, Casey has helped speed up the grievance process and improve redeployment procedures by tabling

ACAS advice: https:// bit.ly/3eBC0xk

successful motions on both issues at last year’s NGSU National Conference.

“It’s great to hear that other members going through grievances are having the process work much better now,” he says.

He also proposed a third successful motion calling for central coordination of all disability-related reasonable adjustments to help the Society more efficiently meet its responsibilities under the 2010 Equality Act. It’s an issue Casey had personal experience of when he first started at Nationwide and it took more than a year to implement the workplace adjustments needed to support his dyslexia. “They were quick at getting my assessment done: it was implementing the adjustments that took so long, which was what convinced me I

“It’s great to hear that other members going through grievances are having the process work much better now”

IT’S YOUR

UNION

should join the union,” he recalls.

Casey had already been thinking about putting himself forward as National Regional Officer for Swindon & London Admin Centres (Relationships & Distribution) when the opportunity to take on the role arose earlier than expected.

“I’d felt our region was missing out. as we weren’t getting that much cascaded down to us, which I wanted to change. And I’d started to notice that a few of the other reps were coming to me with questions, which made me think I should be looking at the role,” he explains.

Casey has already taken part in his first Regional Council meeting as Regional Officer – a virtual gathering on Microsoft Teams that was chaired

by President Bev Cubbon (Casey will be chairing the next one himself).

As well as sharing some of his experiences to help other reps in the region, Casey also raised some of his key concerns, including how to change the way NGSU members think about their union – one of his top priorities for his tenure on the National Executive Committee (NEC).

“One of the things I’m interested in doing is shaping how the union is perceived by members,” he says.

“When I started at Nationwide, I didn’t join immediately because one of the things that put me off was the perception that it’s not something for young people – I disagree, but that’s the perception. We need to say, ‘This is who we are’ and get our profile out there a bit more.”

Now he has a seat on the NEC as a Regional Officer, he’s also keen to use the knowledge he acquired as a member of the Society’s Enable Committee for the past two years.

“I learned loads, it was a great

WHAT ARE REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS? A reasonable adjustment is a change made by an employer to remove or reduce the effect of an employee’s disability so they can do their job.

Employers must consider making reasonable adjustments when: l they know, or could be expected to know, an employee or job applicant has a disability l an employee or job applicant with a disability asks for adjustments l an employee with a disability is having difficulty with any part of their job l an employee’s absence record, sickness record or delay in returning to work is because of, or linked to, their disability.

Nationwide Disability and Reasonable Adjustments – Manager Mini Guide: https:// bit.ly/2NYVkKe

experience, I went to some great sessions and I represented Nationwide collecting an award for some of the work they’ve done on disability. But I think the union is a better place to put my energy into on equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I),” he says.

For Casey, the key issue is to represent his members on the NEC. “The way I look at it is that I’m voice of the members,” he says. “We’re there to say, ‘This is what our members want.’ Of course, whether they can get it, that’s a different question, but it’s our job to challenge for it.”

The fallout from Covid-19 means the NEC is all set to be a challenging place to be over the coming months but Casey is ready for what’s coming.

“I look at it as an opportunity, to be honest. It’s going to be a very testing time for the union and for the Society and it’s going to be difficult to get some things over the line given the constraints the organisation is facing,” he forecasts. “It’s really going to be all about working together.”

16 95 JULY 20

SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FULL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SUMMARY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS (GENERAL AND CHARITABLE FUNDS) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2019

2019 2018

£’000 £’000

Subscriptions Other income Charitable donations received Unrealised (loss) on investments

1,339 121 1 (2)

1,326 127 (11)

Total income

1,459

1,442

Total expenditure

(1,438) (1,385)

Surplus for the year Accumulated surplus brought forward Accumulated surplus carried forward

21

57

1,475 1,496

1,475 1,475

SUMMARY OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS PROVIDED

2019 2018

£’000 £’000

Fixed assets Debtors and prepayments Cash at bank Creditors and accruals

1,194 31 396 (125)

1,095 28 500 (148)

1,496

1,475

Income and Expenditure account Charitable Fund

1,490 6

1,468 7

1,496

1,475

ANALYSIS OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2019 Services to members 74% Meeting expenses 7% Administration expenses 10% Premises and equipment costs 9%

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The members of the National Executive Committee do not receive any salary from the Union or any benefits. All members of the National Executive Committee are reimbursed for any expenditure incurred by them in the performance of their duties on behalf of the Union, as are the General Secretary and the President.

The Union is required to issue this financial statement to Members under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (Amended) Year ended 31 December 2019. A copy of the full financial statements is available on the Union’s website in the members’ only area. If you would like a copy you can also write to Tim Rose at Middleton Cheney.

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Premises & equipment costs 9%

Details Amount Salary £137,664 Pension Contributions £20,650 (The Union makes contributions of 15% of salary on behalf of all staff) Car and other allowances £10,175

n tio tra nis s 10% mi Ad ense exp

Name Position T R Poil General

Secretary

SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2019

%

Services to members 74%

accounts STATUTORY IRREGULARITY STATEMENT We are required by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (Amended) to include the following declaration in this statement to all members.

The wording is as prescribed by the Act. The irregularity statement, the exact wording which is reproduced below: “A member who is concerned that some irregularity may be occurring, or have occurred, in the conduct of the financial affairs of the union may take steps with a view to investigating further, obtaining clarification and, if necessary, securing regularisation of that conduct. The member may raise any such concerns with such one or more of the following as it seems appropriate to raise it with: the officials of the union, the trustees of the property of the union, the auditor or auditors of the union, the Certification Officer (who is an independent officer appointed by the Secretary of State) and the police. Where a member believes that the financial affairs of the union have been or are being conducted in breach of the law or in breach of rules of the union and contemplates bringing civil proceedings against the union or responsible officials or trustees, he should consider obtaining independent legal advice.”

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Set out below is the report of the independent auditors to the members as contained in the accounts of the Union for the year ended 31 December 2019: Opinion We have audited the financial statements of the Nationwide Group Staff Union [“The Union”] for the year ended 31 December 2019 which comprise the Income and Expenditure account, the Statement of Comprehensive Income, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Changes in Equity, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of the significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements: • Give a true and fair view of the state of the Union’s affairs as at 31 December 2019 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended; and • Have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Union in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to the audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISA’s (UK) require us to report to you where: • The National Executive Committee’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or • The National Executive Committee has not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the Union’s ability to continue to adopt a going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Other information The National Executive Committee is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditors report thereon. Our opinion of the financial

statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise expect illicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (Amended) requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: • A satisfactory system of control over transactions has not been maintained; or • The Union has not kept proper accounting records; or • The financial statements are not in agreement with the books of account; or • We have not received all the information and explanations we need for our audit.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Responsibilities of the National Executive Committee As explained more fully in the Statement of Responsibilities of the National Executive Committee, the National Executive Committee is responsible for the preparation of financial statements and being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the National Executive Committee determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the National Executive Committee is responsible for assessing the Union’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the National Executive Committee either intends to liquidate the Union or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in according with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are consider material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.

This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report to the members of The Union This report is made solely to the Union’s members, as a body. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Union’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Union and the Union’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

H W FISHER & COMPANY Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditor Dated: 14 July 2020

Acre House 11 – 15 William Road London NW1 3ER United Kingdom

Peace of Mind

WITH THE NGSU TRAVEL CLUB

Since the World was hit by this terrible virus, your NGSU Travel Club has been working hard to support all the NGSU Members who had bookings with us.

KEEPING YOU UPDATED

TRAVEL ADVICE LINE

• •

We take our role as your Travel Club extremely seriously.

In the past we’ve sometimes advised against booking things for Members who’ve had quotes from elsewhere, if we think it will give rise to complaints later – unlike many Operators.

NOW WE CAN HELP YOU PLAN Many of you have had more serious problems to think about than holidays, but we hope the introduction of our new Peace of Mind Guarantee on selected holidays and our continued Travel Advice, will now help you with those difficult travel decisions that lie ahead!

We want Members to recommend us and return to use us again and again! Those same Operators have now been found out by being named and shamed in all the Covid-19 Customer Satisfaction surveys.

In these times of uncertainty, we’ll continue to tell it as we see it! For advice about what’s happening around the World - check-out our website. For advice on your chosen destination – RING OR EMAIL US TODAY!

BENCHMARK T

You can cancel or amend your holiday up to six weeks before your departure date*

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FREE

UP

TO S

New bookings only - selected participating airlines only

PEACE OF

CANCELLATIONS & AMENDMENTS

GUARANTEE

Book your future holiday with complete confidence

VEL RA

IND

OUR GUARANTEE IS YOUR PEACE OF MIND

U IX W ART EEKS BEFORE DEP

RE

• • •

We got everybody back to the UK safely.

We’ve got Covid-19 updates on the NGSU Travel Club website.

We’ve answered calls and emails promptly!

We’ve been obtaining refunds or credit vouchers.

Re-booked many Members for late 2020 & 2021.

£49pp low deposit with monthly direct debit available

PEACE OF MIND GUARANTEE

OUR CURRENT TIPS INCLUDE:

Benchmark Travel who operate the NGSU Travel Club on behalf of NGSU have now introduced their Peace of Mind Guarantee on selected tailor-made holidays! Make the most of free cancellations and amendments up to six weeks before your departure date!*

1.

Ask about your ‘Benchmark Travel Peace of Mind Guarantee’ when you ring to book your next holiday through the NGSU Travel Club; The criteria to qualify for the Peace of Mind Guarantee are as follows: New bookings made on selected tailor-made holidays travelling in Winter 2020/21 and Summer 2021 That’s not all - On those same selected holidays you could pay just £49pp low deposit and then pay the rest by monthly direct debit!*

Don’t forget your Union secured important agreements to enable you to book your 2021 holidays now! *Terms and conditions apply

BEWARE of booking a NEW FLIGHT ONLY with either the low cost or schedule airlines! Most of the current refund problems have been with flight only bookings.

2. INSTEAD let us turn it into a PACKAGE and get you an ATOL certificate and greater safeguards.

(We can change a flight only into a package with a minimum of 3 nights hotel or car hire).

Want a normal package holiday? We guarantee to beat all 2020/21 Jet2holiday PRICES! 3.

DO BEWARE of on-line Companies who let you book a cheap flight with a cheap hotel, give you a cheap price and have now come unstuck with their cheap service – DON’T become one of their next victims!

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL THROUGH YOUR NGSU TRAVEL CLUB! T: 01422 847 847 E: enquiries@benchmarktravel.co.uk W: www.ngsutravelclub.co.uk

WIN BIG WITH OUR MONTHLY PRIZE DRAW!

You could win thousands of pounds by entering the union’s monthly draw – just as Mand Townsend from Birkenhead branch did in July, when her draw number was picked first out of the hat by our President Bev Cubbon.

With around 30,000 draw entries a month, the odds are much better than the National Lottery! Each entry costs just £1 and you can enter up to 10 time each month.

Every month 75 per cent of the draw pool is returned to members as prizes and 25 per cent is retained to help meet the running costs of the union and keep our subscriptions low for members.

To enter, or to increase your number of chances, please complete and return an NGSU Monthly Draw Form, which you can download from: https://bit.ly/3gwoRXO

rapport July 2020

Editorial board Bev Cubbon (President), Rob Goldspink (Assistant General Secretary) Editorial Martin Moriarty martinmoriarty@mac.com Design & production The Design Mill www.the-design-mill.co.uk Printed in the UK Banbury Litho www.banburylitho.co.uk

You can find out if you have won on the NGSU website: https://ngsu.org.uk/draw-results-2020/

THE NATURAL CHOICE

At Nationwide Group Staff Union we care about sustainability.

Therefore, we choose to produce this publication using only the most sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

Paper has been the preferred communications medium for 2,000 years. Even in today’s digital world, it continues to be highly effective and, produced, used and disposed of responsibly, is inherently sustainable.

We thought you might like to know a few facts about the paper industry: European forests have been growing by over 1,500 football pitches every day. These forests supply over 90% of the wood used by the European paper industry.

Paper is one of the most recycled products in the world.

In Europe, we recycle 72% of the paper we use.

This publication has been printed using vegetable-based inks on a Low Energy (LED) press. The paper carries FSC accreditation (Forestry Stewardship Council) and is TCF (Totally Chlorine Free). The poly used to carry the Rapport is made from potato starch which is 100% compostable.

The potatoes are sourced from the food industry waste stock.

NGSU Commission Rebate Scheme Insurance providers pay us commission for arranging your insurance policy. Due to our unique relationship with NGSU, we are delighted to be able to give you an exclusive 50% commission rebate.

Receive an exclusive 50% rebate of all insurance commission

Get your commission rebate in four easy steps:

1

Request your quotes online It takes three minutes to send us a quote online: www.ifswp.co.uk/ngsu We offer quotes on a range of products including: Life cover/mortgage protection Income protection Critical illness Redundancy cover

2

Receive your quotes by email Check your quotes and estimated commission rebate for each policy. Just reply to let us know which quote you have chosen.

£501

the average rebate to members in 2018

3

Complete application pack Paperwork is emailed to you with easy instructions to follow. This includes a medical questionnaire.

4

Submission and Commission Rebate We will submit your application to the insurer for underwriting. Once accepted, your Commission Rebate will be paid to NGSU three months after your policy start date.

Case Study: Sarah & John takes out a Legal & General Life with Critical Illness plan to protect their £150,000 mortgage. Monthly premium of £62 and they received an exclusive commission rebate of £670!

IFSWP and NGSU Commission Rebate Scheme are trading styles of IFS Wealth & Pensions Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference No. 713063. The NGSU Commission Rebate Scheme is a non-advised service.

Call: 020 8610 9811 Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm