Friday 23 October 2015

Latest From Napo 84

This is a shortened version of the latest blog post from Ian Lawrence, Napo General Secretary:-

NO OFFENCE PAUL- BUT THINGS NEED SORTING NOW

Twitter aficionado’s (@ilawrenceL) and Napo web page visitors will hopefully have seen what I said on Tuesday at the conference organised by the excellent ‘NO Offence’ organisation where the star guests included Paul Wilson HM Inspector of Probation.

Paul offered a very interesting insight into his post TR findings and surprise, surprise, they mirrored what you are telling us every day about this unmitigated disaster. I have massive respect for Paul and the work that his team undertakes as they try to bring a rational perspective to what they encounter. But unless I wrote this down incorrectly, the suggestion that he offered to the effect that it (TR) isn’t broken yet, and that a judgement could only be made about the effectiveness of Graylings grandiose social experiment after the next two to three years was frankly, just too much to accept.

You know and I know, that we just don’t have that luxury; and unless things turn around sharpish on ICT, workloads, staff shortages, poor communications between the CRC’s and NPS and the not unimportant matter of actual delivery of the contracts by the CRC owners - especially given the seemingly perpetual ‘advantage’ (rugby analogy) that they are still enjoying, then there will be no way back.

I am delighted that a special debate on TR has been secured in the Commons for next Wednesday at 9:30 (check it out on Parliament TV LIVE) and we are being inundated with requests from MP’s for information and potential questions to be asked of Ministers. As always are happy to oblige, and having read the latest letter from Andrew Selous to the Justice Select Committee about how well TR is bedding in under the circumstances etc. and how the formula for PbR is sound despite less than glowing results from the HMP pilots it ought to be lively.

AGM gives green light to Subs reduction and re-engagement strategy

We are working on a comprehensive mail out to members next week giving more details of what was decided at Eastbourne. Meanwhile, I want to thank everyone who made the effort to get there, along with massive appreciation for your input into the conference and the fringe events. Despite the difficulty in achieving the required quoracy for all of the sessions we got the recommendation to reduce Napo subs through; and this week we have been working on the re-engagement project that I talked about in my address as we seek to encourage all our members to make that switch to Direct Debit and where we intend to meet with you at your workplaces in a way that Napo has never done before.

​​​Napo National Reps

Whilst at Eastbourne we bade farewell to two of our long serving stalwart National Representaives Dave Rogan and Peter Robinson. They desreved the plaudits that were showered upon them. Here is what Jeremy Cameron has subsequently sent me about the role of our National Reps andthe value of being in Napo and I am very happy to reproduce it in full. as further evidec robinson

People join a trade union for a number of reasons. Some are activists, most are not. Some go to branch meetings, most do not. Some read every sentence of union communication, most do not.

Some people even read the disciplinary, capability and health procedures; but they are one in a hundred. Most people read procedures only when they suddenly become affected by them. Then, when they find themselves in trouble, members quite rightly call on the trade union they have been paying their subs to. Everyone who joins the union does so as an insurance policy. It is sometimes said that "I can't afford to join the union". Actually you can't afford not to. When in trouble, you need representation.

Most representations in NAPO are done locally. They are done efficiently and sympathetically by local NAPO post holders and there is no need for national involvement. However, the threshold is whether or not a member is faced with termination of employment: disciplinary, capability or health. If their job is at risk, they must have national representation.

National reps have one insuperable advantage over local reps: they are not local. They are not employed by the people on the other side of the table. "Oh, I didn't know you could say that," is a frequent comment by a member or a local rep. Sometimes things get nasty; sometimes the rep has to give the presenting officer or a witness a hard time. When that person is your manager, your colleague or your friend, it can be impossible to do. You need someone from outside.

It is also inarguable that the outsider is taken more seriously. The national rep may say exactly the same as the local rep but it will have more effect. NAPO has a fearsome reputation in many areas; so have the reps. Where they are unknown, things will very soon change.

Finally, NAPO national reps have the time which local reps don't. They have the experience and they have the skills. Details of the case will be examined mercilessly; so will the management side.

National reps deal almost entirely with people who are in danger of losing their livelihood. Stress levels are enormous. Everyone is in crisis. Reps have to deal with this as well as with the technicalities of the case. In general, they deal with crises sympathetically, empathetically and professionally. They also handle the hearings with skill, experience and expertise. It is almost unheard of for any member to complain about a national rep; very common is a letter of fulsome thanks.

Through national representation you give yourself the best possible chance of survival.

16 comments:

  1. I agree that whereas most members don't attend branch meetings and don't read union communications, they all know of their rights to representation. Waxing lyrical about national reps is part of attracting new joiners, but what are the facts on the ground? Napo should consider publishing some outcomes statistics on national representations, easily anonymised, that would help demonstrate that being in a union make a real difference.

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    1. Hardly its anonymous for their protection. It would be too close to hide even in basic stats.

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    2. To release statistics about disciplinary outcomes would not compromise anyone. To say that out of 20 dismissal hearings, 10 were dismissed and 10 were given final warnings, or whatever, compromises no-one.

      It often seems asking for information meets with a kneejerk reaction of 'No'. It's a shame that unions are exempt from Foi.

      I would say that Deb @ 20.58 more accurately describes the work of local reps, who deserve better than to be patronised.

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    3. Would also be helpful to know how many managers are represented by NAPO in such hearings.

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  2. Very little news from NAPO Cymru. Would be good to know what Working Links are up to

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    1. why ask them there are 3 regions covered by WL

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    2. They have been involved in service design meetings and WL are looking to standardise working in the 3 areas.

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  3. Anyone know how much it costs for missing an isp deadline. My boss emailed out saying our performance can dictate our pay?

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    1. No it cannot . It would a breach to withhold any payments at source in our terms of contract. Tell you manager to grow up.

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    2. we've now started to have a couple of missed ISPs/terminations in our office and they can all be justified, ie 10 day deadlines still being applicable to part timers even they really it means they only have either 8 or7 days to do an ISP against a fulltimers 10 days.

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    3. Or 6 days even if 3 days a week and that doesn't factor in training, IoM meetings or covering other colleagues and other colleague's meetings.

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  4. That and recalls failure to complete

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  5. Perhaps I am being oversensitive, but I am not 100% happy with Jeremy Cameron's piece on National Reps. Whilst I can see what he is trying to achieve, in doing so I feel he has diminished the role of the local Rep to a combination of sympathetic hand-holding and special pleading. For the record (as a Branch Rep) I would like to suggest the following: Local Reps are quite able to 'get nasty' (although that is an unnecessarily emotive description) when handling a local issue. To suggest there are things we 'didnt know we could say' is a bit demeaning. Many local Reps are very qualified - some of us doing it our own time (ie such as the 1 year course - TUC Diploma for Trade Union Reps - Employment Law). We also 'behave professionally' and build up the 'experience' and the 'skills'. We put in hours and hours of our own time - going to Members home to meet and plan, meeting both before and after any Hearings to support, instruct and debrief. We devour our local policies and procedures and hold Managers to account if they dont follow them. We are quite capable of being firm and direct, - occasionally a Manager/ACO may find it hard to separate what is said by the 'Rep' from them as an employee/colleague, but that is the Manager's problem not ours. I 100% accept however, the advantage of the National Rep as an 'unknown quantity' if a matter progresses to requiring their services, but actually most issues dont and are dealt with locally (sickness absence, initial capability and some disciplinary matters to name but a few). I suggest therefore, if NAPO HQ are wanting to drum up membership business it might be better to accentuate the hard work that their local Reps are doing week in, week out up and down the country, rather than make unhelpful comparisons with the National Rep role.
    Deb

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    1. No your not being sensitive I took some annoyance at that . In simple terms the hierarchy of the old guard is an old and worn out illness. National reps are given the cases from branches for may reasons but the key is the dismissal and legal access. Many reps locally do a great job and save napo a fortune. The lack of respect in that commentary deserves no further interest. Get out there perhaps and learn just how skilled the lay reps are is all he needs to understand with review. To use his line of elitism then so we are all clear is the leaving of the most talented Represenative Dave Rogan he has a reputation and a knowledge base NAPO top yet again gaff by letting him go. There will be a few lost cases to come that he would sort yet we are where we don't ought to be seeing him go. All the best to you Dave ! The reps will struggling without him not a doubt about it.

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  6. On an unrelated matter anyone else think the 3e and recent re- tiering excersise is paving way for staff cuts?? Work load waiting strangely enough has gone down significantly since retiring for majority is staff!!!

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    1. Its happened everywhere i guess. Push numbers down and pretend people are less busy

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