As Branch Secretary, Andrea leads, supports and oversees a team of officers, workplace representatives and staff all dedicated to ensuring that Bolton UNISON members across the branch get the support they need.

Andrea is seconded full time to the branch and is the point of contact for officers in Bolton Council. She attends all Local Authority joint consultative meetings and Central Health and Safety Committees.

Andrea is also elected to UNISONs National Executive Committee (NEC) as the Local Government Representative.

Jackie facilitates branch and committee meetings.

This includes

Chairing all meetings of the branch and branch committee, agreeing the agenda for meetings with the secretary and making sure that business is properly conducted in line with union democracy.

Advising branch officers and the branch committee on procedure and rules

Making sure all functions of the branch are carried out

Working closely with the secretary and other officers to provide leadership to the branch

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John is responsible for managing branch finances, including keeping accounts.

John’s main responsibilities include:

 keeping accounts in accordance with the rules, working alongside the Branch Administrative Staff.

 prepares budgets for defined areas of activities such as welfare, recruitment, campaigning, etc;

 provides reports on the financial position of the branch to the branch committee or branch executive committee;

 provides a detailed financial report for the annual branch meeting(s);

 advises the branch officers and branch committee on matters relating to financial management and appropriate expenditure;

 provides an audited annual return of branch income.

Jayne Clarke: Assistant Branch Secretary

As Assistant Branch Secretary, Jaynes’s role is to deputise in the absence of the Branch Secretary however Jayne works alongside Andrea to

 act as the co-strategic lead officer and co-ordinator within the branch.

 encourages partnership working within the branch committee and the development of new representatives and stewards.

 manages our Administrative branch staff and Branch Organiser in the absence of the Branch Secretary.

 manages the delegation of work to other branch officers and branch staff as appropriate, while providing support and guidance.

 guides the branch’s development by preparing and implementing a branch organisation and development plan in cooperation with the Regional Organiser.

 ensures the representation of members within the branch is in accordance with national guidance and in partnership with regional staff.

 convenes and attends meetings of the branch and branch committees and ensure proper minutes are kept and circulated.

 ensures branch records are kept in a proper manner.

 ensures the branch processes membership applications speedily and accurately and maintains records in accordance with UNISON’s systems;

 ensures there is regular communication with branch members, including news of campaigns, negotiations, issues, branch developments and activities;

 communicates with the wider union, including the region and centre, on behalf of the branch;

 ensures that branch members are aware of opportunities to take part in the activities of the wider union, including self-organisation if appropriate;

 supports, mentors and encourages stewards and reps in the branch on an individual and collective basis; co-ordinating all branch negotiations and industrial relations matters;

 leads the branch committee in making sure that the branch observes the union’s rules, supports UNISON campaigns and works towards achieving UNISON’s objectives.

Julie supports members seeking welfare assistance, ensuring they receive a prompt, supportive and effective response

Julie’s main responsibilities includes

Making sure branch officers, stewards and workplace reps, as well as employers, have regular up-to-date information about There for You (UNISON’s Welfare charity) and its range of services

Liaising and co-ordinating with the UNISON centre and regions to make sure There for You support is provided effectively

Undertaking training and seek advice from There for You were necessary
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Developing and co-ordinating local welfare activity

Developing links with local charities and sources of support such as citizen’s advice bureaus and women’s refuges

Jayne keeps track of the branch’s membership and works to develop recruitment and organising.

Jayne’s main responsibilities includes:

 mapping the branch’s membership to identify membership density and steward coverage – and where there are gaps;

 making sure the branch and union has accurate membership records;

 monitoring the branch’s recruitment and retention rate;

 working with the branch committee and regional organising staff to develop and implement the branch’s organisation and development plan;

 making recommendations to the branch committee on recruitment activities, targets, resources, budgets, etc.

Martin main responsibilities includes

Helping the branch’s recruitment and organising

Makes ensures that centrally and regionally produced publicity, communications and campaign materials are distributed, as appropriate, to stewards, members and non-members

Monitors and liaises with the local and regional media

Martin is the main point of contact for the branch’s publication of Battling For Bolton, he organises the editions and facilities participation of stewards and members to ‘add their story’

Andrea is elected by, and accountable to, the Labour Link section within the branch and is a Labour Party member. This is because the post holder should work to take UNISON policy forward into the party, including being a delegate to the general committee of the party and encouraging joint work and campaigning with the local constituency Labour Party.

She is the key contact point for information about regional and national UNISON Labour Link matters and is responsible for co-ordinating our activities in the branch.

She also represents the interests of Labour Link levy payers on the UNISON branch committee.

The role includes:

 explaining and developing the role of the UNISON Labour Link within the branch and ensuring that correct procedures are followed regarding the rights of Labour Link levy payers;

 acting as the central contact point for information on Labour Link matters from national and regional levels of the union, and from the Labour Party, and circulating it to Labour Link members in the branch,

 convening meetings of members as necessary;

 communicating with Labour Party members within the branch and encouraging individual membership of the Labour Party;

 attending the UNISON branch committee and agreeing appropriate means of promoting UNISON policy in the Labour Party;

 liaising with the Labour Link regional political officer.

 promoting political education and policy discussions;

 strengthening links with Labour locally by ensuring the branch is affiliated to the local Labour Party and electing delegates to attend meetings.

 building campaigning work around key issues and co-ordinating campaigns with the Labour Party in local council, Westminster and Mayoral.

Andy is responsible for promoting health and safety at work functions within members workplaces. Even though employers have clear legal duties to make sure that employment does not cause death, injury or ill-health, health and safety is a trade union issue and not something which can be left to management.

Andy’s main responsibilities include

Vice Chair of Bolton Council Central Health and Safety Committee

Making sure members, safety reps and branch officers are aware of health and safety issues

Co-ordinates the activity of safety reps, and works to ensure that there are enough reps in the workplaces organised by the branch, and convenes regular meetings of safety reps

Organises the information held by the branch on health and safety

Acts as a link between safety reps and other branch reps to make sure that health and safety issues are treated as an integral part of the work of the branch

Reports on health and safety issues at branch meetings, committee meetings and annual meetings

Liaises with relevant branch officers about priorities for health and safety training, campaigns and publicity materials

Keeps contact with the region and regional service groups, for example via the regional health and safety committee and the national health and safety structures

Liaises with the equalities coordinators (s) to make sure that equal opportunities aspects of health and safety issues are taken into account and vice versa

Andrea is responsible for organising and promoting social and political activities and events within the branch throughout the year.

Andrea’s main responsibilities includes:

 establishing a programme of events and activities to serve the extensive range and interests of the branch membership

 to organise appropriate social functions, in line with the branch’s values

 to book events, organise catering, entertainment and travel if appropriate

 to publicise and promote events to members on all media including the website and Facebook page.

 to promote inclusion and participation of all members as far as reasonable

 to manage the budget and costings of activities