Blog: Ensuring apprenticeships meet the high standards our union expects

This week marks National Apprenticeship Week, an opportunity to recognise and support good quality apprenticeships, whilst fighting for much needed improvements.

This year it’s particularly important to focus on Apprenticeships, following the introduction of the ‘apprentice levy’ and a new training regime for apprentices this year. In order to meet an election commitment to deliver three million apprenticeships, the government introduced a new charge – the apprentice levy – on all employers with a payroll in excess of £3 million a year, which includes a large proportion of public sector employers.

The levy is then earmarked for approved apprenticeship training – either for newly hired apprentices, or for apprenticeships for existing staff. In addition, there’s also a target for public sector bodies (in England) with more than 250 employees, who have a target to employ an average of at least 2.3% of their workforce as new apprentices.

So far the new regime has had a slow start. The number of new apprenticeships is down on last year – the opposite of what was supposed to be achieved by this change. However, as employers continue to make levy payments (which they have to use or lose within 24 months), it seems reasonable to think that apprenticeship numbers will rise.

And that’s where UNISON’s apprenticeship charter comes in.

Launched last year, the charter is a tool to ensure apprenticeships deliver a positive outcome for both apprentices and employers. It spells out both what rights apprentices should have, and what responsibilities employers owe them, with the aim of creating apprenticeships that work for everyone.

Crucially, signatories to the charter are asked to guarantee that apprentices receive the same pay, terms and conditions as anyone else doing a similar job – meaning they’re paid fairly, and existing staff aren’t undercut.

So far several employers have signed our charter – including Hartlepool College and the Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust – and shown their commitment to decent apprenticeship standards. Now, in National Apprenticeship Week, we want to see more employers signing up, and more branches using the charter on as a campaigning tool.

In the years ahead, apprenticeships look likely to become a much bigger part of the world of work, so it’s vital we ensure that employers are delivering apprenticeships that meet the high standards our union expects.

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National Careers Week – the lost art of giving good guidance

UNISON supports the valuable role played by National Careers Week which celebrates the importance of careers advice and education in schools.

The resources it provides help give schools a focus for careers guidance activity at an important stage in the academic calendar to help support young people leaving education.

At a time of high youth unemployment there has never been a bigger need for careers guidance to be promoted and celebrated in education. National Careers Week provides a useful platform to advise and inspire our next generation as they enter the world of work.

UNISON continues to campaign for a world class careers provision that is accessible to everyone, because it is integral to helping young people achieve their ambitions.

UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “Throughout the years, careers services have been cut hugely by the government. As a result, many people are in low-paid jobs missing out on education or learning new skills. Only an effective national careers service can address and reverse this trend.

“It is key that quality careers advice is planned properly and funded adequately as it can help improve social mobility, reduce levels of inactivity through training or education, and also lead to higher wages.

“National Careers Week promotes the importance of good careers education and guidance in schools and colleges.”

Careers services have seen many changes over the years, with budget cuts, restructurings and policy changes.

This has caused job losses, cuts to terms and conditions and the undervaluing of professional qualifications.

UNISON wants to see a universal careers service accessible to people of all ages, delivered by qualified careers professionals and with a stable funding system.

Find out more about careers services

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Redundancy threats stalk northern colleges

The country’s ability to deliver “a world class skills and technical education” is under threat, as further education colleges are announcing hundreds of planned redundancies.

Hull College announced this week that it is seeking the equivalent of 231 full-time redundancies. It currently employs 1,044 people – many of them part-time – in the equivalent of 789 full-time jobs on three campuses in Hull, Goole and Harrogate.

And for those whose jobs survive the proposed 30% cut, management is seeking dismissal and re-engagement on worse terms and conditions.

Also this week, Kirklees College, based in Dewsbury and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, announced plans to cut 67 jobs with a formal 90-day notice under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act (TULRA).

Management had previously backed off plans to cut staff terms and conditions.

Bury College in Greater Manchester is in talks with UNISON and teaching union UCU about proposed voluntary redundancies among both teaching and support staff.

UCU, with UNISON support, has lodged a grievance with the college over concerns that its consultation breaches TULRA.

And in Nottinghamshire, Nottingham College has announced plans to make the equivalent of 62 full-time jobs redundant.

That comes just six months after earlier redundancies, which saw 167 full-time equivalent jobs put at risk following the college’s creation by the merger of Central College Nottingham and New College Nottingham in June last year.

The latest redundancy move also comes just two weeks after the college received the go-ahead for a new £58m campus in central Nottingham.

The college also plans to create 32 jobs, but will only say that some of them “may” go to some of the staff under threat in the latest round of proposals.

UNISON national officer Ruth Levin noted that the latest redundancy announcements across the north of England and midlands come just a month after the Northern Powerhouse Project business group, chaired by former Chancellor George Osborne, called for more investment in education and skills training across the region for FE funding to be devolved.

“UNISON is concerned that an experienced workforce is being forced out at a time when there is increasing focus on ensuring that colleges are able deliver a world class education,” she added.

“With the government needing to fill the skills gaps ahead of Brexit and ensure that productivity increases these cuts are causing serious concern.”

A number of recent “intervention reports” on colleges, from the office of Further Education Commissioner Richard Atkins, have referred to a benchmark of staffing costs being no more than 65% of their income.

Ms Levin said this move to “drive down staffing budgets” is “concerning … when colleges’ greatest asset is their staff”.

Get Help: UNISON information on redundancy

Related news: 2017 Nottingham College redundancies (27 July 2017) 

If you are re facing redundancies at your college, please let us know by emaiing: education@unison.co.uk

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NHS Staff Survey results show that woeful pay has taken its toll, says UNISON

Responding to the publication today (Tuesday) of the NHS Staff Survey UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “It’s clear that wage freezes, and woeful pay rises below the rate of inflation, have taken their toll on NHS staff.

“If this isn’t addressed, the NHS is going to haemorrhage more staff. This not only puts further pressure on the remaining nurses, healthcare assistants and other NHS colleagues, but also ultimately affects patient care and safety.

“Then there’s the continuing shame that over 80,000 people working in the NHS in England earn wages that are below the Living Wage.

“The government has an opportunity to turn this situation around and fund a decent pay settlement for health staff this year.

“It will also come as no surprise to the public to hear that NHS staff are regularly doing unpaid overtime. It’s a disgrace that the government is relying on the good will of overworked staff to prop up the NHS.”

Notes to editors:
– The full results of the NHS Staff Survey 2017 are available here
– Only 31% of staff were satisfied with their level of pay in 2017 (compared to 37% in 2016)
– 58% of staff worked additional unpaid hours in 2017

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National Apprenticeship Week – raising the standard

Apprenticeships can be a wonderful route into employment and provide the opportunity for people to earn while they learn.

And with the new government policy designed to encourage apprenticeships, there should be a lot more of them in the next few years.

UNISON champions and protects thousands of public service apprentices and has been vocal about our concern that the government’s rushed approach could create a ‘wild west’ atmosphere and leave young workers vulnerable to unscrupulous employers.

However, the union has also been clear that it supports high-quality apprenticeships and actively endorses employers that sign up to its Apprenticeship Charter standards.

So, with the spotlight on apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week (5-9 March) , it’s a good time to talk to some apprentices and find out what UNISON is doing to support them.

The Apprenticeship Network

At the Borough of Poole council, an innovative network is providing support and training for apprentices. And with a joint approach from UNISON and the employer HR team, it is now being run by apprentices, for apprentices.

Peter Stratford (pictured top with apprentices Nick Hillman and Freya Kendall) was a union learning rep and the young members’ officer at Poole. At a UNISON learning conference, he tells a packed audience that he started as an apprenticeship sceptic: “It made me think of poor Bert White, the exploited apprentice in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist.”

But he also recognised that union involvement could ensure apprenticeships are the positive introduction to the working world they should be.

Peter felt it would be good to provide the apprentices at Poole with a social learning network. Together with the HR team, and support from the Union Learning Fund, they invited 30 apprentices for a training session and lunch.

“But then it was over to them. We always envisaged it being a network run by apprentices for apprentices – so it’s really Freya and Nick that have made it what it is.”

Freya and Nick’s story

Freya Kendall is 19 years old. She is completing a level 3 business administration apprenticeship focussed on marketing, at Skills and Learning Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.

Nick Hillman is 24 and is on a level 3 apprenticeship in customer service at the Borough of Poole.

“I went to the first meeting and was encouraged to volunteer and take the idea forward,” says Freya.

“I was initially sceptical because I had a lot on my plate. But I’m passionate about learning, so it seemed like a great opportunity.”

Freya, Nick and another apprentice started meeting regularly. They invited the apprentices back for their first apprentice-organised event.

After some ice breakers and team building training, the apprentices discussed what they would like to do next time.

“And that’s when we hit on wellbeing training”, explains Freya.

Both Freya and Nick were pleased that it was the male apprentices who seemed particularly keen on exploring mental health in the workplace.

Their next session focussed on stress triggers and coping mechanisms, and took the apprentices through the five steps for wellbeing. At the end, apprentices could ask the trainer any questions.

“And it was all the men that went up to speak to her,” remarks Nick.

They have future sessions planned on interview training and CV writing. But socialising is very important too, explains Freya.

“We’re keen for it to provide people with a social network, beyond their department. Lots of the staff at Poole are a bit older than most of the apprentices, so it means we’ve got to know people of a similar age, that are facing similar issues.

“Also it’s somewhere you can seek support and advice, if you’re not always comfortable speaking to your manager.”

Apprentices at Poole now have a support network – thanks to Freya, Nick and the joined-up work of a UNISON activist and a HR team.

UNISON’s Apprenticeship Charter

Southport and Ormskirsk Hospital. UNISON branch secretary John Flannery, pprentice computer services manager in pharmacy Simon Bunting and UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea after the trust signed UNISON’s Apprenticeship Charter last year
Photo: Martin Birchall

Freya and Nick show that good apprenticeships are possible. They are learning on the job, they’re paid the living wage, they are valued and supported by their employer and provided with opportunities to equip them to enter a fulfilling career with confidence.

Unfortunately, many apprentices are not so respected. Unscrupulous employers can exploit apprentices as a cheap labour force.

Because of this, UNISON has created a National Apprenticeship Charter that provides a practical bargaining tool and commits employers to high apprenticeship standards.

The charter outlines the rights of apprentices and responsibilities of employers – including formal training, payment at the rate for the job and a job offer on completion.

UNISON endorses and supports employer apprentice schemes that commit to UNISON’s charter standards.

Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust and Hartlepool College of Further Education are early adopters and celebrated their signing with managers, apprentices and branch reps.

Find out more about UNISON and apprentices

Download the UNISON Apprenticeship Charter

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Privatising overnight supervision in probation hostels risks public safety

UNISON has warned today (Monday) that the privatisation of night time supervision in probation hostels is compromising public safety.

UNISON believes there are considerable risks involved with the outsourcing of probation hostel staff. It has raised concerns over the calibre, training and vetting of private sector staff who will now be looking after hostel residents requiring close and skilled supervision.

Until last month the National Probation Service ran night time supervision in probation hostels. But as a result of the service being privatised, half the night staff have now moved to private companies Sodexo and OCS. They began co-running night supervision last Thursday (1 March).

Justice Secretary David Gauke MP confirmed to UNISON last week that the private companies will be allowed to employ unvetted staff for the first two months of the contract.

Recent figures from HM Inspectorate of Probation show that more than one in ten of recalls to prison nationally were from probation hostel residents, with 2,962 sent back behind bars for breaching the terms of their prison licence in 2015/2016.

The National Probation Service runs 88 hostels in England and Wales, providing over 2,000 two residential bed spaces for offenders in the community and housing mainly high-risk residents.

Most of the residents in these hostels have served prison sentences murder, violent crimes, or sex, gang or terrorism-related offences. They are sent to hostels after serving a prison sentence as part of their supervision and rehabilitation, because no other type of accommodation is suitable for them.

UNISON national officer for police and justice Ben Priestley said: “Probation hostels are meant to add to public safety, not diminish it. Until now, hostels were staffed by highly skilled, and well-trained professionals.

“Allowing employees who are potentially neither trained nor vetted to look after high risk ex-offenders is placing probation staff, other hostel residents and the communities in which the hostels are located at risk.

“Hostels look like ordinary houses in ordinary streets so the safeguards required are high. People stay there after prison because they continue to present a high risk of harm to the public and require skilled supervision.

“With this dangerous experiment, ministers are gambling with public safety.”

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad T:0207 121 5255 M:07508 080383 E: F.ayad@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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‘It’s a disgrace that housing workers live in worse conditions than those they are trying to house’

“It is a disgrace that housing association workers are living in worse conditions than the people they are trying to house.“

That was UNISON community service group executive speaker John Gray quoting a housing association chief executive at the annual conference of community delegates in Southport this weekend.

He was speaking as delegates debated a motion noting that “years of below-inflation pay rises and massive increase in rents and property prices means that many housing association and voluntary workers live in privately rented shared, damp, expensive, overcrowded and insecure homes.”

Like many who provide public services, housing association and voluntary-sector workers find themselves spending most of their wages on rent and travel, leaving nothing over to save for a better home.

It is time for community, voluntary and housing association staff to be recognised as key workers, when it comes to getting access to “affordable housing,”, declared Mr Gray.

Conference agreed, and called for a campaign and called for a campaign to “provide safe, secure and affordable homes for them” alongside working for extra funding for the sector, and better wages.

But delegates recognised also that “affordable housing” doesn’t necessarily match the description on the tin.

In particular, “affordable rent” isn’t something that’s calculated by looking at real incomes and working out what would be a reasonable housing cost.

It is defined as 80% of market rents. And market rents are calculated essentially by asking estate agents: “How much could we rent this home for on the private market?”

But housing is more than a simple market calculation ­– especially when the market is one where private landlords are trying to maximise their income in the midst of a housing shortage.

“Access to good quality social housing,” declared Lola Oyewusi from the union’s housing associations branch, “is essential not just to provide shelter, but to good family and social health.”

As delegates debated an emergency motion on the back of a UNISON Greater London report on how the lack of truly affordable housing is driving key public service workers out of the capital, Tony Power of the service group executive told delegates that “the issue of affordable homes is an issue across the coutry”.

And yet, he added, “truly affordable homes are what housing associations were created for.”

UNISON Greater London report: No Place to Live (November 2017)

Press release: Rising housing costs forcing public service workers out of London ( 28 November 2017)

 

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