THIS IS THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE WEST MIDLAND PENSIONERS CONVENTION

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1 IN THIS ISSUE Contact Information A New Concessionary Bus Fare in 2018 It s Been a Tough Year Does Your Branch Need More Money? Birmingham Keep Our NHS Public National Pensioners Convention Dignity Code Support the Birmingham Home Care Workers WHATS ON THIS IS THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE WEST MIDLAND PENSIONERS CONVENTION

2 ABOUT US The West Midlands Pensioners Convention is the Regional Organisation of the National Pensioners Convention. Our main objective is to promote the welfare and interests of pensioners, both now and in the future; securing dignity, respect and financial security for all in retirement. We have a number of very active committees, including a Transport Group which holds regular quarterly meetings with Transport for the Midlands (formerly CENTRO). OUR ORGANISATION We have local and Trade Union Branches across our Region. Each Branch is entitled to send delegates to the Regional Council which meets on the second Thursday of each month, at the offices of Birmingham UNISON, 19 th Floor, Maclaren Building from 11a.m. We also welcome applications for membership from non-party political organisations of pensioners and retired people from across our Region. Pensioners can also become individual members. FOR MORE INFORMATION LOCAL BRANCHES About our local branches, Trade Walsall: Andrea Stanton : Union Retired members Wolverhampton: barryhodg@yahoo.com sections and affiliated Halesowen :Tony Whitehouse: organisations CONTACT: Stourbridge: Bob Mitchell: Membership Secretary, Trevor Coventry : Audrey Ross : Eames on or : North Staffs: Owen Sloss : Birmingham solihullratepayers@hotmail.co.uk Kingstanding : Ken Smith: For General enquiries about the East Birmingham: Stan Simpson: B ham/south Central: West Midlands Pensioners Northfield: Mike Whiting: Convention: Solihull: Mike Wragg: Call: Sandwell (West Birmingham): wmpconvention@gmx.com Andrea Stanton: Visit our Website : wmpconvention.weebly.com

3 Long Running West Midland Pensioners Campaign Wins New Year pre-9.30am Concessionary 1 Bus Fares for Pensioner and Disabled Bus Pass Users Launching the New 1 Concessionary Fare at the National Express Central Garage WMPC Transport Group Secretary: Trevor Eames National Express Driver: Riswar Rashid Chair of TfWM Transport Delivery Committee: Councillor Richard Worrall WMPC Campaigns and Press Officer: Andrea Stanton After a long running campaign via the West Midlands Pensioners Convention (WMPC) Transport Consultation Group Forum with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and discussions with National Express West Midlands Managing Director Tom Stables the new Concessionary pre-9.30am 1 Fare was introduced on 2 nd January 2018 for all bus services operated by National Express West Midlands. The present Free Pensioners Bus Pass only operates on weekdays after 9.30am but under the new scheme anyone showing a West Midlands or a National Pensioners Bus Pass can travel at any time prior 9.30am for payment of a 1 Discounted Fare as compared to the single adult fare of Importantly this concession also applies to those with a Disabled Bus Pass. National Express West Midlands operates its bus services into adjoining areas and this concession will apply to all those routes whichever authority issues the Bus Pass. This is a great concession that will benefit the pensioner and disabled members of our community both within the West Midlands and some wider adjoining districts particularly for attending hospital or GP appointments or other activities that require an earlier start. At the WMPC we are keen to encourage greater use of the bus network by pensioners and welcome this move by National Express as the lead bus operator in the West Midlands and will be pressing for other smaller operators to provide a matching facility which some like Diamond already provide. For those pensioners who normally travel by car we hope this 1 Fare will encourage them to ditch the car and save money and parking hassle while helping cut congestion by taking the bus more often in The WMPC Transport Team will continue to meet regularly with Transport Providers to discuss the extension of the concessionary bus pass and other travel issues affecting pensioners and the disabled. Important Note This concession only applies to National Express Bus and other

4 A NEW YEARS MESSAGE In spite of the the long term austerity plans and lack of funding for the public sector imposed by central Government,there have been a dedicated group of people within the West Midlands Pensioners Convention who,during the last twelve months have made every effort to be out and about bringing the issues of the day to the notice of the general public. CAMPAIGNS AND ROAD SHOWS Dignity Action Day was again spent at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.The authorities there have made WMPC very welcome,allowing a table with leaflets and petitions in the Atrium. We also continue to send delegates along to the NHS Trusts quarterly meetings of their Dignity Group. The Cradley Chainmakers festival featured in July,this has been a regular opportunity for WMPC to have a stand and display NPC literature. Again leaflets are handed out and signatures for petitions collected. And ofcourse we joined the annual march and rally with our WMPC Banner. As well as the annual Chainmakers Festival, for the first time the WMPC had a stall at the Kinver Country Fair and were invited to Stratford upon Avon to take part in their first ever 50+ Engagement Festival and Exhibition.We were part of over 70 stalls and exhibitors. During the summer of 2017 the WMPC supported the Birmingham Bin workers with their industrial action,including attending a major rally in Victoria Square,Birmingham. Our Banner was proudly displayed.

5 Whilst it is well understood and a fundamental principle of the National Pensioners Convention that we are a Non-Party Political organisation. As a Campaigning Pensioners organisation, we have a responsibility to ensure that those who would wish to represent us in Parliament or other democratic institutions understand our concerns and objectives as pensioners. During this year s General Election Campaign, as well as ensuring all the major candidates across our Region were aware of the NPC Pensioners Manifesto ; we also held General Election Road Show stalls in Brierly Hill, Nuneaton and Stourbridge. In February the WMPC organised a Mayoral Hustings event at the Central Library in West Bromwich, there was seating for 40 people. All the candidates for the position of the first Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority attended, the session was well attended. After voting day Andy Street was elected as Mayor. This year to remember the 34,000 Excess Winter Deaths in the winter of 2015/16, Candlelit Vigils were held at St Paul s Church in Walsall and St. Peter s in Kinver. THE FUTURE Towards the end of 2017 unfortunately WMPC Regional Secretary Bob Mitchell retired, his home circumstances changed with Bob and Margaret moving to Leicester in the new year. We thank Bob for all his hard work and commitment during his time in office and wish both of them good health and well-being for the future. In 2017 we also lost two of our regions founder members and stalwarts of the NPC nationally when Syd Ashby and Ernie Purkis sadly passed away. Their expertise and enthusiasm will be greatly missed. It has been a tough year, no extra funds from the Government for Social Care after the budget. Major problems in the National Health Service, changes to the State Pension Age, home closures, job cuts. In Birmingham the threat of a 40%cut in the Home Care Service. This report cannot close without taking into account how uncertain the future of G.B. is with all the problems concerning Brexit.

6 DOES YOUR BRANCH NEED MORE MONEY? To run an active vibrant group which will attract new members and retain existing members costs money. Surprisingly even in these difficult times of austerity, funding opportunities are still available. Small amounts can be raised within the branch by holding a small raffle each meeting, selling refreshments and having a box for members to donate their small change. In our own region we have branches who have been very successful in raising sums of money to support their social activities and day to day running costs. Walsall have been granted 2,000 from the Midcounties Co-operative Society to subsidise trips throughout the year. East Birmingham received 800 from Aging Better which paid for their Summer trip. Regions nationally have also received substantial sums from the National Lottery small grants programme to fund various projects. Below are some of the organisations that can be approached for funding: Local supermarkets: Tesco, Asda etc Apply in writing using headed paper Midcounties Co-operative Society on specific dates only. Heart of England Community Foundation When applying for grants in order to be successful specific outcomes should be identified decreasing loneliness and social isolation is currently a focus for funding for organisations. The region also needs money. You can help by becoming an individual member, membership can be paid by direct debit or remembering us in your will. Smaller sums can be raised through Easy fundraising when you shop online. register to support West Midlands Pensioners Convention.

7 BIRMINGHAM HOME CARE WORKERS TAKE INDUSTRIAL ACTION A new council dispute has led to a vote for strike action. The strength of feeling about the proposed working rotas and redundancies for Home Workers has been made known, with an overwhelming majority voting for strike action. Birmingham UNISON Branch Secretary, Caroline Johnson, wrote on December 19 th I am writing to share the details of the ballot result for the home care enablement assistants dispute. We had a 53.9% turnout and a 99% vote for industrial action. The dispute itself is around the working patterns which would see home care workers working long shifts with little time for any non-working life balance. This would force many carers to work three split shifts in a working day. Caroline Johnson said With too little time to return home between shifts, they could be out from home for 15 hours a day. Our Home carers are dedicated to their jobs and the vulnerable clients they work with. They work on 365 days a year, in all weathers and from early morning to late at night. It is this dedication that a cynical management seeks to exploit. Home Care worked Lisa said that due to the public sector pay cap and the loss of weekend overtime she has had to take a second job just to pay the mortgage. The changes mean that I will have to give up one of the jobs and face the stress of facing losing my home. We haven t had a proper pay rise since 2010.I can t afford to strike, but I can t afford not to. It s not just about me, but the service we provide is being destroyed. We all grow old and want a good homecare service to be there if we need it. There would also be 150 redundancies out of a 350 workforce, a cut of 40% in the workforce.

8 Training and Campaigning STPs and ACOs Stop the Transformation Plans Fully Fund Our NHS! In December 2017, Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) Birmingham branch along with Unite the Union Health ran a 'Training the Activists' event at Unite s Regional Office, with the aim of raising awareness and developing practical action against the Government s attempts to cut back on NHS services and privatise big chunks of provision via STPs (Sustainability and Transformation Plans/Partnerships) and ACOs (Accountable Care Organisations) *. The event was attended by 24 people, with inputs from Unite Health, KONP members from Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull on the introduction and implementation of Transformation Plans/Partnerships (STPs) with ample opportunity for discussion from participants on local monitoring and campaigning on these issues, including advice on how to lobby local CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups) and asking questions at their public board meetings in order to hold them to account. The WMPC was well represented along with members of Labour Party branches, Momentum groups and trade unionists and feedback were positive. There is enthusiasm from participants to develop some of the ideas discussed and to start taking practical action to raise awareness with the public and to force the Government nationally and the NHS locally to fund the service properly the real solution to its current difficulties! For example, a number of local Labour Party branch members have agreed involved to follow up the good work that their local council in Sandwell is doing in resisting the STP plans for cuts and privatisation. For the Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group meeting at West Bromwich in January, they have developed questions to ask the Public Board on the issue of possible Walk-In Centre closures in the borough from These are small steps, but the idea is to chip away at the local NHS bureaucrats, while in the meantime working to secure a government for favourable to a publicly accountable, publicly run and publicly funded NHS.

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10 WHAT S ON WMPC REGIONAL COUNCIL FEBRUARY THURSDAY 8 TH Yvonne Washbourne Chair of Midlands TUC Pensioners Network Will address the meeting on the work of the Pensioners Network and plans to celebrate the 10 th Anniversary of the English Concessionary Bus Pass. We will also have representatives of the Striking Birmingham Home Care Workers A.M. TILL 1.00 P.M. BIRMINGHAM UNISON 19 TH FLOOR MACLAREN BUILDING PRIORY QUEENS WAY B4 7LR CWU MIDLAND NO1 BRANCH RETIRED MEMBERS SECTION Next Meeting Thursday 1 st March 1.00 p.m. Britannia Hotel New Street Birmingham B2 4RX Retired members from all arms of BT cordially invited. NOMINATIONS In April delegates at the WMPC Annual General Meeting will be considering nominations for the Officers and Executive Committe for the following twelve months. But please remember nominations should be received from our Branches and Affiliates by Wednesday 28 th February; as should any motions to be considered at the A.G.M. in April. Keep Our NHS Public Birmingham Next Meeting Wednesday 7 th February 7.30 p.m. The Wellington 37 Bennetts Hill B2 ESN For more information e mail : btuchcc@hotmail.com SUPPORT THE BIRMINGHAM HOMECARE WORKERS JOIN THE STRIKE RALLY SATURDAY 20 TH JANUARY P.M. VICTORIA SQUARE RALLY AND LOBBY 1.00 P.M. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6 TH COUNCIL HOUSE VICTORIA SQUARE Send Messages of Support to info@birminghamunison.co.uk