Welcome to our first reps update e mag

I am really pleased to launch the first monthly Reps update which will now be a monthly publication to all of our brilliant reps. The aim of this is to supplement the  members E-Mag that we are sending out on a quarterly basis, but also share with you some of the tools and initiatives that will help you really deliver for your members as well as the upcoming Industrial Relations calendar and updates on the recent meetings we have had with the bank.

Of particular interest to all reps will be the new Reps Team we have set up, on Microsoft Teams,and while I know it will take a little bit of time to bed in once it is fully adopted by everyone, it will give real transparency around how your members’ concerns can be escalated to the right forum. The teams function will be part of your Area Committee meetings, so if you haven’t received an invite from your NEC member yet, you will soon.

Another piece of good news is that the new Facilities agreement has been approved. This is a historic agreement between Santander UK and Advance Union and really underpins the continued pivot to the new operating model. We appreciate some of you have already expressed interest, and are still looking for Reps to come forward to fill the roles (following training and a selection process) of Caseworker and Regional Organiser. Please get in touch via keith@advance-union.org to register your interest. I would ask all reps to hold tight on sharing this information for the time being, as there is some work going on behind the scenes to engage individual business areas.

Later this month, I with some of my team, will be attending the TUC Congress and will be able to give some updates on the wider TU movement in next month’s update. Those of you who attended our conference will recall that we had the DGS of the TUC, Kate Bell, address delegates and she was very well received and as part of our commitment to the resolutions from the conference, we will continue to explore ways we can support the wider movement.

As I have said, this is the first edition of what will be you regular monthly publication, so please if you have anything that you would particularly want to see in future editions, then please let us know.

Jim