MEET JEAN WARD

I have recently taken on the role of ATL Local Branch Secretary for Halton, and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.
I am a Teaching Assistant at Weston Primary School in Runcorn where I have worked for over 3 years.

Previously I worked in the automotive, publishing and IT industries for over 20 years, most of them at managerial level. As a business manager I was responsible for managing teams of people with diverse backgrounds, skills and needs. This involved dealing with many personnel matters including those of a sensitive and challenging nature. I have also been responsible for ensuring employment law and disciplinary procedures were correctly administered in the workplace.

I believe this experience stands me in good stead to support ATL members in Halton. As Branch Secretary for ATL Halton, I hope to be your first port of call for any questions or concerns that you may have. These may be about any matters that affect your terms and conditions of employment. Please contact me by ‘phone or by e-mail and I will endeavour to answer all calls the same day. Most concerns will be quickly resolved due to ATL’s excellent working relationship with Halton Borough Council. In addition, ATL members are backed up by an excellent legal department at HQ should the need arise.

Should you not wish to contact me regarding any issue you are free to go direct to HQ: this is your right in our union. Please remember that ATL support is only a phone call away.

Contact me on 01928 576495 or e-mail me at halton@atlcheshire.co.uk It is my hope that more people will become active members of ATL Halton, and with your help I hope to move the Halton branch forward.

I look forward to working with you in the future.
Jean Ward
ATL Halton Branch Secretary

JANUARY UPDATE
Since my last update in October I have been very pleased to receive a number of enquiries from ATL Halton members. These have been about employment contracts, bullying at work, stress related absence, workforce remodelling and issues relating to a school in special measures.

In many instances, the enquiries have been made when the situation was at ‘crisis’ point and the member needed urgent advice or support. Of course, ATL is always there to support you in these situations. However, I would encourage you to call about an issue that is becoming a niggle or perhaps you just need to put your mind at rest about a work related issue. Sometimes it’s easier to nip an issue in the bud at an early stage than wait until things become very difficult.

In addition to the help available over the telephone, the ATL national website – www.atl.org.uk - is an excellent source of information, including a selection of publications available free to members. They range from job-sharing to bullying at work and educational visits. You can download them or you can have them delivered to your home address. Please take advantage of these sources of advice, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have a question.

OCTOBER UPDATE
I have attended 3 meeting at Halton Borough Council.

1. 1st Tier Teachers Meeting. Facilities time is being reviewed by the authority. All union representatives will be asked to give details of membership to the authority to allow for a 'fair allocation' of facilities time. From my limited time attending meetings I would argue that all union reps are requested to attend the same meetings, regardless of membership numbers and this should be a factor in deciding how much facilities time to allow.

2. BSF Meeting. It was reported that one of the local high schools is to become an academy. The sponsors have not yet been agreed but will be announced at the next meeting. ATL represents several members of staff at the school, so I will watch this matter with interest.

3. A relaunch of the Halton WAMG. This was led by Ron Skilling from the TDA who explained that the relaunch was necessary to bring the local WAMG into line with the National WAMG Protocol of 2008. It was also felt that the social partners were not regularly represented at previous meetings and this was a concern. I t was also a good opportunity for me to introduce myself to the other social partners and union representatives. I also gained a clearer understanding of the WAMG and of how we might move forward in the future.