BOSTU SUMMARY
It’s been a busy couple of months for the BOSTU board. England, Wales, and Scotland were all surveyed on the Pay offer, Northern Ireland was not surveyed at that time due to uncertainty surrounding funding for the pay deal. Most members chose not to take part in strike action and Scotland decided to accept the revised offer on the table. We as Orthoptists will therefore not be taking part in any planned strike action but you can however show support to those colleagues who are by following our guide previously published. Unions are stronger when they stand together.
In the new year I will be making my annual trip to the Universities to talk with the final year students alongside our New Grad representative Holly. We go to talk to the students about how important it is to be part of BIOS and BOSTU and what we can offer them, especially as they are starting on the journey of the beginning their careers. The students seem to appreciate us taking our time to talk with them. Holly explains to them all the fantastic support they will receive as a new graduate, and I talk them through the trade union and the role of a trade union rep in the workplace. This year we are looking forward to talking to our UCL students for the first time.
This year’s training for reps and Heads of service on Professionalism was very well attended and well received by all. I had some requests to make it available to everyone. The PowerPoint is now available on the TU page of the website for all to view and use within their own departments and we will be adding some further dates for the virtual training later in the year that will be open to everyone.
Next year’s training will include AFC job matching to be delivered in a breakout workshop during the BIOS conference in June by the BOSTU executive board, and then later in the year I will visit all regions to do some face-to-face training on representation of members. Please look out on the website for the dates.
As always, the BOSTU team and I are available for any support you may require regarding your workplace. Please contact one of us by email and we will reply as soon as we are able.
Finally, may I wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday period from myself and the BOSTU Executive board.
Christmas wishes
Sam Aitkenhead
General Secretary BOSTU
