It’s been a busy couple of months for the BOSTU Executive board. In September I attended the annual TUC Congress held in my beautiful birthplace, Liverpool. Congress performs two key roles; it receives the Report of the work of the General Council over the previous 12 months and it sets policy for the next year.

All affiliated unions are entitled to be represented.

Alongside myself, both the Northern and Southern Executive board members attended Congress this year so they could be introduced to fellow NHS TU leads.
High on the agenda for the NHS was fair pay, a call for the PRB to be better regulated and protection of the right to strike.

I also attended the NHS TU Leads away days held in hometown Eastbourne. Each year the NHS TU leads meet to discuss what has happened in the previous 12 months and what needs to be focused on in the next 12 months.  We took the time to discuss the NHS TU leads constitution and agreed what changes should be made going forward, and high on the agenda were discussions surrounding the 2024-25 pay deal, it was proposed by BOSTU for the 24-25 deal to be a collective response from all the health Trade unions with our priorities being:

• a claim for pay restoration with specified percentages.
• a review of the PRB and its processes.
• a review of Band 7 to Band 8 a progression.
• a consideration of a multi-year pay deal which would enable stability for our members in the current economic state.

I had the absolute joy of meeting this year’s intake to Glasgow university when I recently delivered them a lecture on professional standards. They have had a record intake of 28 students this year, and I wish them all success in their studies.

Soon I will be making my annual trip to all 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 out on the journey of their careers as new graduates. 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 and the benefits of being a member of BIOS.

Upcoming training for our local TU reps on ‘Member representation’ will be face to face in each region and facilitated by myself and the Executive board. Please look out on the website for the upcoming dates.

Also please look out for the new BOSTU Newsletter that will hit your inbox later in the year, the first edition will be ‘meet the BOSTU team’ and explain their role and journey, it will also introduce all the different roles available for you if you wish to be involved in BOSTU.

We still have vacancies available, both at Executive board level and at a regional level for anyone wishing to expand their horizons and learn more about the TU at a higher level, and later in the year we shall be advertising an Early career Executive board role which will give an Orthoptist graduated in the last 5 years, the opportunity to be involved in the Union at a national level. Trade union negotiations and industrial relation work enhances your leadership and management skills which can only benefit your career moving forward. No previous experience is necessary so please look out for the advertisement and apply if you feel this is the role for you.

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.

Sam Aitkenhead
General Secretary BOSTU