Liverpool students complete Tall Ship Voyage of Achievement

LIVERPOOL Belvedere Academy students Charlotte Oluonye, Francesca Aryeetey Brown, Paige Bowden and Elle Battle-Kennedy, all aged 17, celebrated the finale of the 12th anniversary Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement, funded by the HSBC, when they sailed into Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth this week while manning the yards of Tall Ship Stavros S Niarchos 45 metres above the sea.   They were among a crew of 45 students from 20 schools from across England who set sail from Hartlepool last week for a 10-day voyage which took them across the North Sea to Belgium and then down the English Channel before their arrival in Portsmouth. They described the voyage as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’.   They were specially selected to take part in the voyage by their school, which set the selection criteria. The voyages develop life skills, confidence and team work while on a practical level, they help the students learn first-hand about sailing, geography and weather systems. Over the past 12 years more than 550 young people have taken part in the voyages and a number have returned to work as volunteers for the Tall Ships Youth Trust charity while some have gone on to develop a career within the marine Industry or taken up sailing as a lifelong interest.   Lorraine Thomas, Senior Manager for HSBC Education/Community Investment, said:- “HSBC is delighted to support the Tall Ships Voyage of Achievement for the 12th year. Developing life skills in young people both within and outside traditional education is so important.”  Throughout the Voyage, the students have been mentored by the Tall Ships Youth Trust’s crew, all experienced at carrying out youth work at sea. Tim Law, Operations Director of the Trust, said:- “For the past week, the students have been living in close quarters with each other in a new and challenging environment. They have forged friendships, faced challenges and taken part in new experiences – at the same time developing skills that will stand them in good stead for their future lives.”   Stavros S Niarchos is a 60 metre steel hulled, 2 masted, square-rigged brig, dedicated to youth work at sea for 14 to 25 year olds. The vessel’s 18 sails have a sail area equivalent to the size of 4 tennis courts, and she carries nearly 9 miles of wire and rope!

BENEFITS TO FACILITY TIME FAR OUTWEIGH THE COSTS

THE Cabinet Office’s attack on facility time for union reps in the civil service is an “illogical blow against employment rights” that flies in the face of all evidence, UNISON said.   The consultation launched today by Minister of the Cabinet Office Francis Maude suggests that facility time costs the taxpayer £36 million a year, but research shows that having trained union reps in place actually saves money far in excess of the costs.  Independent research recently carried out for UNISON by NatCen showed that employers value the contribution union reps make to their organisations, and that they are happy to provide facility time to enable prompt, efficient consultations.  By encouraging better communication between employers and employees, earlier intervention in relation to problems, and improved workplace relations, union reps reduce the costs involved in disciplinary, dismissals and subsequent recruitment, and employment tribunals.  UNISON assistant general secretary Karen Jennings said:-  “When all evidence suggests that having trained union reps working with employers actually saves money, this attack on facility time is an illogical and blatantly ideological attack on employment rights. Union reps contribute to overall productivity gains to the economy worth billions of pounds. Beyond this, they save money for employers both by reducing dismissals, and subsequent recruitment costs, and reduce the need for expensive employment tribunals. Public service workers across the board are facing massive job cuts and reorganisations so the need for decent representation and for union reps to work with employers, has never been greater.  This attack on facility time in the civil service, if it goes through, will provide a damaging template that could be replicated across the public sector, and the negative consequences, both for employers and employees, will far outweigh their current costs.”

GMB ballot on Local Government Pension Scheme

"IT is vital that GMB members vote in this ballot, the stronger the message our members send to government the better." said the GMB in a press release to the media. The ballot of hundreds of thousands of GMB members working in for local authorities in England and Wales will receive their ballot papers on the proposed changes to their pensions begins on 23 July 2012. GMB is recommending members vote ‘YES’ to the proposals to ensure a sustainable future for the Local Government Pension Scheme. The result will be known on Friday, 17 August 2012. The proposals are a package and will be voted on as a whole. GMB believes that overall the deal is fair and should be accepted. See details below Note 1. Brain Strutton, GMB National Secretary said:- “GMB has weighed up the pros and cons in the proposals and on balance is recommending members vote to accept them. It is vital that GMB members vote in this ballot, the stronger the message our members send to government the better. Employers and other unions are also consulting on the proposals and it is imperative that GMB members' views are heard loud and clear.”