Editorial Comment

Our continuing story of the Industrial Relations Act and, in this issue the 0 & M Team report and the account of the proposed amendments to the N.H.S. Superannuation Scheme are examples of activity or legislation which effect us all.

Nobody should worry too much that a letter to The Standard ('our' magazine - with a nod to Mr. Breslin) will bring down the government, but it would be of great interest to find out how you react to such items.

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Social Therapy Review

Perhaps it's better to start on an article with a few complaints rather than ending with them. The reason being, I think, that lots of people read the first half, decide it doesn't apply to them, and miss the important bits at the end. That's probably why some people are still sitting along the walls of the Recreation Hall during the cinema shows. The reasons for not doing so have been listed in a previous article and carry as much weight now as they did when first implemented. It is a fire risk. How can expect our patients to keep this rule when many of us do not adhere to it ourselves? Once again, we ask staff not to sit apart from the main body but to come and join us.

The second issue, is a question of "where have all the flowers gone" or rather the plastic saucers on which we do the flower arrangements? Although we revisit each ward the week after this venue is held we find our stock of saucers sadly depleted, so depleted, in fact, that we haven't any left. We would ask the staff concerned to help us find these trays as we need them desperately. Each one is marked Soc. Therapy, and short of vanishing into thin air I can't think where they might be.

Sports

Tuesday 8th	Winwick v.	Mary Dendy	Rounders
Wednesday 9th	Langho v.	Winwick	"
	Langho v.	Winwick	Cricket
Thursday 10th	Denbigh v.	Winwick	Rounders cancelled
	Denbigh v.	Winwick	Cricket

K. Appleton.

Ref: Mr. Ronald Hankinson

It was with deep regret that we heard of the sudden death, on the 8th August, of Mr. Ronald Hankinson.

Ronnie retired in September 1958, having been a member of the male nursing staff for over 33 years. He was highly respected by both patients and his colleagues. On retirement Mr. Hankinson was a Deputy Charge Nurse.

He was well-known for his work for local charities, was a councillor for a number of years, a founder member of the Hospital Staff Social Club - for which he was Subscription Secretary for many years.

Members of the hospital staff who knew him well, will, I am sure, join together in extending our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Hankinson and the family.

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Having now completed, (what I was told on commencing work here in August 1967, was the initiation period) five years service with the hospital, I thought it would be a pleasant change for someone to say thank you for five very happy years in the hospital service. During this time I have made many new friends; renewed old acquaintances and made new ones. I have also met some people who have not always seen eye to eye with me - especially doing the job I do and I would therefore ask anyone who feels they are not getting the service they should to either contact me or any of my colleagues and come along to see for themselves some of the problems we have to deal with, even sometimes being something of a Psychologist.

In addition, now that the upgrading of the heating system is underway in the doctors' residence upstairs, the banging, drilling and queer smells enveloping the area around the Hall Porters, main entrance and Committee Rooms, have to be experienced to be believed.

Through all this, I and my four colleagues are still giving you the best SERVICE WITH A SMILE.

Your humble telephonist,

Dorothy E. Porter.

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Trade Union News    C.O.H.S.E.

Agreement has been reached by the Ancillary Staffs Council with regard to the implementation of equal pay for female ancillary staff.

As from the beginning of October, 1972, the second stage towards the implementation of full equal pay for female ancillary staff will be introduced. This will mean an increase of 72p per week on all adult women's group rates, except for those grades with narrower differentials with the male rate of pay, such as female Telephonists, whose increase will be 52p per week.

Further details can be obtained from the Branch Secretary, Mr. B. McAuley.

Publications Committee

Health Service Provisions

Proposed amendments to the existing Superannuation Scheme:-

Among the most important changes proposed are:-

1.	Improved arrangements for preserving and improving superannuation rights on changing employment.
2.	Reduction in the amount of service needed to qualify for a pension (including a widow's pension) from ten years to five years.
3.	Abolition of the five year qualifying period for death gratuity.
4.	Pension and lump sum benefits to be based on years and days of service (rather than completed years and half years.)
5.	Benefits based on the 80ths method to be based on final year of service: or, if more advantageous, on best of last three years consecutive service.
6.	Better rates for people retiring through ill-health.
7.	Higher widow's pension (half husbands pension entitlement and additional payments in early months of widowhood.
8.	No reduction of lump-sum retiring allowance payable to married men in respect of service after the operative date.
9.	Improved children's pensions.
10.	Optional membership available to certain employees at present excluded.
11.	Arrangement permitting purchase of added years of service.
12.	Re-employed pensioners enabled to receive benefit of pay increases in post-retirement jobs.
13.	Provision for injury allowances to be improved.

Not unnaturally it is also proposed that contributions should be increased (by 3/4 per cent).

Your Union Representative will be pleased to amplify any doubtful points.

Publications Committee.

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IVS at Rainhill

Thirteen members of the International Voluntary Service, aged between eighteen and twenty-five, are at present spending a fortnight at Rainhill Hospital, assisted by Mr. Charles Gordon, the hospital organiser of voluntary services.

Seven of the workers are from the United Kingdom, three from Italy, two from France and one from Belgium.

During their stay, they will be working with patients within the hospital and also accompanying them on local trips. They will also meet members of the St. Helens branch of the IVS who have for some time been voluntary workers at the hospital.

Publications Committee

Winwick Hospital Fire Brigade

We have a fire service here,
Of that there is no doubt,
You can see them running, every one,
When the siren calls them out.

We know they are efficient,
And always on the ball,
The fire cart is always out.
To answer any call.

But, to read the local press you'd think,
'Twas all a great charade,
All the credit is given by our bonny lads,
To other Fire Brigades.

So give a thought to our fire team,
And let them know that we
Hold each and every one of them
In very high esteem.
That we appreciate their promptness,
And individual charm
Especially round midnight,
when it's just a false alarm.

J.A . Jolley

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Congratulations to Dr. P. M. O'Flanagan on becoming a Foundation Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatry.

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Industrial Relations: Code of Practice

Part VII Employee Representation at the Place of Work

1. Employees need representatives to put forward their collective views to management and to safeguard their interests in consultation and negotiation. It is also an advantage for management to deal with representatives who can speak for their fellow employees.

2. This function is widely carried out by employees who are accredited as union representatives to act on behalf of union members in the establishment where they themselves are employed. The title given to these representatives varies, but the most usual one is shop steward . This is therefore used in the Code.

3. A shop steward has responsibilities both to trade union members in the establishment and to the union organisation outside it, in addition to his responsibilities as an employee. Most shop stewards spend only a part of their time in shop steward duties but their role in the effective conduct of industrial relations at the place of work is always important.

4. Where there are shop stewards; trade unions should:-

a)	provide for their election or appointment
b)	define the manner in which they can be removed from office
c)	specify their powers and duties within the union.

Functions

5. A shop steward's functions at the place of work cover:

a)	trade union matters such as recruitment, maintaining membership and collecting contributions.
b)	industrial relations matters such as handling members grievances; negotiation and consultation.

6. His role varies according to the industrial relations system in which he operates. Agreements at the level of the industry may lay down, or provide guidelines on, some of his functions. Others are best determined in the individual establishment. But all the functions of a shop steward should be clearly defined and those relating to industrial relations agreed between the parties.

7. A shop steward should observe all agreements to which his union is a party and should take all reasonable steps to ensure that those whom he representes also observe them.

Appointment and Qualifications

8. Trade unions and management should seek agreement on:

a)	the number of shop stewards needed in the establishment, including. senior stewards and deputies;
b)	the work groups for which each steward is responsible.

Both will depend on the size and organisation of the establishment and the number of union members employed.

9. Trade unions should decide on any conditions of eligibility for election and appointment such as minimum age and length of service in the establishment. These matters may be the subject of consultation between management and unions.

10. To encourage union members to vote in elections of shop stewards, management should offer the trade union facilities to conduct elections in the establishment and to publicise the dates and details.

11. Trade unions should notify management promptly in writing when shop stewards are appointed and when changes are made.

Status

12. Trade Unions Should:

a)	give their shop stewards written credentials, setting out their powers and duties within the union, including any authority to call for industrial action;
b)	Seek agreement with management on the issue of joint written credentials, setting out the relevant rights and obligations of the stewards and of management.

13. All credentials should state:

a)	the period of office of the shop steward;
b)	the work group he represents.

Co-ordination

14. In an establishment where there are a number of shop stewards of one trade union, they should consider electing a senior steward to co-ordinate their activities.

15. Where more than one union is recognised but each union has only a small number of members the unions should seek to agree on the election of one steward to represent all their members in the establishment.

16. Where there are a number of senior shop stewards of different unions which negotiate jointly, the unions should seek to agree on the election of one of them to co-ordinate their activities in the establishment.

17. In each of these cases trade unions should seek agreement with management on the co-ordinating functions of the steward concerned.

Facilities

18. The facilities needed by shop stewards will depend on their functions. The nature and extent of these facilities should be agreed between trade unions and management. As a minimum they should be given:

a)	time off from the job to the extent reasonably required for their industrial relations functions; permission should be sought from the appropriate manager and should not be unreasonably witheld;
b)	Maintenance of earnings while carrying out these functions.

19. Management should also make available other facilities appropriate to the circumstances. These may include:

a)	lists of new employees;
b)	accommodation for meetings with the employees whom they represent with other stewards and with full-time union officials;
c)	access to a telephone and the provision of notice boards;
c)	the use of office facilities where the volume of the steward's work justifies it.

Training

20. Trade Unions and management should:

a)	review the type of training most appropriate for teh steward's needs and take all reasonable steps to ensure that stewards receive the training they require;
b)	seek to agree on the arrangements for leave from the job to attend training courses, including compensation for loss of earnings;
c)	accept joint responsibility for training in the use of arrangements for communication and consultation and for handling grievances.

21. Each union should ensure that its own shop stewards are adequately informed about its policies and organisation and about the agreements to which it is a party. Management should ensure that the stewards are adequately informed about its objectives and employment policies.

Next week: Part VIII - Grievance and Dispute Procedures.

Publications Committee

(This series is taken from HMSO booklet Industrial Relations: Code of Practice.)

Lead in Payments and Incentive Bonus Schemes

Only recently a ballot was organised by the Hospital Management Committee to ascertain the wishes of the Ancillary Staff regarding the payment of Self-Financing Lead in Payments for all categories of Ancillary Staff. The count of the ballot was carried out in the presence of the trade union officials and management representatives. The results of this ballot for Winwick Hospital have already been printed in last week's edition of The Standard.

As a result of this ballot the payment of "lead in payments" is being negotiated between the trade unions and management and would be paid to those categories of staff who have accepted the implications of lead in payments.

Subject to the availability of 0 & M/Work Study Officers from the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board, arrangements are being made to start investigations into the respective departments as early as possible. These investigations would take the form of a Pilot Study on Participative Management, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Security and conducted by a firm of Management Consultants.

One of the main objectives of "Participative Management" is to create a participative environment in which Ancillary Staff will collaborate fully to implement Interim Bonus Schemes which eventually would be replaced by approved, fully . measured work study schemes. These studies would be carried out with a view to improving efficiency and optimising service to patients.

The Departmental heads and the staff would be kept informed once the dates for these investigations have been finalised.

T.R. Rajput

Congratulations To:

Mr. M.R. Price on passing the Special Examination in Bacteriology to obtain Fellowship of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology.

Miss Elizabeth Jones on passing the City and Guilds Examinations in Catering.

Mrs. E. G. Heaton on obtaining her S.R.N.

Welcome to:

Miss B. Thompson	Cadet
Miss D. Twist	Cadet
Mrs. P. Faulkner	N/A
Mrs. E. Welch	N/A
Mr. K. Summersgill	Staff Nurse.
P. Ward	Painter
W. Nixdorf	Painter
B. Sinnet	Painter
P. Harrison	Painter
H. Baines	Painter

Farewell to:

J. Mollison - Temporary Holiday Employment.

E. Whitty Retiring painter.

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