Magazine for Prospect members • www.prospect.org.uk • Issue 3, July 2013

PROFILE29 JULYCold front hits workers’ rights

Together we’re stronger– recruit a colleague

RETIRED MEMBERS – A letter has been inserted in this Profile telling you about changes to the way you receive your communications. These were agreed by your national com-mittee. Instead of a page in Profile, you will be receiving two dedicated newsletters a year and a special update follow-ing each retired members’ group conference. Meanwhile, information about meetings and other activities will be put on the Prospect website at www.prospect.org.uk/rmg. You can see the names of members who have died by clicking ‘obituaries’ in the left-hand column. To access this part of the website, you will first need to register.

THE DEBATE about union donations to the Labour Party has the potential to cause all unions collateral damage, but it actually illustrates why our non-party political approach is so vital.

I want to reassure members who have just voted to re-mandate our political fund that none of that money goes to political parties through affiliation. We have always made that clear, but some of the reporting on this subject is short on fact, like much other union-related journalism.

Prospect has an enviable record of influence across the political spectrum, focusing on members’ professional and industrial interests. This year we will intervene at each of the three main party conferences through a series of fringe meetings.

In July, the union’s national executive committee also endorsed our forthcoming ‘Prospect pledge’ campaign. This will help to build our campaigning narrative in the run-up to the 2015 election. We will be launching this campaign in the autumn, and are aiming to lobby, brief and meet politicians from all the main UK parties.

We will ask them to pledge to work with us on two key policy areas that arose from our recent strategic review – ‘good work’ and ‘professional women’ – and in relation to conditions in the civil service, energy policy delivery and ethical procurement.

We want the government and opinion formers to take our agenda and policies seriously, based on evidence and the strength of our arguments. Prospect’s political influence must always be honest and transparent.

We know that members want a contemporary union to lobby on their interests, understand their sector or employer and deliver in the workplace. Our job is to meet those aspirations.

It is for other unions to account for their choices, but we are plainly living in times where confidence needs to be restored in the political process and its participants. Anything that looks like paying for influence is untenable.

That said, if we are to have a new politics, then political party funding needs to be addressed more generally, including MPs’ pay and their permitted interests while in parliament.

We are heading into a period of potentially unprecedented political changes within the UK constitution and relations with Europe, as well as a general election in 2015. Prospect will seek to shape that debate in the best interests of members, not those of a single political party.

Prospect General Secretary

Profile magazine profile@prospect.org.uk www.prospect.org.uk

Editors: Marie McGrath and Penny Vevers

Reports: Graham Stewart Katherine Beirne

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Merit, not cash, is the way to influence policy

‘Prospect has an enviable record of influence across the political spectrum, focusing on members’ professional and industrial interests’

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

2 GENERAL SECRETARY

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Alas poor TV, I knew him well...

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INSIDE4 NEWS ROUND-UP8 BT SPORT

BT Television’s Marc Watson on the launch of football and other sports channels

10 UNION EYES / 60 SECONDS

11 TECHNOLOGY Television in the 21st century

13 MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY Scaling Everest and rowing the Channel

14 EQUALITY TUC disability conference; stand up for the Public Sector Equality Duty

15 INTERNATIONAL Visit to a joint Prospect-Oxfam project to improve the lives of women in Nairobi’s slums

16 WAR GRAVES Members looking after the UK’s wartime heritage solve a mystery

18 DEFENCE19 QINETIQ

Support your colleagues in their campaign for a voice at the table

20 NEWS FROM ACROSS OUR INDUSTRIES Energy, transport, heritage and civil service

24 LAW AT WORK Blogs and tweets can give rise to defamation claims; legalease – your questions answered

26 ACCOUNTS 2012 Statement to members for year ending 2012; John Howard obituary

28 VIEWPOINT Members’ letters, emails and texts

30 CROSSWORD & PUZZLES

31 CLASSIFIED ADS

Cover pic by David Tipling: King penguins huddled together in Right Whale Bay, South Georgia

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Prospect photo competitionWIN AN iPAD!

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Prospect • Profile – July 20133CONTENTS

THE HIGHWAYS Agency and Prospect have joined forces to address a growing problem of mental health-related sickness absence among employees.

Forty-two Prospect reps from the agency’s Traffic Management Directorate attended a two-day training course at the union’s headquarters in July as part of the drive to tackle the issue.

For the year to the end of April 2013, there were 30,002 absence days in the agency – 7,163 attributed to mental health issues.

Of these, 21 per cent were in TMD – where staff face the highest risks.

Prospect organiser Sharon Brown said: “The aim of the course was to hear what the agency has done, discuss where further action is needed and raise awareness of the support available.”

She said that the safety critical work of the directorate means that if there is

Women in the frameAs part of Prospect’s work on professional women, the union has commissioned photographs of female members working in male-dominated industries. The images will be used for posters, articles and a 2014 calendar that will be sold to raise money for the union’s new project with Oxfam in Kenya (see p15).

Photographer Leonora Saunders has been commissioned for the project. “Leonora shares our objectives of wanting to raise the profile of women across a range of industries and sectors and open minds about what women can achieve,” said Sue Ferns, Prospect director of communications and research.

■ See: http://bit.ly/guardian_women

TAKE ABSENCE FIGURES WITH A PINCH OF SALTTHE TUC has urged caution over the Confederation of British Industry’s new sickness absence figures released in July.

General secretary Frances

O’Grady said the report made the ‘unfortunate’ claim that one in eight sick days are taken for non-genuine reasons.

But she said the figures were

not based on hard evidence, only the views of managers in an online survey open to all. In fact sickness absence is at an all-time low, she added.

■ Dawn Lakin, a traffic officer for seven years, was photographed for the calendar (story, below right). Only 15 per cent of traffic officers are female

Joint bid to tackle highways stressany hint of unacceptable practice, the individual concerned is immediately suspended from duty while the issue is investigated.

“A suspension expected to last two to three days can go on for weeks, even months, leaving the individual prone to anxiety, stress and possibly depression.”

The unon’s health and safety officer Sarah Page said traffic officers are often first on the scene at a road accident.

“Unlike staff in the emergency services, they find there is little in the way of support for officers who subsequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarly, few measures exist to help staff signed-off with mental health issues back into work.”

She said the cost in human and emotional terms was ‘massive’ and was one of the reasons for reviewing the support offered to staff, including running the course.

■ http://bit.ly/stress_resources

Mental ill-health figuresOF THE 7,163 mental health sickness absences in the Traffic Management Directorate, the causes were broken down into:

● 3,974 for stress ● 1,733 for depression

or depressive disorders ● 840 for anxiety ● 422 for mental

illness disorder ● 161 for emotional

upset ● 33 for psychosis.

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Prospect • Profile – July 2013

NEWS4

APPALLING NEW cuts to workers’ rights are to take effect from 29 July.

The government confirmed this month that workers will be at greater threat of dismissal through ‘protected conversations’, and that compensation in successful unfair dismissal cases will be reduced.

These changes come on top of the introduction of fees to take a case to an employment tribunal – already due to begin that day.

New rules will allow employers to make ‘offers’ for an employee to leave, without going through any disciplinary or performance procedures.

Employees will not be able refer to these ‘protected conversations’ in any subsequent unfair dismissal claims.

Unscrupulous employers could by-pass existing disciplinary or capability procedures, identify who they want to dismiss and make them an offer to leave quietly.

While the worker would not have

Employers must give staff every chance to succeedA Prospect member dismissed by the Home Office in December 2011 won his claim of unfair dismissal in June, with the help of his local union rep, Paul Farr.

Paul gave evidence and provided support to the legal team.

Vaithilingam Mohanarajan was employed for over four years as a senior scientific officer.

He was dismissed for poor performance, despite an occupational health report stating he had been moved to the wrong job a couple of years earlier and was “a fish out of water”.

The employer had been progressing dismissal procedures for poor performance when doctors recommended a change of duties.

Vaithilingam’s line manager moved him to a more suitable job. But the employer refused to halt the dismissal process.

The tribunal in Watford found the dismissal was unfair, largely because the employer had not given Vaithilingam a chance to be properly assessed in the new role.

Counsel for Mr Mohanarajan, Stephen Marsh of Garden Court Chambers, argued that the employers should have allowed him the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities.

PROSPECT HELPS MAKE LIFE SWEETWITH 48 pounds of honey and a successful tribunal case in the bag, life has become better for Prospect member Terry McAuliffe.

The union took up Terry’s case when he was refused an interview for a job he was qualified for.

Terry’s post was cut under one of the many reviews in the Ministry of Defence, and he applied for a job in another government department.

Due to disability, Terry had an agreed work pattern with MOD, including working from home. He had declared the reasonable adjustments and flexible working pattern in place during his later service in the MOD.

Under the guaranteed interview scheme, all he had to do was satisfy the essential criteria.

Despite many qualifications and decades of experience, he was shocked not to be offered an interview. On investigation, Terry

discovered that he had been given a zero mark on his qualifications and experience.

While discussing the post with the other government department, he was directed to a similar post being advertised. But after being denied an interview for the first job, he withdrew his application for the second post.

Terry took early retirement but continued to pursue a tribunal case and was awarded compensation.

Prospect legal officer Linda Sohawon said: “We were delighted

to win this case in respect of the first job and the failure to honour the guaranteed interview scheme.”

Terry said: “The more people realise what their union can do for them the better, because employees have never needed unions more than they do now.”

Now retired, Plymouth-based Terry is focusing on his beekeeping with his wife – they recently extracted their 48th pound of honey from the spring harvest – music, grandchildren and a bit of gliding.

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■ Terry McAuliffe: Now he can enjoy retirement

Government makes it easier for employers to sack workers unfairly

to accept, they may feel they have no choice, said Scovell. “Prospect is appalled at the law seeking to legitimise such bad practice by giving employers additional scope to dismiss workers without proper reason.”

A significant cut in the amount that tribunals can award in unfair dismissal

cases will also come into effect on 29 July.

Currently tribunals can award up to £74,200. Under the new rules the maximum will be the lower of either 52 weeks’ pay or £74,200. Someone earning £25,000 would have their potential compensation cut by two thirds.

As well as introducing fees to bring employment tribunal cases, tribunals will have new powers to strike out cases and award higher costs.

“This onslaught on rights makes 29 July a very sad day for workers and re-emphasises the value of unions to ensure there is someone on your side to fight for fairness,” Scovell said.

“This onslaught on rights makes 29 July a very sad day for workers and re-emphasises the value of unions”

Prospect • Profile – July 2013NEWS 5

WE’RE LOOKING FOR: ● EITHER your best photo of one or more members at work –

whether that’s inside the workplace or out in the field ● OR your best photo of members campaigning outside work

or engaged in a voluntary activity in their local community.The winner will receive an iPad and we’ll also publish our

favourite selection in a special feature in November’s Profile magazine and on the Prospect website.TO ENTER:

● email your image to pictures@prospect.org.uk with the subject line ‘Profile competition’ plus your name

● or post your print to ‘Profile competition’, New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN.

PROSPECT WALES MEMBERS VISIT AUSTERITY BUS STAFF AT the National Library of Wales added their voices during the TUC’s bus tour across the UK in June to highlight the impact of austerity policies.

Rob Phillips (pictured), chair of Prospect’s All Wales Forum and a rep at the library, said members were keen to support the Wales TUC bus when it visited Aberystwyth.

He and other colleagues hopped on board to be filmed talking about the impact on ordinary people. Each wrote on a speech bubble what the cuts meant to them. Rob’s message was: “My neighbours depend on a food bank.”

He said he had always known his home town of Lampeter was not the most affluent, with many residents reliant on public sector jobs.

But the true impact of cutbacks was brought home to him when he

discovered his local church had set up a food bank. “I was astounded and disgusted. So it was good to go on the bus and show exactly how I felt about the cuts.”

Members in the library are also feeling the pinch, said Rob. It is in a region with some of the lowest wages in Wales, so changes to

child and other benefits are biting hard. Members have also endured one of the longest pay freezes in the public sector.

Three buses – from the TUC, Wales TUC and Scottish TUC – toured from 17-29 June. For more information see http://austerityuncovered.org/

One photo per entrant only, please.Digital images must be jpeg format, a maximum of

300dpi and less than 5mb in file size.Please provide a caption – maximum 50 words –

stating where and the photo was taken and identifying individuals in the photo.

Remember to include your contact details, including a telephone number.

Profile photo competitionWIN AN iPAD!To celebrate the redesign of Profile, you are invited to enter Prospect’s photography competition

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

NEWS6

Corrections ● We wrongly reported

(Profile 2/13) that National Trust for Scotland members had voted in favour of industrial action, including a one-day strike. In fact they only supported industrial action short of a strike.

● In Profile 1/13 a photo of Abbie Patterson was used with another NTS story. We are happy to clarify that he no longer works for the NTS.

● Two captions were transposed on the Long Service Awards story (Profile 2/13). Denise McGuire was in fact presenting an award to David Jacobs (British Library) and Clive Scoggins’ presentation was to Erick Hill (Northern Ireland Electricity).

● Finally, Hinkley Point B is still wholly operational and not being decommissioned, as suggested by the picture caption (Profile 2/13).

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Competition terms and conditions – 1: The competition is open to all Prospect members; 2: It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that any images they submit have been taken with the permission of the subject and do not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright of all images entered; 3: Artwork, illustrations, computer-generated or computer-altered images will not be accepted; 4: All entries must be received by the advertised closing date; 5: We take no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete, or that cannot be delivered for any technical or other reason; proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt; 6: We will not return your photograph to you; 7: Copyright in all images submitted remains with the entrant, but each entrant grants Prospect the right to use the image in any format in any of our publications, including our website, without payment; 8: Any personal data submitted by you will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation (more information at http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2006/20427); 9: The prize is as described; it is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative; 10: The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into; English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.

Deadline – 30 September, 2013, with judging to take place in

October

Prospect • Profile – July 2013NEWS 7

PROSPECT HAS won backing across its sectors for a year-long campaign to encourage all branches to have at least one rep under 30 on their committee in time for next year’s national conference in Glasgow in 2014.

Young members received unanimous support when they proposed motions at three of the union’s sector conferences in June – energy supply; communications, media and digital (formerly Connect); and the civil service.

By encouraging young members to be active in their branch, the campaign hopes to energise local organisation and attract more young people to the union. Jenny Tingle, co-ordinator of Prospect’s young professionals network,

said: “When delegates to the sector conferences were asked what had motivated them to become active, the results were interesting.

“The top answer was to ensure colleagues are treated fairly and have a voice in the workplace. In close second was simply ‘because I was asked’. Sometimes it really can be that simple.”

Prospect’s website has the resources to help branches spread the word via local newsletters. Case studies and other materials will be added over time.

■ Visit www.prospect.org.uk/youngreps or follow the campaign at www.facebook.com/ProspectYPN or www.twitter.com/Prospect_YPN

Praise for helping teens into jobsSTAFF WHO provide confidential careers advice to young people in the north-east were proud to win an award for the quality of their service in May.

North Tyneside Youth and Connexions Service was singled out by TUC unionlearn for its ‘invaluable’ help to young people aged 13-19 and those with special needs aged up to 25.

Senior manager Martin Lightfoot (pictured, left) is a Prospect member and union learning rep.

He said: “We want to work with trade unions and community groups to make sure our expertise is used by

people who need the service the most.“The job situation is very difficult at

the moment. The Connexions personal advisers are available to give everyone friendly and informed careers advice or even the chance for them to talk through their ideas.”

Leave early years aloneEven though public pressure has forced a government U-turn on plans to reduce childcare ratios in early years settings this summer, Prospect still has concerns about the status of professionals working in this area.

“The government is pursuing plans to change qualifications from Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) to Early Years Teacher without any evidence that this will benefit service users – children and parents – or increase the status of the profession,” said Prospect negotiator Claire Dent.

Prospect is urging anyone concerned about the changes to write to their MP and tell them why EYPS should continue and highlight the important work being done by these professionals.

■ More details at www.prospect.org.uk/news/id/2013/01003

VOICES FROM YOUR SECTORSDO YOU want to find out what was discussed at your sector’s conference and how delegates voted? Find everything you need at the following links:Civil serviceAgenda: https://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00621Conference decisions: https://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00851PublicEye newsletter: bit.ly/PublicEye2_13Communications, media and digitalAgenda: https://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00784Decisions: https://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00892DigitalEye newsletter: bit.ly/DigitalEye2_13Energy supplySee page 20.

COULD THIS APP HELP YOUR CAREER?ARE YOU at the beginning of your career or considering changing direction?

If so, please tell us if you would like to see a new Prospect app for young professionals, and what you would like from it.

Young members are asked to spare five minutes to complete an anonymous survey by Friday 9 August. You can share your views at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/57QF2R2

The survey asks if it would help to receive advice on your mobile device on issues like:

● routes for developing your career

● managing your finances and debt

● your workplace rights ● pensions. ■ For a paper version of

the questionnaire, or if you have other questions or comments, please contact Pauline Tee, project development worker, on 07834 451785 or email pauline.tee@prospect.org.uk.

Young reps invited to rise to the challenge

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Prospect • Profile – July 2013

8 BT SPORT

BT SPORT will offer three channels, which will include: ● 38 live matches from the Barclays Premier League

– including 18 ‘first picks’ – and games from the FA Cup, Scottish Premier League, UEFA Europa League, French, Brazilian, Italian, US, Australian leagues and the Bundesliga

● 30 live matches a season from the Conference Premier ● English club rugby with exclusive UK rights to top tier

English and French club matches, the Sevens and European matches featuring English clubs

● from 2014 it will be the home of Moto GP ● women’s tennis and football ● UFC martial arts and other exciting content.

■ To see how to access the service visit: www.bt.com/sport/

THERE’S A huge buzz at BT’s headquarters in the city of London. The ‘BT Sport’ logo adorns the entrance. Inside the huge atrium, massive posters of world famous footballers fill the walls.

Good news stories are few and far between in the current economic climate and, says the man in charge, BT Sport is good for jobs, customers and the company.

Marc Watson, the chief executive of BT Television, spoke to Profile about the company’s coup in securing the rights to 38 Premier League matches for the next three years, including 18 first-pick matches, starting this August.

It’s the first time since Sky Sports won its first Premier League rights in 1992 that another rival has had a real look-in.

At home Watson is a staunch supporter of Luton Town. He and his wife Rosina are parents to three little boys – Samuel, seven; Luke, five; and Rafi, two. So are they excited about his latest venture? “Actually they’re complaining about seeing less of me at the moment!” he laughs.

Watson joined BT in 2007 to develop the TV business, with a focus on content. He became CEO of BT Television in 2009.

“We built a new set top box, software and infrastructure for delivering content. Customers can get programmes and channels when they want and to the quality they would expect. Whether you want to watch a box set, movie or a kids’ show, we can deliver it over the internet to the quality that people expect of television.”

Publicly BT has committed £1bn over the next three years to invest in sports rights. Watson says: “If you want to do this you have to do it properly. We are a big business with revenues of around £20bn a year. We’ve invested between £2.5bn and £3bn in rolling out superfast

An open goal for BT Sport?

broadband in the UK. So our investment in sport and TV should be put into that context. It’s a big investment but it’s affordable and strategically the right thing to do.”

There will be three channels: BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and ESPN Sport – BT has bought ESPN’s American and Irish business and is rolling its channels into one.

Watson started his career as a criminal lawyer and then entered the media industry. Before joining BT he was a shareholder and director of media consultancy, Reel Enterprises, where he gained a background in sports rights. Reel advised companies on what to do in the new digital era, helping broker deals and distribute programmes and channels.

“We developed a pretty healthy sports rights business, advising the federations that control sports rights on how to sell them. We represented the Premier League, Scottish Premier League, and sold European media rights to the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2012 Olympics before we even knew they were in London.”

BT is investing £1bn in its new sports channels, which will be free to broadband customers and create hundreds of new jobs. Penny Vevers meets BT Television’s Marc Watson

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38 live matches from the Barclays Premier League

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While BT’s television business is run from its HQ, there are sales operations around the UK, a set-top box development team of software engineers in Belfast and many technology experts at BT’s research centre in Ipswich. Prospect represents managers and professionals in these areas.

In March, BT said more than 400 new sales jobs are being created at contact centres in Accrington, Canterbury, Doncaster, Truro, Warrington, Newcastle, Glasgow and Dundee, with hundreds of other jobs safeguarded.

Cameramen, programme makers and schedulers, producers and directors have all been hired, along with high-profile presenters like Jake Humphrey and Clare Balding (pictured right).

Openreach has just taken on several hundred ex-armed forces personnel under the ‘hire a hero’ scheme to help service customers.

Broadcasting will be from iCITY, the Stratford-based production centre for the Olympics.

BT had 810,000 TV customers in the first quarter of 2013. Watson says he can’t predict how many new customers will be attracted. “That would make life very easy! But we expect our numbers to grow over time, including reaching many who have not have looked at us before.

“While BT Sport will help us grow our TV platform, we are also enabling Sky customers with our broadband package to add BT sport for free.” Sky customers without BT broadband can receive the channels for £12 a month.

The aim is to reach two target audiences – the first is “sports fans who don’t want to miss anything and want access to all the big games, to their team and to sport. The second group like sport – they’ll watch it on terrestrial channels. But they’ve been priced out of the market or don’t want to pay a lot. Typically they’ve also got broadband – it’s an essential part of family life now across the UK.

“We really hope we can go some way towards democratising sport in this country because for many, some of the best sport has been out of reach over the last 20 years. Right now only one in five households has access to key events.”

As part of this wider appeal, “we’ve also invested in women’s football. It’s a great opportunity to reach out into families. More schoolgirls and women are playing football.”

So does he see BT Sport as a direct rival to Sky?“We do compete for broadband, telephone and TV

customers. But we don’t think this is as binary as ‘us or them, there can only be one winner.’ Often the press like to characterise it in that way because it makes a good story.

“We should be able to both compete but also peacefully coexist. We could have withheld our channels from Sky customers but decided not to.”

Watson also believes people will be attracted to the BT brand. “We are well thought of – we’ve just moved back into the UK top ten brands. Everyone has a view on BT.

“We are successful overseas but we are a very British company. This is our home market and we are looking to create some channels with a very British feel – and Irish, too – as we’ll be distributing in Ireland.”

Watson will not be drawn on other plans for future content, but points out BT’s TV service already offers access to around 28,000 programmes.

“It’s early days but I think people are starting to look at us in a different way – certainly it’s helped generate

a positive buzz within the company. But we are not just about sport. In many ways BT Infinity, our broadband product, is more important and we have other products and services and plans to build the business.”

BT will take accessible sport a step further with its Supporters’ Club, a charitable venture. BT Sport customers will be invited to make a monthly donation of £1, £3, or £5 via their BT bill, to be spent by Comic

Relief on providing coaches, mentors and teachers for disadvantaged young people in the UK and abroad.

BT will match the amount donated up to £1m, and donate another £500,000 through various initiatives.

Watson says: “We are investing at grassroots level to drive participation at a time when the economy is tough and the government is doing less at local level.”

Last but not least, how will the project engage with the trade unions? “I don’t deal with them generally but I will say this: we need the contribution of everyone across the business, at all levels. This really is a team effort. So all our people, and the people that represent our people, are important for the success of this project. And if it succeeds it will be good for everybody.”

SPORTING TALENT LINE-UP ● broadcaster Jake Humphrey will anchor Premier League matches; Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand will also join the team; other commentators will include Owen Hargreaves; Steve McManaman; David James; presenters

Ian Darke and Darren Fletcher; Michael Owen; Premier League referee Mark Halsey, and ESPN broadcaster

Ray Stubbs ● journalist and broadcaster Des Kelly will present

a magazine programme ‘Life’s a Pitch’. Clare Balding and Tim Lovejoy will also each present weekly shows, as will Danny Baker and Danny Kelly

● broadcaster Craig Doyle will present rugby coverage, joined by former England captain Lawrence

Dallaglio and other former England internationals ● women’s tennis will be presented by Lynsey

Hipgrave, joined by tennis legend Martina Navratilova.

Prospect • Profile – July 20139BT SPORT

“We really hope we can go some way towards democratising sport in this country because for many, some of the best sport

has been out of reach over the last 20 years. Right now only one in five households has access to key events ”

C1 PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Aggressive foreign cows attacking British ramblers’No, the headline didn’t come from a UKIP press release, but from the Daily Telegraph. Clive Grumett, Sussex area ramblers, said farmers introduced foreign breeds to improve their stock. “However, they discovered these breeds were more aggres-sive after a number of cattle herders were attacked. Dairy cows are used to human interaction because they have to be milked. However, beef cattle are not, so they can be more aggressive.”

Seen and herdBlow me down. Not only do we love talk-ing about the weather, a recent Channel 4 programme revealed how weather drives our herd mentality. When the temperature drops, our appetite increases, our mood alters, our buying habits change and our health suffers in many surprising – and surprisingly precise – ways. Discover more at www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/in-depth/human-swarm

Burger off… Summer wouldn’t be summer without a union eye on barbecues. So here’s a fun one from MP Angela Eagle: “I am told that the Prime Minister will be flipping the posh burgers, while the Cabinet will be dishing them out. That may sound like a rare treat, but there will be trouble if members of the Cabinet do their burgers the same as they do their policy: reconstituted, undercooked and over-garnished. I certainly would not relish them.”

Happy daysThe happiest day of the year was June 20, according to a formula compiled by Cliff Arnall, a psychologist and former tutor at Cardiff University. He worked it out using the equation O + (NxS) + Cpm/T + He. O stands for being outdoors and outdoor activity; N is connection with nature; S is socialisation with neighbours and friends; Cpm stands for childhood positive memo-ries; T is the mean temperature, and He is holiday expected.

Another fine pickleA delegate told Prospect’s civil service sector conference that “Eric Pickles ate

my pension.” And now civil servants at his department, communities and local gov-ernment, are to be given shopping vouch-ers if they come up with innovative and thrifty ideas to cut costs. Given that Pickles has agreed a 10 per cent budget cut for 2015-16, already scrapped 12 quangos and cut departmental staff by 34 per cent, it’s amazing there’s anyone left to ask.

Time please... There can be few employees who have been castigated for not going to the pub enough. But that was the case for Neil Robertson, chief executive, Energy and Utility Skills Council. Mind you, as he told delegates to the energy supply indus-try sector conference recently, he was chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping at the time.

Here’s to you, Mr RobinsonCuts to facility time across the civil service have led to the return of a painting of former union stalwart, Tim Robinson, to New Prospect House. Tim, much loved by all who knew him, died tragically young in 1997. He was chair of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food branch, an NEC member and newsletter edi-tor. Colleagues commissioned Richard Cork, now a PCS rep, to paint a portrait of Tim. The painting, which used to hang in the trade union office of MAFF (now Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has its new home at Prospect’s headquarters. Gone but still not forgotten.

What did you bring to show and tell?Some kids will do anything to get out of school. One year five pupil took a 20cm artil-lery shell into class. The school was evacu-ated and army bomb disposal teams called in. They decided the device posed no danger.

Keys to confidentialityWho said working life has changed since the 1960s? The Russian secret service has come up with the perfect solution to hack-ers… the good, old-fashioned typewriter. The Kremlin’s Federal Guard Service has ordered 20 of this innovative new weapon for its staff in the hope that this will put an end to confidential documents being leaked and its ministers being spied on.

60 SECONDS

LARISSA COLLINS

As an entomologist working on crop protection at the Food and Environment Research Agency, Larissa undertakes research on insect pests, runs aphid monitoring services for various customers in the agricultural sector and manages projects. Recently she took part in a Prospect pilot mentoring programme.

Why did you join Prospect?

Because my mum told me to! I have remained a member of Prospect for lots of reasons: our reps and members really care about our organisation and its success and want it to be the best it can for everyone.

Why did you get involved with the mentoring programme?

I thought it was a great idea and I know how empow-ering mentoring can be from my own experience as a mentee as well as a mentor.

What is involved?

The kick-off was a general networking event. It was important to meet the mentees face-to-face because, due to the distances involved, my future work would be by telephone. My role was to offer non-directive support. This is different from a union rep role. It was important to keep us focused on the mentee’s goals (although these could change during the process).

A mid-pilot workshop included a review of the process, which was a huge source of en-couragement as concrete results were coming out of the project! Some mentees had already found new jobs and study programmes.

What you have got out of it?

I learned a lot about available resources around job searches, CVs, letters and job applications. I learned more about redundancy and about sectors I wasn’t aware of but which are connected to my own. I gained confidence in mentoring by telephone and, of course, I get a lot of satisfaction from encouraging and empowering people.

Why/how you think it could benefit other Prospect members?

The mentees have someone to support them who is focused solely on their goals without any agenda of their own. As a mentor, it’s an opportunity to de-velop communication and mentoring skills. There are also good opportunities to network for both mentor and mentee.

How would you like to see this work develop?

I would like to see a large network of trained men-tors across the country so that more people have access to mentoring and there are more opportuni-ties for networking for everyone.

UNION EYESRemember to keep your eyes peeled and email us if you spot anything Prospect related – profile@prospect.org.uk

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

10 UNIONEYES • 60 SECONDS

LAST AUTUMN, Britain completed the nationwide switchover to digital television. But if you thought that augured a period of calm in the television marketplace, think again.

What we used to call simply ‘the box’ is set to continue transforming how we consume audio-visual content in an age of increasing convergence.

A few facts ● Following digital switchover, some

98.5% of homes in the UK now have digital television: most take Freeview (10.9m) or Freesat (1.1m), while the remainder subscribe to Sky (10.2m) or Virgin (4.2m).

● On average, viewers watch four hours of television a day – a figure that has been stable for some years.

● The five main public service broadcasters and their portfolio channels together attract 73 per cent of total viewing in multichannel homes.

● Most viewing is still live: even in homes with digital video recorders (half of all homes), time-shifted viewing is only 15 per cent of total viewing and half of all time-shifted viewing occurs on the same day as the broadcast.

So what might change over the next decade?Let’s start with platforms.

Although 14.4 million homes currently subscribe to Sky or Virgin, 12 million do not pay for anything except the equipment (Freeview and Freesat). There is not a lot of churn between platforms, not least because so many viewers have a bundled service with television combined with broadband and telephone calls.

The current model could do with a shake-up and BT has valiantly entered the television market through BT Vision, with its initial emphasis on sport and its combination with broadband – see feature, pages 16-17.

Roger Darlington puts us in the picture about how our viewing habits – and the devices we use to watch programmes – are changing

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF TV

Next let’s consider picture quality. We have recently had the switch from analogue to digital and now set manufacturers are pushing both high definition (HD) and 3D. However, it is unclear how much viewers want current versions of enhanced quality. Even those who have HD channels do not always use them and 3D is still seen as something of a novelty.

Meanwhile, ultra HD – four times as good as HD – is about to arrive and could blow away both HD and 3D.

One thing that does matter is the size of your television set. Viewers love large screens and in most households the main screen is becoming larger as well as slimmer.

But many households now have several sets and the one outside the living room – perhaps in the kitchen or bedroom – can be smaller without viewers worrying too much.

Choice and navigation are more

important issues. Multi-channel households already

have a choice of literally hundreds of television channels. The number will continue to increase and connected televisions will eventually provide access to television stations worldwide. This will be especially appealing to immigrant communities or those with an interest in other countries and cultures.

On the one hand, viewers are likely to continue viewing predominantly the public service broadcasting channels, mainly because of the quality of programming but also because of the trusted brand and the shared experience with relatives and friends.

On the other hand, viewers have personal interests and would welcome easier ways of finding content that they like, regardless of channel or country. We are likely to see people using equipment that can make recommendations for viewing; as well as guessing what we would like from previous viewing and automatically recording relevant programmes.

Finally, what about the actual television set? We can now watch television on our desktop, laptop or tablet computer or on our games console or smartphone. Conversely, connected TVs will provide access to a mass of new visual content starting with the huge trove at YouTube. Some people will use their connected TV to browse the web, order things, and do email. This is the long-awaited convergence.

So it may be that over time we stop seeing television as a set or device and view it simply as one function among many on a multi-purpose device. As Hamlet might have put it: “TV or not TV? That is the question.”

“Ultra HD – four times as good as HD – is about to arrive and could blow away both HD and 3D”

■ Roger Darlington is a technology expert – www.rogerdarlington.co.uk

Alas poor TV, I knew him well...

Prospect • Profile – July 201311TECHNOLOGY

AMY TAKES UP CHANNEL ROWING CHALLENGEA YOUNG Prospect member is set to put her strength, stamina and sea legs to the test this summer.

Amy Caton (pictured in training) represents one seventh of Team Oar Inspiring.

All of them are BT employees who plan to row the Channel this August to raise money for the AHOY centre in Deptford, London – a not-for-profit initiative that uses water-based activities to break down social barriers and teach life skills to young people.

The charity also owns a number of

boats that are adapted for use by people with disabilities.

With her crew mates, Amy will battle against the elements, shipping lanes and open waters of the Dover Strait in a gruelling 21-mile row. Team Oar Inspiring has committed to raising £12,000. “BT graduates have developed a reputation for taking on physical challenges for charity so when I heard about this, I wanted to take up the mantle,” said Amy.

“BT gives people three volunteering days a year and I wanted to do something special with mine.

“I contacted a BT colleague and we built up a motley crew of friends and colleagues. People support what we’re doing but I’m haunted by how much training I still need to get in shape. We still have £9,000 of our £12,000 to raise.”

Support Amy at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/oarinspiring

■ www.ahoy.org.uk/what-we-do/

Julia Conybeer, a Prospect rep in Natural England branch, and her sister scaled new heights to take part in research on altitude and the human bodyIN MARCH this year I trekked to Everest base camp with my identical twin sister Becky, as part of a medical research expedition organised by doctors from University College London to investigate how altitude affects the human body. They want to better understand how to treat low blood oxygen in critically ill patients.

Part of the research looked at epigenetics, to determine how genetics and environmental factors influence how the human body copes with low oxygen levels. And for that they needed identical twins.

There were about 400 twin and non-twin volunteers, and the sherpas were tested, too. We were subject to a myriad of weird and wonderful tests,

ranging from saliva swabs, breath tests and blood and urine samples to exercise bike sessions and muscle biopsies.

We spent 23 days in Nepal, trekking to an altitude of more than 17,500ft above sea level. The trek involved a hair-raising plane flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, the most dangerous airport in the world.

The landscape was incredible, walking through the humid, rhododendron-clad Khumbu valley up to the dry, barren, icy peaks nestling around Everest. We stayed at Base Camp for three days, camping on the glacier at night-time temperatures of -15oC, witnessing avalanches and listening to the ice crack beneath us.

Our team suffered typical altitude-sickness symptoms, including severe

headaches, nausea and dizziness, the dry Khumbu cough and snotty noses! I lost any appetite by the time I was half way up. It was so profound I struggled to eat anything during most of the trek – I only made it there and back thanks to my sister’s help, although they did have to put me on a horse on my final day.

We were fortunate not to experience the life-threatening high altitude cerebral edema, brain swelling caused by the lack of oxygen. This affected three people in the group behind us, who had to be helicoptered back to Lukla.

The expedition could not have happened without the amazing sherpas and porters, and their many yaks. They had good working conditions with Jagged Globe, the expedition organiser.

The doctors say it will take them six years to publish all the findings… we wait with interest!

Twins peak for medical research

■ Julia Conybeer: “We were subject to a myriad of weird and wonderful tests”

Prospect • Profile – July 201313MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY

STAND UP FOR EQUALITYTHE GOVERNMENT has its sights on the only law designed to tackle institutional discrimination and make sure public services meet everyone’s needs.

It is reviewing the Public Sector Equality Duty – the legal requirement that all public bodies have ‘due regard’ to equalities in everything they do – and the TUC believes there is everything to be worried about.

The PSED is a legacy of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, which found institutional racism in the police was to blame for the botched investigation into his murder in a racist attack in 1993.

Equality impact assessments have played a vital role in carrying out the duty, even though Prime Minister David Cameron told the CBI last November he was ‘calling time’ on them, and referred to them as an ‘extra tick box’.

Earlier this year, the TUC surveyed unions about how to

respond to the government’s review of the duty, which has only been in place since April 2011.

Ben Moxham, TUC senior equality officer, pointed to successful union initiatives under the duty. One by Prospect helped to develop a ‘diversity dashboard’ with the Ministry of Defence to provide quarterly updates on equality objectives. This has helped narrow the gender pay gap and identify significant gaps in other areas such as race.

He said unions had used the

duty to accommodate disabled workers better during an office refit, prevent lift closures and ensure that they were no longer

over-represented in a redundancy pool.

The duty, part of the Equality Act 2010, came into force in April 2011. It replaced the former race, disability and gender equality duties with a

single duty for eight protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

IN BRIEF■ WOMEN IN STEM –

Why do the numbers of women in STEM decline further up the career ladder and how should government respond? The Commons science & technology committee is holding an inquiry into women in academic STEM careers. Please send comments for inclusion in Prospect’s response to sue.ferns@prospect.org.uk by mid-August. http://bit.ly/women_stem_inquiry

■ LIGHTING THE WAY– This month

marks the 125th anniver-sary of the matchwom-en’s strike. In July 1888, hundreds walked out of an East London match factory in response to bullying and terrible conditions. In just two weeks, the women won better pay and condi-tions and the right to form the largest union of women in the country. www.matchwomensfes-tival.com/#

Help save the duty ■ ask your MP to sign Early Day

Motion 220: www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/220

■ sign and circulate the petition at http://bit.ly/PSEDpetition

■ send tweets with the hashtag: #savetheequalityduty

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

14 EQUALITY

Susan Skene reports from this year’s TUC disability conferenceTHE GOVERNMENT’S divisive campaign to vilify benefits claimants in the media came under attack from more than 200 delegates at the 2013 TUC disability conference in London in May.

Many motions focused on protecting disability rights. Delegates also voted to encourage union members to actively recruit disabled workers and develop a network of disability champions within unions.

Conference pressed the TUC disability committee to campaign against the repeal of equality rights, including third party harassment.

Prospect’s Amy Sycha said these attacks also remove protection for

Disabled have right to jobs, services and respect

disabled workers: in particular, the systematic failure of public authorities to intervene or make the perpetrators face the consequences.

John Swaney called on unions to defend the public sector equality duty, a key tool to get justice for disabled people (see story, below).

Swaney also seconded an FDA motion on attendance management, citing his struggle to persuade his employer to introduce a disability leave clause into its absence management policy.

Richard Fardell introduced a successful Prospect motion calling

■ Prospect’s delegation to the TUC disability conference 2013 (l-r): Richard Fardell, Ian Park, Susan Skene (visitor); Sandie Maile (equality officer); Amy Sycha and John Swaney

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on the disabled workers’ committee to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability.

Prospect’s Sandie Maile spoke about the campaign to get more disabled people in Parliament by allowing MPs to job share.

Delegates welcomed the Disabled People against the Cuts group and joined them in an impromptu demonstration after conference.

Swaney was re-elected to the TUC disabled workers’ committee.

■ Full report: bit.ly/disab_conf13

■ Prospect delegates

to the TUC’s LGBT conference

in London in June

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GREAT NORTH RUN IN AID OF OXFAMMIKE COLLINS is taking part in the Great North Run to raise money for the Prospect-Oxfam project. Mike, who works for English Heritage as the inspector of ancient monuments for Hadrian’s Wall, is also secretary of the branch’s North section.

Mike will be joining 54,000 runners in the world’s biggest half marathon on 15 September. It starts in Newcastle upon Tyne and finishes in South Shields.

“I think that this project is a brilliant example that shows that decent, safe and fairly paid work alleviates poverty,” he said. Donate at: http://tinyurl.com/qycmsbc

‘Day Bug to working with DIGNITY’ is the name of a ground-breaking labour rights project in Nairobi’s slums.

Prospect and Oxfam are working together to address the problems experienced by marginalised vulnerable women – known as Day Bugs – who seek work as casual day cleaners in surrounding homes and industrial parks.

More than 750,000 people live in the Mukuru and Korogocho slums. Conditions are deplorable and rapid urbanisation means the situation is getting worse.

The key challenge for most of the women is not having a secure and consistent income. The average earning for a day’s work ranges from KS150 to KS200 (£1.15 to £1.54). The recommended minimum wage is KS421 (£3.24).

The women do not know how many days’ work they will secure, how much they will be paid or whether they will be paid what is owed them.

We met 16 women who make the daily, two-hour walk from the Mukuru slum to residential and industrial enclaves to try to get work as casual domestic workers. For most, this work is one step away from prostitution and is a last resort to earn a few shillings to support their families.

In most instances, circumstances have forced them into this position. These include: bereavement, abandonment by partners, loss of formal employment, loss of micro

business and promises of jobs in the city which didn’t materialise.

When they do find work, the women encounter:

● sexual harassment ● being locked in homes ● being refused permission to use

toilet facilities or home owners’ crockery

and cutlery (one woman said she was given a dog’s bowl to eat from)

● false accusations by home owners resulting in arrest or not being paid

● long hours ● no equipment/tools ● harassment by public officials.

One woman was dismissed without pay for a month’s work when she had to go into hospital because she went into labour.

The fear of losing potential earnings and their sense of being disempowered means that 60 per cent of the women would “do nothing” if they were abused.

Prospect is working with Oxfam and KUDHEIHA, the union for domestic workers, to:

● equip the women with skills to ensure access to safe reliable income

● provide employment rights training to increase organising capacity and advocate for jobs and decent working conditions

● develop leadership skills and promote participation in local politics to influence delivery of basic services like water, sanitation or street lighting

● support local trade union women’s leadership to deliver development aims.

Other Oxfam projectsThe Oxfam team introduced us to two of their smaller projects – a plastic recycling co-operative owned and run by a group of young people and a biogas ablution centre which uses human waste to produce gas to heat water and provide gas for cooking.

To put this into context, one centre of six toilets and four showers services about 300 dwellings, each dwelling housing one or more families. The bio centres mean pathways are no longer littered with human waste.

■ To donate: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/daybugs

■ Leaflet: http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00747

■ Full report of the visit: http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00879

■ Beverley Hall is Prospect’s international development officer and Anne Douglas is national secretary in Scotland.

HELPING WOMEN TO WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF POVERTY

Dignity on £1.15 a day?Prospect’s Beverley Hall and Anne Douglas visited Kenya in June to hear from people who will benefit from a project to transform the lives of women in Nairobi’s slums

■ Cleaners must wait at

the roadside for the chance of a

day’s work

■ Beverley Hall and Anne Douglas: heard that 60 per cent of the women would be afraid to do anything if abused

Prospect • Profile – July 201315INTERNATIONAL

Prospect • Profi le – July 2013

16 WAR GRAVES

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSIONTHE IMPERIAL War Graves Commission was set up by Royal Charter on 21 May 1917 and renamed the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1960. Its specialists are represented by Prospect.

The CWGC commemorates and cares for graves and memorials at 23,000 locations in over 150 countries worldwide, including those of:

� 1.7m Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in two world wars

� 935,000 identifi ed casualties � 212,000 unidentifi ed individuals � 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died

from enemy action during WWII. Their names are on a roll of honour, near St George’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London

� 40,000 war graves of other nationalities � 25,000 non-war military and civilian graves. � www.cwgc.org.uk

THE VILLAGE of Romanos is close to the sea, north of Pylos on the west coast of the Peloponnese.

It’s a village with an unexpected link to a tragic event from World War II and the fi nal resting place of an unknown Commonwealth soldier.

Prospect negotiator Andy Bye fi rst visited Romanos in 1988 to attend his sister’s wedding and it was then that he heard the story of the soldier.

A body dressed in what was thought to be a British uniform had been washed up on the beach during World War II, taken back to Romanos and buried without a headstone close to the village cemetery.

Andy knew the Commonwealth War Graves Commission marked the graves of soldiers whose bodies were still being discovered.

He passed the information on to the organisation to see if it would commemorate the soldier buried in Romanos 60 years ago.

Andy spoke with three local men who had witnessed the burial. They were George Diplaris, George Krichepis and Dimitris Marinis.

In a joint signed statement, one of them recalled: “I remember it was winter when the soldier’s body was

washed up after a bad storm. I helped to carry him on a ladder from the beach to the cemetery. We thought he was British because of his green uniform.”

CWGC agreed that the body was a Commonwealth soldier and marked the grave with one of its headstones.

It was then that the link with a naval tragedy from the same period was revealed. The body was believed to have come from an Italian ship, the Sebastiano Venier, AKA The Jantzen, which was torpedoed by the British submarine, HMS Porpoise, off the west coast of Greece on 9 December, 1941.

The ship was carrying around 2,000 Commonwealth prisoners of war. Many were killed instantly

and others badly wounded and left fl oundering in the water that rushed into two holds.

At this point a German offi cer from the crew of the Tinos, an accompanying vessel, took control. His actions saved many lives.

The offi cer released the troops being held in the ship’s other three holds, organising fi rst aid and the rescue of those still alive. He then steered the ship back to the shore to run it aground. Sadly, there is no record of his name.

Many prisoners took their chances and jumped overboard in the hope of rescue.

Another hero emerged at this stage – Lance-Corporal Bernie Friedlander

� Bye – a family wedding was the beginning of a wartime history lesson

Piecing together the pastThe expertise of Prospect members is at the heart of the UK’s wartime heritage. From research into casualties to chronicling the history of two world wars, they help to make sense of events. Most of all they help the public find answers to questions about their own family story. Graham Stewart reports

REX (3907192I)

Prospect • Profi le – July 201317

MUSEUM PROVIDES A VALUABLE RESOURCEWHAT’S AMAZING about the Romanos grave, says Sarah Paterson from the Imperial War Museum, is that she was aware of the torpedoing of The Jantzen already. This meant she could to guide Andy to the resources that would further his research.

Sarah, also Prospect branch chair, works in Collections Access. She is a family historian and librarian, who produces aids for family searches.

“Incidents crop up again and again,” she says. “Although we’re known as the Imperial War Museum we also chart confl ict in an era of total war – including friend and foe; war at home and abroad; military and civilian; economic and social history. We deal with modern history.”

The interest in family history has also affected the museum’s work. There is a research room that anyone can visit so long as they make an appointment. A drop-in centre called Explore History has computers showing digitised fi lm, photos and objects. It provides access to useful websites with interviews with veterans and reference books. Staff are also on hand to help.

During 2012-13 over 34,000

people visited the library and drop-in centre. A telephone enquiry number was used over 21,000 times last year.

“Although we have no offi cial records at the museum and require some basic information to get the best out of us, we can usually set people on the right track for their search by referring them to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for instance,” Sarah says.

Sarah is passionate about her work, but recognises that it can be an emotional experience for individuals as well as herself or other staff.

“Often people are trying to trace their natural fathers who were either American soldiers or prisoners of war and it can become intense as people discover vital information. But even after 25 years I can honestly say I still learn something new everyday.”

� Call the museum’s enquiry line on: 020 7416 5342 or email: collections@iwm.org.uk

WAR GRAVES

WHY ARE THERE NINE GRAVES AT TREKKOPJE?PROSPECT MEMBER Sarah Quinn works in the enquiries section at CWGC in Maidenhead.

“We deal with thousands of enquiries every year. You wouldn’t believe the variety of calls, letters and emails we receive,” she says. “My work is enjoyable, vocational and rewarding because everything we do is designed to keep the memory of Commonwealth war casualties alive.”

There is a huge appetite for marking the centenary of World War I next year, says CWGC head of media, Peter Francis. “It was a world confl ict

that involved more people, more countries, and cost more than any previous war in history. It also left more dead. Their graves and memorials are found all over the world. Those graves, cemeteries and memorials may be the only physical reminder left of that confl ict and its human cost.

“It’s vital that we can visualise it, because then we can start to examine questions about the war and engage a new generation in the sacrifi ces made.

“Statistics don’t convey the impact on individuals and their communities when loved ones have been killed.”

The University of Oxford’s World War Centenary programme has taken thousands of GPS coordinates and turned them into a visual

representation of loss; see http://bit.ly/WWI_cemeteries

For example, why are there nine war graves in a tiny cemetery at Trekkopje in northern Namibia? What happened there? Use the web tool to fi nd out.

A project is also under way to photograph the graves and memorials to all service personnel from 1914 to the present day and make the images available to the public.

of the 3rd Battalion, Transvaal Scottish. Bernie was in the water for over 90 minutes, but was able to use a rope to pull a cable ashore. A slide was improvised, which enabled the prisoners on the ship to reach shore.

His action helped to save 1,600 people. The rescue was witnessed by another German offi cer, who recommended that Bernie should be decorated for his bravery. Bernie survived and on 31 March, 1947, King George VI presented him with the George Medal in Johannesburg.

An estimated 450-500 men died when the Sebastiano Venier was torpedoed. Most of the bodies from the wreck were buried in a mass grave near Gialova, save for the body washed up on Romanos beach. After the war the bodies from Gialova were reinterred in the Phaleron War Cemetery, the main CWGC cemetery in Greece.

Today just a few rusting plates from the ship can still been seen where it came to rest. These, and the headstone at Romanos, are the only visible reminders of the tragic events of 9 December, 1941.

� For the full story see: http://bit.ly/mani2012

� The Imperial War Museum is to reopen at the end of July after a major refurbishment

“I remember it was winter when the

soldier’s body was washed up after a bad storm. I helped to carry him on a ladder from the beach to the cemetery. We thought he was British because of his green uniform ”

THE GOVERNMENT has published the bill that will reform defence equipment procurement and support services.

The Defence Reform Bill, published in July, also includes legislation on reforming reserve forces.

On Defence Equipment and Support, the bill covers arrangements the defence secretary can make for a commercial organisation to provide procurement services under contract with a Government Owned, Contractor Operated (GOCO) company.

The bill also creates a new statutory framework governing single-source procurement and a regulatory office to oversee the framework.

Defence minister Philip Dunne said it would enable the Ministry of Defence to make some of the changes suggested in Bernard Gray’s review of acquisition, the defence reform report by Lord Levene, Lord Currie’s review of single source procurement and the Independent Commission’s review of the UK’s Reserve Forces.

Prospect warned that changing the status of DE&S into a GOCO will cost more, deliver a less effective service to the military and introduce additional risks by over complicating safety-critical decision-making.

“A GOCO will mean a private sector company being responsible for managing the UK’s entire defence procurement programme. No other country has done this,” said national

secretary, Steve Jary. “Nor are we convinced that setting up a new watchdog for sensitive defence contracts not currently put out to tender will deliver savings.”

Prospect believes transferring defence acquisition and support to a private contractor raises questions about:

● potential conflicts of interest ● length of contracts ● ministerial and parliamentary

oversight ● what financial risks the GOCO would

bear and how these would be assessed ● how the GOCO would make money

while also saving the MOD money.“MOD says a GOCO arrangement

will give it the flexibility to pay its staff market rates. But the department already has many flexibilities available to it that it isn’t using,” said Jary.

■ www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/RP13-45

■ www.gov.uk/defence-reform-bill

Defence bill opens door to new risks and costs

■ Jary – ‘No other country has done this’

MOD NEEDS ‘CRASH COURSE’ IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSPROSPECT AND other unions are now in dispute with the Ministry of Defence over arrangements for facility time and employee relations imposed on July 1.

MOD has unilaterally removed existing industrial relations policies from its people services website and replaced them with new ones – including revised consultation machinery –

that have not been shared, discussed or consulted on.

National secretary Steve Jary said Prospect had been expecting the facility time rules to be imposed, but talks had been scheduled to carry on discussing the practical operation of the new rules after implementation.

“The department needs a crash course on how industrial relations

operate in the UK. It does not seem to realise that the IR machinery and consultation processes are jointly owned and described in a collective agreement. By definition it is not possible to impose an agreement. So, at present, MOD has no agreed mechanism for joint consultation with unions.”

Prospect has instructed reps to refuse to engage

with the new consultation processes set out by the department.

Jary hopes that the impasse can be broken and has asked reps to refresh their facility time records from July 1, using the new criteria. Discussions are to continue on a new system for allocating facility time.

■ http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00981

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Praise for engineers’ ‘eBay’Business secretary Vince Cable has praised the accessibility of a flagship industry scheme designed to match engineering talent with new job opportunities.

More than 3,500 engineers, students and apprentices have already signed up to the national web-based Talent Retention Solution – supported by Prospect.

Cable said in June: “What I like most about the TRS is how simple it is. It’s like an ‘eBay’ for engineers that matches vacancies with talent.

■ https://talentretention.biz/

■ Apprentices at the BVT shipyard in Govan on the Clyde

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

18 DEFENCE

Prospect • Profile – July 201319QINETIQ

PROSPECT’S DEFENCE Maritime and Logistics Group gave its unanimous support in June to the campaign to restore union rights at QinetiQ.

Prospect, along with other unions, was derecognised by the defence contractor in March 2012. The company substituted its own ‘employee engagement group’ for consultations, but not negotiation.

Within six months, QinetiQ had decided to close its defined benefits pension scheme, affecting 3,000 of its 5,000 employees. The company refused to engage with Prospect, even though it worked closely with QinetiQ in 2008 to secure continuation of the scheme.

National secretary David Luxton said: “Prospect continues to provide direct advice, representation and legal support to many QinetiQ employees, including on employment rights arising from TUPE transfers and redundancies.

“The employee engagement group is not able to provide this kind of advice.”

He said that as a result of derecognition, the company was no longer obliged to negotiate changes to terms and conditions of employment with unions, instead merely ‘consulting’ the engagement group.

QinetiQ recently announced, without consultation, the introduction of minimum statutory redundancy

Win back our voice at QinetiQStaff at QinetiQ who are campaigning to restore union recognition have been heartened by messages of support from Prospect members in other defence workplaces

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terms for new entrants from the end of July.

“Our aim is to win back the union voice at QinetiQ. As part of this we are encouraging every Prospect member in the company to use the leaflet enclosed with this Profile to recruit a non-member,” Luxton added.

The leaflet (inset above) is also available from http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/01007, or email Annette.cooper@prospect.org.uk for printed copies.

Luxton said QinetiQ continues to rely heavily on contracts with MOD for its business. “Prospect is working closely

with the shadow parliamentary defence team to oppose the withdrawal of trade union rights in a company that relies on

government-funded contracts,” he added.

Since union reps in QinetiQ are no longer allowed facility time, recent membership meetings have been

conducted off site. Despite these restrictions, the

branch continues to flourish, meeting regularly at weekends.

■ Please email messages of support to Qinetiqbranch@prospect.org.uk or write to QinetiQ branch, c/o Prospect, Flaxman House, Gogmore Lane, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9JS.

A FORCE FOR FAIRNESS AT WORKWHERE PROSPECT is recognised by the employer for collective bargaining it can:

● represent you to your employer ● defend your pension ● negotiate your pay and

conditions ● protect your health and safety ● promote equality

at work

● improve career opportunities

● campaign for people in science,

technology and all specialist

professions

● organise nationally and locally

● train your representatives

● provide legal support and

a wide range of products and

financial services.

■ David Luxton – urged every QinetiQ member to recruit a colleague

‘YES’ to Prospect in Qinet

iQ

■ National Maritime Museum staff celebrate winning back union recognition in 2006

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

20 ENERGY

Fears over feed-in-tariff loophole Rogue generators are misusing a loophole in renewable energy policy and getting paid to dump surplus energy.

The abuse of the feed-in-tariff (FIT) scheme was highlighted at Prospect’s energy supply industry sector conference in June.

It was raised in a motion moved by Bill Halliwell, a rep with Electricity North West. He said the FIT scheme was set up to provide greater incentives to boost small-scale renewable energy generation.

Unlike historic tariffs, which only pay for units fed back to the grid, FITs allow generators to earn a fixed income for every kilowatt-hour of electricity they generate, as well as any surplus fed back to the grid.

While Halliwell acknowledged that the scheme has broadly been a success, he warned it is open to abuse as the price for generated units vastly exceeds the price for exported units.

Giving one example, he said a well-known company, which markets itself on its green credentials, installed a 300kw solar panel installation on the roof of its headquarters.

The plan was to maximise income by

selling off energy generated but unused at the weekend when the building is closed. The surplus energy amounted to 290kw but the network could only accommodate 140kw without extensive and expensive reinforcements.

Rather than choose a smaller installation, the company opted to dump the excess 150kw – enough to supply 100 domestic premises.

By generating at maximum output then dumping the excess energy, the company could still legally claim both tariffs, despite effectively creating a huge radiator at the back of its HQ discharging heat into the atmosphere on the back of public subsidies.

David Simpson, speaking on behalf of the sector executive, supported the motion, but with reservations. He said in some cases generators are exploring ways to use the excess energy for the benefit of the local community.

“We condemn waste and will speak out against it, but we must be careful not to frame our arguments in such a way that we oppose sensible innovation.”

Prospect will write to the energy regulator Ofgem setting out its concerns on the misuse of the FIT system.

Bradwell reunion 2013All Bradwell personnel and partners are welcome to attend a reunion celebration starting at 2pm on Sunday 20 October 2013 at Bradwell village hall.

Refreshments will be served but donations of cakes etc will be gratefully received.

For more information please contact Barbara Webber on 01621 816393 or email bwebbers56@hotmail.co.uk.

DELEGATES FROM Prospect’s energy supply industry sector gathered in London in June to debate issues affecting members across the sector and decide sector policy for the next two years.

They also heard from guest speakers, including Dr Tony Cocker, chief executive of E.On UK; Neil Robertson, chief executive of Energy and Utility Skills; and Geoff Earl, head of safety, health and

the environment at Northern Power Grid. ■ Download the conference agenda at:

http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00600 The decisions are at: http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00850

■ See EnergyEye for more conference reports: http://bit.ly/EnergyEye2_13

BLACKOUT WARNINGS DESPITE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEEA £10BN government guarantee to investors for a proposed new nuclear power station is yet another missed opportunity to boost investor confidence, Prospect warned this month.

The funding for a new station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset – described by Treasury officials as a commercial loan, not a subsidy – was announced in June’s spending review.

Confirmation from the Chancellor that the government will provide “guarantees for new nuclear” and that the Hinkley C project would benefit came just a day before the regulator Ofgem issued its latest stark warning over the UK’s future energy capacity.

Prospect deputy general secretary Garry Graham said: “The decision to pre-qualify EDF’s Hinkley Point C project for an infrastructure guarantee is a nod in the right direction, but procrastination over the strike price is the real barrier to construction getting under way.

“Agreement on the strike price will inject confidence for those seeking to invest in the industry.”

Without this, he warned, the billions needed to support future energy generation and stop the UK’s lights going out would not be secured.

CONFERENCE DECIDES FUTURE POLICY

“We will speak out against waste. But we must be careful not to frame our arguments in such a way that we oppose sensible innovation”

■ Delegates voting at Prospect’s energy supply industry sector conference

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Prospect • Profile – July 201321TRANSPORT

AIR TRAFFIC MONOPOLY CLAIM UNFOUNDEDPROSPECT HAS challenged a report claiming the service provided by NATS in navigating the take-off and landing of planes at eight UK airports is uncompetitive.

The claims were made by the Civil Aviation Authority, which assessed terminal air traffic navigational services at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Edinburgh, Luton, Birmingham International and Glasgow.

Each airport was assessed because they have over 70,000 flights per year – meaning European regulations for 2015-19 will apply to them.

The CAA told the Department for Transport that several factors were barring other air traffic service providers from entering the market. These include:

● the preferential relationship between NATS (En Route) plc, which navigates flights through UK airspace, and NATS (Services Ltd), which operates in airport towers

● limited opportunities to recruit experienced control staff because of the terms and conditions secured when NATS was part-privatised 12 years ago

● training costs, as NATS is the only accredited training and assessment facility for UK controllers.

But Prospect has argued that the recent competition for the contract at Birmingham airport proves that other providers can bid for contracts and that many airport operators see no problem with the levels of transparency between the two halves of NATS’ business.

National secretary Emily Boase said: “The guarantees secured for members on privatisation do not extend to all currently serving controllers. Other providers should have no trouble recruiting as long as they offer attractive employment opportunities. In fact, increased job insecurity within NATS is likely to boost mobility among controllers.”

Boase dismissed the claims surrounding training issues, saying what providers may lose in training new staff would be saved as experienced staff transfer over.

Members join Europe-wide protests over single sky plansStaff at UK air traffic control provider NATS demonstrated in June and briefed MPs in July against new proposals for a Single European Sky.

Their action coincided with activity across 11 European Union countries objecting to EU plans to speed up reform of Europe’s air traffic control system.

SES aims to create functional airspace blocks organised according to traffic flow rather than national borders.

The commission, which regulates all European airspace, believes that alongside stringent performance targets, the measures will halve air traffic management costs by 2020. But European ATM providers have warned that:

● services to airlines and passengers will suffer

● safety will be put at risk through overstretched ATM resources

● many ATM jobs will be lost across Europe.NATS staff also fear that SES will impact

on the UK’s ability to control its own airspace and are urging the UK government to oppose the changes.

In London, Prospect and PCS members in NATS demonstrated outside the Department for Transport and delivered a letter calling on transport minister Simon Burns to join French and German government opposition to

the plans. They handed in over 2,000 protest postcards signed by colleagues.

To date, two legislative packages have been introduced to implement SES, covering harmonised safety, economic regulation and inter-operability of technology.

The second package – SES2 – has set targets for ATM cost reductions of 3-7 per cent. In anticipation, NATS has announced plans to cut up to 500 controllers and systems specialists within its subsidiary, NATS (En Route) plc.

Prospect has secured an agreement that redundancies will be voluntary but members are angry that NATS is still proceeding despite the latest annual report showing a healthy pre-tax profit of £190.7m.

These concerns were raised at the briefing with 10 MPs and Members of the Scottish Parliament, including Brian Donohoe, chair of the Commons all-party group on aviation.

Prospect national secretary Emily Boase said: “Among other things the EC wants to unbundle safety-critical support services, such as surveillance, communications, meteorology and engineering, from ATM providers and create an infrastructure manager.

“Members are very concerned. We will also be contacting European Parliament members, including the chair of the transport and tourism committee Brian Simpson, to highlight the flaws in these proposals.”

Vehicle testers raise fears about new merger Members in the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency are still waiting to hear the impact of proposals to merge the agency with the Driving

Standards Agency.Negotiator Helen

Stevens said: “The idea was mooted a while ago as part of a motoring services consultation and will no

doubt be one of a number of shake-ups of Department for Transport agencies.

“We are still waiting for consultation to start to establish what effect this

may have on members. “It does raise a big

question about plans for future testing and leaves everyone very uncertain.”

■ NATS union members outside the Department for Transport in London

■ Emily Boase – others can bid

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Prospect • Profile – July 2013

22 CIVIL SERVICE

Heritage cuts could blast us back to the past Xanthe Brooke warns that budget cuts could see a return to the 18th century when art was only available to the rich and the aristocratic

IT IS a myth that compared to social history museums, art galleries do not cater for the local population.

Almost 80 per cent of the Walker Art Gallery’s 300,000 visitors in 2012-13 came from Merseyside or the northern region. The gallery provides important collections of Impressionist and Renaissance art, which means that people do not have to make an expensive journey to London.

The reason why the Walker has one of the best early Renaissance collections in England outside London is that an 18th-century Liverpool lawyer and MP called William Roscoe became fascinated with Renaissance Italy and began collecting its art.

In 1817 some of his collection went on public display to ordinary people. Unlike many contemporaries, Roscoe didn’t make his money from slavery. In fact he made the crucial speech in the House of Commons in 1807 that led

to the abolition of UK’s involvement in the slave trade. National Museums Liverpool also runs the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight on the Wirral. It was founded by soap manufacturer William Hesketh Lever so that art could be seen for free by all – especially his own factory workers.

Heritage funding has been cut by 25 per cent since October 2010. But admission charges are not the answer.

As British taxpayers, we have already paid for our national museums.

Foreign visitors and wealthier UK visitors travelling to Liverpool are most likely to accept charges. Of all the NML venues, the Walker Art Gallery got the largest percentage of foreign visitors in 2012-2013. But that only amounted to

15 per cent – compared with the British Museum’s 69 per cent.

Any admission charge would have to be very high to recoup the £20m it costs to run NML or the several million it costs to run Walker alone.

■ Xanthe Brooke is Prospect branch chair at National Museums Liverpool

TIMELINE OF DECLINEWHY TELL museums they can choose how they spend their money when cuts have limited their options so dramatically?

The Chancellor has cut funding for museums and galleries by 5 per cent during 2015-16, saying they would have greater freedom to set their own pay structures and opt out of government procurement procedures.

But National Museums Liverpool’s strategic plan for 2011-15 sets out 64 cuts it has been forced to make since 2010, including:

● the loss of 90 posts ● closing the National

Conservation Centre to the public

● cancelling outreach activities ● introducing a charge for one

exhibition ● postponing refurbishments,

including the International Slavery Museum

● reducing the curatorial footprint by 50 per cent

● cancelling window cleaning contracts

● fewer guides and publications.

The minister regrets…Culture Minister Ed Vaizey expressed regret in July that he not did act sooner to stop speculation over possible closure of the National Media Museum in Bradford.

He was giving evidence to a House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee inquiry into the future of the Science Museum Group.

He said the suggestion had arisen as one of a series of options he asked

the group to model, based on possible cuts of 5, 10 and 15 per cent in funding.

Vaizey told the MPs: “I do regret any perception there is a north-south divide, and I think that we need to work harder to make it clearer that these organisations outside London are equally relevant and important.”

SMG director Ian Blatchford confirmed that all four museums will remain open.

Good and bad newsInnovative approaches to value for money, but no merger between the Environment Agency and Natural England – that is the outcome of a review by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Prospect reps Richard Houghton and Julia Coneybeer were relieved that the review did not, as expected, call for major changes including a possible merger. But they know that the process is not complete.

The review concluded that, although the bodies should remain independent, there were opportunities for reforming functions and ways of working.

Prospect still fears that the ongoing financial

squeeze on Whitehall may affect resources for the two bodies and end with job losses and loss of capability.

Defra wants both organisations to deliver a joint plan for further integration, as well as back-office efficiencies and sharing of services.

EA rep Richard Houghton said: “The bad news is that we don’t know if the review means further short-term and shortsighted cuts. The good news is that funds for flood risk management have been ring-fenced.”

NE rep Julia Coneybeer said: “Although we are relieved, it is no time for jubilation because there are still some significant changes in the pipeline.”

■ Refurbishment of NML museums, including the International Slavery Museum, has been postponed

■ Environment Agency rep Richard

Houghton at a flood defence site in

Jaywick, Essex

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Prospect • Profile – July 201323CIVIL SERVICE

Prospect slams attack on pay progression Prospect has condemned the government’s plan to end public sector pay progression in 2016.

The Comprehensive Spending Review announcement was accompanied by an extension to the 1 per cent cap on pay increases until 2015-16.

Deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh said: “The Chancellor obviously isn’t aware that his government has scrapped progression for most civil servants already, apart from where it is part of an employee’s contractual rights. Is he now planning to unpick these contracts?

“Attacking pay progression, which has been a valuable tool for developing specialist careers and keeping skilled people in the civil service, will feel like a real kick in the teeth for many of our members. It will also be deeply damaging to the capability of a public sector that needs to keep them.”

Research on pay progression by Incomes Data Services for Prospect identified fears of ‘quality

drift’ in relation to applications for specialist roles. Sue Ferns, director of communications and research, said: “In some departments, recruitment drives to fill key roles have not attracted enough applicants because salaries lag behind market rates. George Osborne’s announcement threatens to exacerbate this problem.”

In many jobs, pay progression: ● supports skills acquisition and

advancement ● indicates to staff that their

contribution is valued ● motivates their continuing

development. Ferns said Prospect wants to work

with politicians to provide a better way forward. “As part of civil service reform, we are exploring a range of competency-based options to give individuals clear sight of where they might be headed in pay terms, over what time frame, and what they need to achieve to get there.”

■ http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00978

TAXPAYERS’ ALLIANCE – ALL MOUTH, NO SCRUTINY

Deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh asks why a ‘grassroots’ body is so reluctant to reveal who pays its bills

Energy minister Ed Davey has accused the Taxpayers’ Alliance of “dodgy, back-of-fag-packet claims” about energy bills.

Describing itself as “an independent grassroots organisation”, the TPA fills its website with exposures and anger about the public sector’s supposed excesses and incompetence.

The TPA champions transparency, openness and accountability, except of course about itself; then it becomes very shy. It refuses to disclose any information about its finances, name its donors or reveal the salaries it pays.

So who funds the 18 employees beavering away in central London to find every example of ‘bureaucratic waste’? To whom are they accountable? Who calls the tune? Who are these ordinary grassroots taxpayers? We’ll never know.

The TPA is an unelected, unaccountable, very well resourced group with a high profile in Westminster and the national media but whose backers remain invisible.

UK unions operate under some of the strictest laws and regulations in Europe. Wouldn’t it be good to see lobbyists like the TPA subjected to the same scrutiny?

■ http://bit.ly/Davey_TPA

3.25%Transport

7.77%International Development

Changes to government department expenditure limits from 2014-15 to 2015-16 (%)

0% HM Treasury0% Energy and Climate Change 0% Wales

0.70%Scotland

0.94%Northern

Ireland

-28.33%DCLG, Communities

-7.04%Justice

-1.27%Business,

Innovation & Science

-8.20%DCLG,

Local Government

-25.00%Cabinet Office

-4.63%Home Office

-0.31%Defence

-9.09%Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs

-0.70%Education

-14.29%Culture, Media

and Sport

-7.69%Foreign and

Commonwealth Office

Blogs and tweets can give rise to defamation claims in just the same way as newspaper articles or television programmes. Jeremy Clarke-Williams, senior principal lawyer, explains why

Protecting your reputation in the social media age

LAW AT WORK

WE ARE in an age where the means and extent of communications keeps expanding. As well as the traditional print

and broadcast media, almost everyone now has access to the internet, emails and texts. But blogs and tweets can give rise to defamation claims in just the same way as newspaper articles or television programmes.

What is defamation?There are two types of defamation:

● Libel – which covers permanent publications such as an article in a newspaper, a letter or allegations broadcast on television, radio or a website.

● Slander – which covers spoken words or gestures.

Do I have a claim for defamation?

You have a claim if you can prove that defamatory allegations about you have been published to other people. Your reputation cannot be harmed if allegations are only communicated to you. A statement is defamatory if it significantly harms your reputation in the eyes of others.

The correct meaning of a defamato-ry statement is always crucial in a defa-mation claim. The words complained of must be read in the full context of the publication and the issue of whether there are any ‘hidden meanings’ appar-ent only to those with certain knowl-edge must also be considered.

A claim for libel or slander must be issued at court within one year from the date of publication of the words complained of.

Case study 1

Slater & Gordon acted for Mark James & Carmarthenshire County Council in the case of Jacqueline Thompson v Mark James & Carmarthenshire County Council.

Jacqueline Thompson wrote a blog which contained highly critical material about her local council and its senior officials, particularly its chief executive.

She taunted the council to respond, but when it did so in a letter published on another website, she promptly sued the council and the chief executive, Mark James, for libel.

The council defended the claim and James counterclaimed for libel in relation to the allegations which Thompson had published about him – including that he had run a ‘slush fund’ and that he had not acted

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

24

After being given an opportunity to consider a transcript of the meeting between Cruddas and the Sunday Times journalists, Adams decided not to file a defence. Judgment in default was finally entered in November 2012.

The court held an assessment of damages hearing in January 2013 and awarded Peter Cruddas £45,000 damages and his legal costs.

■ The law of defamation is complex and if you think you have a claim it is prudent to get specialist advice. Prospect’s solicitors, Slater & Gordon, are

always happy to give an initial view on a defamation (or privacy) matter. Please

contact us on: T 020 7657 1423; JClarke-Williams@slatergordon.co.uk; AAshton@slatergordon.co.uk

honestly in his role as a returning officer in elections.

The action went to trial in February 2013. The blogger’s libel claim was dismissed while Mark James’ counterclaim succeeded and he was awarded £25,000 damages. Thompson was also ordered to pay the costs of the action.

Case study 2Slater & Gordon acted for Peter Cruddas in the case of Peter Cruddas v Mark Adams.

On 25 March, 2012, the Sunday Times published a series of articles after a covertly recorded meeting between two undercover journalists and Peter Cruddas, the then Treasurer of the Conservative party. The meeting concerned a proposed donation to the Conservative party.

Immediately after publication of those articles, Mark Adams published a series of tweets and blog entries which suggested Cruddas was a criminal, liable to arrest at any time, who had breached electoral law by seeking to secure an illegal political donation for the Conservative party.

Following numerous tweets, in which Adams repeated his accusations and dared him to sue for libel, Cruddas started proceedings at the end of July 2012.

Having previously been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Electoral Commission, Cruddas also received confirmation in early September 2012 that the police had decided that there was no evidence of any criminal conduct on his part “either directly or by implication”.

Adams made no reference to the conclusions of the police either on Twitter or in his blog.

These are brief answers to the issues raised and should not be taken as a definitive outline of the law. In all cases you should seek advice from your Prospect full-time officer.

Follow Prospect legal officers on Twitter @LegalProspect for up-to-date news and information on workers’ rights and employment law

LEGALEASEProspect legal officer Marion Scovell answers your questions about the world of work

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS

I was dismissed by my employer on 10 June and understood I had up to three months to make a claim to the employment tribunal, but someone told me I should get the claim in by 28 July. Why is this?

NEW FEES to bring employment tribunal claims are being introduced. All claims submitted on or after 29 July, 2013, will be subject to the fees.

For an unfair dismissal claim the fee is £250 to issue the claim and a further £950 before the hearing. Although you have three months from the date of dismissal to present your claim, if you can get it in before 29 July you will avoid the fees.

Prospect is strongly opposed to the introduction of fees and we believe this will deny access to justice for lots of workers. However, members will be cushioned from the effect, as not only will we offer expert advice on your case, we will also pay the fees for members where we are supporting a claim.

See our guide to legal services, http://bit.ly/on_your_side, for details on advice and assistance offered to members. You should contact your Prospect negotiator as quickly as possible to get expert advice on your case.

PARENTAL LEAVE

I am planning to take a break from work to look after my three-year-old. What leave am I entitled to?

ALL EMPLOYEES who have worked for one year or more are entitled to take parental leave. The amount of leave increased from 13 to 18 weeks from 8 March, 2013, in order to comply with European law.

The leave is unpaid and must be taken before the child’s fifth birthday or within five years of the date of placement for adoption. Where the child is disabled the leave can be taken until the age of 18 years. In some workplaces Prospect has negotiated better terms for parental leave so check with your representative for the rules that apply where you work.

See the Prospect Members’ Guide to Parental and Family Leave for more details – http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2006/00705

LAW AT WORK

CASEFILEBenefits to members Jan-Jun 2013

PERSONAL INJURY SCHEMEApplications approved 119On books 170Number won 440Value of awards £2,003,353

BENEVOLENT FUNDNumber granted 6Total granted £7,050

DEATH BENEFITNumber granted 40Total granted £40,483

Jeremy Clarke-Williams and Adele Ashton work in the media, libel & privacy department of Prospect solicitors Slater & Gordon

Prospect • Profile – July 201325

A claim for libel or slander must be issued at court within one year from the date of publication of the words complained of

Prospect accounts 2012Prospect is required by law to publish a statement to members for the year ending 31 December, 2012The accounts for the year to 31 December, 2012 show a net surplus of income against expenditure of £824,000 before the pension scheme liability. After taking into account the aggregate negative movement in the pension schemes’ (Prospect and Connect) liability of £6,440,000, a deficit of £5,616,000 was transferred to the General Fund. Total income for the year was £18,178,000. Total expenditure (before taking into account the aggregate negative movement in the pension schemes liability) for the same period was £17,354,000. The pension schemes at the end of 2012 showed an aggregate deficit calculated on the FRS17 basis of £10,423,000. (The full actuarial valuation for the Prospect pension scheme at 31 December, 2011, showed a deficit of £14,500,000 and for the Connect pension scheme on 1 July, 2011, the deficit was £3,324,000). In addition, £52,000 was transferred to the General Fund as a result of the transfer of engagements of Aspect to Prospect on 1 February, 2012.

IncomeIncome from subscriptions was £16,685,000 after the transfer of £47,000 to the Prospect political fund and £47,000 to the Connect sector political fund. Prior to that transfer the gross subscription income was £16,779,000. Total income from investments was £1,065,000. This is made up of £356,000 from net dividend income and interest received; a surplus from sales of investments of £361,000 and the decrease on the provision against investments of £348,000 to reflect the market value of investments in the past year. Rental income was £235,000 and other income was £193,000 which includes: £30,000 from credit card royalties; £62,000 from Membership Services; £43,000 net VAT refund for 2011-12 and £50,000 being net journal income.

ExpenditureTotal expenditure was £17,354,000.

Committees and conferences. Costs of £565,000 were for expenditure incurred for Prospect’s national committees and the Prospect biennial national conference.

Local democratic organisation and education. Costs of £1,276,000 include expenditure for professional, departmental and other groups of £154,000; branch and section expenditure of £904,000; and £218,000 for the members’ education and training programme.

Employment. Costs of £11,702,000 include £9,630,000 for staff salaries, employer’s national insurance and normal contributions to the staff pension scheme; £1,155,000 for additional employer’s contributions to the staff pension schemes; £639,000 for staff travel subsistence and mobile phones; and £278,000 for other staffing costs.

Property. Costs of £1,214,000 are for the general upkeep of all Prospect properties, running costs, including rents, and the provision of property depreciation.

Administration and other supplies. Costs of £1,063,000 include expenditure for equipment, printing, stationery, telephones; computer services; research publications and subscriptions; editorial publishing and publicity; general legal and professional fees.

Benefits to members. Costs of £1,534,000 include £502,000 for affiliation fees and donations of £15,000; £527,000 for the cost of Prospect’s journals including the Connect sector magazine; £86,000 for death benefit; £73,000 being costs associated with Prospect’s website and intranet; £86,000 for recruitment/organisation expenditure; and £181,000 for costs associated with the running the members’ legal, medical and professional aid scheme.

Prospect political funds. The balances, after the transfer of the Aspect political fund on 1 February, 2012, of £4,000, increased to £442,000 compared to £429,000 the previous year (Prospect) and increased to £227,000 compared to £180,000 the previous year (Connect sector). 78,943 members paid in a total income of £47,000 (Prospect), and 12,076 members paid in a total of £47,000 (Connect sector). Expenditure of £38,000 was charged against the Prospect fund in 2012.

Elected office salary and benefitsName Position Details Amount (£)P Noon General Secretary Salary 107,026Pension contributions 19,725Car benefit 3,429Loss of office (pension augmentation) 88,855

The president and members of the national executive committee are reimbursed for any out of pocket expenditure incurred by them in the performance of their duties on behalf of the union, as is the general secretary. No member of the national executive committee is paid any allowance or receives any salary or taxable benefits from Prospect.

At December 31, 2012 Prospect membership was 118,617. The number of women in membership was 29,452.

The Prospect finance statement and accounts for 2012 were approved by the NEC and Prospect auditors in March. This statement to members is made to comply with the terms of the 1993 Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act.

STATUTORY STATEMENTA member who is con-cerned that some irregular-ity may be occurring, or have occurred, in the con-duct of the financial affairs of the union may take steps with a view to investigating further, obtaining clarifica-tion and, if necessary, secur-ing regularisation of that conduct.

The member may raise any such concerns with one or more of the following as it seems appropriate to raise it with: the officials of the union, the trustees of the property of the union, the auditor or auditors of the union, the Certification Officer (who is an inde-pendent officer appointed by the Secretary of State) and the police.

Where a member believes that the financial affairs of the union have been or are being conduct-ed in breach of the law or in breach of rules of the union and contemplates bringing civil proceedings against the union or responsible officials or trustees, he should consider obtaining independent legal advice.

ASSETS TOTAL £24,001,000

Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,725,000 Land and buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £15,000,000 Net current assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,973,000 Office equipment, fixtures and fittings, motor vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £726,000

Pension scheme liability . . . . . . [£10,423,000]

Employment costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £11,702,000 Benefits to members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,534,000 Local democratic organisation

and education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,276,000 Property costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,214,000 Admin and other supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,063,000 Committees and conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £565,000

EXPENDITURE TOTAL £17,354,000INCOME TOTAL £18,178,000

Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,685,000 Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,065,000 Rental income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £235,000 Other income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £193,000

RESERVES TOTAL £24,001,000

General Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £23,332,000 Political Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £669,000

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

26 PROSPECT ACCOUNTS

Copies of Prospect’s Annual Report can be obtained from central services at New Prospect House.

Auditors’ reportWe have audited the financial statements of Prospect for the year ended 31 December, 2012. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

This report is made solely to the union’s members, as a body. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the union’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the union and the union’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of the union’s national executive committee and auditors As explained more fully in the Statement of Responsibilities of the National Executive Committee, the union’s NEC is responsible for the preparation of financial statements which give a true and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s ethical standards for auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial statements An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements sufficient to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the union’s circumstances and have been consistently applied and adequately disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by the union’s NEC; and the overall presentation of the financial statements.

Opinion on financial statements In our opinion the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the union’s affairs as at 31 December, 2012, and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended.

Matters on which we are required to report by exceptionWe are required by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (Amended) to report to you by exception in respect of the following matters if, in our opinion:

● a satisfactory system of control over transactions has not been maintained

● the union has not kept proper accounting records ● the financial statements are not in agreement with the

books of account ● we have not received all the information and explanations

we need for our audit.

We have nothing to report to you in respect of the above matters.

H W Fisher & Company Chartered accountants and registered auditor

14 March, 2013

A FREE SPIRIT WHO DEFENDED MEMBERS AGAINST PRIVATISATIONRoger Stirland, a former rep for the Crown Suppliers, pays tribute to former negotiator John HowardJOHN HOWARD, who died on 7 July at the age of 66, worked as a negotiations officer for Prospect predecessor union IPCS – later IPMS – from 1983 until 1994.

Before joining IPCS John had worked for the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers in Scotland.

With IPCS he took responsibility for members in various Whitehall departments, including the Health and Safety Executive.

He will primarily be remembered as the inspiration and key strategist behind the union’s campaign to protect members threatened by the privatisation of the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers, which were then the building, maintenance and procurement arms of government.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he led negotiations with management and ministers. John’s negotiation skills earned him the highest respect among the 6,000-plus members facing privatisation.

These negotiations were backed by a series of well-

supported strikes throughout the UK. While many jobs were lost, John was instrumental in winning concessions from the government that protected pensions and redundancy entitlements.

The PSA agreement also allowed members the unique option of secondment to the private sector and a later return to the civil service, instead of a permanent transfer to the private sector.

In 1994 John stood against the incumbent, Bill Brett, in the IPMS general secretary election.

In his election address he referred to the need for members to be active in their union and for unions to take on a wider role to secure a fairer society for all – which still rings true today.

On leaving IPMS John gained further legal qualifications and eventually continued his trade union career with the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

He will be fondly remembered for his vibrant personality, amiable character, anecdotes and his dedicated work for the trade union movement.

■ Former Prospect general secretary Paul Noon decided, in full

agreement with the national executive committee, to leave his post early to facilitate an orderly succession. The payment of £88,855 reflects the portion of his service he would have earned in 2013 but for leaving office earlier than provided by his contract. It was paid through the pension scheme.

Prospect • Profile – July 201327OBITUARY

Compensation win in pleural plaques tragedyPeter Ellis left school in September 1956 and immediately joined the Ministry of Defence at Devonport Dockyard, working as an apprentice shipwright.

He remained with the ministry for all his working life until retire-ment in 2000. His career progressed from apprentice to a full shipwright in 1961, before further promotions over the years, until reaching his final position in 1986 as a higher profes-sional and technology officer.

Unfortunately, much of Peter’s work between 1961 and 1963, fol-lowing qualification as a shipwright, resulted in significant exposure to asbestos fibres.

Having been diagnosed with asymptomatic pleural plaques as a result of asbestos exposure in the late 1990s, Peter’s condition deterio-rated in August 2011. He was diag-nosed with mesothelioma in May 2012. This awful condition ultimately lead to his death on 4 December, 2012.

Through Prospect union, Peter pursued a claim for damages against MOD in relation to the contraction of

his condition. In June 2012 a letter of claim was sent to MOD, after which proceedings were issued in the Royal Courts of Justice in London in August 2012.

Finally in May 2013, a substantial sum was offered and accepted. This offer was made in full and final settlement of the claim, and was unlikely to have been exceeded if the matter had proceeded to trial. I represented Peter on behalf of Slater & Gordon lawyers, and believe that MoD’s solicitors behaved sensitively and swiftly to try to resolve the matter.

Money cannot compensate for what happened to Peter. However, the point of the claim is to remind the insurers and MOD that there must never be another substance like asbestos to which they expose their employees. Financial recompense hurts the insurance industry. Simon Allen, Slater & Gordon, Sheffield

Wind power ahead of nuclearThis time last year, in an unpublished letter to Profile about wind power, I observed: “If the present rate of construction in the UK is maintained (800MW in the first half of 2012),

wind capacity here will overtake nuclear by next autumn.” I was too cautious.

Looking at the figures this June, 1200 MW had been installed in 2013, including the 630 MW London Array, the largest wind farm in the world. There were 9.6 GW of wind farms operational, one third of them off-shore.

Only 9.3 GW of nuclear reactors were operational – including two advanced gas-cooled reactors with boiler temperature restrictions that de-rate them by 30 per cent, and only enough Magnox fuel left for one of the reactors at Wylfa.

Statistics from National Grid and official figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change do not include those wind farms – nearly half – that are connected to the low voltage distribution networks. But Renewables UK has a complete list at http://www.renewableuk.com/en/renewable-energy/wind-energy/uk-wind-energy-database/.

Nuclear power has an annual capacity factor below 60 per cent but wind is only around 30 per cent, so, although there are more GW of wind power installed than nuclear power, it will be a year or two yet before more wind energy is gener-ated annually as units of electricity (kWh) than nuclear energy.Donald Swift-Hook, Horsell

Political fund resultsHow can Prospect claim there was a resounding result in its ballot in March to retain the political fund (Profile 2/13) when the turnout was a pathetically low 37.6 per cent? It means that the majority of members either rejected the ballot to keep the political fund or could not be both-ered to vote. Either, way it was not a resounding ‘YES’ to keep the political fund.Stephen Siddoway, Co Durham

Why UK must control its own electricity supplyAs a chartered electrical engineer whose career has been driven to provide a constant, dependable electricity supply to the nation, I was appalled at our MPs’ ignorance and idealism in passing the 2013 Energy

ViewPoint ■ Please note – letters may be shortened for reasons of space

How Prospect helped me after injuryI’m a traffic officer for the Highways Agency. On March 3, 2010, I had an accident at work that resulted in a personal injury.

As a union member I approached Prospect for assistance in pursu-ing those I held responsible for my injury. I’m writing to thank you for the financial support you gave me to get compensation, which I received earlier this year.

Legal assistant Helen Hall put me in contact with Alison Kerr of Prospect’s solicitors Russell Jones & Walker (now Slater & Gordon), who dealt with my case. I could not fault Alison or Prospect in giving me help and support.

When I hear my colleagues ask-ing what the union does for them I tell them what Prospect did for me.

I explain that unity is strength and that is why it’s better to belong to Prospect than stand alone.

Trying to pursue major national construction companies on my own would have been a pointless task, as I know I could not have won.

Thank you for your help and sup-port.Neil Turner, Northants

fax020 7902 6665

star letterreceives a £10 book token

email profile@prospect.org.uk

write to the Editors, Profile, New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

ADRIAN

SHERRATT

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

28 VIEWPOINT

Bill – handicapping our manufactur-ing industry, impoverishing busi-nesses and every consumer.

Compared with world CO2 emis-sions, ours are minimal, but they must be reduced universally. The Energy Bill states that Britain must reduce its electricity consumption by 27 per cent within six years, rising to more than 40 per cent ten years later.

Since privatisation, successive governments have abandoned any commitment to ensure British control of its electricity supply industries, and investment in electricity generation has been minimal.

Only one supply company, Scottish and Southern Energy, remains British. Now the coalition is proposing an £11bn ‘Smart Meter’ computerised system which will add to the CO2 tax we pay on energy bills just to provide wind farm developers and the nuclear power station builders – French nationalised EDF and Japanese Hitachi – with enormous profits for the next 25 years.

Meanwhile Germany has stopped wind farm development and is build-ing 12 coal-fired power stations to keep its nation competitive.

In the UK, our MPs and green activ-

ists encourage cheap imports from the Far East, where there is no check on carbon emissions, and where, so often, manufacturing employees work in slave-like conditions – hardly matching the coalition’s equality or green policies.

Britain’s national electricity supply is too important to be left to chance in foreign investors’ hands. Our gov-ernment must be made to realise that national security demands that we have complete control of our own electricity supply industries. Nothing works without electricity.John Riddington, Broadstone, Dorset

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What the Dickens is going on at BT?Performance management domi-nated the recent BT conference of the Communications, Media and Digital sector.

Delegates were concerned that the forced distribution of markings in a command and control manage-ment culture was making working life very difficult for many managers and was also leading in some cases to the ‘managed exit’ of people from the business.

Performance management, which is designed to motivate people and help improvements for the benefit of all, is, in the hands of those who, Gradgrind-like* are obsessed with measuring things, achieving pre-cisely the opposite.

Delegates in Nottingham were determined that matters must change and change quickly. Prospect is pushing together with its fellow CWU union in telecoms to achieve this.

However, BT is not a ‘rogue’ com-pany when it comes to performance management being applied in the way it is. It is now a widespread feature across industry, both public and private, and a significant issue and problem that impacts on trade unionists in many sectors.

It is the challenge for us in deal-ing with performance management to seek collective approaches and collective solutions to concerns to counter a system that is too often designed to atomise and personalise issues down to the individual.

*Gradgrind: one of the main

characters in ‘Hard Times’ by Charles Dickens. Gradgrind is only concerned with facts, and does not consider the importance of love or imagination, especially when educating and caring for his children.Keith Flett, London

An unfit process for meeting targetsAveen McHugh’s article in Profile 2/13 reminds us all of what hap-pens when top management feel insecure, don’t understand their industry and attempt to frighten their employees into working harder.

The particular ploy she describes, of predetermining aggregate staff performance appraisal ratings,

directly decreases organisational fit-ness for purpose.

Team managers are rational beings, even if confronted with irrational constraints, and tend to respond to imposed failure rates by simply adjusting their recruitment selection process so as to produce the stipulated proportion of sacri-ficial lambs that will keep top man-agement happy.

Never mind the inefficiency. Never mind the cost. Never mind the injustice. At least, that way, a manager can still achieve targets.

Would you want to buy shares in such a company? Perhaps it’s time shareholders were warned this is going on.

Ron Haas, Orpington

Prospect • Profile – July 201329VIEWPOINT

WORDWISEYou have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters shown in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the letter in the central square. No letter can be used more than once in each word. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words allowed.

JULY 2013

CROSSWORD ANSWERS – ACROSS: 1 Acupuncture 9 Barred 10 Ravenna 12 Homonym 14 Holiday 15 Independent 16 Elf 17 Sol 19 Information 22 Idyllic 23 Reissue 24 Château 25 Profit 26 Assemblymen.DOWN: 2 Claimed 3 Parsnip 4 Nod 5 Torchbearer 6 Rivulet 7 On edge 8 Lady’s-finger 11 Chainstitch 13 Manufacture 18 Layman 19 Illness 20 Alimony 21 Inspire 25 Pub.

WORDWISE SOLUTION: BoomerangTHINKS... ? SOLUTIONS: 1 – They can all be followed by the word HEAD to form new words. 2 – An error of judgement.

ACROSS1 A copper with flat needs treatment

(11)9 Said poet had been excluded (6)10 Artist and I leave Austrian city for

Italian city (7)12 It sounds the same but it’s different

(7)14 Leave Head Office to provide cover

at all times (7)15 I name contingent that’s free from

control (11)16 Sprite’s selfishness included (3)17 Earth loses one sun (3)19 Data symmetrically arranged (11)22 Poem 99 is blissful (7)23 Again publish about naughty Susie

(7)24 Wine from the castle (7)25 Gain for female with sex-appeal (6)26 Car workers found in the lower

house? (11)

DOWN2 Another medical was called for (7)3 Vegetable father reportedly cut (7)4 Incline to agree (3)5 Campaign leader carrying Olympic

flame (11)6 Strip about teatime with shirt in

stream (7)7 Nervous over the border (2,4)8 Woman’s touch with sponge-cake

(5-6)11 Chitchats about accepting

fashionable embroidery (11)13 Make a frame, uncut, go round (11)18 Amateur poet? (6)19 Disease is Nell’s undoing (7)20 Ex-allowance (7)21 Stimulate interest in high church (7)25 Turned up with band-leader at inn

(3)

Crossword Puzzles

AGO

BMO

ENR

THINKS... ?

1 What do the following words have in common?

ROUND • OVER • HOGSHOT • BLOCK • MAIDEN

2 What familiar phrase or expression is represented here?

JUMDGENT

WordCount20 average28 brilliant35+ amazing

There is one nine-letter word. Today’s clue:

RECOIL

Prospect • Profile – July 2013

30 CROSSWORD • PUZZLES

CLASSIFIED 31Prospect •

Profile- July 2013

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