Unison
Being a BAOT member means you also belong to Unison and can access support and advice on workplace issues at any time
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What support and guidance is out there for me ?
Don ’ t worry . In addition to the formal training , you will receive support , guidance and mentoring from experienced stewards and Unison branch officers to help you get to grips with the role .
You can sign up for regular email updates and attend the annual BAOT stewards training seminar , where you can meet other occupational therapist stewards to share experiences and learn new skills to help you in your role .
You can also opt to job-share the steward role with one of your colleagues . The skills and knowledge that you will develop in the role can really help with your personal and career development .
Remember , the more stewards we have in the workplace , the stronger our voice and the better we can represent our colleagues . So , if you , or someone you know , is thinking about becoming a BAOT steward , contact us for more information baotstewards @ unison . co . uk .
Not sure if you want to be a steward ?
There are other ways to get involved ...
Workplace contact : Becoming a workplace contact is an ideal role for members who are not ready to take on the full role of elected steward . Workplace contacts can get involved in a variety of ways : recruiting , supporting members , distributing information , and helping with branch organisation .
Union learning representative : As a learning rep you can encourage and support staff to take up new learning opportunities and work with the branch to promote learning initiatives in the workplace .
Unison health and safety representative : Every day , occupational therapy staff are affected by health and safety issues , from the use of equipment to lone working . As a health and safety rep , you can help to improve the health , safety , and wellbeing of members in the workplace .
Unison equality representative : Equality reps work with Unison branches to make the workplace fairer by promoting respect and dignity at work .
For any of the above roles , you would receive the appropriate support and training via your Unison branch . Help BAOT members to have a voice in the workplace – think about getting more active in your union in 2021 and contact us for more advice about what you can do to make a difference baotstewards @ unison . co . uk .
You ’ ll learn many transferrable skills that can benefit your work as an occupational therapist , and , simultaneously , many of your skills as an occupational therapist are transferrable to being a steward .”
If you need help at work 0800 0857 857 or unison . org . uk
If you have a problem at work , BAOT / Unison is there to help
Anyone can face problems at work , but if you are a member of BAOT , you do not have to face them alone . Whether it is about bullying , duty rotas , flexible working , annual leave or sickness procedures , a BAOT or Unison rep is on hand to help , wherever you work . We are also there to support in you case of disciplinary action , dismissal , or redundancy .
For help and advice at work – or to find out more about Unison services – please contact your local BAOT / Unison rep , or visit
www . unison . org . uk / get-help /.
January 2022 OTnews 15