Inspirational reps
Building branch skills
Unite Education helps RSPCA Branch Secretary Ellie reach out
Unite represents members in thousands of diverse branches, most covering workplaces in geographical areas, but rural branches can be far more spread out, bringing unique challenges. For reps in these branches the training offered by Unite is vital to fully support their members.
Ellie Jones works as an Animal Rescue Officer for the RSPCA, based in Avon and Somerset, and has recently been on reps’ courses from South West Unite Education to give her the skills she needs in her new role as a Unite Branch Secretary.
Ellie is a frontline response officer covering a variety of calls that come into the RSPCA, ranging from wildlife and stray animals through to reports of cruelty and neglect, but the new union role covers a much larger area.
Ellie explained. “The RSPCA Unite Branch, due to the nature of our work and location of our members, is a national branch covering England and Wales.”
“This means our reps are all required to be trained as Health and Safety Reps as well as Workplace reps. We also have an EDI (Equality Diversity and Inclusion) rep and hope to have an Environment Rep in the near future.”
“We all play active roles running the Branch, as well as looking to skill up wherever possible. I’ve recently attended reps training to help me to become as knowledgeable and as skilled as possible. I believe the more we know and learn, the more we can positively change the workplace for our members.”
The national Unite RSPCA branch represents members across different departments including their Frontline Inspectorate, Animal Centre and Veterinary colleagues as well as office-based roles.
Ellie said being so spread out is not without its challenges. “Because of the diversity we see in our members' roles and workplaces our Branch faces a variety of challenges, requiring a range of support.
“Our members within the RSPCA's Inspectorate department are employed as lone workers, primarily working on their own from a van covering areas ranging from urban to rural. The nature of lone working presents a range of health, safety, and wellbeing issues.
“These challenges are often heightened by the involvement of animals, in difficult rescue situations or challenging environments, and with the nature of the RSPCA's work often being emotive and contentious.”
“We all play active roles running the Branch, as well as looking to skill up wherever possible. I’ve recently attended reps training to help me to become as knowledgeable and as skilled as possible. I believe the more we know and learn, the more we can positively change the workplace for our members”
Ellie Jones, Unite branch secretary
With so many lone workers, support from the Branch is vital. Ellie highlighted reps' proactive role around health and safety in the RSPCA, ranging from site inspections, policy work and monitoring health and safety changes in the workplace.
“We aim to help make our members' work lives as safe as possible and provide a valuable voice in these processes. We also consult management on wellbeing issues at work and promote improvements and wellbeing initiatives that unite our lone workers with their colleagues to help alleviate these pressures.”
“As a wider union, I think campaigns like Unite's Get me home safely initiative are really valuable so that reps can engage with their management to improve practices and protocols that help to keep members' safety a key priority.”
Ellie hopes the campaign will be opened to protecting lone workers, helping members demand more from their employers.
Another challenge is communicating with members who are spread out across the country. Ellie said that, “Keeping in touch is hugely important. We use notice boards at RSPCA sites, run a RSPCA Unite Members’ Facebook page and use email and text communications wherever possible. In the future we hope to run a basic app for members to provide a one-stop go to area for Unite information and help.”
Given the nature of her work it is unsurprising that Ellie is interested in how Unite can support environmental awareness at work. And she recently attended “Unite and the Green Agenda”, a three day course organised by Unite South West.
Ellie found the course valuable and feels it is important that Unite encourages members to think about the environment, and challenge their workplaces to become more sustainable.
The course got Ellie thinking about how reps can positively campaign around workplace environmental issues.
Ellie said, “I particularly found it useful to be able to engage with representatives from other workplaces and gain an insight into the issues they face as well as how they are encouraging greener practices.”
Despite the challenges of being Branch Secretary for such a spread-out branch Ellie is looking forward to the role. She is already getting stuck in, working with fellow branch officers to build communications and actions that will support all members. She is also looking forward to more training, with a Branch Officials course in the spring and getting up to speed with Unite’s online Branch Portal.
“My first few months as Branch Secretary have been very busy and have opened my eyes even further to the valuable and wide ranging work, we are able to be part of and action as a branch, but there is always more that can be done!”
“A focus this year for me will be on Women's Health, Safety and Wellbeing within the RSPCA and I am currently leading our campaign for Period Dignity in the workplace as well as improvements in policy and toolkits for our members.”
Ellie feels it’s been a bit of a whirlwind recently and has found the support of colleagues and the training provided by Unite vital.
“A valuable lesson that I have learnt this year is to make the most of your Unite colleagues, whether this be Unite staff or other Unite branch reps. As a lone worker I have found great value in the training I have received, especially the sessions in person, and the opportunity to network and learn from other reps.”
“I have also had brilliant support from Unite staff with campaigns, advice and resources - and would tell reps “Don’t be afraid to reach out!””
“Keeping in touch is hugely important. We use notice boards at RSPCA sites, run a RSPCA Unite Members’ Facebook page and use email and text communications wherever possible. In the future we hope to run a basic app for members to provide a one-stop go to area for Unite information and help”
Ellie Jones, Unite branch secretary