Getting the most out of facilities time

Using your time off wisely for CSP duties can save you a lot of stress in the future. Even when you don’t have specific tasks, it’s essential to stay engaged with CSP activities to ensure effective representation and communication.  

Prioritise tasks according to urgency and importance. Focus first on activities that have immediate deadlines or significant impact, such as preparing for negotiations or addressing urgent member concerns.

Set specific goals for each period of facilities time, ensuring you have clear objectives to guide your activities, whether it’s gathering data for an upcoming negotiation or communicating outcomes to members

Mapping your workplace

Having an accurate and up-to-date map of your workplace is essential for good communication with members. Get members involved:

• Identify active members in each site, team, or ward to gather information about CSP membership.
• Engage therapy support workers or junior staff for this task.

Recruiting new members

The more members we have, the stronger the CSP’s voice. Get members involved:

• Use your workplace map to identify who is best placed to recruit non-members.
• Obtain recruitment materials for physios, students and support workers from regional training or by contacting CSP.

Communicating with members

Effective communication prevents resentment and keeps members informed. Try various methods:

• Use notice boards, posters, small group meetings, surveys or newsletters.
• Involve members with IT skills in designing newsletters or updating noticeboards.

Reading documents

Set aside time to read minutes, policies or consultation documents carefully to avoid mistakes later. Get members involved:

• Divide lengthy documents among several members for feedback.
• Set deadlines and specific questions for feedback when emailing documents.

Practical steps for attending meetings and training

Prior to the event

Giving as much notice as possible to your employer is always appreciated. Organise and involve others:

• Obtain meeting dates early and inform your manager.
• Highlight the relevance of meetings to your work and the benefits to your employer.

Addressing employer and colleague concerns

Ensure your employer and colleagues understand the meeting’s purpose and benefits:

• Share local information, negotiate policies, keep updated on issues and develop workplace skills.
• Explain how the work influences and benefits them.

Dealing with problems

If your manager denies you attendance:

• Clarify the meeting’s purpose and benefits.
• Discuss staffing solutions with colleagues.
• Consider sending an alternate or discussing persistent issues with your senior negotiating officer.

On the day of the meeting

• Arrive early for networking opportunities.
• Take comprehensive notes for feedback.
• Note useful documents or website links.
• Record discussions or actions needing further input.

After the event

Providing feedback is essential for recognition and involvement:

• Hold a short meeting, send an email update, or present feedback at staff meetings.
• Acknowledge members’ contributions with thanks and updates.

Although feedback may seem like extra work, it ensures CSP work is recognised as valuable. It builds confidence in your employer and reduces resentment among colleagues by showing the benefits of CSP activities in their working lives.

Justifying your use of facilities time

In 2011, the coalition government made it mandatory for public sector employers to report on the use of facilities time to ensure that its use is 'accountable and represent value for money'. Additionally, facilities time can sometimes be scrutinised via Freedom of Information requests by stakeholders outside the union, including the media, public, and other entities who may question the allocation of public resources for union activities. Defending the use of facilities time is important because it:

• Demonstrates accountability: shows that union activities are a responsible and beneficial use of resources.
• Builds trust: ensures members and the public understand that union work contributes positively to workplace relations and overall organisational effectiveness.
• Protects rights: upholds the established rights of workers to organise and be represented, which are fundamental in many legislative frameworks.

Dealing effectively with queries related to facilities time requires that you:

• Gather information: collect all relevant information regarding how facilities time has been used. This includes details on the activities undertaken, the outcomes of these activities, and how they have contributed to the workplace.
• Be transparent and accurate: provide clear, accurate information in response to freedom of information requests. Ensure that the data is up to date and represents the union's activities faithfully. Avoid technical jargon to make the information accessible to the general public.
• Highlight the benefits: when responding, highlight how facilities time has been used to benefit not just the union members but the organisation as a whole. Examples might include improved workplace safety, enhanced employee relations or more effective handling of workplace issues.
• Consult legal advice: before responding to freedom of information requests, it might be wise to consult with legal experts to ensure compliance with freedom of information laws and to protect sensitive information appropriately.
• Prepare standard responses: develop template responses for common queries about facilities time. This can help to streamline the response process and ensure consistency in the information provided.