A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO BRANCH By Rachel Hart

Aim to this presentation  To provide a brief outline to the role of Branch

Going to look at:  What is the RCN;  Look at the role of Branch;  Look at the Branch Committee;  Look at how you can get involved.

What is the RCN?  The Royal College of Nursing is a professional trade union which represents nurses and nursing, and, it promotes excellence in practice and shapes health policies.  Importantly...  The Professional trade union activities are integral to the purpose and roles of branches.

Branches work in the best interest of members in the following areas:  Safe and appropriate working environments;  Environments free from discrimination and where diversity is valued;  A culture of lifelong learning with opportunities for continuing professional development;  Practice development/innovation/leadership/excellence/clinical quality/patient safety;  Workforce/skills/expertise/resources;

Cont...  Partnership working with employers and other stakeholders;  Implementing and promoting RCN policies;  Influencing/campaigning/intelligence gathering;  Retention and recruitment of members and activists;  Safeguarding of employment/reward.

How do we do this?  Branches are supported in delivering this activity by:  Branch leaders  RCN Board and RCN Council members  Learning representatives  Forums  Safety representatives  Staff  Stewards.

The Branch Committee.

 The Branch Committee is responsible for the conduct of all branch matters because they act on behalf of branch members.  The Branch Committee is made of:  a Branch Chair;  Secretary;  Treasurer.  All committee members are elected annually at the Branch AGM.

Electing the Committee  Any member of the Branch may nominate themselves for committee membership at the AGM.  Each nomination requires a seconder from a branch member, and the vote is taken at the AGM.  No one can hold more than one position at any one time.

Committee accountability and responsibilities  The Committee is accountable for the organisation of the Branch, to the Branch members at the Branch AGM, and also to the regional/country board.

The Committee acts on behalf of the members and is responsible for:  Organising the Branch and its activities in support of the RCN’s mission as a professional trade union, and according to its policies and procedures, the Branch constitution, and guidance/ protocols issued by the RCN;  Undertaking financial stewardship of RCN Branch funds;  Planning and organising a programme of events and meetings to meet the needs of members and representatives, and support membership and activist recruitment;  Acting on behalf of the Branch in the exercise of the rights of the Branch;  Nominating link representatives for forums;  Identifying all the workplace units within the branch area and aiming to have a link representative in each workplace unit fostering activity in all workplaces within the branch area.

Also...  Ratifying the workplace elections and supporting the accreditation and dis- accreditation process;  Co-ordinating collective branch action on any matter affecting the interests of nurses and the nursing profession in line with RCN policy on industrial action;  Promoting professional awareness and development by organising local professional activities lobbying on behalf of nurses, health care assistants and nursing;  Regularly communicating with branch members;  Link members in workplaces units and forums having concern for the wellbeing of members;  Promoting equality and diversity within all Branch activities complying with, and promoting, the RCN Code of Conduct.

Branch meetings  The branch committee is responsible for arranging a programme of meetings and events to meet the needs of members.  These meetings should all have a defined purpose and members should be targeted for invitation accordingly.

AGMs  The branch must hold at least one branch general meeting for all members, per calendar year – the Annual General Meeting (AGM).  The purpose of the AGM is to discuss the branch annual report and financial statements up to the end of the previous financial year (31March); to elect the branch committee and to ratify the elected RCN representatives.

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the branch  This is convened at the chair’s request or upon receipt of a written request by 20 members of the branch.  Notification of the date and venue must be sent to all branch members, using RCN communication channels, at least three weeks before the meeting.

Getting Involved

What is an activist?  The term 'activist' includes all members who have agreed to take on an identified role in the RCN.  RCN activists are vital to the successful working of the RCN in whatever role they take on.  As an activist you can make a difference to nurses, nursing and your professional development.  There are a number of different types.

Learning Representatives  Support the learning and career development of RCN members in the workplace through enabling members to meet continuing professional development requirements for safe and effective practice.

Safety representatives  Represent the health and safety interests of members at work and work with employers to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for RCN members.

Stewards  Support and represent members in the workplace. Their role is to promote workplace employment rights and ensure that members are treated fairly.

RCN accredited representatives  These are:  stewards;  safety representatives;  learning representatives.  A link representative may be elected in each workplace unit by the RCN accredited representatives in that workplace.  The link representative is accountable to, and in regular communication with, the branch committee, and is responsible for co-ordinating the election of RCN stewards, safety representatives and learning representatives in that workplace.  The link representative will notify the branch of the election results for branch ratification.

Training...  All accredited representatives undertake a learning and development programme based on the RCN’s role descriptors for trade union representatives in the workplace.  This enables them to develop their competency and confidence in acquiring the knowledge and skills to effectively support our members and represent the RCN.

Benefits

The Benefits  As an RCN representative, you are:  Fully supported by RCN staff and by a network of other representatives throughout the UK;  Specially trained, with your continuing learning and development needs met by the RCN's Department of Professional Practice, backed by RCN officers;  Legally entitled to reasonable paid time off for your learning and development and to carry out your representative duties;  Encouraged to access a specialist area on the RCN's website, which contains a wide range of resources, and a discussion area;

Cont...  kept up-to-date with news and information via your own monthly newsletter, Activate;  invited to attend national conferences and events;  entitled to a 25 per cent discount off the member rate for RCN conferences organised solely by the RCN Events team;  eligible to receive a special RCN award that recognises your hard work and achievements.

What next?

Interested in becoming a representative?  For more information:  You can download the representatives recruitment leaflet (PDF 1.55MB) and complete the short form at the back;representatives recruitment leaflet (PDF 1.55MB)  Contact RCN Direct on , or your regional or national office to request a representatives recruitment leaflet (please quote publication code );  Contact your local representative or local RCN branch.

To apply...  The short form should be sent to your local RCN office who will then contact you to arrange an informal chat to discuss the role. If you decide you'd like to proceed with your application, you'll then receive an application form.  You need to be nominated by two RCN members.  These are people who believe you would make a good representative, and may be a colleague from your branch or a work colleague.  After you have completed the application form, indicating what type of representative you wish to be, it should be sent to the branch secretary.  There will be a workplace election, after which the branch will ratify your nomination as an elected trade union representative, and the regional or national office will inform your employer that you are an accredited RCN representative.  The full application form will only be accepted once you have sent in an expression of interest form and spoken to your regional office.

Cont...  After you have completed the application form, indicating what type of representative you wish to be, it should be sent to the branch secretary.  There will be a workplace election, after which the branch will ratify your nomination as an elected trade union representative, and the regional or national office will inform your employer that you are an accredited RCN representative.  The full application form will only be accepted once you have sent in an expression of interest form and spoken to your regional office.

A Brief Story...