Make the most of your membership

Make the

most of your

membership

Community members

can save 35%* on

RAC breakdown cover

Prices can be

as low as £34.13*

As a member of Community the Union, this offer is available to you and your immediate family** at enrolment and at a 25% discount on renewal.

Peace of mind 24 hours a day, every day of the year, the rescue service is available whether you are a driver or passenger in your or another vehicle (non-commercial vehicles only, excluding certain vehicle types).

At RAC we appreciate that all motorists have different requirements, therefore, choose the level of service to best suit your needs from a menu of options. Prices subject to change. Other service levels are also available (for

Calls may be recorded and/or monitored.

*Discount based on standard RAC retail prices at the time of application with payment on a continuous annual basis, prices may vary if payment is by other methods. ** Immediate family members are those who are related to you and live in the same household, up to a maximum of four additional people.

Joint Cover provides assistance to another named member of your household. Family Cover provides assistance to up to four other named members of your household. Offer applies to all levels of personal based cover and cannot be used with any other promotion. Prices are subject to change.

Full terms and conditions apply, which are available on request.

Provided by RAC Motoring Services and/or RAC Insurance Limited. RAC Motoring Services (Registered No. 1424399, Registered Offi ce: 8 Surrey Street, Norwich, NR1 3NG) in respect of insurance mediation activities only and RAC Insurance Limited (Registered No. 2355834, Registered Offi ce: as above) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority within the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial

JOIN TODAY

Community member

s who are

not yet RAC member

s call

Make the most of

your membership

But support at work is not the only benefit. We also pride ourselves on being a union that helps you at home as well as at work.

In return for your monthly contribution, you get access to a range of benefits and services designed to save you money and give you peace of mind.

This booklet outlines all the benefits that we currently offer. We are always trying to increase the benefits and services available to you, so make sure you read our magazine to find out the latest.

By making the most of your membership you could save up to £1,000 just

through being a Community member. But that is not all, our core membership

benefits can be worth hundreds more.

Please take a moment to look through this leaflet and ensure you make the most of your membership.

Yours in Unity

General Secretary Michael J. Leahy OBE

Child benefit

What is it?

The Child Benefit scheme is proving a hit with members. Over 1,000 children of members have been registered for Community’s child benefit scheme. So far, over 700 of the children were eligible for the £50 ‘baby bonus’ which is paid to member parents of children born or adopted after 1st July 2004, the date Community was born.

Children registered under the scheme receive ongoing support from Community. They will receive birthday cards and vouchers at key stages of their childhood such as when they first go to school or when they

start secondary school.

How to get it …

To register a child under the Child Benefit Scheme and to apply for the ‘baby bonus’, members should complete the Child Benefit application form which is available through Branch Secretaries, Regional Offices, the Member Service Centre and our website.

The ‘baby bonus’ is payable to any member upon the birth

or adoption of a child of which they are a parent, providing they have held membership for at least 12 months prior to the child’s birth. If both parents are members then both can claim.

Applications must be accompanied by a copy of the Birth Certificate which must contain the name of at least one member as either the father or mother.

core member benefits

New

parent?

Claim y

our

£50 bab

y

bonus

Bereavement Benefit

What is it?

The Bereavement Benefit is an accrued benefit designed to assist your next of kin at a very difficult time.

Working members will accrue £200 per annum for the first five years of membership, and £10 per annum thereafter.

At retirement the benefit continues to accrue at £10 per annum and remains available for as long as membership is continued as a non working member.

If a member has accrued a Bereavement Benefit and becomes unemployed, they will continue to accrue £10 each year, providing they remain a non -working member. When they return to work, they will continue to accrue their bereavement benefits.

A non-working member at joining will be entitled to a £200 flat rate after a year.

Entitlement to the benefit is subject to membership and is lost if the member chooses to leave the Union.

How to get it….

Application forms are available through Branch Secretaries, Regional Offices, the Member Service Centre and our website.

Completed application forms must be accompanied by a copy of the death certificate.

£1,000

of benefit

accrues aft

er

five years of

member

ship

Benevolent Fund

What is it?

The Benevolent Fund exists to provide assistance to members and their families who are experiencing severe financial difficulties.

Donations are made to those with exceptional needs for whom state support is insufficient or not forthcoming. Typically many individuals and families are in distress and have few other places to turn to for support.

How to get it….

Application forms are available through Branch Secretaries, Regional Offices, the Member Service Centre and our website.

Applicants should provide as much information as possible – there are guidance notes on the back of the application form and on our website.

All applications will be considered by the Benevolent Fund Committee, which meets quarterly.

Convalescence Benefit

What is it?

The Convalescence Benefit exists to provide members who have experienced serious illness or injury with up to two weeks rest and recuperation at our partner convalescence home.

Members can recover among beautiful surroundings, with full board and all expenses paid.

A member can go alone for two weeks or with a companion for one week.

N.B. There are no nursing facilities at the home and therefore members must be able to care for themselves.

How to get it …

Application forms are available through the Member Service Centre. Applications for Convalescence Benefit must be signed off by a doctor.

Strike & Lockout Benefit

Industrial action is initiated by members deciding at branch level to request an industrial ballot. Community will support industrial action that has the support of the majority of those returning ballots.

Where members have chosen to take approved industrial action or have been locked out by management, Community will seek to compensate members for some of their loss in wages.

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Lifelong Learning

Communitas is the part of Community that meets your learning and skills development needs. To date we have helped over 22,000 Community members and other learners, and secured over £13 million of Government and European funding, to give you and your family the best

chance of success in a changing world.

If you need to refresh existing skills or learn new ones, we can provide advice, training, support and other opportunities in your workplace or at one of our own centres across England, Wales and Scotland. This can help you to improve your prospects in your current workplace and in the job market.

We can help you with

■ Information, advice and guidance on learning opportunities

■Basic literacy and numeracy

■IT skills

■ Redundancy support (CV writing, interview techniques etc.)

■Workplace coaching and mentoring for apprentices

■Many other lifelong learning activities

Communitas can also work with your employer to design learning and development programmes for your workplace.

Ask your Union Learning Representative for details of the opportunities that are available to you as a Community member.

Legal Services

We provide an array of legal services which are available for you to use and some of our services are open to your family members too.

Free legal advice

Your Union operates a Free Legal Advice Service (FLAS) which is open to all members. FLAS can help with a wide range of legal queries, such as consumer issues, neighbour disputes and housing matters. In times of need, you can access the service to cover close family members too.

Free will writing service

Community can arrange for you to be provided with a basic will free of charge. A basic will leaves your estate to a partner and then to any surviving children. This service includes a “mirror” will for your partner.

Emergency telephone support

Union solicitors provide a free 24-hour emergency telephone support service for urgent criminal law issues for members only. The service is for the purpose of providing initial advice only.

Reduced-rate* ‘personal legal services’

If you require specialist services, such as conveyancing, probate and family issues, Community can arrange for reduced-rate services through the Union solicitors. *rates for personal legal services are available on request

To take advantage of any of Community’s legal services or to discuss other services that you may require, simply contact our Member Service Centre and

legal services

An

hour’s initial

advice with a high

street solicit

or would

cost you £150.

With

Community it’

s

friendly and

free

What is it?

Community provides free legal advice and support to members and their immediate families who have been injured through no fault of their own.

Personal injury claims can be complicated and time consuming, but with the help of specialist solicitors the process can be made much simpler and quicker. Community has a nationwide network of solicitors on call to serve members for free.

With unscrupulous private solicitors charging astro-nomical rates per hour or off ering dubious ‘no win, no fee’ services – which means they may take part of any compensation you may win – you simply can’t aff ord to be without the union.

Road accidents

Whether you were the driver, passenger or pedestrian, you could be entitled to bring a claim for compensation for your injuries. The injuries suff ered in road accidents may vary from minor to extremely serious injuries. Whatever your injuries may be, Community’s network of solicitors is equipped to off er you the best advice and assistance with your claim. You can claim compensation for injuries that you have suff ered up to three years ago.

Workplace injuries

Your employer has a “duty of care” to ensure, as far as possible, your health, safety and welfare while you are at work. If you have been injured in an accident at work or you suff er a mental health issue through bullying or an unreasonable workload, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Your employer must not treat you unfairly just because you are making a claim for personal injury. The union is here to ensure your rights as an employee.

Industrial Disease

Due to your working environment you may have been exposed to harmful substances or conditions. As a result of this exposure you may have suff ered from a work related condition for which you may be able to claim compensation. For example:

●Asbestos-related diseases

●Respiratory diseases

●Dermatitis

●Industrial deafness/tinnitus

●Vibration white fi nger

●Clinical negligence

If you have been injured as a result of medical treatment or clinical negligence, Community’s network of specialist solicitors may be able to help you claim compensation.

Doctors have been found negligent for, among other things, failed or delayed diagnosis, failure to warn of risks in treatment, failure to obtain proper consent to treatment, medication errors, careless surgical procedures, delayed referral to specialists. Negligence can also arise out of system errors in the hospital where the treatment took place.

If you were treated as a private patient and paid the doctor, either yourself or through your medical insurer, you may also be able to claim for breach of contract if your medical treatment was substandard.

Public liability

If you have been injured in the street or in a public building, for example a supermarket or restaurant, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Landlords and owners of land and property accessed by members of the public have a duty to take reasonable care for the safety of all visitors. Landlords also have a duty of care to their tenants.

Community’s specialist solicitors are on hand to provide advice and assistance.

For further information or to register a claim for compensation please contact our Member Service Centre:

1st Floor, Carpet Weavers Hall; Callows Lane; Kidderminster DY10 2JG

FREEPHONE: 0800 389 6332

email: servicecentre@community-tu.org

personal injury

If you are concerned about the possibility of accidents and injury in your workplace, contact your union to access comprehensive health and safety training. Learn how to use the law to make your workplace safer.

You can work to reduce the risk of workplace accidents, but you cannot guarantee that accidents will never happen. That’s why it’s reassuring to know that whatever happens; your union, Community, will ensure that you are paid every penny of the Personal Injury compensation you are owed.

Cases range from the minor …

One member working at Belper suff ered a deep cut to his right elbow after brushing against a control box at work. Union lawyers took his case to the company and quickly came to an agreement that saw our member receive £1,500 in damages.

… to the life-changing:

Another member was working at Alphasteel in 2004 when he fell 40 feet into hot molten slag. Our member suff ered severe multiple burns, skin injuries and serious fractures as well as severe injuries to his left arm which was left virtually functionless, extensive facial disfi

gure-to ensure that the fi nal settlement gure-took ingure-to account pain and suff ering, loss of earnings, care and assistance and future losses.

The case was fi nally settled with our member being awarded £800,000.

Not only that, but Community’s Personal Injury Scheme covers you and your family at work and at home …

One member and his non-member daughter were struck from behind in a traffi c accident. Our union lawyers pursued both his claim and the claim of his daughter.

Our member suff ered whiplash to the neck and back which caused him to miss work for a few days. This claim was settled quickly with £2,315 compensation.

Unfortunately, our member’s daughter suff ered more serious injuries that have required the union lawyers to pursue compensation – this claim had not been settled when this booklet went to print.

Community’s Personal Injury Compensation Service delivers every penny of compensation to which you are entitled. Avoid the no-win no-fee lawyers that can and do take large percentages

Post Offi ce Christmas Club

Post Offi ce

Christmas Club: Special Member Offer

The Post Offi ce Christmas Club Card is issued by Bank of Ireland – incorporated in Ireland with limited liability.

Registered No. C-1. Head Offi ce, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Authorised by the Irish Financial Regulator and authorised and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority. Details about the extent of Bank of Ireland’s authorisation and regulation by the Financial Services Authority are available from Bank of Ireland on request. Post Offi ce Limited is registered in England and Wales.

We’re delighted to make available a special offer to all Community members joining the Post Offi ce® _{Christmas Club.}

Join the Christmas Club at your local Post Offi ce® _{branch and we’ll top up your}

Christmas Club Card with an extra £2.50 for Christmas. All club members will also receive a booklet of discount and special offer vouchers in the run-up to Christmas, making the money you have put aside go ever further.

To take advantage of this offer, sign up to the club at your local Post Offi ce® _branch. Counter staff will provide you with an application form. On the application form write the following code – COM10 – to the left of the barcode. Once we’ve received your application we’ll top up your account with an extra £2.50.

The Post Offi ce® _{Christmas Club represents a great way to put aside money for}

Christmas; you can sign up with as little as £2. Top up your card, up to a maximum of £1,000 per annum, throughout the year and next Christmas you’ll be able to shop at a great range of top retailers including Argos, Sainsbury’s, Boots, WH Smith, Currys, Top Shop and many, many more.

Hello members, we already receive a number of financial services enquiries from the Community Member Service Centre.

In the current climate, members are more concerned than ever that they receive good quality independent financial advice they can trust.

Richard Broom

Managing Director

Financial Services offered to members

include: Inde pendent Financial Advice on receipt of a Personal Injury Award Financial Advice in Retirement and Redundancy situations Arranging Life Insurance and other protection Pension Advice Reviewing existing investments, e.g. Investment Bonds ISAs etc. Inheritance Tax Planning Trading or surrendering Endowment Policies Debt Counselling* Mortgage Advice

For a free no obligation discussion yw‚‚FNJKJLI JFMG

Introducing

our

friendly,

accessible

Independent

Financial

Advisors

Not a member?

You could join today.

To join by phone,call

0800 389 6332

To join online, or to download

an application form and

join by post, go to