‘ If you want to be heard, speak in UNISON ’

Addressing UNISON’s LGBT conference in Brighton this afternoon, Christina McAnea, the union’s assistant general secretary with responsibility for bargaining and equality, spoke about how she increasingly hears the question asked of ‘why should I join a union?’ “Looking around the hall, some of you – not all of you – will be old enough to remember the UNISON TV advert that saw one cartoon ant trying to gain the attention of a bear.” It only hears and leaps out of the way when the single ant returns with a huge group of ants. The message was simple, she told them. “If you want to be heard, speak in UNISON” and “that message is still true today.” Ms McAnea (pictured) stressed that we know the key role unions have played in so many things we take for granted now, from the minimum wage to pensions, health and safety legislation and increased equality protections. UNISON’s summer legal victory against the government over employment tribunal fees was also a perfect example of what unions can do. While union membership in general is falling, UNISON’s membership remains stable. It’s a remarkable achievement, she says, and we do it by being relevant. Stressing the damaging nature of the pay cap on public service pay, she drew delegates’ attention to the Pay Up Now! campaign, which has helped to pressure the government into at least mouthing that the pay cap was over. But there could be “no more smoke and mirrors” on pay: meaningful wage increases are...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article 2017 LGBT Conference Christina McAnea transphobia Source Type: news