Rolling report: #PutNHSpayright
09:05am There are strict laws on picketing during industrial action and the union could be heavily fined if these are broken.
But there are plenty of way in which non-striking members and any other supporters can show their solidarity with strikers today.
Check here to find out more
If you’re following events on Twitter, make sure to check @unisontheunion and @cmcanea. And if you yourself are tweeting, please use the hashtag #PutNHSpayright.
08:55am Good morning all. As UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea tweeted last night, today’s strikes are going ahead. “I had hoped the government would move on pay, to get...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - December 21, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News Industrial action NHS nhs pay Put NHS pay right Source Type: news
Court permits UNISON challenge on law allowing strike-breaking
The High Court has granted permission for UNISON to bring a legal challenge against the government to protect the right to strike.
UNISON is challenging government regulations that undermine the right to strike by allowing companies to hire agency workers to cover for those taking industrial action. The union argues that this is unlawful and violates fundamental trade union rights.
Describing the regulations as “impractical and dangerous”, UNISON director of legal services Adam Creme said: “These regulations have been made without any consultation since 2015. They allow employers to bus in people who are not qualifie...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - December 16, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News Legal Source Type: news
UNISON secures £29m in personal injury settlements for members
UNISON has secured a huge £29m in compensation for members and members’ families this year, settling just under 2,000 claims between November 2021 and November 2022. This is an increase on the £27m won on behalf of members last year.
The vast majority of these cases were work-related personal injury claims, involving accidents and injuries such as assaults at work, manual handling claims, trips and falls and needlestick injuries.
Legal officer Helen Buczynsky, who coordinates the union’s external personal injury legal service, says: “Everyone should be able to do their job safely, without risk of injury. If a UNISO...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - December 16, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News health and safey Legal legal services Source Type: news
UNISON seeks urgent meeting with environment secretary
UNISON is seeking an urgent meeting with environment secretary Thérèse Coffey, to discuss the “insulting” pay offer to its members working in the Environment Agency (EA).
A letter from general secretary Christina McAnea describes the current offer as “poor compared to much of the public sector”. EA workers are in a worse position than some other public sector workers as pay was frozen the previous year for the majority of staff.
“The response from our members in our industrial action ballot clearly shows the level of frustration they feel and the financial strain they are under,” the letter states. “This is...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - December 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News environment agency Source Type: news
Put pay right to solve nurse and midwife exodus, says UNISON
Commenting on Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) data that shows more people are leaving its professional register this year than at the same time last year, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said today (Wednesday):
“Pay and staffing are at the heart of the problems affecting the NHS. Nurses and midwives are leaving for jobs elsewhere because they can’t afford their bills or to feed their families.
“Overseas workers will always be valued in the NHS. But relying on international recruitment is no substitute for the urgent retention plan needed for UK health professionals.
“The government must put NHS pa...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 30, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Sophie Goodchild Tags: Article News Press release nhs pay Source Type: news
Take part in UNISON ’s survey on the state of housing
The cost of living crisis is putting a squeeze on incomes and living standards. As a result, many people are struggling to pay expensive rents and mortgages on top of soaring energy and other household bills.
Despite high rent costs, many people living in rented homes are struggling with disrepair.
UNISON is conducting a survey to find out more about the housing issues members are facing. All respondents will be entered into a prize draw for £50 worth of high street shopping vouchers.
Have your say here
In 2020, UNISON surveyed members on their experiences with housing, finding that three in five people (61%) were strug...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 29, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News cost of living housing housing survey Source Type: news
UNISON stands with migrant workers in Qatar – beyond football
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has come at a huge human cost to migrant workers in Qatar.
Since winning the FIFA bid for the competition in 2010, Qatar has relied on migrant workers to execute its ambitious infrastructure-building projects, which include the construction of seven new stadiums, the renovation of an eighth, and the building of new public transport systems, skyscrapers, hotels and housing.
Lusail, where the world cup final will take place on 18 December, is a purpose-built ‘smart city’ designed especially for the tournament, which was only completed in 2021.
None of this would have been possible without the two ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 28, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News international qatar world cup 2022 Source Type: news
Blog: COP27 – One step forward…
Early on Sunday morning Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian foreign minister and President of COP27, the United Nations Climate Conference, closed the proceedings with a tired last flourish of his gavel. Many of the delegates and observers had left, including myself, as it had been scheduled to finish on the Friday.
Mr Shoukry could, at least, be satisfied that an agreement was finally reached. Throughout the second week the gap between the different parties was so great, that it seemed unlikely it could be closed.
There were those seeking greater ambition in achieving the target temperature rise of only 1.5 degrees (a target whic...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 21, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News climate change green unison Source Type: news
‘ We need to continue the fight … let ’ s join the winter of solidarity ’
“We need to continue the fight … we can’t let our hard-won rights” be stripped away. That was the central message from UNISON president Andrea Egan today, when she addressed the union’s LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh.
Saying that she had been privileged to attend the union’s trans ally training, she told delegates that the subject was “close to my own heart”, particularly since her nephew started to transition three years ago.
“Education is key to countering transphobia,” she noted and said that she was hoping to ensure that all members of the national executive council also did the trans ally course...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 20, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article 2022 LGBT 2022 LGBT conference Source Type: news
Terfs, ‘ toxic opinions ’ and an obsession over who ’ s in what toilet
Moving a motion on combatting anti-trans narratives in the media at UNISON’s LGBT+ conference this afternoon, Jenny said that, until 2016, it was largely either a case of having to “put up with Germaine Greer and her toxic opinions” or a sort of British Carry On humour.
Then came Brexit , which emboldened bigotry. Across all the British media, she said, there has been a constant stream of anti-trans opinion, portraying trans people – and trans women in particular – as a danger to others, and displaying an obsessive interest in what “bits” other people in public toilets have what they do with the...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 19, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article 2022 LGBT 2022 LGBT conference Source Type: news
‘ Living legend ’ Jackie Lewis given LGBT+ lifetime achievement award
In a busy afternoon at UNISON’s LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh today, delegates took time to celebrate one of the union’s own LGBT+ stars – the redoubtable Jackie Lewis from Lambeth.
Introducing a lifetime achievement award, Eileen Best from the national LGBT+ committee said that Jackie was a stickler for detail, telling of an occasion at one conference where she had spent three hours discussing the importance of a single punctuation mark in a motion.
Initially with Nalgo, before it joined with Cohse and Nupe to become UNISON, Jackie was closely involved in the formation of a lesbian and gay group in the union, and si...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 19, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News 2022 LGBT 2022 LGBT conference Source Type: news
Delegates discuss tackling hate and persecution around the world
The first plenary session of UNISON’s LGBT+ annual conference in Edinburgh this morning saw a strong emphasis on continuing persecution of LGBT+ people, in the UK and around the world.
Delegates debated a number of motions on trans equality – including the need to combat anti-trans narratives in the media, negotiating trans equality with employers and supporting gender neutral toilets and changing facilities.
Gail from the North West pointed out that trans people – particularly trans women – have been harassed, verbally and physically abused for being perceived to be in the ‘wrong’ toilet. “The right to acces...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 19, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article 2022 LGBT 2022 LGBT conference Source Type: news
UNISON attends trade unionist trial in Turkey
Last month, UNISON representatives attended the trial of former union leader and friend of the union, Gonul Erden.
Ms Erden, alongside several colleagues, is facing charges of ‘terrorism’ for her trade union work when she was co-president of SES, the public health and services union in Turkey.
Eight current and former leading members of SES, including Ms Erden, were arrested in May 2021, when police raided their homes. Five members are accused of leading a terrorist organisation, while the three others are accused of being members of a terrorist group.
Ms Erden is accused of leading an armed terrorist organ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News gonul erden international Source Type: news
Winter warning as Environment Agency staff vote for strike, says UNISON
Environment Agency staff have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay for the first time in the organisation’s 26-year history, says UNISON today (Tuesday).
In the strike vote, 72% of the 2,800 Agency staff balloted by the union across England, including river inspectors, flood forecasting officers, coastal risk management officers and sewage plant attendants, voted to take action.
Earlier in the year staff, who also work on the Thames Barrier, maintain coastal defences, and manage the risk of flooding from rivers, reservoirs and the sea, rejected what they see as an insulting 2% pay offer (plus a £345 one-off payment)...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release environment agency Source Type: news
Act on pay and help the NHS, staff and patients, say health unions
Unions representing more than a million staff working across the NHS have today (Tuesday) met with health secretary Steve Barclay to discuss the growing workforce crisis.
At the Westminster meeting this morning, the unions made clear that without urgent government action on wages, experienced health workers would continue to quit their jobs, and the NHS struggle to attract new staff in sufficient numbers.
Unions told the secretary of state that patient waits for treatment would carry on worsening, unless something was done about the dangerously low staffing levels affecting every part of the NHS.
Decent wages are ke...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - November 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nhs pay Source Type: news
