Birmingham City Council cuts care workers ’ hours at the expense of local people
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has today (Tuesday) joined striking care workers on the picket line in Birmingham.
More than 250 care workers are taking strike action in response to the City Council’s plans to dramatically cut their working hours, resulting in a significant loss of income, says UNISON.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “I’m proud to join our care workers this morning in Birmingham.
“No-one goes on strike lightly, especially care workers who know the benefit they bring, every hour of every day, to those they care for.
“But the Council’s decision to slash care staff hours is cutti...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - July 31, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Charlotte Jeffs Tags: News Press release care workers council dave prentis Source Type: news
A bold vision
If Labour wins the next election, it will to transform the water, environment and transport industries, shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald promised UNISON activists at the union’s WET service group conference in Brighton.
He told delegates that the relentless pursuit of profit over public service will end and the water utilities and railways will be renationalised. There will also be a new agenda for buses, promoting municipally owned companies, new routes and cheaper fares.
The party is already working with the Labour-controlled metropolitan authorities on plans to transform cities so that emissions will be reduce...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 18, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tony Braisby Tags: Article News 2018 Water Environment and Transport Conference Labour Party Source Type: news
It ’ s all about the data
As you’ll undoubtedly know from your inbox, from 25 May the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is in effect.
The law gives individuals more choice and control over how their data is used.
The regulation also brings in stricter duties, which all organisations must follow. At UNISON we are committed to keeping your data secure and to not using it in ways you wouldn’t expect. This includes:
Being open and honest about how we use your personal data. You can see how in our updated privacy policy;
making it simple and straight forward for you to access the data we hold on you;
keeping your data secure and acting ...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - May 25, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Martin Cullen Tags: Article data policy data protection GDPR Source Type: news
Blog: The Windrush generation served us all and made our country a better place
This year our country celebrates two 70th anniversaries – the creation of the NHS and the arrival of SS Windrush at Tilbury Port. The two are intertwined and inseparable, with so many of the Windrush generation helping to build the health service that we all rely on.
I am proud that Unison backed the Windrush campaign when many, including the Prime Minister, seemed unaware of the lives blighted and families placed under intolerable pressure.
The Windrush generation served us all and made our country a better place. Many of them were members of Unison – working for the benefit of all of us in our town halls, schools, ho...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - April 18, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Dave Prentis Tags: General secretary's blog News immig Windrush Source Type: news
UNISON vows to step up fight against wholly owned subsidiaries
Health members in Brighton today voiced their anger at the increasing practice of NHS trusts in England to set up wholly owned subsidiary companies to provide support services, and voted to fight their spread.
The practice is widely regarded as backdoor privatisation of health services – putting at risk the pay and conditions of thousands of NHS staff, particularly low-paid women, Black and disabled workers.
The importance of the issue was reflected in the fact that nine bodies contributed to the the composite motion being debated.
One delegate argued that wholly owned subsidiary companies represented “the biggest thre...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - April 18, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News 2018 Health Conference fighting cuts and privatisation in the NHS health care wholly owned subsidiaries Source Type: news
How to … write a press release
It’s more than a century since the first press release – issued by the Pennsylvania Railroad after a fatal train crash. And while the world and the media that reports on it may have changed a little since 1906, a release remains the best way for organisations to attract the attention of journalists and producers.
Before you get started, think about who might need to know what you’re up to before any release is issued. Alerting the regional organiser who looks after your branch, so they can keep national media colleagues in the loop, could help avoid any nasty surprises in future – and keep everyone happy.
Writing a...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - April 13, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Liz Chinchen Tags: Magazine activist communications Source Type: news
UNISON puts major proposal for NHS pay to its members
UNISON today unveiled a proposal for a far-reaching modernisation of the NHS pay structure in England over the next three years, which would result in significant pay rises for every single member of staff and could turn the tide of the NHS staffing crisis.
The union has led intense and detailed negotiations over a number of months, which have resulted in the proposed framework agreement between NHS unions, employers and the government.
The key aim of the proposed agreement is to make the whole NHS pay system “fairer and better” for current and future staff.
In the first instance, over a million hospital porters, 999 c...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - March 21, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News health care living wage NHS England nhs pay pay up now Time to talk about NHS pay Source Type: news
UNISON women vote to fight for refuges
Refuge services for survivors of domestic violence have been decimated by the public-sector funding cuts, UNISON’s women’s conference heard.
Data provided by 131 refuges in 2016 demonstrated that, on one day, 78 women along with their children were turned away from refuges because they could not be accommodated.
A member who works for a Women’s Aid organisation said: “I have seen first hand the impact of the cuts. We have had to cut our beds from 15 to 10.
“Last year we had 120 referrals including 84 children, the most common reason we couldn’t accept someone was we didn’t have the space.”
Another member to...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - February 4, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Rosa Ellis Tags: Article News 2018 Women's Conference cuts domestic violence Source Type: news
Suffragette descendant addresses UNISON women
The great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst spoke of the ‘feminist moment’ we are having today, when she spioke at UNISON’s biggest ever women’s conference.
Dr Helen Pankhurst told the conference in Liverpool: “2018 seems potentially as symbolically important as 1918… If we can change social norms and change legislation when it’s needed, that is when the magic happens.”
Dr Pankhurst has just written a book entitled Deeds Not Words.
She told delegates that during her research she found that, while there are many types of inequalities that women face, violence against w...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - February 3, 2018 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Rosa Ellis Tags: Article News 2018 Women's Conference domestic violence violence at work Source Type: news
Blog: It ’s time for politicians to wake up, stop hesitating, and put pay up now
This afternoon at the TUC, I was proud to lead the debate on public sector pay. For UNISON’s 1.3 million members, and millions more like them, there is no more important issue. After years of brutal austerity and vicious attacks on our public services – all overseen by a government that has shown little interest in public service – the tide is beginning to turn in our direction.
When you consider how poorly public service workers have been treated, that’s not surprising. In the first six years of Tory rule, public sector pay rose by just 4.4%. Yet over the same period, the cost of living soared by 22%. Meanwhile, t...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - September 11, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Dave Prentis Tags: General secretary's blog News pay pay up now TUC Source Type: news
New school year, new materials, new challenges
The new school year is beginning and UNISON in schools has been working hard over the summer to produce new materials and updating existing guidance and materials in time for it.
We have also updated the schools pages on the website and included information on the learning and training opportunities for school staff members.
It’s important for activists to remember that only UNISON has the knowledge, expertise and experience to represent school support staff. And our intention is to make it clear to members and potential members what UNISON has to offer.
Recruitment materials from new teaching union the NEU (Nat...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - September 4, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Jon Richards Tags: Article Blogs UNISON voices Source Type: news
Dispute registered over plans for Nottingham College redundancies
UNISON has launched an official dispute with Nottingham College after members were told that they could lose their jobs – just as they broke for their summer holidays.
General secretary Dave Prentis has written to the Nottinghamshire branch pledging support.
The union registered the official dispute after it, and teaching union UCU, were only told about the plans to delete the equivalent of 165 full-time posts on 7 July – after the formal end of term on 4 July.
By that time, many members had already gone on their holidays. On top of that, many of the workers are on term-time only contracts, leading UNISON rep Carol War...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - July 27, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tony Braisby Tags: Article News East Midlands education services further education nottingham nottinghamsire redundancies redundancy Source Type: news
Champions campaign helping to turn the tide against austerity
UNISON’s Public Service Champions campaign has played a “key role” in turning the public against the government’s austerity agenda, national delegate conference heard this afternoon.
The campaign aimed at winning public opinion was launched last year, as the UK faced a strong Conservative government intent on more cuts to public services.
“What a difference a year makes,” James Anthony of the NEC told delegates. “Cracks in the austerity agenda are growing wider and deeper.
“The wilful neglect of public services are plain to see in the hung parliament and this coalition of chaos.”
Mr James said tha...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 21, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article 2017 NDC delegate conference austerity local government cuts NHS funding cuts public service champions Save Our Local Services Source Type: news
Dyslexia – what does it mean and how can you help?
UNISON has launched a new online training module to help union members and activists support colleagues who have, or suspect they have, dyslexia and to better understand the condition.
It is a short, informal module, designed to allow learners to work through an overview of the topic at their own pace, and features a series of activities and video interviews with UNISON members.
It explores what it’s like to have dyslexia and the legal obligations and protections for people with the condition.
It also includes tips on making union branch communications dyslexia-friendly.
It and similar online modules can be found on the ...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 15, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tony Braisby Tags: Article disability discrimination disabled members dyslexia learning learning and organising Source Type: news
UNISON comments on unemployment figures
Commenting on the latest unemployment and earnings figures, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Demand for public services continues to rise, but these figures confirm that the workforce is still being cut.
“Services are being starved of funds and staff shortages mean nurses, paramedics, teaching assistants and council employees are having to work even harder, but for less money.
“Public sector workers have not had a proper pay rise since 2011. It is no wonder they feel so undervalued. The public sector pay cap must go.”
Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad T:0207 121 5255 M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
L...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 14, 2017 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Charlotte Jeffs Tags: News Press release dave prentis Source Type: news
