A commitment to boost wages would mean unions may call off the strikes, says UNISON
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments today (Sunday) ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between health unions, NHS employers and the secretary of state, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:
“Health workers will be hoping the Prime Minister’s comments mean the talks can go beyond hearing solely about the pay review body evidence for the year from April.
“The earliest that process could finish is months away in May. The health secretary needs to set out what the government can do right now to prevent the dispute from continuing.
“Making a firm commitment to boost wages for what’s le...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - January 8, 2023 Category: Food Science Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release nhs pay Sara Gorton Source Type: news
Government should focus on solving NHS crisis with proper pay not penalties for staff
Responding to reports that the government is to announce legislation to penalise public sector workers if they strike, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:
“The public and health staff would welcome minimum staffing levels in the NHS every day of the week. That way, people wouldn’t be lying in agony on A&E floors or dying in the backs of ambulances.
“But limiting legal staffing levels to strike days and threatening to sack or fine health workers when there are record vacancies in the NHS show proper patient care isn’t what ministers want.
“The government is picking ill-advised fights with NHS emplo...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - January 5, 2023 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nhs pay strike laws Source Type: news
Blog: We ’ re ready to talk on pay
Starting my first blog of 2023, i’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all the public service workers who still went out to work during the Christmas and new year holidays.
When so many people can take time off work to be with their family and friends, you make personal sacrifices to keep the country going. I have no doubt that you do this because of your commitment to your work and to the people who rely on the services you provide.
Yesterday, the prime minister gave a speech, in which he spoke about a better future that “restores optimism, hope, and pride in Britain”.
Perhaps it’s his own realisation that ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - January 5, 2023 Category: Food Science Authors: Christina McAnea Tags: General secretary's blog News NHS NHS ballot NHS in crisis Put NHS pay right Source Type: news
Environment Agency workers to strike for the first time, says UNISON
Thousands of Environment Agency workers in England will strike for the first time later this month in a significant escalation of their dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Thursday).
Workers who maintain important safety structures such as the Thames Barrier, coastal sea defences and those protecting communities from floods, water pollution, spills, waste fires and fly-tipping will walk out on Wednesday 18 January from 8am to 5pm. The strike comes at a time of year when extreme weather is more likely to hit the country, warns UNISON.
Last month, thousands of workers started working to rule for an indefinite period. This m...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - January 5, 2023 Category: Food Science Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release Donna Rowe-Merriman environment agency Source Type: news
Waiting times won ’t fall unless the government deals with NHS pay, says UNISON
Responding to Rishi Sunak’s speech today (Wednesday) in which he pledged to reduce NHS waiting lists, UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile said:
“Society needs a well-funded, well-staffed NHS so care and treatment is available the moment people need it.
“If the Prime Minister is serious about change and doing things differently, he should apply this to his government’s approach to the healthcare crisis. That means giving his ministers the green light to start talking to unions about improving pay.
“The government must raise wages sufficiently across the health service right away. Otherwise experienced ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - January 4, 2023 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nhs pay Source Type: news
Further strikes inevitable unless government holds talks and moves on NHS pay, says UNISON
Two further strike days involving ambulance staff working for five services in England are to take place in the new year, says their union UNISON today (Thursday).
Ambulance workers belonging to UNISON and employed by services in London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West are to take action over pay and staffing again in January. Staff will be called out on strike on Wednesday 11 and Monday 23 January 2023.
This follows a noon to midnight strike yesterday (Wednesday) and is a direct result of the government’s repeated refusal to negotiate improvements to NHS pay this year, says UNISON.
The...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - December 22, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Sophie Goodchild Tags: News Press release Ambulance Strike Source Type: news
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
