Boosting funding and pay are the best ways to fix NHS staffing
Commenting on new figures showing a record number of vacancies in the NHS in England, and government changes to health targets, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said today (Thursday):
“Staffing shortages are getting worse by the day. That means constant struggles to fill rotas and move people to where they’re most needed.
“The government needs a long-term answer to workforce pressures. Ignoring targets that show the public how safe and effective their NHS services are won’t fix the underlying funding gap. Nor will removing the people needed to manage the never-ending juggling act.
“Any solution to the workforce ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - September 1, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release NHS NHS staffing Source Type: news
Help There for You raise £1m to support members with energy bills
In response to the unprecedented surge in the cost of energy bills, UNISON’s charity, There for You, is calling on branches to donate to its energy support fund. The union aims to raise £1m by the end of September.
The money will be used to support members over the winter months. The union anticipates there will be high demand for support. Earlier this year, There for You’s annual winter fuel grant was increased by 50% and yet the fund was still over-subscribed in a matter of days.
With Ofgem recently announcing the new price cap, average annual energy bills are expected to reach £3,549 from 1 October. This is an...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 30, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article News there for you winter fuel grant Source Type: news
Proper wage boost the answer as inflation reaches new high
Responding to the release of the latest inflation figures showing a new 40-year-high, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards said today (Wednesday):
“The cost-of-living crisis has become a living nightmare for millions of working people.
“Wages are slumping at a record rate while prices and bills shoot up. But the government and those angling to be the next PM appear indifferent to the plight of those struggling to make ends meet.
“Ministers are deluded if they think workers can put up with yet more misery. Above-inflation pay rises are essential to rescue families on the brink.”
Notes to ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 17, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release cost of living inflation Source Type: news
UNISON launches new pay campaign role for activists
UNISON has created a new activist position called ‘pay campaign contact’.
The new role is intended to be a special pay campaign workplace contact, who will receive information of UNISON’s pay campaigns and distribute it locally to members and non-members.
This network of contacts will hopefully increase the visibility of these campaigns, as well as recruit and build workplace organisation around the issues.
This should help to strengthen the union, get the vote out in future ballots or consultations, and maximise the organising and recruitment potential in UNISON’s pay campaigns. It is similar to the a...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News pay pay campaign contact Source Type: news
Energy price freeze is right move for cost of living pressures
Responding to Labour Party proposals to freeze energy bills through an extended windfall levy on oil and gas companies, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Monday):
“Millions of people are suffering financially and it’s going to get worse without emergency action.
“Families and households, particularly those on low wages, may never recover from disastrous energy hikes.
“Labour’s plans are a positive start to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, reduce bills and control inflation. They’re in stark contrast to the government’s inertia and failure to grasp the struggles of working people.”
...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 15, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release cost of living energy prices Source Type: news
Government must end NHS despair by fixing workforce problems
Commenting on new figures from NHS England published today (Thursday) showing record waiting times for ambulance responses and in A&E departments, UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile said:
“The problems affecting the NHS go from bad to worse. It’s no wonder its staff are in such a state of deep despair.
“The government must stop watching from the side lines as too few health workers struggle to deliver for patients in the face of unprecedented demand.
“A solution to the staffing crisis, which lies at the heart of the worsening statistics, is long overdue. That must start with a rethink on p...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 11, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nhs pay NHS staff Source Type: news
Get ready for Green UNISON Week
This September, the union is once again supporting and encouraging branches to mark Green UNISON Week, using it to celebrate, discuss and share how the union is working to green public services.
From 23 of September to 1 October, branches across the UK will be asked to consider organising a week of activities to call for urgent action to tackle climate change.
Green UNISON Week also gives members the chance to show support for the school climate strike on Friday 23 September.
Christina McAnea said: “The climate crisis could not be more real and is being felt across the globe. Green UNISON Week is our chance to focus in a...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 8, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News climate change Environment green Green UNISON Week Source Type: news
UNISON urges caution over new pension scheme
UNISON is urging caution after this week’s announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that it is launching a new UK pension model.
The UK government seeks to introduce collective defined contribution schemes as an alternative to the UK’s current two primary pension scheme models – defined contribution and defined benefit.
The new scheme is a result of the Pensions Schemes Act that was passed in 2021.
UNISON sees defined benefit schemes as vital in providing decent pensions for many public service workers. However, millions of public service workers – including UNISON members – are not eligible...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 4, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News pensions Source Type: news
Blog: I urge members to make sure they have their say on pay
UNISON members working for the Environment Agency, together with Scottish health members, are being consulted on their respective pay offers.
If you’re an NHS worker in Scotland, you only have a few days left to have your say on the 5% pay offer. UNISON, along with other health unions, asked for an above inflation pay award, so we’re asking members to reject the pay deal.
For EA members, the consultative ballot that opened this week closes on 2 September. The agency is underfunded, and its workers are undervalued and underpaid.
I’ve said before that poverty is created by political choices – and pay is decided by c...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 4, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Christina McAnea Tags: General secretary's blog News environment agency NHS pay Scotland WET Source Type: news
Pay key to solving crisis in social care, says UNISON
Commenting on a report published today (Thursday) by the levelling up, housing and communities committee, which calls on the government to put more money into the social care sector, UNISON head of business and community Donna Rowe-Merriman said:
“The buck stops with government. Only ministers can solve the crisis in social care. Poverty of ambition and lack of will lie at the heart of their planned but rather limited reforms.
“The urgent priority must be a proper pay rise across the entire care sector. Low wages and inadequate sick pay explain why thousands of staff are quitting for better paid jobs elsewhere.
“...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - August 3, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Sophie Goodchild Tags: News Press release adult social care Source Type: news
Devon Partnership NHS Trust signs UNISON ’ s apprenticeships charter
Devon Partnership NHS Trust has become the latest employer, and first in the South West, to sign up to UNISON’s apprenticeship charter.
The charter highlights that well-funded, high-quality apprenticeships leading to a meaningful job make an important contribution in addressing skills gaps and tackling unemployment.
UNISON representative Caroline Emery said: “We have been working towards this for the past two years.
“We are proud to have been the first South West branch to get to this point and we hope our work can be a model for future agreements in the region.”
Under the charter, the trust has pledged to do every...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 26, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article News apprentices apprenticeship charter South West Source Type: news
Unions react to pay offer for council and school staff
The three unions representing council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have today (Monday) reacted to the £1,925 flat rate pay offer from the local government employers:
UNISON head of education and local government Mike Short said: “Council and school workers are enduring a major cost of living crisis, with inflation running at over 11%. This offer is better than employees might have expected, given the low pay rises of recent years.
“It shows local government employers are beginning to understand the financial nightmare school and council staff are living through. But it’...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 25, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release cost of living Mike Short NJC Pay 2022 Source Type: news
Environment Agency pay offer is ‘simply not enough’, says UNISON
UNISON’s Environment Agency (EA) sector committee has recommended that members reject the latest pay offer from the agency, saying the offer is “simply not enough” to address the cost of living crisis.
Pay negotiations for 2022/23 with the EA concluded last week when a full and final offer was made that equated to an average increase of 2% plus £345 consolidated increase and some modest increases to allowances.
However, the offer falls far short of the claim the EA unions jointly submitted in March and, on top of that, most agency members got a 0% rise, last year, after a decade of below inflation pay rises.
A recen...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 25, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article News environment agency Source Type: news
Government must take responsibility for the NHS and social care workforce crisis, says UNISON
Responding to the Health and Social Care Committee’s workforce report published today (Monday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“The staffing crisis in the NHS and social care grows worse by the day as employees leave for fairer wages on the high street and elsewhere.
“The government’s had years to improve the workforce situation but has done little. Only last week ministers could have acted to stop the exodus of porters, healthcare assistants and other NHS staff with an above-inflation wage rise. But chose not to.
“Instead, the government refuses to invest in the staff so critical to the N...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 24, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release Christina McAnea NHS social care Source Type: news
Government plans to use agency workers to break strikes are dangerous and unlawfull
A new law allowing employers to use agency workers to replace striking staff during industrial disputes is to be challenged in the courts, UNISON has announced today (Friday).
The UK’s largest union says it plans to take the government to court over the controversial change to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003, which came into force yesterday (Thursday 21 July).
The union has written to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng about its intention to seek a judicial review of the new regulations, which it believes are unlawful.
The secretary of state now has 14 days to respond, othe...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 22, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Garfield Myrie Tags: News Press release agency workers Christina McAnea strikes Source Type: news
