University staff reject below-inflation pay offer and vote on strike action
Thousands of university workers including administrators, cleaners, security and catering staff will vote today (Friday) on whether to strike over pay, says UNISON.
Employees overwhelmingly rejected a 3% pay offer from the University and Colleges Employers Association in May.
More than four in five (83%) workers turned down the increase that does little to help with the crushing cost-of-living pressures staff face, says UNISON.
The union says employers refused to increase their offer despite UNISON negotiators making the case for a rise of 2% above inflation (which is currently 11.8) after a decade of pay freezes and re...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 22, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Garfield Myrie Tags: News Press release Mike Short strike universities Source Type: news
Underfunded adult social care will continue to lose staff unless ministers act, says UNISON
Responding to a new report by Skills for Care on the size and structure of the social care workforce, UNISON social care lead Gavin Edwards said today (Wednesday):
“The scale of vacancies is alarming, and not just for those who rely on care and their families. The sorry state of social care is having a disastrous effect on the NHS, causing massive treatment waits, letting down patients and putting unbearable pressure on health staff.
“The care sector is acutely underfunded. Wages are way too low leaving staff unable to cope with the rising cost of living.
“Supermarkets are paying better rates without the stress,...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 20, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release Gavin Edwards NHS social care Source Type: news
Government has ‘ made a big mistake ’ on pay and missed the chance to turn the NHS around
Commenting on the government’s announcement today (Tuesday) that NHS staff in England are to receive a pay rise of £1,400 this year, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“The government has made a big mistake. This short-sighted decision risks harming the UK’s most cherished institution beyond repair.
“Ministers might have shifted their pay position a little, but nowhere near enough. This award is barely half the lowest level of inflation. The price surge shows no sign of easing and hikes to energy bills will wipe out the rise for almost everyone.
“It’s unlikely the incr...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 19, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release NHS pay rise Source Type: news
Blog: The Tory leadership race
Today, there are still five candidates left standing in the race to be the next Conservative leader and prime minister. The third round of voting is today and follows a weekend of campaigning and embarrassing TV debates.
Each one of the candidates is a part of the ruling Tory party that’s been in power for the past 12 years. Most have served in Boris Johnson’s government as either a cabinet or junior minister, and all propped up and voted through a Tory agenda that has led us to where we are today – a deepening cost of living crisis, and an integrity vacuum at the top of British politics.
Yet the debates over the wee...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 18, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Christina McAnea Tags: General secretary's blog News conservative party Source Type: news
Blog: UNISON is standing together with our friends in Turkey
When Mehmet Bozgeyik, co-president of KESK (The Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions), addressed our national delegate conference in Brighton last month, he inspired and shocked us all with his vivid and passionate address about the strength he and his comrades have had to maintain in the face of appalling treatment of trade unionists in Turkey.
However, this still couldn’t prepare me for my visit to Turkey, and the travesty of justice I witnessed in a court in Ankara.
I was there to observe the trial of eight leading members of SES, the public health and social services union, who have been charged with te...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 11, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Christina McAnea Tags: General secretary's blog News international trade union rights Turkey Source Type: news
HSGE will reconvene if NHS pay outcome is delayed
In the light of the current political chaos, UNISON’s health service group executive has agreed to step up calls for the Westminster government to release its decision on NHS pay and publish the PRB report. The committee will reconvene later in July to decide how to respond to either a pay outcome or further delay. If the report has not been published by the start of Parliamentary recess (21st July) health members will be left facing the escalating cost of living crisis with no pay rise in sight until at least September. The committee was clear that in that case balloting members about the delay will be on the agenda.
&n...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 8, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Cleopatra Parthenoglou Tags: health hsge nhs pay Put NHS pay right Source Type: news
Government chaos must not cause further delays on NHS pay
Ministers must act without delay to give the long-overdue wage rise that NHS staff deserve, says UNISON.
Distractions of the government’s own making are no reason to hold back the desperately needed pay increase for health workers that is already three months late, the union says.
The above-inflation pay rise demanded by unions to protect patient services should be at the top of new health secretary Stephen Barclay’s in-tray, says UNISON.
Health workers are struggling to pay their bills with prices soaring. Without an immediate and significant pay rise, staff will simply leave the NHS – which is already experiencing ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 8, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nhs pay Put NHS pay right Source Type: news
Harlow refuse workers call off strikes after improved pay offer
Last month, an overwhelming 97% of refuse workers backed walkouts in Harlow after enduring years of below-inflation deals, including 0% in 2021 and 0.4% in 2020, leaving loaders barely above the legal minimum wage.
Workers rejected Veolia’s attempt to impose a 7% rise, saying it failed to keep up with the cost of living.
The firm initially refused to talk to UNISON about pay but agreed to negotiate last week, tabling an improved offer of 2.5% backdated to January 2021 and 5.5% from January 2022.
Along with additional leave and new holiday enhancement rates, the overall package is worth over 9% and Veolia also agreed to a...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 5, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article cost of living eastern region local government Source Type: news
UNISON out in force at London Pride
UNISON hit the streets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pride in London. With a particularly strong presence from Greater London region and Westminster branch, UNISON purple was prominent in the sea of colour on Saturday.
Marching from Hyde Park via Piccadilly to Horse Guard’s parade the event gave revellers “the opportunity for expression of celebration, joy and triumph but also the voice to rightly express the continued fight for those injustices and inequalities that exist amongst us.”
Here are some highlights from the day:
The article UNISON out in force at London Pride first appeared on the UNISON N...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 5, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article LGBT Pride month Source Type: news
Staff changes will create risks to children and drive staff out of early years education
Responding to the government’s launch of a consultation into increasing early years staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds, UNISON head of education Mike Short said today (Monday):
“Children will be put at risk and staff will be driven out of the early education sector by this government interference.
“Workers are already quitting due to unmanageable workloads. Attracting new staff will be near impossible if ministers heap ever more responsibility on employees.
“Claims that ratio changes reduce costs for parents are a smokescreen. The reality is that risks will increase as staff look after more ch...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 4, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Garfield Myrie Tags: News Press release early years Mike Short ratio Source Type: news
Enjoy our 5-star holiday resort this summer
Croyde Bay, the UNISON owned and operated holiday resort in Devon, has been awarded the coveted 5* holiday resort status by Visit England, it was announced this week.
The award comes after recent developments at the resort, including 28 new top-of-the-range lodges, refurbishments and redesigns of much of the existing accommodation, a revamped restaurant menu and a brand new adventure playground and crazy golf course, to add to their other facilities.
Situated next to the Croyde Beach surfing hotspot, the resort houses a 56-bedroom hotel, as well as a variety of self-catering accommodation, and has a well-earned reputatio...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - July 4, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Martin Cullen Tags: News Croyde Bay Source Type: news
Harlow refuse workers vote for strike action
Refuse workers from UNISON’s Eastern region have voted 97% in favour of strikes in the hope of securing a better pay offer.
They received nothing last year, with employer Veolia offering 7% for 2021 and 2022. Inflation currently stands at 9.1%, wiping out the value of that rise.
The company had been refusing to even talk about pay at the Mead Park depot, but has now agreed to meet.
UNISON is urging Veolia to come to the negotiating table with a new offer and avoid disruption to the public, before it announces strike dates.
UNISON regional manager Caroline Hennessy said: “Harlow’s refuse workers have made their fe...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - June 28, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article News eastern region Source Type: news
Latest pay offer for college staff is ‘ simply not enough ’
UNISON’s national further education committee is to recommend that members reject the latest pay offer from the employers’ organisation, which they feel is “simply not enough” to address the cost of living crisis and the problems caused by over a decade of stagnant pay growth.
Members will be consulted in September, when colleges reopen.
The pay negotiations for 2022/23 with the Association of Colleges (AoC) concluded last week. There had been some movement from the offer made in May, with employers now recommending 2.5% across the board, a further £500 unconsolidated in line with local affordability and £750...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - June 28, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News FE pay Source Type: news
UK ’s biggest exam board AQA failing on pay
Pupils across the UK could face delays in receiving their GCSE and A-Level results if exam board AQA fails to improve its pay offer to staff, UNISON is warning today (Friday).
Around 160 AQA staff, who arrange the setting and marking of exam papers and issue results, are being balloted for strike action after years of below-inflation wage rises. Last year the workforce received a paltry 0.6% pay increase, says the union.
The workers have already rejected a 3% offer, which the employer was only prepared to pay if the unions (UNISON and Unite) agreed to bring wage talks to an end.
Staff are calling fo...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - June 24, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release AQA education exams Source Type: news
University of Leeds staff strike over ‘insulting’ pay offer
Hundreds of staff at the University of Leeds, including cleaners, security workers, administrators and librarians are striking this week over a long-running pay dispute, says UNISON today (Monday).
More than 500 employees will take part in five days of action from today (Monday) and ending on Friday (24 June). Strikes will take place across the university’s Woodhouse campus, the union says.
Employees are angry that despite rejecting the 1.5% pay offer made last August, managers ignored staff protests and imposed the increase, UNISON adds. Even with this increase, low-paid employees are still taki...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - June 20, 2022 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release HE pay dispute Source Type: news
