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(22/08/2008)
Nurses,
midwives
and
health
workers
from
across
South
London
are
getting
into
the
groove
this
weekend
at
the
Notting
Hill
Carnival.
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union
is,
once
again,
sponsoring
the
award
winning
South
Connections
-
one
of
the
biggest,
brightest,
boldest
bands
of
masqueraders
at
the
carnival.
(21/08/2008)
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
trade
union,
today
(21
August)
exposes
the
madness
of
importing
bottled
water
to
the
UK
by
hanging
out
ten
non-green
bottles
from
as
far
away
as
Fiji,
Norway,
France
and
Tasmania.
(20/08/2008)
UNISON
General
Secretary,
Dave
Prentis,
will
join
his
members
on
picket
lines
in
Scotland
on
Wednesday
(20th)
morning
as
100,000
start
a
24-hour
strike
over
a
3-year
below
inflation
pay
offer.
(12/08/2008)
Commenting
on
the
biggest
inflation
rise
since
current
records
began,
Dave
Prentis,
UNISON
General
Secretary,
said:
“This
rise
just
confirms
what
our
members
have
been
telling
us
for
months
–
they
are
facing
unparalleled
hikes
in
the
cost
of
basics
like
milk,
bread,
cheese,
petrol,
gas
and
electricity.
(07/08/2008)
Unions
and
professional
organisations*
representing
healthcare
students
are
today
(7
August)
calling
for
a
simplified
financial
system
to
encourage
more
people
into
a
career
in
healthcare
and
better
support
those
currently
training.
(06/08/2008)
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union,
has
today
(6
August)
written
to
MPs
calling
on
them
to
lobby
the
Local
Government
Association
(LGA)
in a
bid
to
bring
the
ongoing
dispute
with
local
government
staff
to a
close.
(06/08/2008)
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
trade
union,
has
won
an
appeal
to
give
Jane
Yugire,
a
Kenyan
homecare
worker
and
her
three
children,
the
right
to
remain
in
the
UK
indefinitely.
(04/08/2008)
A
Filipino
man
whose
wife
died
in
childbirth
from
a
hospital’s
negligence
has
been
allowed
to
stay
in
the
UK,
after
an
intense
campaign
by
UNISON.
(31/07/2008)
The
soaring
cost
of
living
has
led
to a
vote
by
senior
health
activists
of
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
health
union,
to
trigger
a
re-opener
clause
on a
multi-year
pay
deal.
The
call
for
a
better
pay
deal
by
UNISON’s
Health
Executive
comes
in
the
wake
of
increases
in
the
costs
of
fuel,
energy
and
food
which
are
driving
inflation
beyond
the
2%
assumption
made
at
the
time
of
the
agreement
earlier
this
year.
(30/07/2008)
Commenting
on
the
price
increases
announced
by
British
Gas
today
(30
July)
Steve
Bloomfield,
UNISON
national
officer,
said:
‘Customers
can
ill
afford
another
round
of
price
increases
by
the
energy
companies.
This
latest
increase
from
British
Gas
will
still
hit
vulnerable
groups
like
the
low
paid
and
the
elderly
hard
despite
temporary
measures
to
soften
the
blow.
Many
UNISON
members
will
have
to
think
twice
before
turning
on
their
central
heating
next
winter,
due
to
the
huge
bills
that
will
follow.
(27/07/2008)
UNISON
General
Secretary,
Dave
Prentis,
today
(Sunday
27
July),
welcomed
agreements
reached
on
key
issues,
such
as
public
services,
equalities
and
workforce
protections,
at
the
Labour
Party
National
Policy
Forum
meeting
in
Warwick.
Unions,
constituency
parties
and
Ministers
spent
the
weekend
in
joint
discussions
to
move
forward
on
the
union's
agenda
(25/07/2008)
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union,
today
(25
July)
called
for
a
full
inspection
by
the
Audit
Commission
into
a
public/private
partnership
run
by
IBM*.
The
union
is
demanding
no
more
public
bodies
sign
up
to
the
project
until
the
review
is
complete.
(25/07/2008)
UNISON
General
Secretary,
Dave
Prentis
said:
“This
was
a
terrible
result
for
Labour
and
the
Government
must
listen
to
what
the
voters
in
Glasgow
East
said.
It
cannot
be
business
as
usual,
there
has
to
be a
change
of
direction
– a
change
that
shows
that
the
Government
is
listening
and
is
willing
to
reconnect
with
its
core
supporters.
(24/07/2008)
Negotiators
for
1000
UNISON
and
PCS
members
working
in
Ofsted
are
today
(24
July)
asking
MPs
to
take
time
out
of
their
summer
break
to
lobby
Ofsted
employers
in
the
latest
stage
of
their
pay
battle.
The
unions
have
targeted
prominent
cabinet
ministers
such
as
Ed
Balls,
Beverley
Hughes
and
Jim
Knight
as
well
as
MPs
surrounding
the
Ofsted
offices
in
London,
Manchester,
Nottingham
and
Bristol.
(23/07/2008)
UNISON’s
Local
Government
National
Joint
Committee
(NJC)
has
today
(23
July)
voted
unanimously
to
back
further
talks
with
Local
Government
Employers,
aimed
at
settling
the
current
dispute
over
pay.
(23/07/2008)
UNISON,
The
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union,
today
welcomed
the
findings
of
Chris
Beasley’s
report*
into
post
qualification
opportunities
for
nurses,
midwives
and
health
visitors.
(22/07/2008)
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union,
is
today
(22
July)
calling
for
“just
a
little
respect”
for
the
vital
role
that
Healthcare
Assistants
(HCA’s)
play
in
treating
and
caring
for
patients.
The
call
comes
in
the
wake
of
the
largest
survey
of
HCA’s
carried
out
by
the
union,
which
found
that
45%
were
poorly
or
very
poorly
valued.
At
the
same
time
as
HCA’s
are
providing
high
quality
care
and
seeing
their
jobs
become
more
demanding
and
complex,
only
11%
felt
highly
valued.
(22/07/2008)
Commenting
on
an
Audit
Commission
report*
released
today
(22
July)
that
shows
local
government
chief
executives’
pay
has
doubled
when
the
workforce
have
faced
pay
cuts
over
the
past
few
years,
Heather
Wakefield,
UNISON
head
of
local
government
said:
(19/07/2008)
UNISON
today
(18
July)
called
on
energy
companies
to
pull
back
from
ramping
up
the
cost
of
gas
and
electricity
once
again
to
exorbitant
levels.
And
it
disputes
the
claims
from
British
Gas
parent
company
Centrica
that
it
has
no
control
over
the
price
rises.
(17/07/2008)
On
the
second
day
of a
48-hour
strike
by
500,000
local
government
workers,
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union,
has
revealed
that
councils
are
wasting
millions
of
pounds
of
local
taxpayers’
money
on
agency
and
temporary
staff.
(17/07/2008)
Commenting
on
ridiculous
claims
made
by
the
local
government
employers,
UNISON
General
Secretary,
Dave
Prentis
said:
(17/07/2008)
500,000
members
of
UNISON
today
(17
July)
began
a
second
day
of
action,
shutting
thousands
of
schools,
town
halls,
libraries,
leisure
centres,
and
disrupting
rubbish
collections
and
council
services
across
England,
Wales
and
Northern
Ireland.
(16/07/2008)
More
than
500,000
local
government
workers
took
strike
action
today
(16
July),
against
a
2.45%
below
inflation
pay
offer.
Thousands
of
schools
closed,
and
town
halls,
refuse
collections
and
libraries
were
severely
disrupted.
The
workers,
members
of
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
services
union,
will
take
part
in
another
24
hour
strike
from
midnight
tonight.
(16/07/2008)
More
than
500,000
UNISON
members
working
in
local
government
the
length
and
breadth
of
England,
Wales
and
Northern
Ireland
have
brought
schools
and
council
services
to a
standstill
on
the
first
day
of a
48
hour
strike
over
pay.
(15/07/2008)
“The
pounds
in
local
government
workers’
pockets
are
turning
to
pennies”
said
UNISON,
the
UK’s
largest
public
sector
union
today
(15
July).
The
shock
rise
in
the
Consumer
Price
Index
to
3.8%
comes
less
than
24
hours
before
600,000
local
government
workers
in
England,
Wales
and
Northern
Ireland
are
due
to
strike
action.
Council
workers
have
been
offered
a
2.45%
below
inflation
pay
offer.
|
Holidays a
Distant Memory
for Local
Government
Workers
(30/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK’s largest
public sector trade
union, today (30
June) called for
fair pay for local
government workers
in light of recent
research showing
thousands of
families will miss
out on a summer
holiday this year.
This is the result
of years of below
inflation pay awards
and the spiralling
cost of basics like
fuel, food and
housing.
(27/06/2008)
UNISON’s industrial
action committee
today (27 June)
confirmed that local
government strikes
will go ahead on 16
and 17 of July in
England, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
(26/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK’s largest
public sector union
with nearly one
million women in
membership, has
called for action to
fund equal pay as
the Government
publishes its
Equality Bill
tomorrow (Thursday).
(26/06/2008) The
family of a former
UNISON member has
received more than
£140,000 in
compensation
following his death
from mesothelioma -
a lung disease
caused by exposure
to asbestos in the
workplace. Jim
Crowe, from Wood
Green in London,
died aged 79, in
June 2007 after
developing the
deadly disease.
(24/06/2008) Health
Unions respond to
the Nursing and
Midwifery Council’s
reorganisation The
following statement
is issued jointly by
the Royal College of
Midwives, Royal
College of Nursing
and UNISON: “The
Council for
Regulation of Health
Professionals (CHRE)
report is very
thorough and
highlights a number
of serious failings
in the operation and
organisation of the
Nursing and
Midwifery Council
(NMC). A key concern
is the fact that
that relationships
within the council
appear to have
broken down to such
an extent that it
reported
inappropriate
behaviour by and
amongst members.
(24/06/2008) UNISON
negotiators are
recommending to the
union’s industrial
action committee
that its 600,000
local government
workers in England,
Wales and Northern
Ireland kick off
their strike action
with a 48-hour walk
out on July 16 and
17. The union’s
industrial action
committee meets on
Friday (27 June) to
make the final
decision.
(24/06/2008)
Commenting on David
Cameron’s plans for
the NHS, Karen
Jennings, UNISON
Head of Health,
said:
(23/06/2008)
UNISON’s local
government members
in England, Wales
and Northern Ireland
have voted by 55% to
45% for a programme
of sustained strike
action over a 2.45%
pay offer.
(20/06/2008)
Delegates at
UNISON’s national
conference in
Bournemouth today
(20 June) voted to
withdraw funding
from the Rise
festival, after the
newly elected Tory
Mayor of London
decided to take
anti-racist
campaigning out of
the annual event.
(19/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK’s largest
public sector union
representing over
200,000 schools
support staff is
calling for tighter
regulations on the
use of teaching
assistants in
schools.
(19/06/2008)
Labour’s traditional
supporters look to
be deserting the
Party in their
droves, according to
an Ipsos MORI poll
commissioned by
UNISON. Almost half
(47%) of those who
have regularly voted
Labour at past
elections now say
they are less likely
to vote Labour than
they were in 2005.
(18/06/2008) Twelve*
health unions
representing 1.3m
health workers have
today agreed to sign
off the proposed
multi-year pay deal,
but warned that the
built-in re-opener
clause would be
triggered if
inflation continues
to rise.
(18/06/2008)
Delegates at
UNISON’s national
conference voted
today (17 June) to
intensify a campaign
to protect the
rights of migrant
workers in the UK.
The move is the
latest in a union
wide campaign to end
exploitation of this
vulnerable group of
staff.
(17/06/2008)
Delegates at
UNISON’s local
government
conference have
threatened strike
action if employers
do not increase
mileage rates.
(17/06/2008) UNISON
Head of Health,
Karen Jennings,
said: “Cancer drug
treatment is a
uniquely difficult
area and it is
worthy of a review.
Nobody should suffer
or live in fear of
not having access to
life-saving or
life-prolonging
drugs.
(16/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK's largest
public sector union,
today welcomed the
findings of the
Casey review, and
called for them to
be incorporated into
the up and coming
NPIA review.
(16/06/2008) 1000
members of UNISON
and PCS working in
Ofsted will today
(16 June) begin a
second round of
action in a dispute
over pay. Staff will
begin a three month
work to rule,
banning overtime and
the use of personal
cars for business.
The move is the
latest in a series
of action over a
below inflation
three year pay deal
and a divisive new
pay structure. The
action will disrupt
the tight schedule
of inspections for
children's homes,
nurseries, boarding
schools and child
minding services.
(16/06/2008)
Commenting on the
Healthcare
Commission’s public
warning over
failures in hospital
hygiene, Karen
Jennings, UNISON
Head of Health,
said:
(16/06/2008)
UNISON's campaign to
keep NHS
sterile-services
in-house was given a
boost today (16
June) by Dave
Prentis, General
Secretary, when he
unveiled a giant
postcard with a
health warning at
The Royal
Bournemouth
Hospital.
(14/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK’s largest
public sector union,
is today (12 June)
demanding that local
government employers
reopen talks on car
allowances given
recent hikes in the
cost of petrol and
diesel.
(12/06/2008)
Commenting on the
latest row over
polyclinics, Karen
Jennings, UNISON
Head of Health said:
(11/06/2008) UNISON,
the UK’s largest
public services
union, today
welcomed new
Treasury guidance*
from minister Angela
Eagle, aimed at
putting social
issues at the heart
of public
procurement. With a
massive £150bn spent
every year on goods
and services the
“can do” approach to
buying clears the
way for putting
people and quality
before price.
(09/06/2008) UNISON
General Secretary,
Dave Prentis,
speaking at a TUC
“Speak Up for Public
Services” rally
today (9 June)
warned the
Government and local
government employers
that strike action
is inevitable if
there is no
improvement in
current pay offers.
(06/06/2008) 94% of
UNISON members
working in the
probation service
have voted in
support of
industrial action in
a consultative
ballot over
increments. The move
comes as pressure on
public sector pay
deals across the
board increases,
with strike ballots
currently being
carried out for
850,000 UNISON
members working in
local government.
(06/06/2008) 64.91%
of UNISON health
members have voted
in favour of
accepting a 3-year
pay offer worth
8.1%. The union
carried out an
individual postal
ballot of its
452,000 members
working in the NHS
including nurses,
paramedics,
occupational
therapists, porters,
midwives, health
care assistants,
technical, admin,
cleaning, security
and catering staff
over the deal that
will establish a new
NHS minimum wage of
£6.77 in year 2.
UNISON
Ballots Local Government
Members for Strike
Action Over Pay
(30/05/2008) UNISON, the
UK’s largest public sector
trade union, today (30 May)
started sending out ballot
papers to its 850,000 local
government members for
strike action over a 2.45%
pay offer.
(27/05/2008) I live on a
very tight budget already
with less than £20 “spare”.
The rises in my rent,
electricity and gas will
mean that my only choice is
to cut back on food – this
counts as a luxury for our
family – which includes my
disabled son’ UNISON member
working in local government.
(20/05/2008) UNISON has been
instrumental in winning
equal treatment for agency
workers after 12 weeks in
employment, despite
resistance from employers
who wanted rights after one
year.
(19/05/2008) 1000 members of
UNISON and PCS are working
to rule in a dispute over
pay. The action consisting
of a ban on overtime and
working only contracted
hours for the weeks 19 May
until 30 May will disrupt
the tight inspections
schedule for children’s
homes, nurseries, boarding
schools and child minding
services. The move on hours
is the latest in a series of
action by employees over the
imposition of a divisive new
pay structure and below
inflation three-year pay
deal.
(16/05/2008) 1000 members of
UNISON and PCS working in
Ofsted are today (16 May)
staging a one-day walk out
over the imposition of a
divisive new pay structure
and below inflation
three-year pay deal.
(13/05/2008) Speaking at the
UNISON Schools Support
Seminar in London today, Jim
Knight, Schools Minister,
confirmed that a new
national negotiating body
for school staff will be in
place by September.
(13/05/2008) UNISON and PCS
have today written to the
Children’s Schools and
Families Select Committee
warning that an extended
dispute over pay will affect
planned Ofsted reforms.
(12/05/2008) Ofsted
inspections across England
will be hit by strike action
on May 16, as 1000 staff
walk out in a dispute over
pay, UNISON and PCS
announced today.
(09/05/2008) UNISON, the
UK’s largest public sector
union, has today (9 May)
condemned the Home Office’s
decision to force Arnel
Cabrera out of the country.
(09/05/2008) UNISON, the
UK’s largest public sector
union, today welcomed the 5
pledges set out in Lord
Darzi’s interim report
“Leading Local Change” as a
helpful blueprint for
handling change in the NHS.
(07/05/2008) “Bosses must
not be allowed to get away
with what can only be
described as 19th century
practices” said UNISON chief
Dave Prentis today.
(07/05/2008) UNISON, the
union for meat hygiene
inspectors, is today (7 May)
calling on the Food
Standards Agency (FSA) to
resist calls to privatise
meat inspection for safety’s
sake. The Meat Inspection
Service currently protects
consumers in England,
Scotland and Wales and the
decision over its fate is
due out later today.
(06/05/2008) More than
twenty lock keepers and
their families face losing
their homes following a
swingeing review by the
Environment Agency (EA),
warned UNISON, the UK’s
largest public services
union, today.
(02/05/2008) The six further
education unions
representing 250,000 members
have today rejected the
employers (Association of
Colleges) pay offer of 2.5%.
UNISON Response to Taxpayers
Alliance Report
(28/04/2008) Commenting on the
Taxpayers Alliance report, Heather
Wakefield UNISON Head of Local
Government, said: “It would be
impossible to make the savings the
Taxpayers Alliance report calls for
without pushing retired workers into
poverty and onto means tested
benefits by cutting pensions. The
public would suffer further if
publicity materials, informing them
of the services they are entitled to
use, were cut.
(28/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector trade union,
has written to all MPs calling for
recognition of Workers Memorial Day
(on 28 April each year) as a
national day of remembrance. The day
commemorates those who have died,
been seriously injured, or made
seriously ill by their work. It also
highlights the right all workers
should have to a safe and healthy
workplace.
(25/04/2008) Statistics showing that
64% of England’s FE colleges have
not implemented a £500 minimum pay
increase are ‘nothing short of a
disgrace’, UNISON’s General
Secretary Dave Prentis said today
(Friday 25 April). Speaking at a
seminar in Newcastle, the General
Secretary of the UK’s largest public
sector trade union called on
colleges to honour the deal put in
place to protect the lowest paid
staff.
(24/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, is
today calling for a halt to a
dangerous drive to end in-house
sterilisation of hospital operating
theatre equipment.
(14/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public service union, is
today calling for safe minimum
staffing levels to be set for
hospital cleaning, as an essential
part of the fight against killer
superbugs such as MRSA and C
Difficile. The union is warning that
to ensure hospitals are kept clean
and infection free they need to
employ 2 cleaners per shift for
every 30 patients, from 8am to 9pm.
(09/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, is
today calling on Trusts to refocus
on delivering for patients,
following the release of the latest
Healthcare Commission Staff Survey.
The survey found that less than half
(46%) of staff believed that the
care of patients was their Trust’s
top priority.
(09/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, is to
recommend its 850,000 members in
local government reject the 2.45%
pay offer in a major consultation
exercise. The consultation will be
completed by the 7th of May.
(08/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union is today
(April 8) calling for a national
system to register attacks on local
government workers. The call comes
after the tragic death of a care
home worker in Lancashire.
(07/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, today
(April 7) called for the corporate
manslaughter act to be given more
teeth to protect workers.
Legislation to cut the number of
deaths at work came into effect
today, but should go further to
allow imprisonment of irresponsible
employers says UNISON.
(07/04/2008) UNISON, the largest
public sector union, will consult
its members working in the National
Health Service over a proposed pay
deal worth 8% over the next three
years. It includes a re-opener
clause that will allow the pay
increases in years two and three to
be reviewed if inflation is higher
than expected.
(04/04/2008) UNISON higher education
conference delegates yesterday (3
April) voted overwhelmingly to end
exploitation of contract workers in
higher education. Cleaning, catering
and security services in higher
education are increasing provided by
contractors who cut corners on terms
and conditions.
(04/04/2008) UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, today
(2 April) warned of a recruitment
crisis following the announcement on
the new childcare workers
registration fee. The Independent
Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is a
single agency that will check
everyone who works or volunteers
with children and vulnerable adults.
(03/04/2008) Ofsted inspections
across England could be hit by
strike action in a dispute over pay,
UNISON and PCS warned today (3
April). 1,000 inspectors,
administrative staff and managers
are planning to ballot for strike
action after pay talks broke down.
Ofsted has imposed a below inflation
pay settlement along with a deeply
unfair new structure, which the
unions rejected.
(02/04/2008) Unions representing
more than a million local government
workers in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland, today expressed
disappointment at a revised pay
offer of 2.45% for the majority of
staff, with 3% for those on the
bottom 3 points.
Voucher Scheme a Body Blow to NHS
(31/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest health
union, today labelled plans to pilot
vouchers for patients as a serious attack on
universal health care. Karen Jennings,
UNISON Head of Health, said:
(20/03/2008) Radical action is urgently
needed to prevent hundreds of thousands of
people dying needlessly from cholera and
diarrhoea in the developing world - a report
by UNISON will reveal today. The report,
published to coincide with World Water Day
(March 22nd), calls on the Government and
the international community to step up and
end this injustice.
(19/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
service union, has today condemned comments
made by Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells
and called on him to withdraw them
immediately or consider his position.
(19/03/2008) Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head
of Local Government said: “A 2.2% offer is a
slap in the face for 1.4 million local
government workers, who have already put up
with ten years of below inflation pay
settlements. Attaching strings to such a low
offer is adding insult to injury.
(18/03/2008) Local Government workers from
GMB, UNISON and Unite, are set to lobby pay
talks in London* tomorrow (19 March).
(18/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
service union, today called on the
Government to drop the squeeze on public
sector pay, in the light of rising
inflation.
(18/03/2008) ‘I live on a very tight budget
already with less than £20 “spare”. The
rises in my rent, electricity and gas will
mean that my only choice is to cut back on
food – this counts as a luxury for our
family – which includes my disabled son'
(17/03/2008) UNISON, The UK’s largest public
sector union, is today calling on the
Government to be more ambitious with their
plans to help public service workers onto
the property ladder. The union wants is
calling for a twin track approach with wider
opportunities for low cost home ownership
and more homes for rent.
(13/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
sector union, has won six figure
compensation for a young nurse, whose life
was blighted when she developed an allergy
to latex. Tanya Dodd, 25, was a trainee
nurse at the Scarborough General Hospital
when she developed type 1 latex allergy from
gloves she wore routinely as part of her
job.
(12/03/2008) Commenting on Alistair
Darling’s first budget, Dave Prentis,
General Secretary of UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, said:
“Chancellor Alistair Darling’s debut budget
lacked the X factor. There were some flashes
of colour in an otherwise dull budget, with
a welcome green agenda containing new
measures to penalise gas guzzling cars, more
energy efficient homes and plans to phase
out free supermarket bags.
(11/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
service union, is calling on the Chancellor,
Alistair Darling to use his first budget to
set out a vision for a fairer Britain. A
vital step in this direction is to pump
much-needed funds into social care.
(10/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
sector union, today welcomed Gordon Brown’s
commitment to high quality public services
as the necessary foundation of a strong
economy and a fair society in the
twenty-first century. However, the union is
warning that there is a danger that these
admirable aspirations will seem out of step
with the day-to-day experience of millions
of public sector workers.
(10/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
service union, is today calling on
Chancellor Alistair Darling, to use his
first budget to set out a vision for a
fairer Britain by taking the pressure off
public sector workers and relaxing the 2%
pay limit.
(10/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest
education union, today backed Gordon Brown’s
call for quality education to improve
Britain’s economic success, but warned that
the Academy programme and choice agenda is
not the way forward.
(10/03/2008) Dave Prentis, General Secretary
of UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector
union will today (Monday 10th March)
announce a new ‘Learning, Equality and
Diversity’ initiative. This builds on the
union’s unique ‘Return to Learn’ programme
that has benefited over 20,000 people in the
past twenty years.
(08/03/2008) This week UNISON, the UK’s
largest public service union, has lodged its
40,000th equal pay claim. In the same week,
300 mostly female workers at Kirklees
Council, received details of the
compensation they will receive arising from
UNISON’s successful equal pay claim.
(07/03/2008) Commenting on the news that
bottled water is to be slashed from
Whitehall meetings, Dave Prentis, general
Secretary of UNISON, the UK’s largest public
service union, said:
(06/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s largest public
sector union, is today calling on the public
to support its ‘Defend the Public Library
Service’ campaign on World Book Day, 6th
March 2008.
(05/03/2008) UNISON, the UK’s leading public
sector union, today welcomed the rise in the
national minimum wage as a step in the right
direction, but called for a bolder approach
to get more working people out of the
poverty trap.
(04/03/2008) Dave Prentis, General Secretary
of UNISON, the UK’s largest public service
union, is today urging the British
Government to condemn Israeli actions in
Gaza last weekend.
(03/03/2008) Statistics showing that UK
nurses suffer some of the worse violence in
Europe “should make people ashamed” said
UNISON, the UK’s largest public service
union today (3 March). Research in the
journal of Occupational Medicine reveals
that almost a third of UK nurses suffer from
frequent violence at work, with only France
reporting more assaults.
(03/03/2008) Commenting on the latest survey
by Nottingham University into smoking
outside NHS hospitals, Karen Jennings,
UNISON Head of Health, said:
(03/03/2008) Telling pregnant student nurses
to buy their own uniforms is “outrageous”
said UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector
union, today. The Staffordshire University,
Shropshire is telling students to buy their
own leggings and tunics when they become
pregnant, so they can carry out their work
experience on the wards.
(03/03/2008) Commenting on the third
quarterly report on NHS finances, Karen
Jennings, UNISON Head of Health, said: "The
1.8bn surplus shows the NHS is now in a
stronger financial position. Patients have
the right to expect that this money is spent
wisely and ploughed back into patient care.
UNISON
Response To Slur On Nurses
(29/02/2008) Gail Adams, UNISON Head of Nursing,
today hit back over allegations made by Lord
Mancroft of poor nursing care saying:
(28/02/2008) Commenting on the National Audit Office
report highlighting a 58% increase in GP salaries
over the past three years, Karen Jennings, UNISON
Head of Health said:
(28/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public service
union, today said called for a recruitment drive for
NHS cleaners to raise hospital cleaning standards.
The union welcomed the “step-change” in cleaning
services being set out by NHS Chief Executive, David
Nicholson today, but warned there are no short-cuts
- “cleaner hospitals demand more cleaners”.
(28/02/2008) “Let’s nail the myth once and for all
that local government workers get gold plated
pensions. Council workers save year in, year out for
their retirements, and the average pension is just
£3,800 a year, falling to £1,600 for women. Very far
from the Taxpayers Alliance’s claims of
‘over-generous’.
(21/02/2008) "Decent employers have nothing to fear
from Andrew Miller’s private members bill. It is not
a threat to jobs, it is intended to stop
unscrupulous employers from exploiting vulnerable
workers.
(21/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's leading public sector
union, said today we need more investigation into
the concept of well notes before they are
introduced. We welcome the recognition that more
needs to be done to get people on long term sick
back into work.
(21/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's leading public service
union, today challenged the government over plans to
force UK immigrants to pay added charges for the
public services they use.
(21/02/2008) Dave Prentis, General Secretary of
UNISON, the UK's largest public sector, today
branded British Gas as greedy and their 500% profit
increase obscene, he said:
(20/02/2008) Customers should not be paying massive
energy bills, when energy companies are making
windfall profits, said UNISON and GMB, the largest
unions in the energy sector today. The unions are
calling for an Inquiry into the energy market ahead
of the expected windfall profits to be announced by
Centrica and British Gas tomorrow (21 February).
(19/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public sector
union, is today warning Coventry City Council to
“face the fact that equal pay is not a take it or
leave it piece of legislation, but the law of the
land”. The union is calling on the council to stop
wasting residents' money fighting equal pay claims
made by the union on behalf of 250 low paid women
council workers.
(15/02/2008) An all graduate profession will not
deliver better patient care and is not the future
for nursing warned UNISON, the UK's largest health
union, today (15 February). UNISON's response to the
latest DOH and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
consultations* on nurse training found that the
overwhelming majority of nurses see their place as
by the bedside.
(14/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public sector
union, is today calling on NHS Employers to banish
the agony of needlestick injuries (NSI) for good, by
making safer needles compulsory across the health
service. The call comes in the wake of the tragic
death of gifted nurse, Juliet Young, who contracted
HIV from a needlestick injury while working at the
Maudsley Mental Health Hospital in London.
(13/02/2008) Commenting on the joint Healthcare
Commission and Royal College of Psychiatrists report
into assaults on nurses working on mental health
wards, Gail Adams, UNISON Head of Nursing, said:
(11/02/2008) Next week leading public service trade
unionists from southern African nations will visit
UNISON to draw up plans to help HIV/AIDS workers.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has a sharp Southern African
focus – two thirds living with the disease globally
are from the region. UNISON has secured £350,000 of
government funding for the three year project,
following an 18 month self funded initiative.
(04/02/2008) “UNISON fully support Government plans
to build more extra care housing. These housing
projects will help people with long-term conditions
and the elderly to live independently, but have
access to the support they need. It should also help
to put an end to the heartbreaking separation of
older married couples in their final years.
(01/02/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public sector
union, has today issued a legal challenge against
Monitor, the independent regulatory body for NHS
Foundation Trusts. The union is seeking a Judicial
Review and calling on Monitor to change its rules
over the amount of private work being carried out by
Foundation Trusts.
UNISON Appeals to Home Secretary Over Case of Mr.
Cabrera
(31/01/2008) UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector union,
is today writing to the Home Secretary in an appeal to grant
Arnel Cabrera indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
(30/01/2008) The six trade unions - ACM, ATL, GMB, UCU,
UNISON, UNITE* - representing 250,000 further education
staff have today (30 January) submitted a pay claim for 6%
or £1,500, whichever is the greater. The catch-up claim
covers FE workers in England including lecturers, learning
support staff, cleaners, managers, caterers, librarians,
security and lab technicians, and would establish a £7.38 an
hour minimum wage.
(30/01/2008) Commenting on the annual Green Budget from the
Institute of Fiscal Studies, Dave Prentis, General Secretary
of UNISON, the UK's largest public sector union, said:
(29/01/2008) A report published today by the CSCI states
that elderly people in the UK are at the whim of a postcode
lottery in terms of the care they receive in their old age.
This increasingly leaves the elderly and disabled faced with
two stark choices, to move, or to fund their own care.
(28/01/2008) Commenting on today's Office for National
Statistics figures showing that spending on housing-related
costs have risen by more than £15 a week over the past 2
years, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON said:
(24/01/2008) Commenting on the increased funding, linked to
efficiency gains, announced by Local Government Minister
John Healey, Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local
Government said:
(22/01/2008) UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign
are demanding that Ofgem launches an immediate inquiry into
obscene extra profits of £2.5 billion that energy companies
are awarding themselves at huge cost to household consumers.
(18/01/2008) Police staff in England and Wales have today
voted to accept a 2.5% pay offer, backdated to 1 September
2007. UNISON, the police staff union had recommended
acceptance of the offer as the best that could be achieved
through negotiation. The deal covers 71,000 police staff
(including 11,500 Police Community Support Officers).
(17/01/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public sector union,
is today calling on the Government to tackle the obscene
profits being made by PFI companies at the public's expense.
(14/01/2008) UNISON, GMB and TGWU-Unite have agreed an
annual pay claim of 6% or 50p an hour – whichever is the
greater – for more than one million local government workers
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
(14/01/2008) UNISON, the UK's largest public sector union,
is today calling for urgent meetings with health ministers
to implement a recruitment drive for NHS cleaners. The union
welcomed the deep clean initiative announced last year but
warned at the time that it should be used to “kick-start
better routine day-to-day cleaning of hospital wards and
departments”
(10/01/2008) UNISON Deputy General Secretary, Keith Sonnet,
will deliver a tough warning to Birmingham City Council to
pull back from its plans to sack its 22,000 workforce and
re-employ them on inferior pay and conditions.
(09/01/2008) UNISON is today warning that sub-standard
poultry meat inspection and appalling conditions experienced
by battery hens could lead to contaminated chickens entering
the food chain.
(09/01/2008) UNISON has kicked off its campaign to tackle
the gender pay gap with a record 33,000 equal pay claims
lodged against public sector employers. The union has been
battling for equal pay for years and, to date, has chalked
up significant pay increases for many thousands of low paid
women workers.
UNISON Victory for UK’S First Age Discrimination Case
(12/04/2007) UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union, has
secured a landmark victory in what is believed to be the first age
discrimination case to go before an Employment Tribunal.
(11/04/2007) Commenting on the launch of plans to help extend
patient choice, Mike Jackson, Senior National Officer for health in
UNISON, the UK's largest health union, said:
(10/04/2007) Commenting on sickness absence in the public sector,
Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, the UK's largest public
sector union said:
(04/04/2007) Today’s news that private contractor Patientline has
increased hospital telephone call charges from 10p to 26p per minute
has provoked a sharp rebuke from UNISON.
(02/04/2007) Working parents now have the right to more paid time
off following the birth of a child. From today, maternity and
adoption leave increases from six to nine months paid leave for
mothers. The same rights apply for same-sex couples and adopters.
(30/03/2007) The majority of UK health workers are working unpaid
overtime the annual NHS staff survey shows today. And despite a
range of initiatives from health trusts and the Department of Health
around a third of health workers are experiencing violence or abuse
from patients.
(30/03/2007) UNISON, the UK’s largest health union, is gearing up
for industrial action following a meeting of leading health
activists this week.
(28/03/2007) Commenting on Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt’s
ministerial statement on NHS finances, Karen Jennings, UNISON Head
of Health said:
(27/03/2007) Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, the UK’s
largest public sector union, today warned that, “There is now
increasing awareness in government circles that the denigration and
demoralisation of public service staff has contributed to a feel-bad
factor that now threatens the credibility of the government in the
eyes of the electorate”.
(21/03/2007) “Year on year Gordon Brown has delivered a stable
economy but he urgently needs to give more attention to the legions
of demoralised health and public sector workers. About 2 million low
paid public sector workers are being hit hard by the double whammy
of rising living costs and the squeeze on their wages. |