Friday was day 1 of the UNISON Community Service Group (Housing associations and voluntary sector members) annual Seminar and conference in Glasgow.
It was so good to have a physical in person conference and meet other delegates who I have…Read more…
“Royal Mail CDC pensions ‘could outperform DB as well as DC”
Recently I completed a research project into Pension Provision for Housing Association staff. In the project I mentioned the pros and cons on the new CDC (Collective Defined Contribution) schemes that have very recently been allowed to operate i…Read more…
UNISON NEC Election 2021: Your Community team standing for re-election
Both Denise and I have been nominated and accepted by the returning officer to stand again in the UNISON National Council Elections (NEC).
The UNISON NEC is hugely important in our union and acts as the decision making “Parliament” of UNIS…Read more…
Vote John Gray UNISON NEC Community
Yesterday I received notification that I have been accepted as an “eligible candidate” for the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) elections 2021-2023. I will be thanking all the branches that have nominated me.
I am standing for re-election …Read more…
Standing for UNISON NEC Community Seats
Really pleased to announce that Denise and I are standing again to be re-elected to be UNISON National Executive Council members (UNISON’s Parliament for our 1.3 million members outside our annual conference) for the two Community Service Group s…Read more…
GRENFELL 3 YEARS ON
By Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz
“Still no justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in North Kensington, which could have been avoided if residents where treated with the respect and dignity they deserved.We read the news reports over the wee…Read more…
How to be a good lockdown neighbour
With everyone spending more time in their homes because of lockdown, the work of staff at housing associations is even more important in helping make sure everyone carries on being a good…Read more…
UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all
Union demands a housing policy that works for working people as it publishes a manifesto for a new decade
The article UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all first appeared on the…Read more…
Why voluntary right to buy for Housing Associations is nuts
So scare government grant is being used to effectively give an existing social tenant a home which will then be lost for ever from social housing instead of being used to help build another social home? This is nuts in a housing crisis.
Hat tip Red Br…Read more…
Tories build fewest homes since Second World War
This article in today’s Daily Telegraph shows that the Tories since 2010 will have built the fewest homes since the war.
“new-build housing completions in England between 2010 and 2019 are set to be approximately 130,000 per year. That is w…Read more…
UNISON – the union for Housing association workers
New recruitment leaflet from UNISON. A key message is that more employers sit down with UNISON to negotiate terms and conditions that any other union in the sector and that we represent workers interests around the table.
I was an trade union activist…Read more…
Being Scrutinised at Scrunty
Recently as Cabinet member for Housing Services I was called to answer questions by the Newham Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
This is a statutory committee of Newham Councillors whose role is to hold the Councils Executive members to account and mak…Read more…
Letting the government off the hook over removal of housing subsidy
Hat tip Redbrick (shame because Dispatches have a good track record)
“With reporter Antony Barnett driving between sites in a flash open top and very sporty white car, trying to link a number of disconnected stories under the disingenuous title of ‘Ge…Read more…
St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise
Pay increase at north-west England housing group follows rejection of 2% offer and a ballot for industrial action
The article St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise first…Read more…
Time to stop the violence plaguing workers in the community sector
MPs join UNISON members and employers at parliamentary launch of union’s Violence at Work charter
The article Time to stop the violence plaguing workers in the community sector first appeared on the…Read more…
‘It’s a disgrace that housing workers live in worse conditions than those they are trying to house’
Access to good, affordable social housing is key to family and social health, community service group conference hears
The article ‘It’s a disgrace that housing workers live in worse conditions than…Read more…
Excellent update on extending the “right to buy” to Housing associations by enforced sale council assets – Redbrick blog
The strange case of a government housing policy that won’t happenby stevehilditch
By Ross FraserEveryone in the sector will recall the surprise late insertion into the 2015 Conservative election manifesto of a policy to extend the right to buy to housing association tenants – funded by the…Read more…
UNISON Housing Associations Labour Link AGM with John Healey MP
I am very pleased that John Healey MP, the Labour Party Shadow Minister for Housing & Planning has agreed to be our guest speaker at our branch Labour Link AGM at House of Commons on Wednesday 26 October 2017.
Due to limited space invite &…Read more…
Housing association pensions survey 2017
UNISON is carrying out mapping work on what is happening with housing association staff pension arrangements and their relationship with the Local Government Pension Scheme.
Please do all you can to encourage responses to this survey.
Than…Read more…
New staff agreement at the UK’s largest housing association
An agreement has been signed today (Thursday) by Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest housing association and UNISON, the UK’s largest union. It will allow the union to negotiate over pay and…Read more…