Responding to the collapse of plans to hand a £687m contract for cancer services in Staffordshire to private companies, UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: “The failure of this tender…Read more…
Satirical film starring Claire Sweeney highlights ‘absurdity’ of 15-minute care visits
Satirical film starring Claire Sweeney highlights ‘absurdity’ of 15-minute care visits Former Brookside actress and 60 Minute Makeover presenter Claire Sweeney features in a satire – commissioned by…Read more…
Derby school support staff vote ends ten-month dispute, says UNISON
Derby school support staff have voted overwhelmingly (nine to one) to accept the council’s latest offer, ending a ten-month dispute over pay and working time, says UNISON. Derby City Council had…Read more…
Long-term planning essential for the future health of the NHS, says UNISON
Responding to the House of Lords report on the long term sustainability of the NHS, UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: “The committee is right to say the NHS should be funded by the…Read more…
Assessment scheme adds to pressure on already overstretched social workers, says UNISON
The government should scrap plans to roll out its new assessment and accreditation scheme for social workers because it will take up valuable time that could be spent helping vulnerable families,…Read more…
Time to nominate the UK’s outstanding healthcare assistants, says UNISON
An awards scheme run by the Cavell Nurses Trust is to celebrate the work of healthcare assistants for the first time. The Jean Atkinson MBE award for outstanding healthcare assistant is being…Read more…
UNISON welcomes U-turn on NHS agency work ban
NHS England has paused plans to ban health service employees from picking up extra work with agencies, following a campaign by UNISON. In a letter to UNISON head of health Christina McAnea, chief…Read more…
Government should listen to MPs on social care, says UNISON
A new ‘bill of rights’ recommended today (Friday) by MPs for care workers to end low pay and high job turnover rates has been welcomed by UNISON. This key reform has been proposed by the Communities…Read more…
Five-year plans must have proper funding to succeed, says UNISON
Commenting on the publication of NHS England’s update on its five-year plan for the NHS, UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: “The health service consistently delivers for patients – often in…Read more…
Yorkshire and East Midlands academy job cuts mean more pressure on classroom staff, unions warn
An academy chain with schools in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside has announced today (Thursday) that as many as 40 support staff could face redundancy over plans to cut budgets. The…Read more…
Employment rights should be centre stage as Great Repeal Bill launched, says UNISON
Commenting on the publication of the Bill today (Thursday) that will see the transfer of European laws onto the the UK statute book, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The clock is ticking…Read more…
NHS staff are giving 100%, but getting just 1% in return, says UNISON
Commenting on the announcement from the NHS pay review body (PRB) today (Tuesday), UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Health service employees go above and beyond caring for patients and…Read more…
Latest NHS pay award is ‘derisory’, say health unions
Commenting on the announcement today (Tuesday) from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) of its proposals for 2017/18, Christina McAnea, the spokesperson for unions representing staff working in the NHS,…Read more…
Unfairly treated employees should not have to pay to seek justice, says UNISON
UNISON’s legal battle to give people at work the right to access justice – without having to pay expensive fees – when employers break the law goes to the Supreme Court today (Monday). The two-day…Read more…
Cuts forcing social workers to ‘brink of burnout’, says UNISON
Social workers are struggling with heavy caseloads, working longer hours and going without lunch breaks, according to a survey by UNISON and Community Care magazine. Nearly half (48%) of respondents…Read more…
New offer that could settle Derby dispute to be put to school support staff, says UNISON
Strike action by Derby school support staff is to be suspended following a new offer from the city council, UNISON has announced today (Friday). UNISON will now recommend that its members across the…Read more…
Zero-hours contracts give the upper hand to unscrupulous employers, says UNISON
Responding to Office of National Statistics figures published today (Wednesday) that show that the number of workers on zero-hours contracts has increased to 905,000, UNISON general secretary Dave…Read more…
Public sector workers face hardship from pay restraint, says UNISON
Commenting on the Resolution Foundation report on public sector pay released today (Wednesday), UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “After years of harsh pay restraint, those delivering our…Read more…
Public service workers are “the forgotten part of the ‘jam’ generation”, says UNISON
Commenting on the Spring Budget today (Wednesday) UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: On pay “For almost a decade nurses, teaching assistants, town hall staff and others in the public sector…Read more…
Women pension losers to lobby MPs on International Women’s Day, says UNISON
Women born in the 1950s who lost out on their state pension when the government made retirement age 65 for both men and women are lobbying MPs later today (Wednesday). The changes introduced in 1995…Read more…