Isle of Wight Health Branch Secretary, Jay Chappell, has returned to the frontline during Covid-19. He told us a bit about his new ‘normal’ during the crisis. “Normally I have full time release as the chair of staff side and branch secretary. Since Covid-19 hit, normal business kind of stopped as you would expect. Social […]
Covid-19
This is a very difficult time for our members, many of whom are delivering frontline services at this unprecedented time. UNISON members will still need support from activists – and this will also mean challenges for our stewards and reps, including Health and Safety reps. The most important advice is that you keep yourself and […]
UNISON member and rep Stella Quentin is a 111 call handler for the South East Coast ambulance service. In normal times, the 300 call handlers in Stella’s office take around two to three thousand calls a day. The severity of calls ranges from sore throats and coughs to people who have taken drug overdoses. A […]
Everyone across the country is being urged to join a mass round of applause later today (Thursday) for NHS and care staff in a campaign backed by UNISON. UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The Clap for Our Carers initiative is a chance to thank all employees who are working around the clock to treat people affected by […]
Local papers launch #FrontLineThankYouFund in Andover and Basingstoke to support NHS workers
Updated 31 March 10:30am The impact of Covid-19 is a fast moving national, and international, situation with implications for all areas of our society – including with UNISON’s internal structures. The region’s priorities right now are to protect the health and wellbeing of our members, their colleagues and families, and to support our members working […]
NHS needs put before annual gathering UNISON has cancelled its annual health conference that was due to take place in Brighton from 6-8 April. The decision has been taken in light of the escalation of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The safety of participants and their families was also at the forefront of the […]
Advice published to reassure staff and public but alert them on need for vigilance
UNISON has been made aware that some schools have been closed as a precaution due to potential risk of exposure to Covid-19, commonly known as Coronavirus. In some instances school cleaners were subsequently instructed to do a deep-clean of the schools. UNISON branches and regions have rightly intervened to stop our members being put at […]