LGBT History Month 2017

LGBT History Month is a month-long annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. Currently, LGBT History Month is a month-long celebration that is specific to the United States and the United Kingdom. LGBT History Month was initiated in the UK by Sue […]

Patients’ lives at risk over ambulance call-outs, warns UNISON

Ambulance crews are having to ignore call-outs for heart-attack and stroke patients because emergency vehicles are too busy queuing outside a Portsmouth hospital, UNISON said. Fifty people including seriously ill patients were left without an ambulance on Monday 2 January this year despite calling South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), according to new data. The figures […]

End-of-year accounts for 2016 – branch audits

Information for honorary branch auditors from UNISON head of audit John Nagle

‘Fair funding’ must also mean sufficient funding, say education unions

Following the publication of the Government’s final proposals for its long-awaited National Funding Formula (NFF), organisations representing school staff, teachers and leaders – ATL, GMB, NAHT, NUT, UNISON and Unite – have updated the schoolcuts.org.uk website to reflect the funding losses facing each school in England. The picture is extremely bleak.  The Government has accused […]

New NHS plans must not be a smokescreen for further government cuts, says UNISON

The government must do more to reassure staff and the public that new NHS service delivery reforms are not a cover for further cuts, says UNISON. UNISON is concerned that the fast pace at which they are being pushed through risks undoing much of the good the proposals could potentially bring. UNISON head of health […]

Patients face bed shortages because government not delivering on mental health

Patients facing bed shortages and long waits because government not delivering on mental health funding, says UNISON Mental health patients are facing bed shortages, longer waits for treatment and reduced support because of budget cutbacks, according to a new survey published today (Monday) by UNISON. More than four in five (83%) staff working in mental […]

NHS reforms will fail without more money and staff involvement

New NHS plans for health and care services are doomed unless the government invests more cash and listens to staff and patients, says UNISON. The details of nearly all 44 NHS sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) have now been published. But the government and NHS England have failed to consult properly with the public and […]

Jobs saved at the Royal Surrey County Hospital following negotiations with UNISON

Seven jobs at risk of redundancy have been saved following negotiations between UNISON and Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH). As a result of Government cuts in the NHS and in an effort to reduce its £11.6m deficit, the hospital’s management team approached its non clinical services contractors asking them to save money by making redundancies. […]

Agreement reached with MMD Shipping

Strike action was averted and an agreement reached with MMD Shipping Ltd after ongoing negotiations between UNISON and the employer resulted in a much-improved offer to members. For the last year, UNISON has been in discussion with MMD management to find changes in working practices that would improve MMD’s financial stability. The initial proposal by MMD […]

Minimum wage rates go up in April

The government has launched its campaign to raise awareness of the increase in national minimum wage rates – and the so-called national living wage – which will come into force on 1 April. The new rates are: 25 and over – £7.50 an hour; 21 to 24 – £7.05 an hour; 18 to 20 – […]

Nominations are open for 2017 NEC election

Nominations are now open for this years elections to the union’s national executive council (NEC), the senior body of the union made up of elected union members. The nomination period opened on Monday 9 January and will close at 5pm on Friday 10 February 2017. The NEC is made up of representatives of the union’s […]

UNISON calls for apology from council leader

UNISON the union representing staff at Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council have called for an apology to all council workers from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Simon Dudley following inappropriate comments made at a recent Employment Panel Hearing. Councillors were debating the latest results of anonymous exit surveys carried out by the council which […]

Support your local food bank this Christmas

As Britain succumbs to a poverty crisis, food banks are calling on people’s support to help those less fortunate, including children, who are facing hunger. Between April and September this year the Trussell Trust distributed more than 500,000 emergency food parcels to people in crisis –  over 188,500 of them to children. That means that for the […]