Articles
Ambulance worker Glenn Carrington holds the Eastern general seat on UNISON’s national executive council. He’s the next person to take the 5 Questions challenge for Black History Month. Who are you? Glenn Carrington, AKA The Bear. I was the first Black paramedic in Cambridgeshire Ambulance Service, now part of the East of England Ambulance Service, and […]
Firdos Finch fits being co-chair of our regional Black members group into her day job and a host of other UNISON duties. And she’s also found the time to take our 5 Questions challenge for Black History Month 2023. Who are you? I am Firdy Finch and I am branch secretary at UNISON Essex. I […]
Next up to take the five questions challenge for Black History Month is Lloyd Ledgister of the regional Black members committee. Who are you? My name is Lloyd Ledgister Cambridgeshire Constabulary Branch Why is Black History Month important to you? Black history generally is important to me. It’s an opportunity to recognise how Black people […]
Cambridgeshire County UNISON has unfurled a new branch banner for the first time in a demonstration outside the council offices. Emblazoned with the word “Solidarity,” it’s fitting that the banner’s first outing was at a Fire Brigades Union rally, with the branch showing UNISON’s support for a campaign against the dangerous watering down of safety […]
Across UNISON, every branch is working towards an ambitious target: increase membership by 1% over 2023. Having more members isn’t about prestige, it’s about having more strength to fight for better pay, better workplaces and better public services. As a region, we’re making great progress to finish 2023 above 1%, but no-one’s getting complacent in […]
Next up in our Black History Month series is Hetty Okonji. Hetty works in the NHS in Bedfordshire and is Black members officer and health and safety officer for her branch. Who are you? Hetty Okonji — I’m an assistant service manager in the NHS and Bedfordshire Health branch Black members officer, health and safety […]
We’re celebrating Black History Month 2023 by asking our Black activists five questions. First up, Josette Kennington. She was UNISON Eastern’s equalities activist of the year and is Black members officer at Cambridgeshire County branch. Who are you? Josette Kennington, Cambridgeshire County branch. Why is Black History Month important to you? It is important to […]
We talk to Basildon Council branch secretary Louisa Lewis about what Black History Month means to her
Industrial action in Huntingdonshire has been called off after the council agreed to implement the pay day UNISON settled last month. UNISON members were due to strike tomorrow, Friday 6 October. A joint release with the employer can be read on the Huntingdonshire District Council website. The background to the dispute can be read in […]
Huntingdonshire District Council workers have suspended strikes scheduled to start next week to consider an improved pay offer, UNISON announced today. Staff had been due to walk out for two weeks after months of pay talks ended with an offer that UNISON said would leave workers struggling to make ends meet. The council had offered […]
Staff at Huntingdonshire District Council are threatening to take a week of strike action later this month as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, says their union UNISON today. Earlier this year, the council gave its employees a pay rise of 4% plus a one-off payment of £1,000. Then last month, council managers made […]
Liz Davidson reports back from UNISON’s national Labour Link Forum
Eleesha Kyriazis was “completely taken aback” when she heard she’d won the award as Young Activist of the Year at the 2023 UNISON Eastern One Weekend. “I had no idea I had even been nominated until a few days before and even that was a massive shock,” she tells us. “It’s quite heart-warming to be […]
UNISON has welcomed Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s decision to take maintenance of its social housing stock back under direct control. The newly formed cabinet announced this week that repairs and refurbishment work for its 5,000 homes would be transferred from Norse to a council-owned company by September 2024. The agreement with Great Yarmouth Norse, which […]
A Norwich librarian has gained national recognition for her exceptional work in delivering council services, UNISON has announced today. Jo Foster-Murdoch is one of two runners-up for the union’s local service champions awards, which celebrate the incredible difference council staff make to the lives of people in their area. Jo was chosen for the support […]