UNISON condemns plans to close 999 control room in Kempston

UNISON Bedfordshire Police branch has condemned the decision to close the control room at Kempston.  Under plans to amalgamate police control rooms across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire from March 2017, emergency 999 calls and non-emergency 101 calls from residents in Bedfordshire will be dealt with by operators in either Welwyn Garden City or Huntingdon. Sarah […]

Roger Poole obituary – A trade unionist with a reputation as a hugely constructive negotiator

The Guardian has published an obituary of Roger Poole, former UNISON Assistant General Secretary who died on 3 July. Described by Dave Prentis as “always a dedicated and feisty trade unionist”, Roger worked in NUPE from 1971 and then in UNISON until his early retirement.  Many people will remember his fine negotiating skills, not least […]

Unsocial hours payments don’t stand in the way of a seven-day NHS, says UNISON

UNISON has welcomed the finding of a report that says the costs of unsocial hours payments to NHS staff working at night and at weekends will not prevent the introduction of a seven-day NHS. Commenting on the report from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) and the Office of Manpower Economics on the delivery of […]

Benefits and ballots – Government puts the boot into workers’ rights

Not content with cutting in-work benefits for low paid workers the government has announced plans to make striking for higher pay even more difficult than it already is, if not completely impossible. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says that families with young children could be up to £1,000 a year worse off because of the […]

Trade Union Bill proves the government is not on the side of working people, says UNISON

Commenting on the publication of the Trade Union Bill today (Wednesday) UNISON regional secretary Glyn Hawker, said: “The Bill proves that the government is not on the side of working people. These unfair changes will make it much harder for nurses, teaching assistants, midwives and other public sector workers to ever strike for a pay […]

Budget shuts public sector workers out of the recovery, says UNISON

Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget Statement today (Wednesday) UNISON Eastern Regional Secretary Glynn Hawker said: “Capping wages at a miserly one per cent for four more years for public sector workers will hasten the reluctant exit of many dedicated staff from our hospitals, schools and local councils. “The economy is growing yet public servants remain […]

Probation workers stage two-hour stoppage over pay row

UNISON members are today (Tuesday) staging a two-hour stoppage in England and Wales between 8am and 10am in the ongoing dispute over pay. UNISON regional organiser Lorraine Kalaher said: “The probation employers’ zero per cent pay offer is an insult to hardworking staff who have been put through the misery of the government’s misguided reforms. “There […]

The Budget dealt low-paid workers a poor hand, and its punitive cuts must be challenged, says UNISON

Working people on low incomes got a rough deal from the government last week, and no amount of dressing up of the new ‘living’ wage can mask the fact that poorer families will be much worse off, says UNISON. Commenting on the changes to tax credits – which the Institute for Fiscal Studies says will […]

UNISON calls on East of England Ambulance service to honour its commitment to pay the living wage to all staff

UNISON in the East of England Ambulance Service is leading a campaign to support 22 staff who are currently earning below the living wage. Earlier this year, with the support of Chief Executive Anthony Marsh, staff in the Trust paid below the living wage had their pay uplifted under a local agreement.  The union say […]

Injury compensation awards top £2 million in June

An injury at work can be a life-changing event and all too often can have serious financial consequences.  While financial compensation can never put right the effects of an injury at work it can assist in helping you adjust to your new situation.  As a UNISON member you are entitled to free legal advice and […]

Probation pay update – two hour strike on 14 July

UNISON will be calling all NPS and CRC members to take a two hour strike on Tuesday 14 July from 08.00 to 10.00 in support of the campaign for fair pay for all probation workers. All members are asked to observe the strike by not reporting for work until 10am on 14 July. Members in NPS and […]

National Probation Service members to switch subs payment to direct debit

As part of the Tory’s attacks on trade union organisation the Ministry of Justice has decided to stop UNISON members in the National Probation Service (NPS) from paying their monthly membership subscriptions from their salaries. UNISON is advising NPS members to set up payment by direct debit as soon as possible to ensure they remain fully […]

Probation industrial action called off to allow for further talks

UNISON’s Probation Committee has agreed to suspend the strike called for Thursday 11 June, and the action short of strike action due to have started on Friday 12 June, in order to allow further talks to take place to seek to resolve the 2014 pay dispute. This follows discussions with the employers at ACAS, the […]

Ambulance crews predict deaths and drug errors if excessive working hours aren’t ended

The East of England Ambulance branch have produced a shocking film exposing the dangers to staff and patients caused by ambulance crews being required to regularly work excessive hours. In the film paramedics talk about their fears of falling asleep at the wheel, making a drug error or having a road accident. Because crews are required […]

UNISON film tells of ambulance staff fear of drug errors and driving accidents caused by stress and exhaustion due to long hours

Trade union UNISON has made a film highlighting the impact of stress on front line ambulance service staff after a recent UNISON survey revealed the number one cause of stress was late finishes. In the film staff talk about falling asleep while driving, worrying about making drug errors and the fearing that they will have […]