Nearly three in four school support staff in the East of England have been anxious about the return to classrooms this week, with many fearing measures to keep them safe are inadequate, according to a survey published today by UNISON. The findings provide a snapshot of the concerns of staff as schools in England reopen […]
Covid-19
Women in key worker positions across the East of England are losing sleep, spending more on household bills, and worrying about the pandemic’s impact on their children’s education and mental health, according to a survey published today by UNISON. The findings are based on responses from over 2,000 women including teaching assistants, nurses, council workers and police staff. They provide a comprehensive insight […]
Government ministers must improve care pay if they’re to succeed in filling huge numbers of vacancies, UNISON says today. The government has launched a new recruitment campaign ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’ to boost the number of workers in adult social care as existing staff are forced to take time off to self-isolate or […]
Government plans to hold down public-sector pay will cause a £156m blow to the East of England’s economy, a TUC analysis shows today. A total of £1.3bn will be cut from keyworker pay settlements in England this year, after the chancellor announced the squeeze in November 2020, causing a forecast £1.7bn hit to England’s economy […]
Tim Roberts considers the NHS staff left dealing with the fallout from 100,000 Covid deaths in his latest blog
Tim Roberts looks at the shocking results of new TUC survey on the job retention scheme in his latest blog post
Public service workers have earned their applause this year, says Tim Roberts, but the fight for real recognition goes onc
Local authorities in Essex declared a “major incident” today as the number of coronavirus cases threatens to overwhelm health services in the county. Hospitals are struggling with “significant growing demand,” says the Essex Resilience Forum, a body drawing together NHS, emergency services and local authorities. The announcement has been made in response to a “significant […]
UNISON’s Covid-19 response fund reopens today, offering grants of up to £500 to help members affected by the pandemic. If you are a UNISON member, you can apply for the fund if your income has been affected in any of the following ways: You and/or your partner are currently furloughed; You and/or your partner are […]
University staff including cleaners, security guards and administrative workers are facing a perfect storm of pressures that are leaving them out of pocket, and feeling increasingly anxious, a UNISON survey published this week has found. More than 160 employees in the east of England completed the union’s annual higher education survey, which exposed concerns about pay, working hours and […]
Cambridge nurse Victor Tapah shares his story on the front lines against Covid-19
Despite the gradual return to normal, Covid-19 is still a real and present danger in care homes. Staff have been deeply affected by the virus and will continue to face significant challenges as the rest of the country opens back up. The government has announced a £600m infection control fund to help stop the spread […]
It’s not just in the NHS or local councils that UNISON members have been keeping our public services above water during the pandemic. In police forces across the UK, police community support officers (PCSOs), control room staff, scene of crime officers and many other support workers are proud to be in UNISON. Carol Johnson is one of […]