Government ministers should rethink their knee-jerk rejection of a trial into the four-day week at South Cambridgeshire Council and wait for the evidence, UNISON says today. Local government minister Lee Rowley has written to the council blocking an extension of the “experiment” into a reduced working week, according to media reports at the weekend. The […]
local government
Support staff at a Sudbury primary school have called off further strikes after accepting a new deal saving most of their jobs, UNISON announces today. Two dozen classroom assistants and midday supervisors at Pot Kiln Primary took three days of strikes in April and May after the school announced plans to sack 15 staff to […]
Southend school staff have fought off changes to holiday pay calculations that could have left them thousands of pounds a year worse off. Around 350 staff in community schools would have seen their pay drop by between £40 and £2,800 each year after Southend Council proposed changes to the formula for calculating holiday pay for […]
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 […]
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea is to visit Ipswich later this week as council and school support staff vote on whether to strike over pay. Christina McAnea will speak at a rally on Friday outside Suffolk County Council headquarters Endeavour House as local government workers call for a pay rise of 2% above inflation. Staff […]
Nearly 25,000 council and school support staff across the East of England will begin voting today on whether to strike over pay, says UNISON. The wage offer made by employers to local government staff is nowhere near what’s needed to meet rising prices during the cost of living crisis, says the union. UNISON had called […]
UNISON is recognising unsung heroes for their contribution to the community
Councils across the east of England face a collective funding gap of nearly £240m in the next financial year forcing them to cut essential services, says a report published today by UNISON. Waste collections, leisure centres, nurseries and other vital services will all be hit according to the findings based on information* from local authorities […]
Hard-up Colchester Council staff should get the same pay rise as everyone else in local government, trade union UNISON says today. The call comes after UNISON members in schools and councils on nationally agreed NJC conditions voted to accept a flat-rate £1,925 backdated to April. But Colchester negotiates pay locally meaning refuse workers, those running […]
A New Year’s blog from regional secretary Tim Roberts
Regional head of local government Sam Leigh guest blogs as our local government pay ballot opens
UNISON will today begin to ballot more than a third of a million council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for strike action over their “inadequate” pay offer. The union is recommending employees – including refuse collectors, teaching assistants and social workers – vote ‘yes’ to strike action. These workers have kept […]
Local government workers in the Eastern region are holding rallies this week to launch a strike ballot against employers’ “insulting” pay offer. Council and schools workers are being urged to vote Yes to action against a 1.75% pay offer – 2.75% for the handful of staff on the very lowest pay band to keep track […]
Thurrock mustn’t be left to wither on the vine, UNISON says today after plans to slash 500 jobs were announced. The Tory-run council is looking to make £34m worth of savings to deal with a covid-related black hole compounded by changes to borrowing rules. UNISON Eastern regional organiser Leon Kilbourn said: “These cuts will be […]
Suffolk County Council workers rallied outside Endeavour House today for a UNISON protest against a new mileage policy that will take money from some of the lowest paid staff. Local Labour councillors and representatives of Ipswich TUC and Unite braved the wind and rain to join the demonstration outside Suffolk County Council HQ. Protesters held […]