The Norfolk African choir performs

Norfolk celebrates Year of Black Workers

UNISON members from across Norfolk flocked to the County Hall Social Club at the end of October to celebrate Year of Black Workers. There were a range of speakers from Norfolk branches of UNISON and the regional Black members’ group, with special guest Ruth Pearson speaking about the Grunwick and Gate Gourmet disputes, two battles […]

Norfolk celebrates Year of Black Workers

Norfolk local government and health staff flocked to county hall at the end of October to celebrate UNISON’s Year of Black Workers. They were treated to a range of speakers from UNISON’s regional Black members and local branches, while guest speaker Ruth Pearson talked staff through the legacy of the Grunwick and Gate Gourmet disputes, […]

Great Yarmouth social housing maintenance ‘to be run for residents, not shareholders’, says UNISON

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 large group of Serco workers on the pickets lines

Norfolk refuse strikes off after workers win huge pay deal

Serco workers in North Norfolk and Breckland have accepted a double-digit pay rise, putting an end to the threat of more refuse strikes, UNISON announced today. Refuse, street cleaning, grounds maintenance and cleansing workers approved the two-year deal that includes a 20% rise for the lowest-paid staff. HGV drivers have won a new basic rate […]

Serco strikers pose for a photo

Norfolk bin strikes suspended after improved pay offer

Refuse workers have suspended next week’s strikes in Breckland and North Norfolk after contractor Serco improved its pay offer, UNISON says today. Bin collectors, street cleaners, grounds maintenance and toilet cleaners across the two council areas were due to walk out from Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 April in a long-running dispute over low wages. […]

Serco workers outside their depot

Breckland and North Norfolk refuse workers plan week-long walkout

A week of strikes will hit Breckland and North Norfolk bin collections and street cleaning unless workers get the pay they deserve, UNISON warns today. One hundred refuse, grounds maintenance, street cleaning and cleansing staff working for Serco across the two councils will down tools for a week from 13 March, says the union. Earlier […]

Norfolk refuse workers open vote on strike action

Refuse and cleansing workers in North Norfolk and Breckland are voting on strikes over super-profitable contractor Serco’s refusal to pay staff more than ‘crumbs from its table,’ says UNISON today. During months of negotiations, Serco has refused to meaningfully shift from a pay offer worth just 4% to HGV drivers and around 7% for loaders. […]

City College Norwich does ‘A Christmas Carol’ in reverse

City College Norwich doing A Christmas Carol in reverse by abandoning living wage, warns UNISON City College Norwich is doing a Christmas Carol in reverse, UNISON says today after bosses said they would abandon their commitment to the real living wage. As recently as September the college helped launch the Making Norwich A Living Wage […]

A group of care workers standing outside parliament

Norfolk care workers warn MPs that social care is ‘close to collapse’

Norfolk care staff are on their way to Parliament today to warn MPs that the care system is “close to collapse.” Care workers’ union UNISON has organised the lobby to push for action following decades of underfunding and a steady erosion of pay and conditions that have been laid bare by the pandemic. The union […]