Category: autumn statement

Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has written to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, urging him to make “real and positive change” for disabled workers, after the disappointment of yesterday’s autumn statement.

“If this government is serious about helping disabled people in the workplace, it needs to tackle the root cause of what makes working life so difficult for so many of them,” she writes. “Threatening benefit cuts or accusing disabled people of ‘not doing their duty’ achieves nothing.”

Ms McAnea was writing on behalf of 200,000 disabled workers who are members of UNISON. She noted that benefit changes announced in the autumn statement to supposedly encourage disabled people to work from home will, in fact, significantly reduce the income of those who aren’t able to do that.

At the same time, she said, “disabled people are being pushed out of the workforce due to a refusal from employers and government to provide the support they need to be able to get on at work.”

In a recent UNISON survey, three-quarters of disabled people said they had been refused some or all of the reasonable adjustments they need to do their job. Even where reasonable adjustments were agreed by the employer, a quarter of disabled people said they waited a year or more for them to be implemented.

“Being refused reasonable adjustments, or having to wait for their implementation, can leave disabled workers struggling with pain and fatigue, which then has an impact on their performance and productivity,” Ms McAnea writes.

“The way to support disabled people in the workplace is to ensure their reasonable adjustment requests are taken seriously, strengthen the right to disability leave and cut waiting lists for people to access the access to work scheme.”

These are all key elements of the disability employment charter, of which UNISON is one of the founding organisations. UNISON has met with the minister for disabled people, health and work to discuss the charter. Concluding her letter, Ms McAnea requested a similar meeting with the chancellor.

The article Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has written to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, urging him to make “real and positive change” for disabled workers, after the disappointment of yesterday’s autumn statement.

“If this government is serious about helping disabled people in the workplace, it needs to tackle the root cause of what makes working life so difficult for so many of them,” she writes. “Threatening benefit cuts or accusing disabled people of ‘not doing their duty’ achieves nothing.”

Ms McAnea was writing on behalf of 200,000 disabled workers who are members of UNISON. She noted that benefit changes announced in the autumn statement to supposedly encourage disabled people to work from home will, in fact, significantly reduce the income of those who aren’t able to do that.

At the same time, she said, “disabled people are being pushed out of the workforce due to a refusal from employers and government to provide the support they need to be able to get on at work.”

In a recent UNISON survey, three-quarters of disabled people said they had been refused some or all of the reasonable adjustments they need to do their job. Even where reasonable adjustments were agreed by the employer, a quarter of disabled people said they waited a year or more for them to be implemented.

“Being refused reasonable adjustments, or having to wait for their implementation, can leave disabled workers struggling with pain and fatigue, which then has an impact on their performance and productivity,” Ms McAnea writes.

“The way to support disabled people in the workplace is to ensure their reasonable adjustment requests are taken seriously, strengthen the right to disability leave and cut waiting lists for people to access the access to work scheme.”

These are all key elements of the disability employment charter, of which UNISON is one of the founding organisations. UNISON has met with the minister for disabled people, health and work to discuss the charter. Concluding her letter, Ms McAnea requested a similar meeting with the chancellor.

The article Christina McAnea urges chancellor to make ‘real and positive change’ for disabled workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom-loop

The damage has already been done by years of chaotic Conservative governments.

Sluggish growth, plummeting living standards and broken public services. That’s the legacy of 13 years of an ever-revolving door of prime ministers and ministers who can’t be trusted with the economy.

Jeremy Hunt’s desperate claims to fix the economic problems that his party caused won’t pull the wool over voters’ eyes. He’s simply giving back what he and his inept predecessors have already snatched from working people.

If the government really wanted to save on benefits for disabled people, it would give them more rights at work so employers don’t make their jobs impossible. And if ministers wanted to help more people back into work, they would fix our underfunded and understaffed NHS to get millions of people the treatment they’re desperate for.

But this is the government that broke the NHS, forcing experienced health professionals out to find better paying jobs elsewhere.

If the government cared about communities, it would reverse the trend of councils going bust and plug the huge budget deficits threatening essential services for children and vulnerable adults.

But this is a government that fails to understand the value of local authorities and the staff who work for them.

Public services and the pay of its dedicated workforces didn’t get a look in, aside from being told to deliver more for less. In-crisis essential services can’t give the public what they need and this government certainly won’t.

What the UK needs is a long-term plan to fund our public services properly, unlock growth and help everyone fulfil their potential.

Today, we were taken around another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom loop. Everybody feels worse off, public services are on their knees and this government is past its sell by date.

The article Blog: Another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom-loop first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom-loop

The damage has already been done by years of chaotic Conservative governments.

Sluggish growth, plummeting living standards and broken public services. That’s the legacy of 13 years of an ever-revolving door of prime ministers and ministers who can’t be trusted with the economy.

Jeremy Hunt’s desperate claims to fix the economic problems that his party caused won’t pull the wool over voters’ eyes. He’s simply giving back what he and his inept predecessors have already snatched from working people.

If the government really wanted to save on benefits for disabled people, it would give them more rights at work so employers don’t make their jobs impossible. And if ministers wanted to help more people back into work, they would fix our underfunded and understaffed NHS to get millions of people the treatment they’re desperate for.

But this is the government that broke the NHS, forcing experienced health professionals out to find better paying jobs elsewhere.

If the government cared about communities, it would reverse the trend of councils going bust and plug the huge budget deficits threatening essential services for children and vulnerable adults.

But this is a government that fails to understand the value of local authorities and the staff who work for them.

Public services and the pay of its dedicated workforces didn’t get a look in, aside from being told to deliver more for less. In-crisis essential services can’t give the public what they need and this government certainly won’t.

What the UK needs is a long-term plan to fund our public services properly, unlock growth and help everyone fulfil their potential.

Today, we were taken around another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom loop. Everybody feels worse off, public services are on their knees and this government is past its sell by date.

The article Blog: Another cycle of the Tories’ economic doom-loop first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Autumn statement is a cynical ploy that won’t fool the public

Commenting on the autumn statement today (Wednesday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: 

“This is a desperate attempt to press the reset button and present the government as the party of change. But it’s too little too late and can’t undo the damage done. 

“It’s a cynical ploy ahead of an early election. The government is on the ropes and wants to shift attention from its dire poll ratings.  

“The chancellor is simply giving back what he and his inept predecessors have already snatched from working people. No one will be fooled. They will still be worse off.

“Yet again public services didn’t get a look in, aside from being told to deliver more for less. But in-crisis essential services can’t give the public what they need. 

“Disabled people don’t want and shouldn’t have to rely on benefits. They need more rights at work, so they’re not forced out of their jobs by unsympathetic employers.”  

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors. 

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Autumn statement is a cynical ploy that won’t fool the public first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Autumn statement is a cynical ploy that won’t fool the public

Commenting on the autumn statement today (Wednesday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: 

“This is a desperate attempt to press the reset button and present the government as the party of change. But it’s too little too late and can’t undo the damage done. 

“It’s a cynical ploy ahead of an early election. The government is on the ropes and wants to shift attention from its dire poll ratings.  

“The chancellor is simply giving back what he and his inept predecessors have already snatched from working people. No one will be fooled. They will still be worse off.

“Yet again public services didn’t get a look in, aside from being told to deliver more for less. But in-crisis essential services can’t give the public what they need. 

“Disabled people don’t want and shouldn’t have to rely on benefits. They need more rights at work, so they’re not forced out of their jobs by unsympathetic employers.”  

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors. 

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Autumn statement is a cynical ploy that won’t fool the public first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Nothing in statement to halt pay crisis across public services

Commenting on the autumn statement today (Thursday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“The previous Conservative government trashed the economy. But the chancellor behaves likes it’s nothing to do with him. Millions will be feeling the financial pain for years to come.

“Super-high inflation means callous cutbacks are on the cards for essential services. Everyone’s paying the price for getting the Conservatives out of the mess they alone created.

“The government acts like there’s no public sector pay or workforce crisis. Nothing was said today to change the minds of NHS staff currently voting on strike action.

“Health worker wages must be boosted now to prevent a damaging dispute this winter. Otherwise, the NHS can’t hang on to experienced staff, halt the damaging exodus of key workers or improve wait times for patients.

“Essential services need staff or they can’t deliver. That might not matter to the government, but it’s incredibly important to the public.

“It’s time for this inept government to step aside for one that would see well-funded public services as a driver of the economic growth the UK so desperately needs.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Nothing in statement to halt pay crisis across public services first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Trade Union Bill campaign will be the priority, says executive

'Our aim is to make sure this legislation is not carried', NEC meeting hears The article Trade Union Bill campaign will be the priority, says executive first appeared on the UNISON site.