Category: Christina McAnea

UNISON reacts to government energy package for businesses and public sector bodies

Commenting on the government’s plan to help cut energy costs for businesses, charities and public sector organisations, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“This package is too little too late. Public bodies are still vulnerable because of a general lack of cash.

“Many schools, care homes, councils and hospitals have already had to make tough decisions, selling properties or cutting staff to afford their energy bills.

“All this could have been avoided. Better management of the UK’s energy market and an ambitious programme to make public buildings, businesses and homes energy efficient would have made the world of difference.”

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.

UNISON media contacts
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article UNISON reacts to government energy package for businesses and public sector bodies first appeared on the UNISON National site.

The death of Her Majesty The Queen

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Everyone’s thoughts will be with the royal family at this sad time. I’d like to offer UNISON’s sincere condolences.

“The Queen has given a lifetime of exemplary public service and her loss will be felt deeply across the whole of the UK and Commonwealth.”

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.

The article The death of Her Majesty The Queen first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: The time to act on the cost of living is now, prime minister

Liz Truss believes Boris Johnson was a marvellous prime minister – and he agrees with her. I watched the news in disbelief as the shamed, outgoing PM made his self-aggrandising, final farewell speech from the steps of Number 10.

How could he be more concerned with his memories of space-hoppers and his own future career than showing remorse for the trail of crises that he leaves behind him?

His debasement of the integrity and probity of the highest public office in the country was only confirmed with his departing words.

How could he possibly claim that social care has been reformed? That is a blatant lie. With over 160,000 vacancies and care homes at risk of closure because of soaring energy costs, the sector is in a worse state than when he took office.

And this is just one sector where the cost of living crisis, the energy crisis and the cost of working crisis are biting hard. 

Working people and the services they deliver – which we all we all rely on – are on their knees. Liz Truss has the chance to get the government back to governing.

She could address the income inequality in the country and turn the fates of millions of working people around. But only if she makes the right political choices.

UNISON is calling on Liz Truss and her new cabinet to take urgent action. They must scrap her planned tax cuts that will only benefit the wealthiest and instead increase tax on the highest earners.

They must also give immediate relief to households across the country who are struggling with bills and living costs; deliver a genuine, above inflation pay rise for public service workers, and increase the minimum wage to £15-an-hour.

Higher pay is one of the answers to the cost of living crisis – Liz Truss said it herself in May of this year – and while I have very little faith that another Tory prime minister will offer anything different, I hope she will deliver on our asks, because millions of working people have been failed by this government for too long.

The article Blog: The time to act on the cost of living is now, prime minister first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government must take responsibility for the NHS and social care workforce crisis, says UNISON  

Responding to the Health and Social Care Committee’s workforce report published today (Monday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“The staffing crisis in the NHS and social care grows worse by the day as employees leave for fairer wages on the high street and elsewhere.

“The government’s had years to improve the workforce situation but has done little. Only last week ministers could have acted to stop the exodus of porters, healthcare assistants and other NHS staff with an above-inflation wage rise. But chose not to.

“Instead, the government refuses to invest in the staff so critical to the NHS. Th?at means longer waiting lists and ambulance delays, with even more patients forced to fork out for private tests and treatment.

“?Rishi Sunak says tackling the NHS backlog is the UK’s biggest public services emergency. But this won’t happen without proper investment in the NHS and social care workforce. ?That must begin with a decent pay rise for all staff.”

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.

The article Government must take responsibility for the NHS and social care workforce crisis, says UNISON   first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government plans to use agency workers to break strikes ?are dangerous and unlawfull

A new law allowing employers to use agency workers to replace striking staff during industrial disputes is to be challenged in the courts, UNISON has announced today (?Friday).

The UK’s largest union says it plans to take the government to court over the controversial change to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003, which came into force yesterday (Thursday 21 July).

The union has written to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng about its intention to seek a judicial review of the new regulations, which it believes are unlawful.

The secretary of state now has 14 days to respond, otherwise the union says it will take the government to the High Court to try to get the measure overturned.

The letter says the government’s reliance on a seven-year-old consultation and flawed evidence to justify changing the law is unlawful.

UNISON says it also intends to show that the government is in breach of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights?, which protects the right to strike, and international labour standards.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “The government is prepared do anything to stop strikes, except encourage dialogue and sensible industrial relations.

“Sending agency staff into disputes to break strikes will only fan the flames and make it harder for employers and unions to reach agreement.

“Ministers have been spooked by the sympathy people ?are showing for workers fighting for fair wages.* The government’s cynical solution is to ride a coach and horses through employment law, risking the safety of staff and the public by parachuting in agency workers who won’t know the ropes.

“Strikes are only ever a last resort, and often the only avenue left to employees in the face of hostile employers. Changing the law to make it harder for workers to win disputes is both reckless and unlawful. If ministers won’t back down, we’ll take the government to court to prove it.”

Notes to editors: 
-*Earlier this week, 13 of the UK’s health unions published polling undertaken by Savanta ComRes, which found that 58% of UK adults believe NHS workers would be justified in taking industrial action if the government’s pay award in England was below inflation.
– 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.

 

 

The article Government plans to use agency workers to break strikes ?are dangerous and unlawfull first appeared on the UNISON National site.