Category: Christina McAnea

Blog: In the campaign for equal pay, UNISON stands firmly on the frontline

The pursuit of equal pay is part of UNISON’s daily battle against deeply entrenched biases and systemic inequalities. We’re driven by our commitment to break free of stereotypes that undervalue workers. And we are unrivalled in our successes.

You only have to look at the Glasgow equal pay victory to understand our strength.

We’ve won the most equal pay cases, we’ve won the most money for members, and we don’t take a cut from the payouts.

It’s a fundamental issue of fairness that every worker deserves equal pay for work of equal value. However, despite years of progress, many workers – and particularly those in low-paid jobs – continue to face a persistent and unjust pay gap.

The public service workers we represent are the backbone of our communities, providing support for everyone day in, day out. But they often find themselves on the wrong side of the pay scale, struggling to make ends meet and facing the harsh realities of income inequality.

As the first female leader of UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union with over one million women members, I’m compelled by the urgency of closing these unequal pay gaps. Not just for women public service workers, but for Black, LGBT+ and disabled workers, who face workplace discrimination that too often results in their work being undervalued.

UNISON works tirelessly across public services to negotiate fair wages, challenge discriminatory practices, raise awareness about the importance of equal pay and take legal action where needed.

But to achieve wage equality across the whole of our society, and to permanently close pay gaps, we need systemic change.

That means legislation that doesn’t let employers off the hook, workplace policies that promote pay transparency, the constant challenge of pay discrimination, and equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups to advance in their careers.

This shared aim shouldn’t just be about finally publishing a pay gap report that has the right figures in the right columns, it’s about the lives of countless workers who will get the pay and recognition they deserve.

If we succeed in making this permanent change, we will make sure that future generations can enter the workplace with the confidence that they will be treated fairly.

The article Blog: In the campaign for equal pay, UNISON stands firmly on the frontline first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: In the campaign for equal pay, UNISON stands firmly on the frontline

The pursuit of equal pay is part of UNISON’s daily battle against deeply entrenched biases and systemic inequalities. We’re driven by our commitment to break free of stereotypes that undervalue workers. And we are unrivalled in our successes.

You only have to look at the Glasgow equal pay victory to understand our strength.

We’ve won the most equal pay cases, we’ve won the most money for members, and we don’t take a cut from the payouts.

It’s a fundamental issue of fairness that every worker deserves equal pay for work of equal value. However, despite years of progress, many workers – and particularly those in low-paid jobs – continue to face a persistent and unjust pay gap.

The public service workers we represent are the backbone of our communities, providing support for everyone day in, day out. But they often find themselves on the wrong side of the pay scale, struggling to make ends meet and facing the harsh realities of income inequality.

As the first female leader of UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union with over one million women members, I’m compelled by the urgency of closing these unequal pay gaps. Not just for women public service workers, but for Black, LGBT+ and disabled workers, who face workplace discrimination that too often results in their work being undervalued.

UNISON works tirelessly across public services to negotiate fair wages, challenge discriminatory practices, raise awareness about the importance of equal pay and take legal action where needed.

But to achieve wage equality across the whole of our society, and to permanently close pay gaps, we need systemic change.

That means legislation that doesn’t let employers off the hook, workplace policies that promote pay transparency, the constant challenge of pay discrimination, and equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups to advance in their careers.

This shared aim shouldn’t just be about finally publishing a pay gap report that has the right figures in the right columns, it’s about the lives of countless workers who will get the pay and recognition they deserve.

If we succeed in making this permanent change, we will make sure that future generations can enter the workplace with the confidence that they will be treated fairly.

The article Blog: In the campaign for equal pay, UNISON stands firmly on the frontline first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government must invest in social care to drive the economy, says report     

A properly funded social care system would power growth, unlock jobs, boost business and save the NHS money, says a Future Social Care Coalition (FSCC) report published today (Monday).

The report, entitled Carenomics, lays bare how the fragmented and underfunded care sector, which currently has 152,000 job vacancies, is ‘stifling’ the economy and having a negative effect on the labour market.

The analysis warns that the government’s levelling up agenda and other measures to transform the UK cannot be achieved without substantial new investment in social care.

Carenomics uses extensive evidence to outline the economic case for putting more money into the care sector, which generated £51.5bn for the economy in England in 2021-22*.

The report says care staff are crucial to the UK labour force and economy. It calls for urgent intervention from ministers to attract and retain workers to an ‘overlooked’ sector that is bigger than electricity, water, and waste management.

At least four in five UK jobs pay more than those in social care. Official figures show that care staff with more than five years’ experience earn just 7p per hour more than colleagues who’ve been in the job for less than a year.

If investment in social care were boosted and more care workers recruited on better wages, it’s likely more people aged 50-64, currently unable to work because of caring responsibilities, could return to the labour market, says the report.

An increase of just 1% in the 50 to 64 age bracket in work could boost GDP by around £5.7bn per year, according to data in the Carenomics report.

Employment chances for disabled people would also improve if they had sufficient care support, says the report. Other benefits of investment in the care sector include a reduction in the carer’s allowance bill**.

Care worker Sam Thornton, who has been supporting people with learning disabilities for more than 30 years, said: “The job I do is as skilled as a nurse in a hospital but we’re not valued. The responsibilities we have are mind-blowing at times, people’s lives are in our hands.

“Social care has been in crisis for years. More investment is desperately needed to make the work more attractive to new staff.”

UNISON general secretary and joint FSCC chair Christina McAnea said: “A properly funded social care system should be the backbone of a thriving economy.

“But the government has allowed the sector to become underfunded and fragmented. It’s no wonder care staff are leaving for jobs where the pay and conditions are much better.

“More money for social care must be an urgent priority for the next government. This would take the pressure off an overstretched NHS, allow people caring for relatives to find jobs, help reduce social inequality and increase tax revenue for the exchequer.”

Notes to editors:
– *Economic research from Skills for Care calculated the sector contributed £51.5bn of economic activity in England in 2021/22.
– **The bill for carer’s allowance was £3.39bn in 2022/23, of which £3.36bn went to working age people (Source: Department for Work and Pensions)
– Click here to read Carenomics the report which will be handed in to 11 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AB on Monday 18 September at 3pm.
– The Future Social Care Coalition is an alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals including private and other social care providers, charities and trade bodies, those who use social care, and unions.

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 Government must invest in social care to drive the economy, says report      first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government must invest in social care to drive the economy, says report     

A properly funded social care system would power growth, unlock jobs, boost business and save the NHS money, says a Future Social Care Coalition (FSCC) report published today (Monday).

The report, entitled Carenomics, lays bare how the fragmented and underfunded care sector, which currently has 152,000 job vacancies, is ‘stifling’ the economy and having a negative effect on the labour market.

The analysis warns that the government’s levelling up agenda and other measures to transform the UK cannot be achieved without substantial new investment in social care.

Carenomics uses extensive evidence to outline the economic case for putting more money into the care sector, which generated £51.5bn for the economy in England in 2021-22*.

The report says care staff are crucial to the UK labour force and economy. It calls for urgent intervention from ministers to attract and retain workers to an ‘overlooked’ sector that is bigger than electricity, water, and waste management.

At least four in five UK jobs pay more than those in social care. Official figures show that care staff with more than five years’ experience earn just 7p per hour more than colleagues who’ve been in the job for less than a year.

If investment in social care were boosted and more care workers recruited on better wages, it’s likely more people aged 50-64, currently unable to work because of caring responsibilities, could return to the labour market, says the report.

An increase of just 1% in the 50 to 64 age bracket in work could boost GDP by around £5.7bn per year, according to data in the Carenomics report.

Employment chances for disabled people would also improve if they had sufficient care support, says the report. Other benefits of investment in the care sector include a reduction in the carer’s allowance bill**.

Care worker Sam Thornton, who has been supporting people with learning disabilities for more than 30 years, said: “The job I do is as skilled as a nurse in a hospital but we’re not valued. The responsibilities we have are mind-blowing at times, people’s lives are in our hands.

“Social care has been in crisis for years. More investment is desperately needed to make the work more attractive to new staff.”

UNISON general secretary and joint FSCC chair Christina McAnea said: “A properly funded social care system should be the backbone of a thriving economy.

“But the government has allowed the sector to become underfunded and fragmented. It’s no wonder care staff are leaving for jobs where the pay and conditions are much better.

“More money for social care must be an urgent priority for the next government. This would take the pressure off an overstretched NHS, allow people caring for relatives to find jobs, help reduce social inequality and increase tax revenue for the exchequer.”

Notes to editors:
– *Economic research from Skills for Care calculated the sector contributed £51.5bn of economic activity in England in 2021/22.
– **The bill for carer’s allowance was £3.39bn in 2022/23, of which £3.36bn went to working age people (Source: Department for Work and Pensions)
– Click here to read Carenomics the report which will be handed in to 11 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AB on Monday 18 September at 3pm.
– The Future Social Care Coalition is an alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals including private and other social care providers, charities and trade bodies, those who use social care, and unions.

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 Government must invest in social care to drive the economy, says report      first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering

As the UK’s largest union, UNISON played a big role in the TUC’s annual gathering of unions – the 155th TUC Congress in Liverpool.

General secretary Christina McAnea moved the composite motion on public services, attacking the Tories for years of austerity that have left public services reeling.

UNISON President Libby Nolan (pictured above) kicked off the debate on the COVID-19 inquiry, highlighting the importance of the inquiry for holding politicians to account.

And, ahead of Green UNISON Week, policy chair Tony Wright moved the composite on the environment, stressing the need for urgent action to tackle the climate emergency.

The union also featured prominently in debates on housing, the Minimum Service Levels legislation and key equality motions.

The debacle over the use of RAAC and the sudden closure of schools is only the most recent example of the desperate failings of the Conservative government.

The Congress was notable for the unity of purpose across the movement in striving to rid the country of 13 years of Tory mis-rule.

The UNISON delegation did express some concern at the content of a small number of motions on the Congress agenda.

For example, on HS2 while the broad goal of boosting economies in the Midlands and the North is one that a number of UNISON regions support, the disregard for communities affected by HS2 also needs to be acknowledged.

And where steel production is concerned, UNISON members were keen to highlight that we should not support its use for the production of weapons.

Congress witnessed a number of stirring speeches, not least from deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner who promised that the party would bring in a new bill to ban zero-hours contracts and repeal anti-strike laws within 100 days of a Labour government taking office.

As Christina McAnea highlighted in response, “Creating fairer workplaces with better job security for all will make the world of difference.”

The article UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering

As the UK’s largest union, UNISON played a big role in the TUC’s annual gathering of unions – the 155th TUC Congress in Liverpool.

General secretary Christina McAnea moved the composite motion on public services, attacking the Tories for years of austerity that have left public services reeling.

UNISON President Libby Nolan (pictured above) kicked off the debate on the COVID-19 inquiry, highlighting the importance of the inquiry for holding politicians to account.

And, ahead of Green UNISON Week, policy chair Tony Wright moved the composite on the environment, stressing the need for urgent action to tackle the climate emergency.

The union also featured prominently in debates on housing, the Minimum Service Levels legislation and key equality motions.

The debacle over the use of RAAC and the sudden closure of schools is only the most recent example of the desperate failings of the Conservative government.

The Congress was notable for the unity of purpose across the movement in striving to rid the country of 13 years of Tory mis-rule.

The UNISON delegation did express some concern at the content of a small number of motions on the Congress agenda.

For example, on HS2 while the broad goal of boosting economies in the Midlands and the North is one that a number of UNISON regions support, the disregard for communities affected by HS2 also needs to be acknowledged.

And where steel production is concerned, UNISON members were keen to highlight that we should not support its use for the production of weapons.

Congress witnessed a number of stirring speeches, not least from deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner who promised that the party would bring in a new bill to ban zero-hours contracts and repeal anti-strike laws within 100 days of a Labour government taking office.

As Christina McAnea highlighted in response, “Creating fairer workplaces with better job security for all will make the world of difference.”

The article UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Investing in you is investing in our schools and in our pupils

Our streets, villages, towns and cities only thrive when unsung heroes roll up their sleeves to keep our public services going. In every neighbourhood, it’s local government workers who everyone relies on.

And every day, UNISON campaigns to improve their pay and recognition for their essential work.

From maintaining roads to ensuring public safety, their roles are indispensable. But workers find themselves grappling with inadequate pay and shrinking budgets in their workplaces. Pay fails to reflect the value of their work, and local council funding fails to keep up with the need in our communities.

UNISON Scotland has been taking action. On behalf of all local government workers in Scotland, waste workers took strike action last week. And now we’re asking school staff to vote for a second wave of walkouts.

So if you’re one of our members working in a school in Scotland, you have just one week left to vote for strike action. The dispute over pay is at a critical point, as COSLA hasn’t come back with an improved offer since April.

We must demand that you are valued and paid fairly. Investing in you, is also an investment in the future of our schools and all pupils.

UNISON wants a fair deal for all Scottish local government workers. A 12% pay increase, or £4,000 – whichever is greater for each worker – was our claim. But COSLA’s 5% offer goes nowhere near that and was rightly rejected by our members.

Tonight, we’ll be rallying online at 6pm. Join us via YouTube, and encourage your colleagues to join too. You’ll hear from myself and your local government reps, encouraging you all to find that purple envelope that came through the post, cast your ‘yes’ vote and post it back.

You’re the backbone of society, keeping services going despite all you face. This is your chance to stand up for yourselves the way you stand up for your communities every day in your jobs.

UNISON will be with you, supporting you throughout this battle and beyond. By voting for strike action, you can be a beacon of hope for all workers – hope that we are one step closer to rewriting the story of local government into one of fair pay, respect and recognition.

The article Blog: Investing in you is investing in our schools and in our pupils first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Investing in you is investing in our schools and in our pupils

Our streets, villages, towns and cities only thrive when unsung heroes roll up their sleeves to keep our public services going. In every neighbourhood, it’s local government workers who everyone relies on.

And every day, UNISON campaigns to improve their pay and recognition for their essential work.

From maintaining roads to ensuring public safety, their roles are indispensable. But workers find themselves grappling with inadequate pay and shrinking budgets in their workplaces. Pay fails to reflect the value of their work, and local council funding fails to keep up with the need in our communities.

UNISON Scotland has been taking action. On behalf of all local government workers in Scotland, waste workers took strike action last week. And now we’re asking school staff to vote for a second wave of walkouts.

So if you’re one of our members working in a school in Scotland, you have just one week left to vote for strike action. The dispute over pay is at a critical point, as COSLA hasn’t come back with an improved offer since April.

We must demand that you are valued and paid fairly. Investing in you, is also an investment in the future of our schools and all pupils.

UNISON wants a fair deal for all Scottish local government workers. A 12% pay increase, or £4,000 – whichever is greater for each worker – was our claim. But COSLA’s 5% offer goes nowhere near that and was rightly rejected by our members.

Tonight, we’ll be rallying online at 6pm. Join us via YouTube, and encourage your colleagues to join too. You’ll hear from myself and your local government reps, encouraging you all to find that purple envelope that came through the post, cast your ‘yes’ vote and post it back.

You’re the backbone of society, keeping services going despite all you face. This is your chance to stand up for yourselves the way you stand up for your communities every day in your jobs.

UNISON will be with you, supporting you throughout this battle and beyond. By voting for strike action, you can be a beacon of hope for all workers – hope that we are one step closer to rewriting the story of local government into one of fair pay, respect and recognition.

The article Blog: Investing in you is investing in our schools and in our pupils first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Influencing the next Labour government

After 13 years of Tory failures in Westminster, our economy is weaker, our living standards are lower, and our country is poorer. Britain is clearly broken.

Over the weekend, our UNISON delegation spent long hours in intense negotiations with the Labour party at the National Policy Forum.

Our mission was to get UNISON’s priorities on pay, public services, social care, workers’ and trade union rights, and equalities into Labour’s policy platform for their next manifesto.

That manifesto must be election-winning, because despite Labour riding high in the polls over the past year, they’ve lost the last four general elections.

Throughout that time, our members’ lives have been made worse under successive Tory governments. We need a fundamental shift of power and prosperity back into workers’ hands.

Austerity

Labour cannot return to austerity – we need investment, not ideologically-driven Tory cuts that weaken public services, our economy, and cause endemic low pay in our society.

We secured that anti-austerity commitment, which sets the scene on how Labour would govern. And the party’s pledge to start the biggest wave of insourcing will mean more public services will be back in public hands.

Pay

On pay, discriminatory adult age bands will be removed from the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and Labour will make sure the cost of living is part of the remit of the Low Pay Commission.

They’ve committed to enforcing NMW payments for travel time for those who work across multiple sites, and taking action on exploitative practices. Labour’s New Deal for Working People also committed to Fair Pay Agreements, and the first one of these will be in adult social care.

Local government

We’ve made sure that Labour in power will mean better things for local government. A different approach, where the proceeds of growth from a recovering economy will be channelled into the hearts of local communities. And a recognition that investment in local councils is key to generating that growth too. As part of their Take Back Control bill, they’ve committed to ensuring long-term stability in funding settlements for councils.

Education

On education, we secured a commitment to establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body. Something I feel personally very strongly about, as I led the negotiations with the last Labour government to get this set up. Unfortunately, it was just before the 2010 general election, and so the Body fell when Labour lost the election.

Health and social care

As most of our members know, we’ve been campaigning for a National Social Care Service for many years. Labour have committed to establishing one that promotes public sector and non-profit service delivery, has zero tolerance for providers who extract huge profits in opaque and irresponsible ways, or have poor conditions for their workforce, and they’ll ensure national standards on pay and bargaining for care workers.

We’ve also secured commitments that the NHS will be safe in Labour’s hands, as a publicly-funded service, free at the point of use, and delivering secure healthcare for all. An unequivocal commitment that our NHS is not up for sale.

Equalities

We went into the negotiations with a determination to get a decent equalities package. On behalf of UNISON, I’ve been asking the government to commit to the recommendations made in the Windrush Review. They aren’t budging, but Labour has given us that commitment for when they’re in government.

Labour’s new Race Equality Act will introduce ethnicity pay gap reporting and action plans for large employers. The same will also be true for disabled workers. Large firms will be required to develop, publish and implement action plans to close their gender pay gaps and they’ll ensure outsourced workers are included in their gender pay gap and pay ratio reporting.

Labour will ensure that reasonable adjustments are secured more quickly, they’ll honour the commitments of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Public Sector Equality Duty will extend to any contract carrying out public functions.

Anti-trade union laws

As the largest trade union in the UK, removing barriers and restrictions on trade unions recruiting, organising, and taking action is key for us. Removing anti-trade union laws and ensuring the right of access for trade unions will mean an important shift of power to something more fitting for a civilised society.

These are just some of the highlights of what we got out of the National Policy Forum process. UNISON worked jointly with all Labour’s affiliated unions to secure the best deal possible, but our work will carry on right up until the next general election.

We will continue to influence the Labour party, as they flesh out their election pledges, so our members can vote for a new government they can have confidence in to deliver a better future for them.

The article Blog: Influencing the next Labour government first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: Influencing the next Labour government

After 13 years of Tory failures in Westminster, our economy is weaker, our living standards are lower, and our country is poorer. Britain is clearly broken.

Over the weekend, our UNISON delegation spent long hours in intense negotiations with the Labour party at the National Policy Forum.

Our mission was to get UNISON’s priorities on pay, public services, social care, workers’ and trade union rights, and equalities into Labour’s policy platform for their next manifesto.

That manifesto must be election-winning, because despite Labour riding high in the polls over the past year, they’ve lost the last four general elections.

Throughout that time, our members’ lives have been made worse under successive Tory governments. We need a fundamental shift of power and prosperity back into workers’ hands.

Austerity

Labour cannot return to austerity – we need investment, not ideologically-driven Tory cuts that weaken public services, our economy, and cause endemic low pay in our society.

We secured that anti-austerity commitment, which sets the scene on how Labour would govern. And the party’s pledge to start the biggest wave of insourcing will mean more public services will be back in public hands.

Pay

On pay, discriminatory adult age bands will be removed from the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and Labour will make sure the cost of living is part of the remit of the Low Pay Commission.

They’ve committed to enforcing NMW payments for travel time for those who work across multiple sites, and taking action on exploitative practices. Labour’s New Deal for Working People also committed to Fair Pay Agreements, and the first one of these will be in adult social care.

Local government

We’ve made sure that Labour in power will mean better things for local government. A different approach, where the proceeds of growth from a recovering economy will be channelled into the hearts of local communities. And a recognition that investment in local councils is key to generating that growth too. As part of their Take Back Control bill, they’ve committed to ensuring long-term stability in funding settlements for councils.

Education

On education, we secured a commitment to establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body. Something I feel personally very strongly about, as I led the negotiations with the last Labour government to get this set up. Unfortunately, it was just before the 2010 general election, and so the Body fell when Labour lost the election.

Health and social care

As most of our members know, we’ve been campaigning for a National Social Care Service for many years. Labour have committed to establishing one that promotes public sector and non-profit service delivery, has zero tolerance for providers who extract huge profits in opaque and irresponsible ways, or have poor conditions for their workforce, and they’ll ensure national standards on pay and bargaining for care workers.

We’ve also secured commitments that the NHS will be safe in Labour’s hands, as a publicly-funded service, free at the point of use, and delivering secure healthcare for all. An unequivocal commitment that our NHS is not up for sale.

Equalities

We went into the negotiations with a determination to get a decent equalities package. On behalf of UNISON, I’ve been asking the government to commit to the recommendations made in the Windrush Review. They aren’t budging, but Labour has given us that commitment for when they’re in government.

Labour’s new Race Equality Act will introduce ethnicity pay gap reporting and action plans for large employers. The same will also be true for disabled workers. Large firms will be required to develop, publish and implement action plans to close their gender pay gaps and they’ll ensure outsourced workers are included in their gender pay gap and pay ratio reporting.

Labour will ensure that reasonable adjustments are secured more quickly, they’ll honour the commitments of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Public Sector Equality Duty will extend to any contract carrying out public functions.

Anti-trade union laws

As the largest trade union in the UK, removing barriers and restrictions on trade unions recruiting, organising, and taking action is key for us. Removing anti-trade union laws and ensuring the right of access for trade unions will mean an important shift of power to something more fitting for a civilised society.

These are just some of the highlights of what we got out of the National Policy Forum process. UNISON worked jointly with all Labour’s affiliated unions to secure the best deal possible, but our work will carry on right up until the next general election.

We will continue to influence the Labour party, as they flesh out their election pledges, so our members can vote for a new government they can have confidence in to deliver a better future for them.

The article Blog: Influencing the next Labour government first appeared on the UNISON National site.