Category: Industrial action

Christina McAnea leads applause for successful UNISON strikers

There’s power in the union – particularly if that union is UNISON. That was the message at the heart of a speech this morning from general secretary Christina McAnea to UNISON’s national health service group conference in Brighton.

“Look at all you’ve achieved in the past 12 months”, she told delegates.

“Forty-two re-banding deals done across England and Scotland in our Pay Fair for Patient Care campaign. £70 million in back pay – and rising.

“A huge strike in Northern Ireland that forced politicians back into the Northern Ireland Assembly to sort out public sector pay – that’s the power of UNISON.”

Ms McAnea added that the union had live disputes in the South East, Eastern, East Midlands, Northern, North West, South West and London regions, together with live campaigns in Yorkshire and Humberside, West Midlands and Cymru/Wales.

“Our demands and action get results. We are transforming lives … That’s the power of UNISON.”

The big election year

“The Tories can go into the general election with a proud record to stand on. Forty brand new hospitals, a valued and appreciated workforce, NHS pay rises beyond your wildest dreams,” the general secretary quipped, to laughter from delegates.

More seriously, Ms McAnea stressed the need to get the Conservatives out of government and for Labour to replace them.

“While the Tories break promises and let down our most vulnerable in our society, UNISON says we can do better.”

Pointing out that UNISON has been campaigning for a National Social Care service, she said: “Until we fix the crisis in social care, we cannot fix our broken NHS.

“And when a National Care Service has been created – and I do believe it will be – we can look back together and say, ‘we did that – we were part of that’.

And Ms McAnea stressed that the workforce of the NHS – and of a future National Care Service – “should be given decent pay for a day’s work”.

There are also elections taking place in UNISON. Ballots for the service group elections open on 22 April and Ms McAnea urged delegates not only to vote themselves, but to return to their workplaces and persuade their fellow members to vote too.

Celebrating the power of the union

Health conference giving a standing ovation to representatives of successful UNISON strikes, plus a live relay of a picket line in Middlesbrough

After a standing ovation, the union’s acting head of health, Helga Pile, introduced representatives of successful strikes in health from across the union as they came to the front of the hall to join Ms McAnea. They were joined live online from a picket line at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, as conference rose to applaud and celebrate the power of UNISON.

The article Christina McAnea leads applause for successful UNISON strikers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Christina McAnea leads applause for successful UNISON strikers

There’s power in the union – particularly if that union is UNISON. That was the message at the heart of a speech this morning from general secretary Christina McAnea to UNISON’s national health service group conference in Brighton.

“Look at all you’ve achieved in the past 12 months”, she told delegates.

“Forty-two re-banding deals done across England and Scotland in our Pay Fair for Patient Care campaign. £70 million in back pay – and rising.

“A huge strike in Northern Ireland that forced politicians back into the Northern Ireland Assembly to sort out public sector pay – that’s the power of UNISON.”

Ms McAnea added that the union had live disputes in the South East, Eastern, East Midlands, Northern, North West, South West and London regions, together with live campaigns in Yorkshire and Humberside, West Midlands and Cymru/Wales.

“Our demands and action get results. We are transforming lives … That’s the power of UNISON.”

The big election year

“The Tories can go into the general election with a proud record to stand on. Forty brand new hospitals, a valued and appreciated workforce, NHS pay rises beyond your wildest dreams,” the general secretary quipped, to laughter from delegates.

More seriously, Ms McAnea stressed the need to get the Conservatives out of government and for Labour to replace them.

“While the Tories break promises and let down our most vulnerable in our society, UNISON says we can do better.”

Pointing out that UNISON has been campaigning for a National Social Care service, she said: “Until we fix the crisis in social care, we cannot fix our broken NHS.

“And when a National Care Service has been created – and I do believe it will be – we can look back together and say, ‘we did that – we were part of that’.

And Ms McAnea stressed that the workforce of the NHS – and of a future National Care Service – “should be given decent pay for a day’s work”.

There are also elections taking place in UNISON. Ballots for the service group elections open on 22 April and Ms McAnea urged delegates not only to vote themselves, but to return to their workplaces and persuade their fellow members to vote too.

Celebrating the power of the union

Health conference giving a standing ovation to representatives of successful UNISON strikes, plus a live relay of a picket line in Middlesbrough

After a standing ovation, the union’s acting head of health, Helga Pile, introduced representatives of successful strikes in health from across the union as they came to the front of the hall to join Ms McAnea. They were joined live online from a picket line at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, as conference rose to applaud and celebrate the power of UNISON.

The article Christina McAnea leads applause for successful UNISON strikers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Yoga instructors pose a strike problem for unbending council

Yoga, Pilates and aerobics instructors employed by Colchester City Council are to take strike action later this month after nearly a decade without a pay rise, UNISON announced today.The fitness instructors will walk out for seven days from Wednesday 28 February until Tuesday 5 March. Although the Leisure World and Northern Gateway Leisure Park trainers are directly employed by the council, they are not part of the same pay scheme as other staff.UNISON says unbending bosses at the local authority have refused to increase pay for yoga and Pilates coaches from £25 per session since 2015, while aerobics instructors have been earning just £22.50.The council initially rejected any rise for yoga and Pilates workers, proposing a mere £2.50 a time extra for aerobics trainers.But following a ballot of the instructors last month, in which 86% of the staff voted for strike action, the council increased its offer to £26 for all three disciplines, plus an element of performance-related pay.The fitness workers say this could still see them earning £4 a session less than instructors at neighbouring Tendring and Chelmsford councils.The instructors say the session rates don’t take account for the preparation and clear-up time involved in each class, as well as that spent with participants before and after each session. And UNISON says the proposed rise is still considerably lower than if the rate had kept pace with inflation.Melinda Harrison, an aerobics instructor at the council for the past nine years, said: “Every other employee has had a pay rise, but we’ve been completely ignored. It’s like we don’t exist. We don’t get reviewed. It’s like the council has forgotten us.“Ten years is a long time to go without a pay rise and the cost of living has shot up. It’s completely unfair to leave us out when everyone else has had a wage increase.”UNISON Eastern area organiser Emma Aboubaker said: “Fitness instructors aren’t immune to the rising bills and prices. They’ve been left with no option but to strike.“It’s now crunch time for the council. Bosses there need to get a jog on if they want to avoid strikes.”

The article Yoga instructors pose a strike problem for unbending council first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Yoga instructors pose a strike problem for unbending council

Yoga, Pilates and aerobics instructors employed by Colchester City Council are to take strike action later this month after nearly a decade without a pay rise, UNISON announced today.The fitness instructors will walk out for seven days from Wednesday 28 February until Tuesday 5 March. Although the Leisure World and Northern Gateway Leisure Park trainers are directly employed by the council, they are not part of the same pay scheme as other staff.UNISON says unbending bosses at the local authority have refused to increase pay for yoga and Pilates coaches from £25 per session since 2015, while aerobics instructors have been earning just £22.50.The council initially rejected any rise for yoga and Pilates workers, proposing a mere £2.50 a time extra for aerobics trainers.But following a ballot of the instructors last month, in which 86% of the staff voted for strike action, the council increased its offer to £26 for all three disciplines, plus an element of performance-related pay.The fitness workers say this could still see them earning £4 a session less than instructors at neighbouring Tendring and Chelmsford councils.The instructors say the session rates don’t take account for the preparation and clear-up time involved in each class, as well as that spent with participants before and after each session. And UNISON says the proposed rise is still considerably lower than if the rate had kept pace with inflation.Melinda Harrison, an aerobics instructor at the council for the past nine years, said: “Every other employee has had a pay rise, but we’ve been completely ignored. It’s like we don’t exist. We don’t get reviewed. It’s like the council has forgotten us.“Ten years is a long time to go without a pay rise and the cost of living has shot up. It’s completely unfair to leave us out when everyone else has had a wage increase.”UNISON Eastern area organiser Emma Aboubaker said: “Fitness instructors aren’t immune to the rising bills and prices. They’ve been left with no option but to strike.“It’s now crunch time for the council. Bosses there need to get a jog on if they want to avoid strikes.”

The article Yoga instructors pose a strike problem for unbending council first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Inflexible bosses keep yoga instructors’ pay down

Yoga, aerobics and Pilates instructors at Colchester City Council are voting on strike action after nearly a decade without a pay rise, UNISON has announced.The Leisure World instructors are all directly employed by the council, but their pay is determined differently to the scales used for other staff at the local authority.UNISON says inflexible bosses have kept yoga and Pilates rates at £25 per-session since 2015, refusing to even review this figure until last year.When the council did finally assess pay in August 2023, senior managers offered no rise at all, says the union.Aerobics instructors are paid £22.50 per session. Following the review, they rejected an offer of an extra £2.50, saying it fell a long way behind the levels paid to instructors for private training sessions, and was still nearly £5 lower than neighbouring Tendring Council.Instructors say the rate fails to recognise the long stretches of time they put into preparing classes. They say the time it takes to learn and devise routines, set up, clear up and answer queries from participants after sessions, means upwards of two hours’ work goes into each hour-long session.Workers have been left with no choice but to vote on strikes, says UNISON.

Melinda (pictured above, outside Leisure World) has been an aerobics instructor at the council for the last nine years, said: “All the instructors give 100% — we get there early and stay late.

“As a council worker, every other employee has had a pay rise and we’re completely ignored. It’s like we don’t exist. We don’t get reviewed. It’s like they’ve forgotten us.

“There are some instructors who work in the gym as personal trainers. They’ve had a pay rise every year for that, but when they come to teach a class, it’s been the same pay for 10 years.

“That 10 years is a long time – how much has the cost of living gone up? It’s completely unfair when everyone else in the building has had a pay rise.

“We’re the face of Leisure World, we keep thousands of people coming back. It’s time we were recognised for it.”

Yoga instructor Arlene, who has worked for Colchester Council since 2016, said: “It’s a wonderful community at Leisure World and the people taking classes are so supportive of each other.“But I don’t even reach the minimum wage for the classes I teach, with all the preparation that goes into them.“It doesn’t feel like we’re even considered to be working for the council. They’ve never increased the market rate. Everyone else in the building gets a pay rise but we’re forgotten.”

UNISON Eastern area organiser Emma Aboubaker said: “Instructors are bending over backwards to provide the best service they can for people trying to get fit and healthy in Colchester. But bosses can’t stretch to more than one pay rise a decade.“Fitness instructors provide a vital service for the city’s public health, but they’re also bringing paying residents into leisure centres. They deserve a proper pay rise.”

The article Inflexible bosses keep yoga instructors’ pay down first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Inflexible bosses keep yoga instructors’ pay down

Yoga, aerobics and Pilates instructors at Colchester City Council are voting on strike action after nearly a decade without a pay rise, UNISON has announced.The Leisure World instructors are all directly employed by the council, but their pay is determined differently to the scales used for other staff at the local authority.UNISON says inflexible bosses have kept yoga and Pilates rates at £25 per-session since 2015, refusing to even review this figure until last year.When the council did finally assess pay in August 2023, senior managers offered no rise at all, says the union.Aerobics instructors are paid £22.50 per session. Following the review, they rejected an offer of an extra £2.50, saying it fell a long way behind the levels paid to instructors for private training sessions, and was still nearly £5 lower than neighbouring Tendring Council.Instructors say the rate fails to recognise the long stretches of time they put into preparing classes. They say the time it takes to learn and devise routines, set up, clear up and answer queries from participants after sessions, means upwards of two hours’ work goes into each hour-long session.Workers have been left with no choice but to vote on strikes, says UNISON.

Melinda (pictured above, outside Leisure World) has been an aerobics instructor at the council for the last nine years, said: “All the instructors give 100% — we get there early and stay late.

“As a council worker, every other employee has had a pay rise and we’re completely ignored. It’s like we don’t exist. We don’t get reviewed. It’s like they’ve forgotten us.

“There are some instructors who work in the gym as personal trainers. They’ve had a pay rise every year for that, but when they come to teach a class, it’s been the same pay for 10 years.

“That 10 years is a long time – how much has the cost of living gone up? It’s completely unfair when everyone else in the building has had a pay rise.

“We’re the face of Leisure World, we keep thousands of people coming back. It’s time we were recognised for it.”

Yoga instructor Arlene, who has worked for Colchester Council since 2016, said: “It’s a wonderful community at Leisure World and the people taking classes are so supportive of each other.“But I don’t even reach the minimum wage for the classes I teach, with all the preparation that goes into them.“It doesn’t feel like we’re even considered to be working for the council. They’ve never increased the market rate. Everyone else in the building gets a pay rise but we’re forgotten.”

UNISON Eastern area organiser Emma Aboubaker said: “Instructors are bending over backwards to provide the best service they can for people trying to get fit and healthy in Colchester. But bosses can’t stretch to more than one pay rise a decade.“Fitness instructors provide a vital service for the city’s public health, but they’re also bringing paying residents into leisure centres. They deserve a proper pay rise.”

The article Inflexible bosses keep yoga instructors’ pay down first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: A strike of last resort that’s been forced on members

A day of historical strike action took place in Northern Ireland yesterday.

The first walk-outs started at midnight when UNISON’s health members left their hospital workplaces.

I was with community assistant nurses, catering staff, admin staff and health care assistants at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, as their strike started when the clock struck 12.01.

A few hours later, I joined education staff on their school picket lines along the Falls Road. And on we marched to the Royal Hospital again and into central Belfast, where we met thousands of other striking public sector workers for our joint union rally.

Many health workers stayed behind, providing the emergency cover UNISON always ensures on strike days. They forfeited their right to strike, so that others could protest and rally, without affecting patient safety.

Essential workers shouldn’t have to be out in the freezing cold, demanding the pay they’re owed. But they’ve been forced into it. It’s the failure of politicians to release the £600m that’s already been fought for and won, that’s pushed them to the last resort of strike action.

Until power sharing in Stormont is restored, public sector workers won’t get the money they’ve been promised. Unless of course, the secretary of state, Chris Heaton-Harris, takes action to unlock the funding.

The Westminster government might have given up on the people of Northern Ireland, but UNISON hasn’t. That’s why I was there in Belfast, to show solidarity with our members.

Their frustration is real. Watching colleagues on the other side of the Irish Sea earning more than them for doing the same job, and having governments that they can actually negotiate with, makes them feel left behind.

Northern Ireland’s public services rely on workers staying in the job, but they’ll only stay with decent pay, pay parity and recognition for the essential work they do.

The message was clear from the streets of Belfast and from picket lines across Northern Ireland, Mr Heaton-Harris must release the money. Until we get that result, UNISON’s determination will not falter.

The article Blog: A strike of last resort that’s been forced on members first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: A strike of last resort that’s been forced on members

A day of historical strike action took place in Northern Ireland yesterday.

The first walk-outs started at midnight when UNISON’s health members left their hospital workplaces.

I was with community assistant nurses, catering staff, admin staff and health care assistants at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, as their strike started when the clock struck 12.01.

A few hours later, I joined education staff on their school picket lines along the Falls Road. And on we marched to the Royal Hospital again and into central Belfast, where we met thousands of other striking public sector workers for our joint union rally.

Many health workers stayed behind, providing the emergency cover UNISON always ensures on strike days. They forfeited their right to strike, so that others could protest and rally, without affecting patient safety.

Essential workers shouldn’t have to be out in the freezing cold, demanding the pay they’re owed. But they’ve been forced into it. It’s the failure of politicians to release the £600m that’s already been fought for and won, that’s pushed them to the last resort of strike action.

Until power sharing in Stormont is restored, public sector workers won’t get the money they’ve been promised. Unless of course, the secretary of state, Chris Heaton-Harris, takes action to unlock the funding.

The Westminster government might have given up on the people of Northern Ireland, but UNISON hasn’t. That’s why I was there in Belfast, to show solidarity with our members.

Their frustration is real. Watching colleagues on the other side of the Irish Sea earning more than them for doing the same job, and having governments that they can actually negotiate with, makes them feel left behind.

Northern Ireland’s public services rely on workers staying in the job, but they’ll only stay with decent pay, pay parity and recognition for the essential work they do.

The message was clear from the streets of Belfast and from picket lines across Northern Ireland, Mr Heaton-Harris must release the money. Until we get that result, UNISON’s determination will not falter.

The article Blog: A strike of last resort that’s been forced on members first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Poole education members strike over low pay

UNISON members at The Victoria Education Centre in Poole are taking strike action today, after their employer failed to deliver a pay rise for staff.

The special education school is run by disability charity Livability, but it has not made a pay offer that addresses historic low wages by comparison to other school settings across Dorset and nationally.

A membership recruitment campaign began in 2021 and saw a recognition agreement signed with the employer in March 2022.

Regional organiser Mike Cracknell said: “The strength of feeling was so high that a formal industrial action ballot generated a whopping 81% response rate, of which 97% showed their anger and voted in favour of taking action.

“Members strive daily to create a nurturing and inclusive environment for children with dedicated and skilled support staff as the backbone of the school community, working tirelessly to ensure that every child receives the support they need to thrive.”

School support staff salaries have not kept pace with the rising cost of living, leaving many staff struggling to make ends meet. It is nearly two years since some staff received a pay increase.

This financial strain is driving staff away, as they seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Senior teaching assistant and UNISON workplace representative Rhian Rothery said: “We have been paid low in comparison to local schools for a very long time.

“After a lot of time and effort over the last year and a half, trying to reach an agreement without success, our members felt the next step was to strike. We love our job and that is why we are here – strike is the last thing we want to do but we deserve fair pay.

“We would all much prefer to be doing what we love, caring for and supporting our students.”

The article Poole education members strike over low pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Poole education members strike over low pay

UNISON members at The Victoria Education Centre in Poole are taking strike action today, after their employer failed to deliver a pay rise for staff.

The special education school is run by disability charity Livability, but it has not made a pay offer that addresses historic low wages by comparison to other school settings across Dorset and nationally.

A membership recruitment campaign began in 2021 and saw a recognition agreement signed with the employer in March 2022.

Regional organiser Mike Cracknell said: “The strength of feeling was so high that a formal industrial action ballot generated a whopping 81% response rate, of which 97% showed their anger and voted in favour of taking action.

“Members strive daily to create a nurturing and inclusive environment for children with dedicated and skilled support staff as the backbone of the school community, working tirelessly to ensure that every child receives the support they need to thrive.”

School support staff salaries have not kept pace with the rising cost of living, leaving many staff struggling to make ends meet. It is nearly two years since some staff received a pay increase.

This financial strain is driving staff away, as they seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Senior teaching assistant and UNISON workplace representative Rhian Rothery said: “We have been paid low in comparison to local schools for a very long time.

“After a lot of time and effort over the last year and a half, trying to reach an agreement without success, our members felt the next step was to strike. We love our job and that is why we are here – strike is the last thing we want to do but we deserve fair pay.

“We would all much prefer to be doing what we love, caring for and supporting our students.”

The article Poole education members strike over low pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.