UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent

UNISON is working with campaign group Generation Rent to improve conditions in the private rented sector in England.

As the Renters (Reform) Bill moves through Parliament, UNISON wants to ensure this legislation provides a lasting solution to our broken private rented system.

UNISON assistant policy officer Sylvia Jones said: “UNISON and Generation Rent share a vision that private renters deserve the right to a decent, secure and affordable home.

“Currently, private renters are at the sharp end of the housing crisis, with a higher proportion of their income going on housing costs, but often living in poorly maintained homes.

“With so many working people struggling to pay the rent, now is the time for the voices of renters to be heard and for politicians to wake up and introduce fairness in renting.”

UNISON member Ann McKelvey has worked in education for around 24 years and currently works as an employability skills and pastoral tutor at a school in Leeds. She cannot afford her rent: “I’ve maxed out my credit cards and I owe money to my friends and family. I haven’t paid my gas, electric or council tax in a year.

“I care about young people’s education. It’s always been a big thing for me to see kids thrive, but this work doesn’t pay. It makes me feel worthless. I’m doing my best but feel so undervalued, it’s like I’m being punished for working in a school.”

Ms McKelvey said she’s doing her best to make ends meet, but the problem can only be solved by an overhaul to the housing system.

“Landlords don’t want to keep up their properties, and they always find a way to pass the costs onto us. If I was in a council property, I’d be paying £300 less in rent than I am now. But there are no council properties. We need more council homes.”

UNISON and Generation Rent are hosting research roundtables in April to gain more insight into the issues our members face, raise this with politicians and fight for improved rights, protections and affordable housing for private renters.

The roundtables, which are open to all union members who privately rent, will take place in mid-April and participants’ time will be reimbursed with gift vouchers.

The article UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON

Commenting on the National Audit Office report on the NHS long-term workforce plan, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Friday):

“Simply having a plan isn’t going to be enough on its own to turn the staffing crisis around. Wishful thinking won’t get the NHS very far either.

“The assumption that overseas staff will want to keep coming here to fill the gaps in the workforce is wildly optimistic. Especially given the increasingly hostile environment fostered by the government.

“Getting pay right is key to turning around the fortunes of the NHS, its staff and patients, and slashing the backlog too. Ensuring decent wages, manageable workloads, workplaces that are free of harassment and discrimination, and truly flexible jobs is what will make a huge difference. Experienced staff will then be more likely to stay and recruitment rates soar.

“But when it comes to pay, ministers are already failing. NHS staff should be getting this year’s wage rise in less than two weeks. They won’t though, because the government’s chosen the lengthy review body process over direct talks with health unions.

“Unless there’s a new approach to staff wages, much of the workforce plan will remain pie-in-the-sky thinking.”

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.ukAnthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON

Commenting on the National Audit Office report on the NHS long-term workforce plan, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Friday):

“Simply having a plan isn’t going to be enough on its own to turn the staffing crisis around. Wishful thinking won’t get the NHS very far either.

“The assumption that overseas staff will want to keep coming here to fill the gaps in the workforce is wildly optimistic. Especially given the increasingly hostile environment fostered by the government.

“Getting pay right is key to turning around the fortunes of the NHS, its staff and patients, and slashing the backlog too. Ensuring decent wages, manageable workloads, workplaces that are free of harassment and discrimination, and truly flexible jobs is what will make a huge difference. Experienced staff will then be more likely to stay and recruitment rates soar.

“But when it comes to pay, ministers are already failing. NHS staff should be getting this year’s wage rise in less than two weeks. They won’t though, because the government’s chosen the lengthy review body process over direct talks with health unions.

“Unless there’s a new approach to staff wages, much of the workforce plan will remain pie-in-the-sky thinking.”

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.ukAnthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Swift compensation needed now to right huge pension wrongs

Commenting today (Thursday) on the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on changes to the state pension age for women, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Raising the state pension age, with barely any notice, was catastrophic for a whole generation of women. It left their retirement plans in tatters.

“It’s only right the thousands of women left in dire financial straits are given compensation now. This has all taken far too long.

“Recognition of this appalling injustice is entirely down to the remarkable resilience of all the women who’ve campaigned over many years for this pension wrong to be righted.

“Those on low incomes have been particularly hard-hit. Some have been forced to sell their homes and endured dreadful poverty.

“The government must move swiftly to find the money to correct this terrible mistake.”

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

The article Swift compensation needed now to right huge pension wrongs first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Swift compensation needed now to right huge pension wrongs

Commenting today (Thursday) on the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on changes to the state pension age for women, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Raising the state pension age, with barely any notice, was catastrophic for a whole generation of women. It left their retirement plans in tatters.

“It’s only right the thousands of women left in dire financial straits are given compensation now. This has all taken far too long.

“Recognition of this appalling injustice is entirely down to the remarkable resilience of all the women who’ve campaigned over many years for this pension wrong to be righted.

“Those on low incomes have been particularly hard-hit. Some have been forced to sell their homes and endured dreadful poverty.

“The government must move swiftly to find the money to correct this terrible mistake.”

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

The article Swift compensation needed now to right huge pension wrongs first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Pace of change must increase to drive out NHS discrimination

Responding to the publication of the workforce race equality and disability standards by NHS England, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Tuesday):

“Discrimination is still rife within the NHS. Progress is welcome, but it’s far too slow, especially when the proportion of black health workers is rising.

“Initiatives across the NHS are needed to stop black staff being held back. They are much more likely to be disciplined and face harassment and bullying from patients and colleagues. This has to stop.

“In addition, a quarter of the NHS workforce either has a disability or a long-term condition that affects them in some way. The NHS is getting better at removing barriers that prevent people from working for it, but the pace of progress has to increase.

“The culture of NHS organisations must change and funding found to make that happen.”

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 Pace of change must increase to drive out NHS discrimination first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Pace of change must increase to drive out NHS discrimination

Responding to the publication of the workforce race equality and disability standards by NHS England, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Tuesday):

“Discrimination is still rife within the NHS. Progress is welcome, but it’s far too slow, especially when the proportion of black health workers is rising.

“Initiatives across the NHS are needed to stop black staff being held back. They are much more likely to be disciplined and face harassment and bullying from patients and colleagues. This has to stop.

“In addition, a quarter of the NHS workforce either has a disability or a long-term condition that affects them in some way. The NHS is getting better at removing barriers that prevent people from working for it, but the pace of progress has to increase.

“The culture of NHS organisations must change and funding found to make that happen.”

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 Pace of change must increase to drive out NHS discrimination first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Tax relief for NHS staff – don’t lose out!

We know that the current cost of living crisis, years of below-inflation pay increases and inadequate mileage reimbursement rates mean that our members working in the NHS are under an increasing amount of financial strain. And we know that for many of our members, all of this means every penny matters when it comes to making ends meet.

That’s why we want our members to benefit from our longstanding agreement with HMRC, which allows for health members working in certain professions to claim tax relief for cleaning their uniforms, and for nurses and midwives – their shoes and socks.

You may also be eligible for tax relief on 70 percent of your UNISON subs depending on what it is you do in the NHS and you will also qualify for tax relief on your professional registration fees.

To find our more including the eligibility criteria and how to make a claim, please see our resources below. Make sure you don’t lose out!

Our updated tax relief resource is available to activists on UNISON’s organising space and to staff via Pearl.

Find out what UNISON are doing about mileage rates in the NHS.

Find out more about UNISON’s NHS pay campaign.

The article Tax relief for NHS staff – don’t lose out! first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Dudley MP raises Mitie strikers’ struggle in the Commons

UNISON members employed by private contractor Mitie at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, in the West Midlands, received support yesterday from local MP Marco Longhi, in their fight to receive a government mandated COVID-19 bonus payment that has been paid to non-medical staff who are directly employed by the NHS.

Having already taken three days of strike action, they will be striking again on 25 and 27 March.

Conservative MP Mr Longhi asked the leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, whether she would support the workers.

He said: “I would like to place on record my thanks to the workers employed by Mitie during the pandemic and encourage the Department of Health and Social Care to work with me and resolve this issue.”

Ms Mordaunt responded that extra funding was being made available for private contractors such as Mitie to apply for money for the extra payment for those not directly employed by the health service.

She added that she would make sure the individual case of the Dudley hospital workers is looked at in a bid to resolve the problem.

Denise Stevens, a domestic at the hospital and a UNISON steward (pictured above on the right), said: “All we are asking for is the same COVID-19 bonus payment that NHS colleagues received last year.

“The support from the local Black Country community has been huge on strike days and throughout this dispute.

“We have received support from the Dudley North MP, Marco Longhi, as well as Labour politicians in the area, demonstrating that our support is widespread and from across the political spectrum.”

Regional organiser Ollie Hopkins added: “Mitie say they can’t afford to pay the bonus, but they have found the money to bus in strike-breaking workers, from Cumbria to Kent, with food provided, paid travel time, accommodation and a voucher offered for covering the strike action.

“The cruel irony, that Mitie say they can’t afford to pay low-paid workers the COVID bonus but can find the money for the strike breaking, has not been lost on the workers.

“As Marco Longhi MP said in Parliament, Mitie wants the taxpayer to cover the payments.

“But with millions in profits, Mitie should stop dragging their feet and waiting for the government to bail them out. Their CEO’s bonus was bigger than the total cost of the 450 Dudley health workers bonuses combined, so they have the money to end this dispute in an instant.”

The NHS workers in a Mitie fight for fair pay

The article Dudley MP raises Mitie strikers’ struggle in the Commons first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Dudley MP raises Mitie strikers’ struggle in the Commons

UNISON members employed by private contractor Mitie at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, in the West Midlands, received support yesterday from local MP Marco Longhi, in their fight to receive a government mandated COVID-19 bonus payment that has been paid to non-medical staff who are directly employed by the NHS.

Having already taken three days of strike action, they will be striking again on 25 and 27 March.

Conservative MP Mr Longhi asked the leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, whether she would support the workers.

He said: “I would like to place on record my thanks to the workers employed by Mitie during the pandemic and encourage the Department of Health and Social Care to work with me and resolve this issue.”

Ms Mordaunt responded that extra funding was being made available for private contractors such as Mitie to apply for money for the extra payment for those not directly employed by the health service.

She added that she would make sure the individual case of the Dudley hospital workers is looked at in a bid to resolve the problem.

Denise Stevens, a domestic at the hospital and a UNISON steward (pictured above on the right), said: “All we are asking for is the same COVID-19 bonus payment that NHS colleagues received last year.

“The support from the local Black Country community has been huge on strike days and throughout this dispute.

“We have received support from the Dudley North MP, Marco Longhi, as well as Labour politicians in the area, demonstrating that our support is widespread and from across the political spectrum.”

Regional organiser Ollie Hopkins added: “Mitie say they can’t afford to pay the bonus, but they have found the money to bus in strike-breaking workers, from Cumbria to Kent, with food provided, paid travel time, accommodation and a voucher offered for covering the strike action.

“The cruel irony, that Mitie say they can’t afford to pay low-paid workers the COVID bonus but can find the money for the strike breaking, has not been lost on the workers.

“As Marco Longhi MP said in Parliament, Mitie wants the taxpayer to cover the payments.

“But with millions in profits, Mitie should stop dragging their feet and waiting for the government to bail them out. Their CEO’s bonus was bigger than the total cost of the 450 Dudley health workers bonuses combined, so they have the money to end this dispute in an instant.”

The NHS workers in a Mitie fight for fair pay

The article Dudley MP raises Mitie strikers’ struggle in the Commons first appeared on the UNISON National site.