How COVID has deepened the housing crisis

As workplaces have been closed and jobs lost, the strain of managing expensive housing costs has affected both renters and homeowners alike.

If you’ve found yourself in housing difficult as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, please tell UNISON here. 

When lockdown came, school kitchen assistant Adriana Chirica lost all her work: “Even though the school was open for some vulnerable students, the kitchen was not. So I had no income for 8 weeks.

“Our housing costs are £1,100 a month with bills on top. My husband is freelance, and though he got a grant from the government, we have still had to borrow money from family in Romania and live off credit cards.”

“It’s been hard. So hard. We’ve been counting each slice of bread we eat. I’m a cook, I never buy food ready-made, I do everything from scratch. But for months, there’s not even the money to buy ingredients.”

Ruth Carter, a teaching assistant, found herself in a similar situation when lockdown came: “I was supporting a visually impaired student, but when lockdown came and he was in the shielding group, I lost my job in May.”

“It was a nightmare really, because all the schools were shut and there were no jobs to apply for. Initially I was told I would get furlough pay as I was being kept on by them, and although they said I did qualify, they said they were waiting to find out from the government what the pay rate would be. I never heard from them again.

“Luckily, my partner still has her job, and free school meal vouchers have helped us do our weekly shop.  But it was still really tricky, and we ended up having to apply for Universal Credit, which was a painful process.

“We were able to defer our mortgage payments twice, in two three-month options. That’s been a lifesaver for us. Of course, that’ll get added on, and we’re waiting on what the recalculated monthly costs will be.

“It’s had a really big impact on my mental health. I had a real low point where I just couldn’t see how I was going to get another job. For a long time there was nothing to apply for, and once the schools started reopening again, jobs started coming up and I didn’t get interviews, or had interviews and then didn’t get the job. I had a real crash and was really struggling.

But luckily, some old colleagues reached out to me and I’m starting a new role in September. I’m so glad to be earning something again.”

UNISON is conducting a housing survey to understand more about the housing issues that members face, and how UNISON can support them. Have your say here. 

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Give all NHS staff a wage rise immediately of at least £2k, says UNISON

A pay claim submitted by UNISON to the government today (Friday) would see every NHS employee receive an increase of at least £2,000 by the end of this year.

UNISON – which is the UK’s biggest union and represents NHS staff including healthcare assistants, radiographers, porters, midwives and paramedics – says this rise is the equivalent of around £1 an hour for all staff.

If the claim is accepted, minimum wages in the health service would go above £20,000 a year for the first time (more than £20,400 annually in Scotland), according to the union.

This morning (Friday) UNISON members – including nursing, engineering and ambulance staff – are delivering a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to put NHS pay top of his to-do list when parliament reconvenes next week, and bring forward plans for a meaningful and early rise.

The letter references Boris Johnson’s own battle with Covid-19 – and his recovery thanks to the care he received from the NHS.

It says: “Health staff have heard how much your recent personal experiences taught you about the value of what they do.

“They are now looking for you to reflect that in their pay. So, Prime Minister, why wait?”

UNISON says its pay demand – which is on behalf of staff currently on Agenda for Change contracts – is fair, reasonable and the least the government can do to show it values everyone working in the health service.

It follows calls last month from all 14 NHS trade unions for an early and significant pay increase and the publication of survey data* showing strong backing from the public.

A survey of NHS staff who belong to UNISON found four fifths (84%) said the £2,000 pay lift would make a ‘substantial difference’ to them.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “Government ministers claim NHS staff are a ‘top priority’. The Prime Minister must not miss the opportunity to show they really mean it.

“Health service employees have made their expectations clear – that their pay will reflect the work they’ve done during the pandemic. This is also the overwhelming message from the public.

“The claim is straightforward, can be brought in quickly and would ensure everyone in the NHS is recognised.

“There’s a tough winter ahead and a pandemic that shows little sign of disappearing. Giving health staff a morale boost now is much-needed ahead of any good news about a vaccine.”

Notes for editors:
– Click here for a copy of the letter.
– Uniformed health staff and leading UNISON officials will be at College Green, 2 Great College St, Westminster, London SW1P 3SE at 11am for a photocall.
– Agenda for Change (AfC) staff in the NHS are currently covered by a three-year pay and reform deal, due to end on 31 March 2021.
– All 14 of the NHS unions representing AfC employees wrote to the Prime Minister on 3 July to request an early and significant pay rise for these staff. They’re requesting that the next pay rise kicks in ahead of 31 March and before the end of 2020.
– The UNISON claim is for an increase of at least £2,000 to every point on the NHS salary scale. This would take minimum earnings in the NHS up from around £18,000 to £20,005 (£20,478 in Scotland) and restore NHS compliance with the real living wage across the UK. The £2,000 would be worth 8% for a newly qualified band 5 worker eg a nurse, paramedic or IT manager and would take their annual salary to £26,907 (£27,100 in Scotland).
– *A Savanta ComRes opinion poll commissioned by UNISON in July showed overwhelming public support for an early and significant pay rise for NHS staff.  The survey was based on nearly 35,000 responses with 82% saying they were prepared to actively campaign for it.
– 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.

Case studies (pictures and further details available on request): 
-Ward assistant Colette McAlinden worked long hours during the pandemic. She also ended up delivering a baby in her lunch hour in the hospital car park.
The 56-year-old from Northern Ireland said: “The workload increased. It was hectic, working on wards in extreme heat. Sometimes my lips cracked with thirst. But we had to put that all aside because the patients and their family are the priority.”
-Housekeeper Judy Martin has a health condition that causes symptoms including shortness of breath. That makes wearing a mask for 10 hours at a stretch gruelling – but she’s dedicated to her job cleaning the labour ward for Covid-positive mums-to-be.
The 64-year-old from the East Midlands said: “The masks are very painful to wear but keeping everything clean is vital in keeping everyone safe.”

Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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School staff should be allowed to wear face coverings, says UNISON

Commenting on the government’s decision to allow secondary pupils to wear face coverings in school corridors in local lockdown areas of England, UNISON head of education Jon Richards said today (Wednesday):

“This is a welcome step forward but still leaves a confusing picture.

“The focus on pupils is understandable but the government has already admitted the biggest risk in schools is to staff.

“School staff who work closely with pupils, and move between classes and bubbles, have particular challenges.

“Schools should recognise these issues and allow those who want to wear coverings to do so. But it’s the government that should be taking the lead on this, not passing the buck to individual schools.

“There must also be a clear explanation of why the government’s view of the science seems to be different to the other nations of the UK.”

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 both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Garfield Myrie M: 07432 741565 E: g.myrie@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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For youth workers, COVID-19 is just another challenge

It’s no surprise that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, youth workers have leapt into action to make sure that their vital work is still accessible to the young people they support.

UNISON member Tony Rawlings is one of them. As a youth worker in Slough, he leads a team of five who focus on street work and young people likely to be involved in gangs.

As he described it: “We tend to work with young people who others struggle to work with. We try to find out what’s going on with young people in the area and where the issues are – before the police get there.

“We’ll work with young people to work on the issue before it gets to criminalising them.”

During COVID-19, his team have worked relentlessly. When lockdown came in, they continued to go out and work on the streets.

“We’ve been out day and night with no rest at all. It’s been emotionally draining for me and the team, but the team have been amazing.

Tony himself caught the virus early on in lockdown and says that the team did really well just carrying on.

Challenges as opportunities

The challenges presented by the pandemic have turned into opportunities for trust-building for the team and the young people they work with.

Tony said: “Some of the young people we work with are really difficult to work with. We’ve been supporting lots of families by dropping off food packages. Providing the food and being there when nobody else is has built a huge relationship with young people’s families. When everyone else has deserted them, we were there knocking on the door.”

Now that lockdown is easing, the team is able to engage in face-to-face interaction.

“It’s good to be out working with young people again, doing lots of games and things as well. Like socially-distanced basketball!

“Our whole ethos is just to play a game of badminton, football or cricket with young people and then, while they’re doing that, have conversations about what they’re struggling with at the moment. Lots of young people have really struggled in the pandemic – especially those with learning difficulties.”

Pleasant surprises

Chair of UNISON’s youth and community work committee Robin Konieczny has been pleasantly surprised by the changes that lockdown has brought about for the young people he works with in Norfolk.

“In my area, we run a youth parliament (see picture above). This is a space where young people can voice the issues they’re facing, like mental health services or a lack of things to do.

“Usually they meet physically, but since meetings have moved online, we’ve seen more young people being more vocal. It seems like it’s easier for them to engage talking to a screen than in a room with other people.”

The young people he works with have been actively engaged in pandemic projects.

“One of our groups of young people has decided to start writing to people in care homes. It started off with them sending a card and getting a reply. Now they’ve written to over 600 residents in care homes.

“Young people also helped us design the social distancing and stay safe campaigns.”

However, it hasn’t been without challenge. “We have a service that supports young people at risk of requiring a statutory service, like the care, mental health or criminal justice system. Those young people get referred to our service and allocated a key worker who finds out a bit about them and matches them up with an activity.

“The challenge has been a lot of the positive activities are not operating. So they’ve been maintaining the contact with the young people, but not able to match them with something.”

Making the best of the circumstances

For Robin, adapting to the pandemic just feels like another part of the job. “As youth workers, we try to make best of the circumstances and the situation we’re in.

“If I’ve got young people there who can’t engage in a physical activity because of disabilities, then I’ve got to adapt then and there. It’s a mindset, and the pandemic has just been another example of ‘how can we do things differently’?”

Youth workers are resilient and hard-working, and the pandemic has evidenced this. Yet the government seems disinterested in rewarding them.

Or as Robin put it: “we’re facing a government that basically has no interest in young people.”

UNISON national officer Abby Kimantas says that members “in youth services have been working hard throughout the pandemic to support communities facing difficult times. The sector has seen huge cuts caused by austerity – budgets have been slashed and youth workersare trying to do more, with less.

“Supporting young people to build a positive future is a vital role, with far reaching effects on society, but one that Tory-led governments care little about. Now more than ever youth services deserve proper funding.”

In spite of all the public applause for key workers in recent months, Tony feels disappointed by the government’s inaction on pay.

“It’s not fair. The government has been saying that public sector workers are really important, they’re the backbone of society. But then when it comes to pay, we’re not really worth it.”

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How the Home Office really treats our migrant NHS heroes

The UK immigration system has never been smooth to navigate. The Home Office is infamous for its extortionate fees and interminably long wait times.

Under the disruption of COVID-19, the slowdown in operations (including a lack of appointments, delayed processing times and the suspension of priority services) has made life unbearable for many people who rely on a visa to live in the UK.

Tilly is a 39-year-old NHS surgical assistant who lives with her husband and three children. She has called the UK home for 20 years, and has worked for the NHS as a surgical assistant for the past three years. She’s been working relentlessly throughout the pandemic.

Yet, from the way she is being treated by the UK visas and immigration system, her loyalty to the NHS has not been reciprocated.

Originally from Ghana, Tilly and her whole family rely on a family visa to stay in the UK. As her husband is completing a masters, Tilly is currently the sole breadwinner for her family.

The cost of a family visa renewal is £6,200. Tilly is on a salary of £21,000.

As she explains: “When the pandemic was first beginning, the government gave an opportunity for a one-year visa extension to NHS staff. I thought I fell into that category, but it turns out if you’re not qualified or registered, then you’re not a part of it. Even though I’ve been working in the NHS for three years, I’m not qualified.

“We put all the money we had into covering the visa fee. We had to turn to friends and family to help us raise the money. The process for renewing the visa is both online and offline: you pay the fee online, and then book an appointment to submit your documents. Then they begin processing it.

“But we paid the online fee, the money left our bank account, and there are no available appointments. My husband and I are constantly refreshing the page, and waking up at midnight to see if there is new availability.

“We have three months now to book the appointment, but none are available. Once, we saw a free appointment, but by the point we had clicked on it, it had already been taken.”

Between a rock and a hard place

Tilly is now in a precarious limbo where she’s parted with all the money in her account, yet she cannot complete the first step and get her application in for processing. Yet with the Home Office website not displaying any appointments, she is desperate to speak to someone about her situation.

“They provide a premium rate telephone number to contact. But I tried the number and nobody picks up. It opens at 9:00am, and my husband and I begin calling at 8:58am. As soon as we get connected, we are told we are 79th in the queue, or something. We are ready to wait, but after around 8-10 minutes, the call cuts out. And the £10 is gone.”

With all the delays in the process, her family visa has now expired. And without an appointment confirmation from the Home Office, Tilly and her husband are unable to prove to employers that they can work in the UK.

She explains, “My husband finished his Masters on 18 August. He started signing up for shifts with the NHS, but because we have no application number and our visa has expired, he cannot work. All we need is a reference number that the NHS can cross-check with the home office. But without this, I’m at risk as well.”

Tilly is waiting for 28 August to be paid, but is worried it could be her last pay: “I’ve got nothing in my account. Everything is hand to mouth right now. We don’t have enough to eat. Right now, I am getting by on tea and biscuits at work.

“All our money for food is to feed the children and make sure they have school uniforms. We have to make sure they are ok. It makes me feel useless, it’s so stressful.”

As a loyal and dedicated NHS worker who has been relentlessly serving the public on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tilly feels betrayed.

“The UK government is using the African and Black community to build their economy. I’ve worked so hard, full-time, right from the beginning when I came to this country. Yet, when I renew my visa, I have to pay a £1,000 surcharge to use the NHS. It is not fair. It is ridiculous that they charge NHS workers to use the NHS. We have to work day and night to pay our bills and save up for the next visa.”

The health surcharge was introduced in 2015 as part of the Home Office ‘hostile environment for migrants’. It is an added upfront cost to visa applications that presents additional financial barriers to migrants.

UNISON: “This disgraceful treatment”

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has written directly to Home Secretary Priti Patel about Tilly’s case. He said: “Members like Tilly have been on the frontline caring for us. They do not deserve this disgraceful treatment.

“It cannot be right that Tilly and her family are excluded from the visa extension scheme, left in limbo and going hungry because of the Home Office. It’s time for the government to scrap the immigration health surcharge and properly reward key workers on the COVID frontline with Indefinite Leave to Remain”.

Confronted with the faceless monolith of the UK Home Office, all Tilly can do is hope and keep refreshing their website: “All I can do is wait and pray. Every minute my husband and I are checking the website to see if there’s a change. I just feel so down and useless.”

Borders are often understood as external, but the reality is that they are intimately invasive and psychologically damaging. Whilst UNISON is standing by Tilly’s side and trying to advocate for her, there are doubtless thousands of other people in the same situation.

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Housing problems worsen for members during the pandemic

The UK’s housing crisis has been made worse by the pandemic. UNISON is launching a survey to learn more about how members and their families are having to defer rent or mortgages, and struggling to manage household bills.

One member, a nursery worker from East Anglia, told UNISON of the impact that COVID-19 has had on her household income, describing how she and her husband are struggling to manage and to pay bills.

“I am in more debt. My husband had to close down his business and was due to start a new job in April, which he hasn’t been able to.

“He has applied for numerous jobs to tide him over, but hasn’t heard back from any.”

The member continued: “We cannot claim universal credit as we claim tax credits and would be worse off claiming UC, as we have a mortgage and they don’t pay towards that.”

Another member, who works in healthcare, said that Covid-19 has affected her family’s standard of living too.

She explained that her family rent privately but are overcrowded, with four people in the household. She had always wanted to own her own home, but because of the pandemic, the family is struggling to even pay the rent.

She added that renters should be given longer to pay back any rent arrears caused by the crisis.

To learn more about what housing problems our members are facing, UNISON is conducting a survey.

Take the survey here – before it closes on 9 September – and you can be in with a chance of winning £100 of shopping vouchers.

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School staff must be allowed to wear face coverings for safe reopening, says UNISON

Responding to a joint statement by UK chief medical officers about school reopening, UNISON head of education Jon Richards said today (Sunday):

“This acknowledgement of the transmission risk between staff in schools underlines why it’s vital they should be able to wear face coverings.

“It’s still unclear why government guidance won’t allow them, when they’re recommended for other workplaces.

“Regular deep cleaning is also key. Schools need more money to pay for specially trained cleaners, rather than relying on other staff who’re busy enough already.

“More thought must also be put into ensuring there’s proper social distancing in place for staff who may be working in cramped conditions, such as school meal workers in small kitchens.

“No one wants to see schools shut down again after a few days because we haven’t done enough to put necessary measures in place.”

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

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School staff should be allowed to wear face coverings, says UNISON

Commenting on the government’s decision to allow secondary pupils to wear face coverings in school corridors in local lockdown areas of England, UNISON head of education Jon Richards said today (Wednesday):

“This is a welcome step forward but still leaves a confusing picture.

“The focus on pupils is understandable but the government has already admitted the biggest risk in schools is to staff.

“School staff who work closely with pupils, and move between classes and bubbles, have particular challenges.

“Schools should recognise these issues and allow those who want to wear coverings to do so. But it’s the government that should be taking the lead on this, not passing the buck to individual schools.

“There must also be a clear explanation of why the government’s view of the science seems to be different to the other nations of the UK.”

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 both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Garfield Myrie M: 07432 741565 E: g.myrie@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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For youth workers, COVID-19 is just another challenge

It’s no surprise that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, youth workers have leapt into action to make sure that their vital work is still accessible to the young people they support.

UNISON member Tony Rawlings is one of them. As a youth worker in Slough, he leads a team of five who focus on street work and young people likely to be involved in gangs.

As he described it: “We tend to work with young people who others struggle to work with. We try to find out what’s going on with young people in the area and where the issues are – before the police get there.

“We’ll work with young people to work on the issue before it gets to criminalising them.”

During COVID-19, his team have worked relentlessly. When lockdown came in, they continued to go out and work on the streets.

“We’ve been out day and night with no rest at all. It’s been emotionally draining for me and the team, but the team have been amazing.

Tony himself caught the virus early on in lockdown and says that the team did really well just carrying on.

Challenges as opportunities

The challenges presented by the pandemic have turned into opportunities for trust-building for the team and the young people they work with.

Tony said: “Some of the young people we work with are really difficult to work with. We’ve been supporting lots of families by dropping off food packages. Providing the food and being there when nobody else is has built a huge relationship with young people’s families. When everyone else has deserted them, we were there knocking on the door.”

Now that lockdown is easing, the team is able to engage in face-to-face interaction.

“It’s good to be out working with young people again, doing lots of games and things as well. Like socially-distanced basketball!

“Our whole ethos is just to play a game of badminton, football or cricket with young people and then, while they’re doing that, have conversations about what they’re struggling with at the moment. Lots of young people have really struggled in the pandemic – especially those with learning difficulties.”

Pleasant surprises

Chair of UNISON’s youth and community work committee Robin Konieczny has been pleasantly surprised by the changes that lockdown has brought about for the young people he works with in Norfolk.

“In my area, we run a youth parliament (see picture above). This is a space where young people can voice the issues they’re facing, like mental health services or a lack of things to do.

“Usually they meet physically, but since meetings have moved online, we’ve seen more young people being more vocal. It seems like it’s easier for them to engage talking to a screen than in a room with other people.”

The young people he works with have been actively engaged in pandemic projects.

“One of our groups of young people has decided to start writing to people in care homes. It started off with them sending a card and getting a reply. Now they’ve written to over 600 residents in care homes.

“Young people also helped us design the social distancing and stay safe campaigns.”

However, it hasn’t been without challenge. “We have a service that supports young people at risk of requiring a statutory service, like the care, mental health or criminal justice system. Those young people get referred to our service and allocated a key worker who finds out a bit about them and matches them up with an activity.

“The challenge has been a lot of the positive activities are not operating. So they’ve been maintaining the contact with the young people, but not able to match them with something.”

Making the best of the circumstances

For Robin, adapting to the pandemic just feels like another part of the job. “As youth workers, we try to make best of the circumstances and the situation we’re in.

“If I’ve got young people there who can’t engage in a physical activity because of disabilities, then I’ve got to adapt then and there. It’s a mindset, and the pandemic has just been another example of ‘how can we do things differently’?”

Youth workers are resilient and hard-working, and the pandemic has evidenced this. Yet the government seems disinterested in rewarding them.

Or as Robin put it: “we’re facing a government that basically has no interest in young people.”

UNISON national officer Abby Kimantas says that members “in youth services have been working hard throughout the pandemic to support communities facing difficult times. The sector has seen huge cuts caused by austerity – budgets have been slashed and youth workersare trying to do more, with less.

“Supporting young people to build a positive future is a vital role, with far reaching effects on society, but one that Tory-led governments care little about. Now more than ever youth services deserve proper funding.”

In spite of all the public applause for key workers in recent months, Tony feels disappointed by the government’s inaction on pay.

“It’s not fair. The government has been saying that public sector workers are really important, they’re the backbone of society. But then when it comes to pay, we’re not really worth it.”

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How the Home Office really treats our migrant NHS heroes

The UK immigration system has never been smooth to navigate. The Home Office is infamous for its extortionate fees and interminably long wait times.

Under the disruption of COVID-19, the slowdown in operations (including a lack of appointments, delayed processing times and the suspension of priority services) has made life unbearable for many people who rely on a visa to live in the UK.

Tilly is a 39-year-old NHS surgical assistant who lives with her husband and three children. She has called the UK home for 20 years, and has worked for the NHS as a surgical assistant for the past three years. She’s been working relentlessly throughout the pandemic.

Yet, from the way she is being treated by the UK visas and immigration system, her loyalty to the NHS has not been reciprocated.

Originally from Ghana, Tilly and her whole family rely on a family visa to stay in the UK. As her husband is completing a masters, Tilly is currently the sole breadwinner for her family.

The cost of a family visa renewal is £6,200. Tilly is on a salary of £21,000.

As she explains: “When the pandemic was first beginning, the government gave an opportunity for a one-year visa extension to NHS staff. I thought I fell into that category, but it turns out if you’re not qualified or registered, then you’re not a part of it. Even though I’ve been working in the NHS for three years, I’m not qualified.

“We put all the money we had into covering the visa fee. We had to turn to friends and family to help us raise the money. The process for renewing the visa is both online and offline: you pay the fee online, and then book an appointment to submit your documents. Then they begin processing it.

“But we paid the online fee, the money left our bank account, and there are no available appointments. My husband and I are constantly refreshing the page, and waking up at midnight to see if there is new availability.

“We have three months now to book the appointment, but none are available. Once, we saw a free appointment, but by the point we had clicked on it, it had already been taken.”

Between a rock and a hard place

Tilly is now in a precarious limbo where she’s parted with all the money in her account, yet she cannot complete the first step and get her application in for processing. Yet with the Home Office website not displaying any appointments, she is desperate to speak to someone about her situation.

“They provide a premium rate telephone number to contact. But I tried the number and nobody picks up. It opens at 9:00am, and my husband and I begin calling at 8:58am. As soon as we get connected, we are told we are 79th in the queue, or something. We are ready to wait, but after around 8-10 minutes, the call cuts out. And the £10 is gone.”

With all the delays in the process, her family visa has now expired. And without an appointment confirmation from the Home Office, Tilly and her husband are unable to prove to employers that they can work in the UK.

She explains, “My husband finished his Masters on 18 August. He started signing up for shifts with the NHS, but because we have no application number and our visa has expired, he cannot work. All we need is a reference number that the NHS can cross-check with the home office. But without this, I’m at risk as well.”

Tilly is waiting for 28 August to be paid, but is worried it could be her last pay: “I’ve got nothing in my account. Everything is hand to mouth right now. We don’t have enough to eat. Right now, I am getting by on tea and biscuits at work.

“All our money for food is to feed the children and make sure they have school uniforms. We have to make sure they are ok. It makes me feel useless, it’s so stressful.”

As a loyal and dedicated NHS worker who has been relentlessly serving the public on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tilly feels betrayed.

“The UK government is using the African and Black community to build their economy. I’ve worked so hard, full-time, right from the beginning when I came to this country. Yet, when I renew my visa, I have to pay a £1,000 surcharge to use the NHS. It is not fair. It is ridiculous that they charge NHS workers to use the NHS. We have to work day and night to pay our bills and save up for the next visa.”

The health surcharge was introduced in 2015 as part of the Home Office ‘hostile environment for migrants’. It is an added upfront cost to visa applications that presents additional financial barriers to migrants.

UNISON: “This disgraceful treatment”

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has written directly to Home Secretary Priti Patel about Tilly’s case. He said: “Members like Tilly have been on the frontline caring for us. They do not deserve this disgraceful treatment.

“It cannot be right that Tilly and her family are excluded from the visa extension scheme, left in limbo and going hungry because of the Home Office. It’s time for the government to scrap the immigration health surcharge and properly reward key workers on the COVID frontline with Indefinite Leave to Remain”.

Confronted with the faceless monolith of the UK Home Office, all Tilly can do is hope and keep refreshing their website: “All I can do is wait and pray. Every minute my husband and I are checking the website to see if there’s a change. I just feel so down and useless.”

Borders are often understood as external, but the reality is that they are intimately invasive and psychologically damaging. Whilst UNISON is standing by Tilly’s side and trying to advocate for her, there are doubtless thousands of other people in the same situation.

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Housing problems worsen for members during the pandemic

The UK’s housing crisis has been made worse by the pandemic. UNISON is launching a survey to learn more about how members and their families are having to defer rent or mortgages, and struggling to manage household bills.

One member, a nursery worker from East Anglia, told UNISON of the impact that COVID-19 has had on her household income, describing how she and her husband are struggling to manage and to pay bills.

“I am in more debt. My husband had to close down his business and was due to start a new job in April, which he hasn’t been able to.

“He has applied for numerous jobs to tide him over, but hasn’t heard back from any.”

The member continued: “We cannot claim universal credit as we claim tax credits and would be worse off claiming UC, as we have a mortgage and they don’t pay towards that.”

Another member, who works in healthcare, said that Covid-19 has affected her family’s standard of living too.

She explained that her family rent privately but are overcrowded, with four people in the household. She had always wanted to own her own home, but because of the pandemic, the family is struggling to even pay the rent.

She added that renters should be given longer to pay back any rent arrears caused by the crisis.

To learn more about what housing problems our members are facing, UNISON is conducting a survey.

Take the survey here – before it closes on 9 September – and you can be in with a chance of winning £100 of shopping vouchers.

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School staff must be allowed to wear masks for safe reopening, says UNISON

Responding to a joint statement by UK chief medical officers about school reopening, UNISON head of education Jon Richards said today (Sunday):

“This acknowledgement of the transmission risk between staff in schools underlines why it’s vital they should be able to wear face coverings.

“It’s still unclear why government guidance won’t allow them, when they’re recommended for other workplaces.

“Regular deep cleaning is also key. Schools need more money to pay for specially trained cleaners, rather than relying on other staff who’re busy enough already.

“More thought must also be put into ensuring there’s proper social distancing in place for staff who may be working in cramped conditions, such as school meal workers in small kitchens.

“No one wants to see schools shut down again after a few days because we haven’t done enough to put necessary measures in place.”

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

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UNISON local government staff accept new pay deal

UNISON council workers have today agreed to accept a 2.75% pay offer for this year.

Staff in the local government sector voted two to one (66%) in favour of the 2020/21 pay award, which will apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The union’s national joint council committee accepted the offer from employers, but said it fell far short of the 10% claim and did not properly reward key workers for their exceptional contributions throughout the pandemic.

UNISON head of local government Jon Richards said: “Council staff have gone above and beyond to keep communities safe and services running over the past few months.

“Work will now begin on next year’s claim and employers must work with us to secure additional funding from the government. This is so council workers get the decent, fair reward they deserve.”

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:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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New survey will reveal state of NHS staff car parking

UNISON has launched a survey of NHS staff in hospitals, to get a fuller understanding of what is happening about free car parking for workers as the lockdown eases.

Hospital parking has been free for NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, while local authorities and private providers have also offered free parking to health and social care staff.

At the beginning of July, the prime minister confirmed that parking would remain free until the end of the pandemic.

In addition, NHS England People Plan, which was published at the beginning of August, stated that: “NHS organisations should continue to give their people free car parking at their place of work for the duration of the pandemic”.

However, UNISON is aware that some hospital trusts have already reinstated or are planning to reinstate parking charges for staff – even though the Coronavirus crisis is not over.

When notified that one site that had reinstated charges, the Department of Health said that the site should “be reinstating free parking for staff post-haste, as they were never given any direction they should stop it.”

The short survey will give a better picture of what is happening across England, Northern Ireland and the three sites in Scotland that usually charge.

UNISON will use the information provided to talk to employers about the difference that free parking has made to staff, and to campaign for parking to remain free for staff during the pandemic.

We will also make the case that the pandemic has proved that it is possible for trusts to let staff park for free, and will encourage branches to use our campaign to push for a continuation of free parking when the crisis is over.

Take the survey here

Campaign page: Hospital parking – a charge too far

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UNISON wins Access to Work victory

UNISON has won a major victory for disabled workers, after the Department for Work and Pensions announced that new help will be available to disabled people who are working at home, with Access to Work extended to include support for specialist equipment, travel costs and mental health.

UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea wrote to the Chancellor in July calling for a “culture change in UK employers” so that disabled people who want to, can work from home, with additional funding for Access to Work to better enable that.

UNISON also met Treasury officials in July, when they were able to lay out the findings of research by the union.

A survey found that:

• only 5% of disabled workers had help from Access to Work to work from home;
• 41% did not know about Access to Work and 23% did not think Access to Work could help with working from home;
• of those who applied for help, a number said they were still waiting, as key workers were being prioritised, revealing a lack of capacity and a need for additional investment if home working is sustained;
• there is a gap where some employers will not pay for working at home adjustments as it’s not compulsory, but Access to Work won’t pay either, as it should be the employers’ responsibility. This is a good opportunity for the government to invest in home working and fill this gap.
• disabled workers who have received help from the Access to Work programme have said that it has been excellent.

UNISON had asked the government for investment in Access to Work to overcome capacity issues revealed by COVID-19 and the explosion of homeworking.

The union also stressed that a new Access to Work fund was needed to cover homeworking adaptions that aren’t currently covered by the scheme, and there needs to be a publicity campaign so that all disabled workers are aware of Access to Work.

Ms McAnea, who has responsibility for bargaining, negotiations and equalities, said of the changes, that were revealed yesterday: “I’m delighted the government has listened to UNISON and extended Access to Work so that disabled workers can get the help they need to work from home.

“Many of our disabled members are worried about losing their jobs if they can’t go back to the workplace because of COVID-19. This will help them to keep their job and stay independent.

“But government needs make sure all disabled workers know about Access to Work and that employers don’t force disabled people back to the workplace when it’s not yet safe.”

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Give disabled people the right to work from home after Covid-19, says UNISON

Disabled employees work​ing from home during lockdown say they​ have been more productive and took fewer days off sick than when ​they were doing their job​s in the office, according to a survey published today (Wednesday) by UNISON.

The union is now calling on the government to give disabled people a new right to work from home if they w​ish and for employers to face penalties if they do​n’t comply.

Disabled employees should have the right under equality laws* to ‘reasonable adjustments’ to reduce the effect of their disability​, says UNISON.

This includes working from home, but UNISON has been told by workers that many ​employers argue this doesn​’t count as a reasonable change to their employment arrangements.

Figures released by ​the union, based on responses from more than 4,000 disabled workers ​across the UK​, show that half worked from home during the Covid-19 crisis. ​This is a huge increase on the one in twenty (5%) who say they usually do this.

​Workers responding to the survey are providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy, and employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

The survey found that nearly three quarters (73%) of disabled staff felt they were more productive or as productive work​ing from home ​compared to their pre-lockdown place of work.

More than half (54%) felt they would benefit from working from home in the future, but nearly two in five (37%) believed their employer was unlikely to allow this.

UNISON says the findings show that many disabled workers are losing out by not being permitted to work from home.

However, the survey shows this arrangement can benefit ​employers as well as staff. Many of those who ​felt they were more productive working from home said they were taking fewer sick days as they were able to manage their condition better.

The ability to work flexibly, take short breaks to manage their health issues and easier toilet access were also reasons given by disabled people for working more productively and improving their wellbeing ​by working from home. They were also less likely to be exhausted and in pain from long commutes to work.

Many who felt they were less productive working from home said the reasons included a lack of reasonable adjustments to support them, such as adaptable keyboards and speech-to-text software.

More than half (53%) said they had received no reasonable adjustments from their employer to help them to work from home.

Only a minority (5%) had help from Access to Work, the government’s agency ​that funds adjustments for disabled workers.

UNISON has written to the Chancellor calling for increased government funding so Access to Work can help more people to ​do their jobs from home.

Comments from disabled workers who completed the survey included:

• “I have hearing loss in both ears. The quiet of the home enables me to hear and think more clearly.”
• “I live with bipolar. Working from home gives me a controlled quiet space with no distractions.”
• “I’m autistic and the office is a relentless sensory assault…At home I can take regular breaks and work in a room that is totally quiet.”
• “Two weeks ago, I was up at 4am in agony (with pain) …as I was working from home, I was able to do a full day’s work, and take a proper rest on my lunch.”
• “Able to fit work around life more easily with no worries on how often I go to the loo (due to Crohn’s disease).”

UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “This survey shows working from home can ​be done easily and actually increases productivity.

“The pandemic​’s demonstrated ​that there’s no longer any excuse for employers to turn disabled workers down ​if they request to work from home.

“But one size doesn’t fit all and home working should be a choice. Disabled ​employees should continue to have the right to ​ask for reasonable changes ​that allow them to remain in the workplace.

“For those ​who want to do their job from home, it’s time ​to give disabled workers ​a new right to do so.”

Notes to editors:
– *Employers have a duty to provide changes – defined as ‘reasonable adjustments’ – to help disabled workers under the Equality Act 2010. These adjustments should remove/reduce the barriers disabled ​employees face so they can do their job​s.
– The UNISON survey was carried out ​between 5 ​and 21 June 2020 and based on responses from 4,455 working disabled members.
– Click here for a copy of the report.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members – including an estimated 200,000 disabled workers – 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:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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New health body must be ‘fit for purpose’, says UNISON

Responding to the announcement today (Tuesday) by Health Secretary Matt Hancock that Public Health England (PHE) is to be merged into the new National Institute for Health Protection, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Yet again workers are facing a major upheaval while being kept in the dark about the detail. They need to know what the changes mean – and so do the public.

“The merger may bring benefits – including for test and trace staff who are currently scattered across a range of employers. They’d get to work together under the same ‘roof’. It could also provide an opportunity to mend broken links with local authorities.

“Staff running public health programmes have worked hard to manage the UK’s pandemic response. This is despite a series of budget cuts. It’s vital this new body gets the funding necessary to stand a chance of matching the expectations set out today.

“Ministers must also ensure PHE’s replacement is fit for purpose. Any changes must be done carefully and for the right reason to deal with not only the Covid-19 crisis but what lies beyond.”

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:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

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General secretary election: candidates at meetings

Please note that paragraph 45 of the 2020 general secretary election procedures states that: “Any nominating body, branch or group of members that invites a prospective candidate to speak at a physical or virtual meeting or social event of the nominating body about their involvement in the election must also invite all the other candidates.

“Candidates can appoint a representative to attend these meetings and speak on the candidate’s behalf.”

Any nomination bodies which are found to have held meetings with one or more prospective candidates present, where not all prospective candidates were invited, may be found in breach of the procedures and their nomination could be deemed as invalid by the returning officer.

With this in mind, as of 17 August 2020, the alphabetical list of prospective candidates is as follows: Paul Holmes, Christina McAnea, Roger McKenzie, Peter Parkin and Hugo Pierre.

Candidate forms can be submitted online up until 25 September 2020. Therefore, this information could change.

Should you wish to receive the contact details for any or all of the prospective candidates, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857 or email the member liaison unit at gs20election@unison.co.uk.

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Dave Prentis seeks to enlist MPs in jobs row with British Gas

UNISON is not ruling out industrial action as a response to British Gas’s decision to dismiss its entire 16,500-strong workforce and re-engage them on reduced terms.

The company has also served formal notice of its intention to end all recognition agreements with staff unions, of which UNISON is the largest.

As the union consults members on whether to move to an industrial action ballot, general secretary Dave Prentis has written to MPs at Westminster urging them to demonstrate their support for “these loyal and hardworking employees who are being treated in such an appalling fashion.”

Most of those members work in British Gas offices across the UK, performing a range of functions largely dealing with customers. Many work part time.

Both British Gas and its parent company Centrica have suffered in recent years due to falling energy demand and other factors.

British Gas had achieved substantial cost reductions through job losses, site closures and other methods – all via negotiation and agreement with the respective trade unions.

More changes were expected this year, and UNISON was fully prepared to sit down and reach further agreement.

Instead, the company has issued its section 188 notice, giving advance notice of redundancy.

In a briefing document accompanying Mr Prentis’s letter, UNISON calls the move “an unprecedented attack by the business on a loyal and productive workforce and a total u-turn on its former constructive relationship with its trade unions and employees.

“What Centrica is now trying to achieve, and its rationale for doing so, lacks integrity and in its current shape will provoke a serious dispute.

“It has already caused significant distress to employees and many are angry that the timing looks deliberate, with so many staff still working from home due to COVID conditions.”

The briefing underlines UNISON’s intention to negotiate “with integrity and the full support of our membership”.

It adds: “We know that any industrial dispute will be damaging to all parties concerned, but ultimately if the changes the business is seeking to impose are not significantly improved, a dispute is a likely outcome, providing that this what members decide in a legal industrial action ballot.”

Mr Prentis says the union was “dismayed” at the treatment of loyal employees who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, were deemed critical workers who continued to support customers and ensure their energy supply was unaffected.

“The law allowing the dismissal of a total workforce with a view to forcing them to accept reduced terms is an unacceptable practice in the best of times, but doing so in the midst of the current pandemic is utterly disgraceful.”

Download the letter from Dave Prentis to MPs [PDF]

Download a UNISON briefing for MPs [PDF]

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Jobs, security and dignity – sign up to TUC congress 2020

This year’s TUC congress will be a virtual one – and will be open to everyone.

On the mornings of Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 September, trade union members from across the UK will discuss the huge impact of coronavirus on working lives.

The congress will be:

• calling for better safety at work and an end to the inequalities that the pandemic has laid bare;
• calling for action to stop mass unemployment, protect decent jobs and ensure working people don’t pay the price of the pandemic;
• underlining the trade union movement’s place in the fight for equality for Black workers;
• speaking out about the need for a global recovery in solidarity with struggles for justice around the world.

Every debate will be led by frontline workers, speaking alongside union leaders from across the movement.

We’ll hear from Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, and TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady, setting out the challenge facing the labour and trade union movement.

And together, we will thank our key workers, demanding the pay rise they have earned.

Congress is open to everyone. It’s our moment to demand change for working people.

Sign up to attend now here. And please share with your friends and workmates on Facebook and Twitter using #TUC20.

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Blog: Because Black disabled lives matter

During the course of this pandemic, it has become evident that workers like ourselves, who are both Black and disabled, are more likely to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19 than non-Black and non-disabled workers.

Why? We’re more likely to be working in frontline, low-paid jobs. We’re also more likely to face dual discrimination related to our disability and ethnicity. We’re even more likely to die from COVID-19.

Like all of UNISON’s Black disabled members, we have been working hard throughout this crisis. We have both been working from home during the pandemic and are extremely fortunate that our employers have been supportive.

We recognise that many other Black disabled members are not in this position. In fact, a recent survey of UNISON’s Black members showed that 17% of respondents who had a letter requiring them to shield had continued to work in their usual workplace during the pandemic for all or most of the time.

These Black disabled members were continuing to go to work, at great risk to their own health and lives, even though they should have been allowed to either work from home or be put on special paid leave.

Other survey respondents who were shielding or had underlying conditions were on unpaid leave or Universal Credit, as their employers would not agree to homeworking or special paid leave. Unfortunately, such situations are all too common.

It has been a challenging time for us too.

Peter has lost two friends to COVID-19. He’s found it really hard not to be able to visit loved ones who are sick and has found the strict funeral restrictions made the process of grieving even harder.

Veronica has been shielding throughout, as have several members of her family. Despite shielding, she has found it difficult to access food deliveries and to get repeat prescriptions without leaving the house or relying on others to go out on her behalf.

The Black Lives Matter movement has raised awareness of the structural racism experienced by Black people in our society, and created a momentum of worldwide anti-racist solidarity. Now is the time for Black disabled members and allies to stand up, speak out and get active in their union.

UNISON has a Black disabled members’ caucus that raises the concerns of the members who self-identify as Black and disabled, and we encourage all Black members and disabled members to get involved in Black and disabled members self-organised groups.

We must continue to fight for our rights – and we ask our colleagues to stand up and speak out in solidarity with us. Because Black disabled lives matter.

Find out more about Black members in UNISON

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UNISON calls for ‘sustainable and sufficient’ university funding

UNISON today called on the government to properly support universities, staff and prospective students, as admissions departments face the chaos created by the handling of the exam situation throughout the UK.

“Only a month ago, many universities were predicting a 20% reduction in the number of UK students going to university – yet this year looks set to see high demand for university places,” said UNISON senior national officer Ruth Levin.

UNISON members in university admissions were already working under difficult conditions this year, due to the pandemic, while supporting A-level, Scottish highers and BTEC students in applying for university.

“And they’re now having to work even harder,” Ms Levin said, “to navigate the chaos created by the Scottish and Westminster governments in relation to the last-minute changes to the exam awarding systems.”

She added: “With the offer for some students to sit A-level exams in the autumn, it is not clear how all students will have equal and fair access to higher education, apprenticeships and work in the coming months.

“Ministers must do all they can support prospective students embarking on this journey.

“In addition, they need to recognise the value placed on a university education, and provide sustainable and sufficient funding for a sector facing the most serious financial challenge in its history.”

Find out more about UNISON in higher education

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Join our webinar on redundancy and the right to informed

UNISON is organising a webinar on 27 August to help support activists around redundancy and the right to be informed over planned job cuts.

The union’s head of legal services, Shantha David (pictured), together with legal officer Ben Patrick, will outline key aspects of such situations.

The webinar is aimed at supporting activists as we enter a period uncertainty this autumn, as the effects of COVID-19 In the workplace continue – particularly as the furlough scheme draws to a close.

UNISON has campaigned tirelessly on a range of issues to protect its members at work during the pandemic. As the lockdown eases around the UK, the need to ensure we protect people’s jobs becomes paramount.

The union’s members undertake a variety of roles delivering essential services to the public. Employers have legal obligations – even where UNISON does not have recognition – and activists and members have legal rights to be informed and consulted in a meaningful way when employers want to cut jobs and services.

To register, click here and join us at 2pm on 27 August 2020 to find out more.

Please feel free to email in advance any topics or questions you would like to see answered during the session.

Speakers will also include Christina McAnea, UNISON assistant general secretary with responsibilities for bargaining, negotiations and equalities, and Donna Rowe-Merriman, national secretary for business, community and environment.

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Solidarity with Colombians as Covid compounds crisis

COVID-19 dominates so much of the news and our thoughts here in the UK at present that it can be easy to forget the non-COVID issues that people continue to face around the world.

These problems have no ‘pause for pandemic’ button and for the most part, have been made even more acute in the light of the crisis.

In the two weeks to 10 August, Colombia was reported to have the fourth most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, with more than 12,000 reported deaths to date.

For Colombians, the virus has compounded ongoing issues in the region, with reports of violently enforced cartel lockdowns during the pandemic.

Now, more than ever, people need the skills and the confidence to empower their communities and organise for change.

Nomadesc, UNISON president Josie Bird’s chosen charity for her year of office, is a human rights organisation that works to support communities, trade unions and social movements in the south west of the country, with a focus on communities affected by forced displacement.

On trips to the region, Josie has seen first-hand how the charity helps people live “fulfilling lives in incredibly volatile situations”.

She saw the problems caused by the almost non-existence of public services and the absolute lack of secure employment in Columbia as a “cautionary tale” of extreme neoliberalism.

Everything we believe in

With its roots in a public services trade union, it is unsurprising that Nomadesc’s principles closely mirror those of UNISON. The organisation gives people the skills and confidence to advocate for themselves and their communities, empowering women and organising for change.

As Josie says, “It’s everything that we believe in.

“This sort of organisation operates on virtually nothing. Nomadesc is trying to train more human rights advocates to support those communities and help organise them to resist attacks. I want to fundraise so they’re able to do that more effectively.”

When naming Nomadesc as her presidential appeal, she picked out two areas that she is keen to see UNISON’s donations develop:

• running awareness and confidence workshops for young people, “to give them the strength to resist and the confidence to live a good life”;
• identifying people with natural leadership skills and training them to become human rights advocates and community leaders.

While Josie’s term as president is coming to a close, there is still time for UNISON branches and members to show solidarity with persecuted communities in Colombia by supporting the appeal.

Please make cheques payable to UNISON and send them to:

Joan Walker, UNISON, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY, quoting reference ‘president’s project 2019’.

Alternatively, your branch can make a BACS payment – please contact Joan at j.walker@unison.co.uk for more details.

nomadesc.com

twitter.com/nomadesc

facebook.com/nomades

You can order leaflets about the charity at the UNISON online shop.

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Nurse apprentice funding ‘step in right direction’ but pay needs sorting, says UNISON

Commenting on the Department of Health and Social Care announcing up to £172m for thousands more apprentice nurses in England(Monday), UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile said:

“This investment is a step in the right direction. The NHS is losing tens of thousands of nurses every year and properly funded apprenticeships can help attract new recruits. They can also open up career pathways for existing NHS staff.

“However, the government must go further. This opportunity to earn while you learn should be extended to other professions where shortages exist.

“The apprenticeship levy needs reforming. Many trusts are unable to spend the cash because they’re too hard up to cover all the costs of taking on apprentices. The cash then ends up lost to the NHS.

“A fair and consistent wage is also essential. Unless this is sorted urgently, the NHS will struggle to attract apprentices in the first place.”

Notes for 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 contact:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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Blog: When you’re the wrong sort of ‘vulnerable’

I’ve been a local government worker and a UNISON member for 15 years.

I have cerebral palsy and arthritis, which means I sometimes struggle to walk and to communicate. I had a stroke five years ago and I’m more susceptible to infection. If I got COVID-19, I dread to think what might happen.

But the government don’t seem to care about my individual circumstances. Instead, they have divided disabled people into two new groups – extremely vulnerable people and vulnerable people.  Only extremely vulnerable people were told to shield.

Apparently, I’m just plain old vulnerable. I’m not extremely vulnerable, according to the government.

I don’t trust this government and I wasn’t about to take any risks with my health. So I took the decision to shield anyway. I stayed at home throughout lockdown and went out as little as possible.

But because I’m in the just-plain-old-vulnerable category I wasn’t entitled to food deliveries and I got no help during lockdown. Thank goodness I had my mum to support me. But many disabled people won’t have had anyone to help.

Lots of UNISON disabled members are in the same boat as me. They have underlying conditions, but the government has said they aren’t extremely vulnerable so they don’t need to shield.

They’ve ended up prisoners in their own homes, scared to leave the house and relying on family and friends for help.

Prisoners in their own homes

Dividing us into vulnerable and extremely vulnerable also meant employers conveniently forgot we were disabled. The Equality Act went out of the window during the pandemic.

Some UNISON disabled members were forced to continue to go to work during COVID because they were in the ‘wrong’ vulnerable category.

Employers said that only people who had a letter from the government to prove they were extremely vulnerable were allowed to work from home.

This could have been avoided if the government hadn’t made up these two new categories and had stuck to calling us disabled workers.

Employers know disabled workers have rights and disabled workers are entitled to reasonable adjustments. Making up new names just doesn’t help us.

We’ve learned a lot from this pandemic. But for disabled people it’s been downright scary how quickly the government forgot about us and trampled on our rights.

One of the first things they did was suspend the law that means we are entitled to social care. Some of our own UNISON members were left with no one to help them get dressed and ready for work in the morning.

The government also made it easier to forcibly detain people in mental health distress. And there were some terrible stories in the press about rationing ventilators and denying life-saving resuscitation for disabled COVID patients.

This isn’t the mark of a country that cares about disabled people. It’s proof that disabled people’s rights can be chucked on the bonfire when the going gets tough.

Not the mark of a country that cares

This is why UNISON is calling for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People to be incorporated into UK law. If we did this, then in a future crisis, the government wouldn’t be able to walk rough shod over our rights.

They would have to stick to the Equality Act and they would need to make sure any decisions they took were checked to make sure they didn’t make life worse for disabled people.

This pandemic has been devastating for disabled people. We are twice as likely to die compared to non-disabled people.  But losing our rights as equal citizens has also been devastating for us.

I’m glad UNISON is fighting to make sure this never happens again.

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Clearer guidance still needed on face coverings in schools in England, says UNISON

Parents and staff are still confused over the wearing of face coverings in schools, says UNISON today (Friday).  

The union has now written to secretary of state for education Gavin Williamson urging him to allow all school staff to be allowed to wear face coverings if they choose.

UNISON also supports calls to let pupils wear face coverings too, given emerging evidence that transmission rates among secondary school children could be equal to those for adults.

Employers must also provide safety kit, such as masks where necessary, to staff found to be at higher risk of Covid-19 following an individual assessment, says UNISON.

It comes ahead of updated government guidance coming into effect this weekend which makes face covering compulsory for all inside public spaces from Saturday.

Current Department for Education guidance to schools needs an immediate review to ensure measures to protect staff, pupils and the wider community are improved, says the union.   

UNISON senior national officer for education Ruth Levin said: “Parents, staff and the public are suffering needless anxiety because of the government’s confused messages around face coverings.

“We’re just weeks away from a return to the classroom and staff and pupils need to know where they stand. UNISON believes they should be allowed to wear face coverings if they want to.

“It’s been a shambles from the start on what the rules are. The government must act urgently to sort out this mess and ensure the reopening of schools is as safe as possible for staff, pupils and the public.”

Notes for 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:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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New evaluation system should help government concentrate on delivering for social care, says UNISON

Welcoming plans for a new evaluation system for the government’s health and care pledges, announced today (Wednesday) by the Health and Social Care Committee, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“This should encourage the government to focus on what can actually be delivered for the beleaguered care sector, and less on the headlines to be gained.

“In recent months there’s often been a gaping chasm between pledges made by ministers and the reality.

“The government pledged that no care worker would lose out financially if they have to self-isolate or shield. Yet many staff are still having to get by on statutory sick pay of less than £96 a week five months into the pandemic.

“The same can be said about safety kit and testing. Thousands of care employees still don’t have the right protective equipment and have yet to be offered a test.

“The committee must ensure that expert contributors to the panel include the representatives of the workforce. They are so often the best judges of what is being delivered in health and social care.”

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

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