Children's Play Area Designs: November 2020

Friday, 13 November 2020

Politics can‘t interfere in the approval of PPE, warns UNISON

UNISON has reacted with dismay to reports that the government applied ‘political pressure’ to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to approve personal protective equipment (PPE) that did not meet safety standards.

As the UK deals with the second wave of COVID-19, rising infections and death rates, the union warns that this type of pressure from government – to ignore robust and trusted testing and regulatory procedures – will only increase once the UK finally leaves the EU when the transition period comes to an end on 1 January 2021.

The BBC report details email evidence that of the Department of Health pressurised the HSE earlier in the year to approve a piece of PPE as tested and safe for use, when it had not done so, resulting in £32 million of public money wasted on a product that was eventually deemed as not fit for the purpose.

“This story highlights the chaos at the heart of government over the procurement of PPE,” said UNISON’s national health and safety officer Robert Baughan.

“We sincerely hope that the government get its act together and that staff can be assured they will get all the PPE they need – and have confidence in it.

“In less than 50 days, the UK is due to leave the European Framework. The EU has been so important in keeping staff safe, and the UK being outside will pose many challenges – not least in how PPE is certified as safe to use.

“The BBC report showed a worrying degree of – thankfully unsuccessful – government interference in how the Health & Safety Executive does its job.

“We sincerely hope that the government stops this unwarranted interference and instead focusses its resources on keeping staff safe and ensure that everyone can have confidence in the safety systems in place.”

The original BBC story can be read here.

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Government must end poverty pay for care staff, says UNISON

Commenting on polling published today (Friday) by Citizens UK showing public support for a pay rise for care workers, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“It’s clear there’s overwhelming public support for a pay rise for care staff.

“These workers do a skilled job looking after the elderly and disabled people. But many struggle on poverty wages despite their dedication during the pandemic.

“It’s time the government showed they valued care employees by ending poverty wages. Every worker should be on the real living wage as a bare minimum. This would help improve care and attract much-needed new recruits.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
– The union is a member of the Future Social Care Coalition. This new cross-party alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals is calling for an immediate £3.9bn* emergency support fund for the care sector and a fair wage deal for low-paid staff. Members include former ministers Andy Burnham, Sir Norman Lamb and Alistair Burt as well as the National Care Association, the Care and Support Alliance – which includes Age UK, Carers UK and Alzheimer’s Society – and UNISON. The co-chairs are Christina McAnea and Phil Hope.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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Thursday, 12 November 2020

Government must urgently tackle funding problems for struggling councils, says UNISON

Commenting on the announcement of emergency spending controls at Croydon Council, UNISON head of local government Jon Richards said today (Thursday):

“Councils are facing massive pressures and their finances are in peril. While Croydon has had its own problems, this could be the first of many to take such drastic action.

“Local authorities were struggling to balance the books even before the huge costs of Covid, for which the government has given only short-term, inadequate handouts.

“Council workers have been at the forefront of running essential services during the pandemic and shouldn’t pay the price by losing their jobs because of government underfunding.

“This must be a wake-up call to ministers. A long-term plan is needed for local government, recognising the crucial work it plays in keeping communities going.”

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

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Pay rise and student support are key to increasing nursing numbers

Commenting on new registration data published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council today (Thursday), UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Although the number of professionals on the register continues to grow, it’s slowed from last year, particularly for first-time joiners.

“As hospitals across the UK cope with a further spike in Covid cases and the usual winter pressures, it’s more important than ever to build the NHS workforce and deal with staff shortages.

“If the government hopes to meet its targets to grow the nursing workforce, despite the collapse in international recruits, it must do more to support students until they qualify and invest in apprenticeships.

“The best way for the NHS to retain staff, along with the many who’ve returned because of the pandemic, is for the government to give every one of them the early and significant pay rise they deserve.”

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

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Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Staff need training and support to deliver mass testing to students, says UNISON

Commenting on Department for Education plans to allow university students to travel home for Christmas, UNISON senior national education officer Ruth Levin said today (Wednesday):

“Students want to share Christmas with their families like the rest of us. Thankfully, the government has finally come up with a plan, but many questions remain unanswered.

“University staff need clarity on who will deliver mass testing to undergraduates. Those who agree to be involved will need training and suitable safety kit.

“The whole testing process must be risk-assessed and properly supervised if it’s to be effective. Many students will need repeat testing if their results are inconclusive. Sufficient funding must be in place for universities so this programme can be carried out safely.

“The return of students in January will also be a major challenge. Ministers must release guidance as soon as possible to give universities the best chance to plan ahead.”

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Blog: This is a critical young workers’ month

November is young workers’ month and this year, more than ever, we all need to celebrate our young workers.

Young workers have been on the frontline of this pandemic, but apart from the health risks, we are also worried about the economic and social impacts of the virus on us in the years to come.

Many young members are worried about job security. We are more likely to be in lower-paid jobs, on zero-hour contracts and not have been in employment for as long as many of our colleagues – with possibly weaker redundancy rights.

With working from home due to COVID-19 becoming the new normal for many, what does this mean for young members when companies look at making further cost savings?

We don’t want young members to pay the price of the pandemic and unions now need to organise more than ever to protect young workers’ jobs and conditions.

As the country entered a second lockdown, my friends in the hospitality sector were particularly worried about their jobs, wondering what this means for them.

We need to make sure that young people know their employment rights and what they can do if this situation occurs.

Looking ahead at our working lives, we are also worried that opportunities for development will be hampered, especially if there are significant job losses.

Apprenticeships may be paused or access to education, mentors, professional development and graduate schemes may be restricted or withdrawn.

We need to ensure that this does not happen and that the post-COVID future is one where young workers can expect high-quality jobs with development and training opportunities.

UNISON’s national young members’ forum has previously made mental health one of our key priorities and this will be taken forward in 2021 too – young people tell us that mental health issues are one of their biggest concerns, and we know that this will only have increased during the pandemic.

Alongside this we also need to physically protect our young workers as they continue to work during the pandemic – both from home and on the front line in our schools, care homes and hospitals – by ensuring employers provide adequate PPE supplies and that unions are fighting for health and safety in the workplace.

A close friend of mine has been working as a student nurse on the frontline, treating COVID patients during the pandemic, and was told to re-use PPE for her entire night shift.

On top of this, there is the huge mental impact of seeing the effects of COVID-19 first hand, with little support from the employer.

This simply isn’t good enough. Young people deserve better.

During young workers’ month we are asking UNISON’s young members for their experiences of the pandemic.

We also have a programme planned of online events – sign up here to join.

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UNISON prepares to mark One Team Day on 25 November

Knowing that operational services support staff rarely get the recognition they deserve, UNISON is preparing to mark One Team Day on 25 November. The goal is to celebrate everything that NHS staff have been doing behind the scenes throughout the pandemic.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “With the events of this past year, healthcare staff across the NHS deserve recognition for their hard work now more than ever.

“The NHS couldn’t run without cleaners, porters, security staff, cooks, medical secretaries and all the staff that are often overlooked when we praise the health service.

“One Team Day recognises and celebrates the vital role that everyone in the health team plays to ensure patients get the care they deserve.”

This year, One Team Day events will mostly take place online, in place of branch stalls and celebrations at hospitals.

Healthcare workers are being encouraged to nominate a hard-working colleague to be considered as One Team member of the year.

UNISON has created a range of resources and activities on the One Team webpage, including suggestions for branches on how to mark the day, posters to display in workplaces and a tool for members to nominate a hard-working colleague as One Team member of the year.

UNISON members are also being encouraged to take photos with our posters and share them on social media.

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UNISON prepares to mark One Team Day on 25 November

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “With the events of this past year, healthcare staff across the NHS deserve recognition for their hard work now more than ever.

“The NHS couldn’t run without cleaners, porters, security staff, cooks, medical secretaries and all the staff that are often overlooked when we praise the health service.

“One Team Day recognises and celebrates the vital role that everyone in the health team plays to ensure patients get the care they deserve.”

This year, One Team Day events will mostly take place online, in place of branch stalls and celebrations at hospitals.

Healthcare workers are being encouraged to nominate a hard-working colleague to be considered as One Team member of the year.

UNISON members are also being encouraged to take photos with our posters and share them on social media.

The article UNISON prepares to mark One Team Day on 25 November first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Monday, 9 November 2020

Any vaccine must be delivered by the NHS and public health bodies, not private firms

Commenting today (Monday) on encouraging preliminary findings for Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Although it’s still early days, this could be the news the world’s been waiting for.

“But after the test and trace fiasco, there must be proper transparency and scrutiny this time around.

“The government should use the next few days and weeks well to ensure that when the vaccine’s ready, its rollout is managed entirely by the NHS and public health bodies.

“Private firms mustn’t be allowed anywhere near the programme to give the vaccine to the over 80s, health and care staff, and then the wider population.

“The vaccine must be delivered by healthcare professionals. The thousands of ex-health workers who offered their services to the NHS as the first wave hit would be perfect to do this.

“Encouraging, rather than forcing, care and NHS staff to have the vaccine so they can be effective advocates for wider take-up among their colleagues, family members and friends will be important too.”

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

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Blog: Why we’ll never stop fighting for a real living wage for all

This is Living Wage Week and the Living Wage Foundation has announced an increase in the real living wage rate to £9.50 (£10.85 in London).

The good news is that approximately 250,000 low-paid workers can expect a much-needed pay rise from today.

But we mustn’t forget that the real living wage is voluntary, so the bad news is that many others – many of them putting their own health on the line fighting COVID-19 – will be less fortunate and will continue to live on poverty pay.

Care staff will also lose out despite supporting the most vulnerable – our loved ones in the most need – throughout the pandemic.

The increase also means thousands of the lowest-paid health workers employed by the NHS at the heart of the fight against COVID – cleaners, domestics, porters, security staff and drivers – will no longer earn a living wage as they are employed by private contractors, stuck on the national minimum wage.

Our union has a proud tradition of fighting poverty pay. UNISON was the first union to back a statutory national minimum wage, though we recognised early on that it wasn’t a living wage.

In fact the whole living wage movement was driven in the early days of this century by this union, its branches and its activists. And your union has never been afraid to shame employers and take industrial action to fight poverty pay.

The fight for proper pay goes through this union like a stick of rock. It informs everything we do, including our current No Going Back to Normal campaign.

Now more than ever before, as our members fight coronavirus, there is a need – an absolute requirement – for the government to pay them properly, justly and fairly.

You cannot praise public service workers for keeping our communities going, for saving lives, while simultaneously expecting the same people to survive on poverty pay.

You cannot clap for our carers one minute and deny them a fair and just pay rise the next. They are not mutually compatible. They do not go together. And the public agrees with us.

If you make a habit of thanking people for saving the nation you need to back up your words with deeds. The clock is ticking to right this wrong and your union will continue to fight on your behalf.

No more poverty pay. No more going back to normal.

Branch resources review – where we are so far

UNISON’s branch resource review is progressing, despite the pandemic, with the aim of delivering a set of proposals to the national delegate conference in June 2021.

This is where we are so far.

Following a motion passed at the 2019 conference, a review group of UNISON members was tasked with reviewing the branch funding regime and how resources are allocated to help branches.

In February 202, an online survey to all UNISON branches was issued to branch secretaries. The questions reflected the existing priorities laid out in the code of good branch practice. In total, 357 branches responded – over 42%.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, response rates varied. Of the regions, the response was highest in Northern Ireland, closely followed by Northern Region; of the service groups, local government and health provided the highest response.

Despite a decade of austerity, on the whole branches still felt that they had received the support they required to fulfil the main priorities of the union, but this was now under threat. There were three distinct areas where senior branch officers felt they needed improved support to do more. These were:

more time including facility time;
more support from the regions;
more financial support.

Finding out more

Wishing to dig deeper, the union then commissioned an independent body, BritainThinks, to help review members conduct in-depth research with branch officers – to explore and understand the challenges their branches face and what kind of support and resources would be most helpful to them.

Interviews were conducted with 15 branches – mostly with branch secretaries. The interviews highlighted a number of key challenges affecting a large proportion of branches:

activists feel that they and their senior stewards spend most of their time on casework, with little opportunity to focus on organising, developing new activists and longer-term planning;
processes can be slow and inefficient, which has been thrown further into the spotlight by the pandemic and the need to adapt to these new circumstances;
branches have unique needs, which they feel aren’t always considered – this is particularly the case for branches with members employed in the private and voluntary sectors.

Branch representatives did not feel that increased levels of financial resources at the branch level were the solution to all their problems.
Instead, they share a vision for a modern union with centralised processes alongside a greater amount of region-level lay decision-making and partnership to give them tailored support.

UNISON president and review group chair Josie Bird said: “The review is making good progress and we will be coming to regional meetings around the country to meet members and hear what their branches want.

“The pandemic is not stopping this work and we want to deliver a report for our annual conference to consider.”

There will be more updates in the coming months, prior to the NDC in June.

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Last chance to add your voice and help support public services

Normal feels a long way away now, right? Especially now that all four UK countries are back in some sort of lockdown.

Our public services are under significant pressure to care for, protect and keep our communities going – and you are at the sharp end again.

Against this backdrop, the Chancellor is planning to announce his spending plans for the next year later this month. So, we need to remind him that, as he thinks about the funding of our NHS, local government and public services more widely, we can’t go back to austerity.

We need an end to underfunding, understaffing, underpaying and under resourcing if we expect our public services to deal with what’s coming at them right now.

So, if you haven’t already done it, please sign our open letter to the Chancellor and Prime Minister and ask your colleagues, friends and family to do the same.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis commented: “After the first lockdown more than a million people viewed our campaign film about the need to invest in public services and give our members a decent pay rise.

“Tens of thousands have signed our open letter. In the weeks ahead I will be sending this to Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. We need them to know the strength of our feeling and the breadth of our support for our demands. Please show your support.”

Public service workers deserve better. Help us keep the pressure on.

More on our campaign – No Going Back to Normal

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‘People are dying’ – how the Home Office is risking lives in the NHS

With staff shortages across the NHS, the UK’s immigration policy is arguably punishing patients more than anyone else and potentially costing lives.

Arun Kumar is a senior nursing assistant for the NHS who came to the UK on a family visa in 2019. When the pandemic struck, he was one of the thousands of migrant workers who served the nation on the COVID-19 frontline.

Arun explains: “I’ve always worked in operating theatres. When the pandemic struck, I was redeployed to COVID-19 wards and worked in an Intensive Care Unit. I had to leave my wife and child to go and stay in university accommodation for four months.

“It was really challenging. I had many sleepless nights, not knowing when I might get infected. It was a terrible experience seeing so many patients suffering. But to add to this, there just aren’t enough staff.

“I work at several London hospitals, and on shifts where there are supposed to be four staff, there are only two or three. There are so many patients you can’t cope. I believe more staff would save more lives.”

To add to his strain, Arun was preoccupied with worry about his visa expiring in October. “The government had said they would extend NHS workers’ visas, and I knew mine was due to expire.

“I used to check the immigration rules every single day. On top of the mental and physical strain of working through the pandemic, I was so anxious I would have to leave the country.”

In practice, the government only extended the visas of 3,500 migrant workers.

‘People are dying because there aren’t sufficient staff’

The NHS reports over 100,000 vacancies in health and social care. In spite of this, the government is reluctant to employ or extend the visas of migrant workers like Arun. When Arun’s visa expired in October, he was forced to move back to India, leaving the NHS even more short-staffed.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) argued that Arun’s job, Senior Nursing Assistant, should be included on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

The SOL is a Home Office list of jobs which are in short supply in the UK, and are encouraged to be filled by migrant workers.

On 22 October, Home Secretary Priti Patel rejected the MAC recommendations, meaning that Arun, a qualified and experienced NHS Senior Nursing Assistant, is now in India when he’s desperately needed in London hospitals.

Arun said: “I was so upset when I heard about this decision. People are dying because there aren’t sufficient staff. And even then, all the government wants to do is stop immigration.

“These immigration measures punish NHS patients. When there are so many vacancies, it makes me so uneasy to see what the government are doing. Even if half the empty jobs were filled, so many more lives would have been saved.”

‘In the UK only claps are good enough? Do they have no shame?’

“It doesn’t have to be this way, look at other countries,” says Arun. “In France, they increased the salaries of healthcare staff to recognise their work in the pandemic. Nurses and healthcare workers received an average monthly increase of €180. In the UK, only claps are good enough, and yet MPs are getting a £3,000 pay increase next April. Do they have no shame?”

Arun’s manager says she’s keeping his job open for him until December, in the hope that the government will accept and implement the MAC recommendations and he might be able to come back. He still checks the government website every day.

“There are so many people like me who genuinely want to work and contribute to the NHS,” says Arun. “I am experienced and qualified. When the NHS is short-staffed, why does the government want to restrict us from working?”

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COVID reverses progress on financial equality

A UNISON survey has revealed that that women are being increasingly disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, with those at retirement age hit the hardest.

Women make up three-quarters of the part-time labour force, so were hit particularly hard when part-time jobs fell by 70% in the first three months of the pandemic.

In response to UNISON’s equality survey, 7.5% of women said that they have lost money from their wages, and 12% are more in debt since the pandemic began.

To make matters worse, these effects will be long-lasting, as low pay and job loss translates into pension poverty for women.

UNISON national officer Josie Irwin said: “Women born in the 1950s already know what discrimination at work feels like. They are already planning how best to manage on a meagre pension – they were dealt a hammer blow when the last Tory government raised the state pension age with next to no notice.

“Many are struggling to make ends meet with precious little support from the government.”

An appeal to the Court of Appeal led by Backto60, supporting women being who felt cheated out of pension entitlements, was dismissed on 15 September 2020. Further legal action is unlikely to succeed.

Ms Irwin said: “It’s now time MPs intervened to give them the financial help many so desperately need.”

She concluded: “We need to speak out about pensions injustice now. When the country starts to count the cost of the pandemic, we can’t allow the burden to fall on women again”.

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Care staff deserve equal pay with the NHS

Commenting on a report published today (Saturday) by Age UK on the pay and conditions facing social care workers, UNISON assistant general secretary and co-chair of the Future Social Care Coalition Christina McAnea said:

“These shocking findings are a wake-up call to government that enough is enough.

“Care staff can’t go on being ignored, undervalued and left to exist on poverty wages. A wage boost is needed now to get them through the pandemic and attract new recruits.

“A national care service would also bring about long overdue reform of the sector. It would drive up standards, boost pay and training and ensure the care service is put on an equal footing with the NHS.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
– The Future Social Care Coalition is a new cross-party alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals who are calling for immediate £3.9bn emergency support fund for the care sector and a fair wage deal for low paid staff. Members include former ministers Andy Burnham, Sir Norman Lamb and Alistair Burt as well as the National Care Association, the Care and Support Alliance – which includes Age UK, Carers UK, and Alzheimer’s Society – and UNISON. The co-chairs are Christina McAnea and Phil Hope.

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

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Living wage increase leaves many thousands of health and care staff behind

Commenting on the increase in real living wage rates – to £9.50 (and £10.85 in London) – announced today (Monday) by the Living Wage Foundation, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“While some 250,000 low-paid workers will get a wage rise today, many others on the Covid frontline will be less fortunate.

“Care staff working in homes and out in the community remain stuck on poverty pay, despite vital work supporting society’s most vulnerable throughout the pandemic.

“Today’s increase also means thousands of the lowest paid health workers employed by the NHS – cleaners, domestics, porters, security staff and drivers – no longer earn a living wage.

“Their colleagues working on outsourced NHS contracts fare even worse. Most employed by private contractors are on the minimum wage, and lowly statutory sick pay if they get the virus or need to isolate.

“It’s time the government did the right thing and gave a well-earned pay rise to all those caring for us, running essential local services and keeping us safe while the virus rages.

“That’s the best way of thanking them all for everything they do and protecting our vital public services.”

Notes to editors:
– The real living wage is an hourly rate of pay set independently and updated annually (and is different from the government’s national living minimum wage, currently £8.72 an hour for those aged over 25).
– The UK living wage for outside of London from today is £9.50 per hour. The London living wage is £10.85 per hour. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK, and employers choose to pay the living wage on a voluntary basis.
– Living Wage Week runs from 9-15 November 2020. It is a UK-wide celebration of the almost 7,000 employers that have voluntarily committed to ensure employees and sub-contracted staff earn a real living wage.
– NHS staff employed on the bottom point of salary band two (the lowest of pay scales in the NHS) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland currently earn £9.21 an hour. The lowest hourly rate of pay in the NHS in Scotland is £9.45. Band two staff living in London will still earn more than the London living wage.
– 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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Government must grant NHS staff a wage rise by Christmas, say health unions

Health unions representing more than 1.3m workers across the UK have written to the Prime Minister calling for a pay rise for all NHS staff before Christmas.

The letter to Boris Johnson from all 14 health unions warns the second virus wave is already placing hospitals under immense strain.

It says staff are “stressed, burned out and fearful” and that asking them to carry on regardless is “increasingly unrealistic”.

The letter adds: “Once more NHS staff will be relied upon to protect and care for us all. But health workers are exhausted, with many still recovering from the first virus peak.”

NHS workers are not due a pay rise until April 2021, but the health unions say an early increase would help employees “feel valued, by the entire country, and the government too”.

They state in the letter that raising pay this year could persuade staff looking to leave the NHS to change their minds. An early wage boost could also “prove attractive to thousands of much-needed potential NHS recruits”.

The letter continues: “Bringing forward the wage rise in time for Christmas would also place the NHS in a better position to face the future.”

The unions remind the Prime Minister in the letter that staff do their jobs because “they’re passionate about making people well again, and because they want to make a difference”.

However, they point out that giving them a wage increase is “morally … the right decision to take”, adding: “It’s time to do more than praise their courage and dedication.”

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton, who also chairs the NHS group of 14 unions, said: “The NHS can’t run without its staff. They all deserve better from porters to nurses.

“Their dedication during the pandemic has been humbling. But no one is superhuman and many are feeling the strain. Boris Johnson must show he has a heart with a pay rise before Christmas.

“It will boost exhausted staff going into the second wave and help the NHS attract much-needed new recruits.”

Hannah Reed from the RCN, who is also acting secretary to the health unions’ group, said: “NHS staff have been underpaid for years and there has never been a more critical time for the government to address this.

“Paying staff fairly will show they’re valued and begin to turn the corner on the record nursing and wider vacancy levels.

“The NHS is facing an extremely challenging few months due to the combination of Covid-19 and winter pressures. Without urgent action on pay, vacancies across the NHS will continue to increase.”

RCM executive director of external relations Jon Skewes, who is also treasurer for the NHS group of unions, said: “Midwives, maternity support workers and all our NHS staff do an incredible job day in, day out, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

“And never has that been more apparent, more needed, or more valued than now. There was a compelling case for an early and significant pay rise for NHS staff before the pandemic, and their dedication, commitment and professionalism make that a cast-iron one now.

“I call on the Prime Minister to show that he meant his fine words about the work of our NHS staff during the first wave of the pandemic and give them the pay award they rightly deserve.”

Notes to editors:
– Click here to read the full version of the letter to Boris Johnson.
– The 14 NHS unions are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite.

Media contacts:
UNISON: Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
RCN T: 0207 647 3633 E: mediateamhq@rcn.org.uk
RCM T: 0207 312 3456 E: media@rcm.org.uk

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Wednesday, 4 November 2020

Safety in libraries must be a priority

As the second lockdown comes into force in England, the Westminster government has published new national restrictions to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.

Under the government guidelines, libraries can still provide some services such as access to IT and click and collect.

UNISON believes that even providing these services contains risks to staff and the public and that during this lockdown libraries need to close completely.

“All parts of the UK have been experiencing increasing rates of infection,” said UNISON’s head of local government Jon Richards. “We all love our libraries, but it is paramount that libraries play their part in reducing the risk of transmitting the virus.

“And ‘closed’ must mean putting a temporary stop to all click and collect services and access to IT provision too.

“We need to save lives and protect our local communities and the NHS. It is simply not sensible to encourage unnecessary travel.”

Mr Richards added: “We know that for hard working and dedicated library staff, this year has been incredibly difficult and stressful.

“We know they are exhausted. Libraries delayed closing their doors back in the spring and now the government is threatening to keep library doors open during this long-predicted second wave.

“It is particularly stressful for those library workers who are vulnerable or who live with vulnerable friends and family. Our library workers need the certainty that will come with their workplaces being closed for this next lockdown phase.

“UNISON believes these measures are vital to keep everyone safe.”

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Our COVID response fund – helping members through the pandemic

It’s been a tough year for people right across the world, as COVID-19 has swept around the globe – and with no sign of it disappearing any time soon.

UNISON members have been among those facing the daily battle with the pandemic – not just in their work keeping our vital services going, but also on a personal and domestic front.

There for You is UNISON’s unique welfare charity and, in the summer, introduced a new fund to help members who were struggling financially as a direct consequence of the new coronavirus.

The first round of the COVID-19 response fund ran from May to July and distributed over £250,000 in grants to individual members in financial difficulty due to the pandemic.

Such grants have made a massive difference.

Carol (not her real name) is a paediatric nurse who lives with her partner and three school-age children in their own home in the North West.

When lockdown came, she found herself working longer hours, while her partner was furloughed on 80% of his usual pay.

“Bills went up – the shopping bill increased a large amount,” she explains.

“One thing built up on top of the other. Spending on the food and the kids as my partner tried to occupy them at home … extra cooking and washing too.”

Although her own earnings had increased slightly with the additional work, Carol’s transport costs had also risen, adding further pressure to the household budget.

She’d worked to reduce her credit card bills and the family’s energy supplier “gave me a payment break on bills – it was good they did that, but then the bills went up by £40-50 a month” after the payment break ended.

Then there was the council tax bill.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the family washing machine packed in.

Stress and worry

“I felt like I was going under,” she says. “I was so stressed … it just felt like it was going to get worse and worse.”

It was then that Carol saw from a UNISON email that, as a member, she could apply for one of the special COVID grants. She downloaded an application form and sent it off. That took care of the washing machine – and further grants lifted the pressure off with the energy bills and council tax.

“I was really grateful for the help,” says Carol, adding that it meant a great deal.

After lockdown eased, it was “nice when we could go out as a family again” – particularly for all of them to enjoy taking the family dog for a walk together.

But as regional and local lockdowns and restrictions have come back into play, Carol and her family – like so many others – face new difficulties. When she spoke to UNISON, her partner was back at work, but one of the children had been sent home from school because another pupil had tested positive for the virus.

Knowing that Carol is not alone and that many of our members face a difficult winter – and thanks to generous donations from UNISON and the CHSA (the COVID-19 Healthcare Support Appeal, a subsidiary of the RCN Foundation) – the charity is now delighted to be announce it will re-open its COVID-19 response fund on 16 November.

Grants of up to £500 will be made to help members in financial difficulty as a result of coronavirus. Grants can support with day-to-day living costs: for example, if you or your partner are furloughed or shielding and relying on statutory sick pay.

They can help you through loss of employment due to redundancy or loss of working hours or a second job, or towards housing costs like rent, mortgage or council tax arrears that have accrued since March.

Online applications will open on 16 November and can be accessed here – make a date in your diary to apply, as we expect this limited fund to be in high demand.

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Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Education staff need an urgent new safety plan for schools, says UNISON

The government should restrict school and nursery opening in England as in the first lockdown to help bring the national rate of infection down and ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the wider community, says UNISON today (Tuesday).

The union has also called on the government to come up with the necessary funding so children from low-income families can have access to tablets or laptops, allowing high quality education to continue for everyone.

The union has written to the Department for Education calling for an urgent meeting so the government can explain why all schools are to remain open during the second English lockdown.

If ministers are determined to keep schools open, they must introduce a range of precautions to reduce the risks, with increased funding to match, says the union.

These include priority testing for all school employees, requiring face coverings for all pupils and staff, and allowing many vulnerable workers to do their jobs from home where possible.

The government must also share detailed scientific evidence about the risk of infection in schools, colleges and universities to justify their continued opening.

UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “Statistics show the return of schools, colleges and universities has played a major role in spreading the virus.

“Everyone agrees the well-being of pupils is vital, but so is the safety of staff. The government and the scientists must explain the reasons for education workplaces staying open directly to those at the sharp end. Flashing a chart in a televised briefing and giving short soundbites simply isn’t good enough.

“Education staff need a detailed and convincing justification about why they’re excluded from lockdown and why closures of schools or rotas of classes aren’t part of the plan.

“The safety of staff and pupils shouldn’t be compromised. If the government keeps schools open, much tougher measures to reduce the risks are needed.

“Testing must be readily available to all school workers to keep them safe and stop the virus spread.”

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

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Blog: Still by your side during the second wave

This is another difficult week for all of us. The much-predicted second wave of coronavirus is with us.

All parts of the UK have been experiencing increasing rates of infection – and the restrictions that go with them – over the past couple of months and the Westminster government announced a second lockdown in England at the weekend. This follows various significant restrictions in Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.

These restrictions are not what any of us wanted, but we have to save lives. We have to protect the NHS and all those who work in it, just as we did first time round.

UNISON is continuing, during this second wave as we did during the first one in the spring and as we always do, to serve our members. We will be doing all we can to support our members while they continue to do all they can to fight this pandemic and keep our communities going.

I stress again that the union remains open for business. We have learned during this year how best to protect and support all our members, in any circumstances and I can assure you we will continue to do just that.

We will also continue to work behind the scenes as we did earlier this year with PPE and sick pay for example. I have already called on the government to give councils the resources they need to play their part during the ongoing crisis. Councils are best placed to know how to tackle the virus in their own communities.

And as well as protecting the NHS, lessons must be learned from the dire situation in the care sector earlier in the year. So I have called on Matt Hancock to ensure that the care sector is given priority. Lessons must be learned from the first wave. Proper support and protection are paramount. We can’t see a repeat of the heartbreaking death rates in care homes.

This is yet another incredibly difficult time during this most testing of years, but I believe that if everyone works together, we can slow the spread and stop hospitals being overwhelmed at this critical time.

Thank you, yet again, for all you continue to do for our communities.

For the latest where you live and work visit our coronavirus page

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Making sure young people have a post-pandemic future

UNISON represents over 64,000 young members working in health and social care, local government, police and justice and education, as well as in the community and voluntary sectors, utilities, environment services and transport.

Young workers have borne the brunt of COVID-19 in terms of employment. In May-July 2020, the number of young people (16-24) in employment fell by 156,000 compared to the previous quarter. Government figures show that 291,000 more young people were claiming Universal Credit in August 2020 than were claiming in March.

UNISON’s national young members officer Josephine Grahl says: “Between February and June of 2020 we had a 4.6% increase in membership of young members in UNISON.

“Young workers clearly recognise that the difficult times we’re living through mean that there’s never been a better time to join a union, and across the country UNISON will be campaigning and bargaining to make sure that all workers are protected at work.

“Young workers month is a great opportunity to talk about the issues facing young workers. We are conducting a survey of young members to give us a really clear picture of their experiences during the pandemic and this will help us campaign and bargain on the issues that really matter to young workers right now.”

Pandemic poses new problems

UNISON chair of the national young members forum Jess McGuire adds: “The pandemic has posed new problems for young workers in UNISON. Some of us have been on the frontlines providing essential services and health care throughout the crisis, others of us have found ourselves isolated as we work from home.

“But we’ve tried to stay active with online meetings and we’ve been able to support each other and make sure young members’ voices continue to be heard in UNISON’s campaigns.”

With so many young people in insecure work, and with apprenticeships and training programmes being paused, young people are also worried about being left behind in any future recovery.

UNISON does’t want a return to normal after the pandemic. The union wants young workers to have secure jobs, training and support at work and to have healthy and safe workplaces.

“We’re hoping this month will be rich with conversations, events and spaces for young members to voice their experiences,” says Josephine.

UNISON is running a survey to hear directly from young members, and on 27 November will be hosting an event with Shadow Minister for Young People Cat Smith MP to discuss what the post-COVID recovery should look like in order to avoid young workers paying the price of the pandemic.

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Blog: This avoidable crisis

Guest blog by national equalities secretary Gloria Mills

The Labour Party has published its review into the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus crisis on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.

The report, led by Baroness Doreen Lawrence concluded that BAME people have been disproportionately hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of “decades of structural injustice, inequality and discrimination”.

UNISON contributed to the round table discussions and submitted evidence to the review, highlighting experiences of members working on the frontline to protect the public and save lives.

The report is scathing. It was ‘an avoidable crisis’ Baroness Lawrence concluded.

The Lawrence Review makes several recommendations. The report echoes the UNISON view that decades of discrimination have left Black communities over-exposed and under-protected and occupational exposure was a key risk factor.

The findings and recommendations in the final report reinforce our calls, including:

The government must go further and set out an urgent plan for tackling the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities this winter.
The introduction of a national strategy to tackle health inequalities backed by strong actions; clear ministerial accountability and targets to close the gaps in negative health outcomes, such as the difference in mortality between Black and white women in pregnancy and childbirth.
Improved training for all health and care staff to tackle racism; targets to improve the diversity of NHS governance and improvements to the Workforce Race Equality Standard.
Ensure COVID-19 cases from the workplace are properly recorded.
Strengthen COVID-19 risk assessments to ensure consistency and to give workers more confidence.
Improve access to PPE in all high-risk workplaces.
The government should enact section 1 of the Equality Act which covers socio-economic disadvantage and should also take action on mandatory ethnicity pay gaps on a similar basis to the reporting of the gender pay gap.
Have a strong mechanism for parliamentary accountability and clear milestones to measure success during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the review, Keir Starmer has committed to implementing a race equality act’ to tackle structural racial inequality at source” should he lead the Labour Party into government.

And UNISON will continue to press the current government, employers and public agencies to take urgent action to mitigate the higher risk of deaths to the Black community as the UK enters a second spike of cases this winter.

Read the Lawrence Review

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Sunday, 1 November 2020

Time for fair wage for social care workers on ‘forgotten frontline’, says new coalition

Employers, former health and care ministers, and the UK’s largest social care union are joining forces for the first time today (Monday) to call for a major funding package and a fair wage deal for low-paid staff.

The Future Social Care Coalition – a new cross-party alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals – says an immediate £3.9bn* emergency support fund is needed from the government to get the care sector through the pandemic’s second wave.

The money would also guarantee a significant wage boost to all social care employees in England says the Coalition, whose members include the National Care Association, the Care and Support Alliance – which includes Age UK, Carers UK, and Alzheimer’s Society – and UNISON.

Andy Burnham, Sir Norman Lamb, and Alistair Burt are among several former ministers who have joined the new group, which represents an unprecedented collaboration between organisations and individuals.

In a letter to Rishi Sunak, the group says Covid-19 has magnified problems that have existed in the sector for years and emphasises the urgent need for government intervention, making it clear this issue must no longer be ignored.

Workers on the ‘forgotten frontline’ are existing on poverty wages and zero-hours contracts, and job vacancies are causing huge problems for employers, the Coalition adds.

A substantial increase in resources for the care sector is needed now, along with a long-term solution guaranteeing ‘affordable, quality care for everyone that needs it now and in the future’, says the letter.

The letter urges the Chancellor to find the resources to bring about change in social care. This would allow the sector to begin to treated with the same respect as the NHS, and develop a comprehensive workforce strategy with better training and rates of pay.

Coalition advisory board co-chair and UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Care has long been the forgotten service. The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the sector’s faults like nothing else.

“Its problems cannot be ignored for a moment longer. This unprecedented alliance brings together employers, politicians and the biggest care union to make a powerful case for change. Now the government needs to listen and start to take the care crisis more seriously.

“Care needs urgent and lasting reform. Paying dedicated staff who look after our elderly and vulnerable relatives a proper wage would start to transform care into a service fit for the future.”

Charity director at Age UK and co-chair of the Care and Support Alliance Caroline Abrahams said: “Care workers have been the invisible heroes throughout the pandemic. They’ve been on the frontline giving their all while looking after older and disabled people. Many have put their own health and financial worries to one side, and some have tragically even paid the ultimate price.

“The coronavirus crisis has demonstrated the need for strengthening the workforce. Social care is a people business and it’s impossible to deliver good care without enough committed, well-trained workers.

“The government must now do everything possible to help care workers at this very stressful time. That includes paying them a decent wage.”

Notes to editors:
-*The support package provided by government would be in addition to the adult social care infection control fund. The Health Foundation has estimated the cost of stabilising and improving adult social care in England is £3.9bn. This was referenced by a recent report by the Health and Social Care Committee which said a substantial increase in funding is needed in the care sector, including for wage increases.
-To access the letter to Rishi Sunak, please click here.
Case studies:
–Louise (not her real name) said: “I was off sick for three weeks and Covid-positive. But my manager said because I didn’t get it at work, they couldn’t pay me. I still have bills to pay but I got less than £15 a day.”
–Emma said: “I really love my job but as well as being rewarding, it’s demanding, difficult and draining. There aren’t enough care workers which adds to the pressures. The low pay means it’s hard to recruit staff and often people don’t stay around for long.”
-The Future Social Care Coalition launch takes place on Monday 2 November from 1pm to 2.30pm on Zoom. It will be hosted by Channel 4 News health and social care editor Victoria MacDonald, with Andy Burnham and Christina McAnea the keynote speakers. To register for the event, please click here.
-The Future Social Care Coalition members are: Caroline Abrahams, Care and Support Alliance; Nadra Ahmed, National Care Association; Andy Burnham, former secretary of state for health and mayor of Greater Manchester; Alistair Burt, former community and social care minister; Paul Burstow, former community and social care minister and Social Care Institute for Excellence; Alastair Henderson, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges; Phil Hope, former care services minister; Lord Bob Kerslake, former head of the civil service; Sir Norman Lamb, former community and social care minister; Vic Rayner, National Care Forum; Helen Walker, Carers UK. The co-chairs are Christina McAnea and Phil Hope.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

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