Working together is key to saving lives in further period of lockdown, says UNISON

Commenting on new lockdown measures for England announced by the Prime Minister today (Saturday), UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

“It’s a difficult time but if everyone works together, we can slow the spread and stop hospitals being overwhelmed at this critical time.

“That also means ministers giving councils the resources they need to play their part.

“As well as protecting the NHS, lessons must be learned from the dire situation in the care sector earlier in the year. Proper support and protection are paramount. We can’t see a repeat of the heartbreaking death rates in care homes.

“A further lockdown isn’t something anyone wanted, but we have to save lives.”

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

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UNISON organiser helps families find half-term meals

A UNISON organiser has set up a website to help families locate free meals during half term.

Help Out When School’s Out was set up by UNISON area organiser Jack Horwood and his friends in response to the government’s decision to not extend free school meals to cover school holidays.

The website has a postcode search tool that lists the contact details of local businesses offering support to children and families this half term.

Inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford’s #EndChildFoodPoverty campaign, over 1,800 businesses are now listed on the site, ranging from cafes, pubs and restaurants to community centres and local football teams.

Mr Horwood had the idea for the site last week, immediately after the government’s announcement that it would not be extending free school meal provision.

He said: “I saw a local business say that they would be offering free meals and lots of other businesses started doing the same. I thought to myself: ‘wouldn’t it be great if we could map these in some way?’”

He then got in touch with a web developer friend and some designers, and, by Saturday afternoon the site was up and running.

Jack Horwood at his computer

So far, over 74,000 people have searched the site, with an average of around 12 searches per minute.

Mr Horwood continued: “The response has been incredible and, if even it means that just one family gets access to a decent meal this half term, then it’s all been worth it.”

UNISON national officer for education and children’s services Leigh Powell applauded the launch of the tool and the contribution businesses and organisations are making, but added that it is “not these businesses’ job to step in, the government needs to have a rethink – particularly as we head towards Christmas.”

Visit the Help Out When School’s Out website.

The website covers England and Northern Ireland. Wales and Scotland are not included on the website, as their governments are continuing support for families over half term.

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Everyone in the Labour Party must take ‘shameful, distressing’ EHRC report ‘very seriously’, says UNISON

Commenting on the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report into anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

“This is an incredibly serious and damning report that everyone associated with the Party and the wider labour movement must take very seriously.

“It will now be up to the whole Labour Party – led by Keir Starmer – to learn the vital lessons outlined in this shameful, distressing report, and repair ​its damaged relationship with the Jewish community.

“UNISON has always ​fought racism in all ​its forms, ​including anti-Semitism. ​The union urged Labour ​to tackle anti-Semitism in its ranks long before the EHRC investigation​.

“UNISON will continue to work with everyone who wants to banish the scourge of anti-Semitism from the Party​ once and for all.

“There must never again be any place for discrimination of any kind within Labour.”

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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School catering staff face losing hundreds of pounds a month, says UNISON

More than 2,000 school meals staff face having their hours and pay cut at a leading catering firm, which could leave many struggling to make ends meet, says UNISON today (Wednesday).

The union is demanding urgent talks with the company, Dolce School Catering, after employees based in schools in the North West, Yorkshire & Humberside, the West Midlands and the East of England learned of changes to their contracts just days before the half-term break. As a result, some could lose more than £300 a month, says UNISON.

The catering staff have been told their working hours and wages will be reduced by up to two fifths (40%) from next week and some will be moved to zero-hours contracts, says UNISON.

One kitchen worker has been told her hours are being cut from 27.5 a week down to 17.2, a reduction of more than 40 hours a month.

Another described how the changes would cost her £325 each month in lost wages. She said she’d been threatened with the sack unless she accepted a new contract.

The company has blamed the pandemic for the cuts, but enquiries by UNISON have shown no evidence that headteachers have reduced the amounts paid to the company or ended any contracts.

Many of the schools affected have told UNISON there’s been no significant reduction in demand for school meals.

The union is calling for an immediate discussion with Dolce about the lack of a proper consultation process, as well as a full explanation about why the cuts are being made.

UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “The pandemic has had an impact on companies across the UK, but there’s no excuse for failing to treat staff fairly.

“The catering staff received letters just before half-term and they’ve had barely any time to think about these huge changes. Most have been left wondering whether they’ll be able to pay the bills or put food on the table.

“Cutting the wages of a low-paid, mainly female workforce will do nothing to help the economic recovery.

“This profitable company has failed to give any good reason why it plans to treat hardworking staff in such a callous way. Dolce’s certainly not offered to refund schools any money from the savings it plans to make.

“Dolce must ensure no school children or any staff suffer because of these changes. Many headteachers have said they’re appalled at the way valued staff are being treated.”

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:
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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UNISON welcomes government promise to improve hospital food

This week the government published a report of the independent review of NHS hospital food, with several key recommendations that align with UNISON’s demands.

One major recommendation, supported by UNISON, is for funding to upgrade existing hospital kitchens and for the provision of ward kitchens, so all healthcare workers have access to food made on-site and when unavailable, their own meal preparation facilities at all times.

UNISON has long been campaigning for better hospital food, in recognition that hard-working hospital staff need high-quality, nutritious and affordable food to support their stressful and demanding jobs.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “We welcome the government’s commitment to take forward recommendations made by the independent review panel, but that must translate into real funding across the system for improved staffing and facilities.”

She continued: “UNISON’s Better Hospital Food campaign has been calling for enforced food standards to ensure 24-hour availability of high quality, freshly prepared meals. We know how hard catering staff work daily so they will be pleased to see the need for investment in recognition, pay progression and training has been identified.”

The recommendations put forward by the government also include:

• celebrating catering staff with training and pay progression using NHS Agenda for Change pay bands.
• food and drink standards for patients, staff and visitors, which are enforced by the Care Quality Commission.
• implementation of food waste reduction plans across NHS trusts.

The report’s recommendation to create an expert group, including dieticians, to oversee progress, signals positive change ahead for the future of hospital food.

However, UNISON’s campaign is far from over, and the union will continue to put pressure on government to follow through and deliver on these promises.

The full report and recommendations are available here.

 

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Society must do more to tackle structural racism, says UNISON

Commenting on the review by Baroness Lawrence into the impact of Covid-19 on Black communities, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said today (Tuesday):

“This vital report goes to the heart of so many of the problems the pandemic is putting into stark relief.

“Doreen Lawrence is right to say urgent action is needed to protect Black communities from the second wave.

“With rising infections, all employers must carry out individual risk assessments for staff and put the findings into immediate effect.

“Much more must be done to tackle the structural racism in society that’s led to the disproportionate suffering of Black people because of the crisis.”

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:
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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UNISON asks exit payments questions of the Treasury

UNISON has sent a letter to the Treasury’s solicitor that could pave the way for further action over the exit cap regulations.

Last week’s national executive council’s policy development and campaigns committee heard that UNISON has been having discussions with legal advisors and sister unions about the possibility of challenging the regulations.

Late on Friday evening, the letter was sent requesting responses to a number of points. Unite and the GMB have submitted similar letters. The BMA has also submitted a separate letter.

The letter raises a number of questions about the proposals, including whether they involve:

• a breach of existing contractual or statutory entitlements;
• a breach of rights under the European Convention on Human Rights;
• a denial of substantive legitimate expectation;
• inclusion of certain payments beyond normal termination payments;
• lack of or inadequate equality impact assessment;
• indirect age and/or sex discrimination.  

These letters do not commit UNISON and the other unions to further action, but this is possible depending on the response from the government lawyers. It is hoped that this will come soon.

The union is also working on a model response for branches to submit to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to their current exit cap regulations, in case it does not extend the consultation deadline beyond 9 November.

Find out more about exit payment changes

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