Monday 24 November 2014

Friday 21 November 2014

NHS Strike - 24th November - Weston General Hospital

UNISON members working in the NHS, along with members of many other Health unions, will strike again for 4 hours on 24th November, followed by a week in which they will not undertake any unpaid overtime. There will be picket lines at Weston General Hospital from 7 am to 11 am on 24th November – all are welcome.

Here's a reminder of when the NHS was first established.

Sunday 16 November 2014

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOLS WORKERS VOTE TO ACCEPT PAY PROPOSALS

As a result of our strike action on 10th July the Local Government employers made an improved pay offer, and over the last month UNISON members have been consulted on the latest proposals. The joint trade unions UNISON, UNITE and GMB announced on Friday that members have accepted the pay proposals.

This means that UNISON members will receive small unconsolidated lump sums in their pay packets in December and in some cases April next year, along with a pay increase covering the period 1st January 2015 to 31st March 2016 – for the vast majority this is a 2.2% increase over 2 years, with larger percentage increases for the very lowest paid.

Tuesday 11 November 2014

UNISON's Organising Space - a new resource for Reps

Do you use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram? UNISON is pioneering a new secure social learning microsite exclusively for our activists and staff.

The Organising Space is a secure and safe online resource developed to support our activist and organising communities. Its aim is to support building relationships, sharing knowledge, learning and experiences.

The space will allow us to share content, have discussions, ask experts and seek support from our peers.

The Organising Space will encourage the sharing of content that is innovative, creative, flexible, interactive and dynamic.

If you want to join the Organising Space you will need a MyUNISON account (sign up here).

Visit the Organising Space.

Union is Strength!

A great video I found on UNISON's new Organising Space:




Thursday 6 November 2014

COURT RULING WHICH COULD AFFECT YOU!

Do you receive regular additional payments such as unsocial hours and overtime payments, shift premiums, commission or bonuses, but you aren’t paid these when you take annual leave? 

The European Court has recently ruled in a UNISON case that workers ought not to suffer financially when they take annual leave. This means that if you receive any of the above payments or any other additional payments when you are at work (other than expenses) but do not receive them for periods when you are on holiday, you may be able to claim back pay in respect of non-payment of these additional sums.

We have recently written to all our members to inform that if the above applies to you, you must contact us immediately and complete a case form. You can request a case form by phoning the branch office on 01934 634759 or you can download a case form from the branch website at:
http://www.northsomersetunison.co.uk/downloads/HolidayPayCASEForm.pdf

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Tuesday 4 November 2014

NHS staff to strike again on 24th November

UNISON has confirmed that its members working in the NHS in England will stage a four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am on Monday 24 November.

This will be followed by a week of action short of strike action between Tuesday 25 and Sunday 30 November when members will work to rule and not do any unpaid overtime.

A recent Income Data Services (IDS) survey for NHS trade unions revealed that increased workload, low pay, constant restructures and the stresses of the job are among the reasons why two thirds (66%) of NHS workers have considered quitting.

Christina McAnea, UNISON head of health and chair of the NHS staff side trade unions, said:

"For many in the NHS, last month’s strike was a first. The next industrial action will be bigger as more unions will be joining it. Jeremy Hunt needs to listen to NHS workers who feel this Government is treating them with contempt.

"NHS workers are overworked and underpaid. Most patients would be shocked to know that one in five of the NHS workers who care for them need to do a second job just to survive and many have to borrow money every month to make ends meet or resort to foodbanks."

The IDS survey of nearly 30,000 union members working in the NHS, including cleaners, radiographers, nurses and senior managers, revealed how workers are feeling the strain as more than a third of respondents work unpaid overtime.

This was confirmed by four in five of the managers during in-depth interviews. Around half of managers feel unpaid overtime is causing problems with morale, motivation, fatigue and ‘burning out’.

The research also shows a growing number (62%) have to rely on extra earnings compared to 54% in 2012.

Christina McAnea added:

"Low morale is endemic. And this is echoed by a King’s Fund report out today which shows staff morale is now one of NHS finance directors’ top three concerns. Twice as many from the previous quarter."

NHS workers took strike action over pay for the first time in 32 years on Monday 13 October. This was followed by a week of action short of strike action when members took their meal and rest breaks.