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Conference ends with urgent call for fairer workplaces

17-06-2021 17:28

When the pandemic is finally over, workplaces need to be made a lot more fairer for the people who have helped the country through the crisis, UNISON delegates heard today.
Lilian Macer opened a debate on a composite motion made up of submissions from her own Scotland region and the Newcastle Hospitals branch, each addressing the need to create fairer workplaces.
She said that it was UNISON members who had kept communities safe “in the eye of the COVID storm”.
And yet the crisis of t

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The COVID experience: difficult to talk about, but vital that we do

17-06-2021 12:32

Post-traumatic stress disorder, exhaustion, the demands of a backlog of non-COVID care during a staff exodus – these are just some of the issues currently facing the NHS workforce, UNISON’s special delegate conference heard yesterday.
Linda Hobson from Newcastle Hospitals branch opened Wednesday afternoon’s business by moving a motion from the Northern region on The NHS after the pandemic.
“It’s difficult to talk about what we’ve experienced, but it’s im

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Relying on employers to tackle racism will do little to protect Black workers

17-06-2021 11:39

“Leaving employers to tackle racism is not working.” That was the uncompromising message from senior Black UNISON activists speaking at a conference fringe event this week, looking at race equality.
NEC member Davena Rankin was joined by deputy head of health Helga Pile, Chair of the National Black Members Committee Kebba Maneh, and UNISON Eastern regional secretary Tim Roberts, for an online analysis of the strides UNISON has made tackling workplace racism and what more needs to be

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Climate has to be an issue for all our members

17-06-2021 10:50

The environment was at the forefront of debate at this week’s special delegate conference, with members in agreement that any real recovery from the pandemic must involve the creation of a green and sustainable economy – one that includes public service workers at its heart.
All eyes are now on the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26), in Glasgow in November 2021.
The union will be mobilising members for a significant engagement at the talks, to ensure t

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Health pay rise must be for everyone in the NHS

17-06-2021 02:00

Thousands of health service staff employed by private companies must not lose out on the wage rise that’s expected to be announced soon for their NHS colleagues, says UNISON today (Thursday).
Porters, cleaners, catering assistants and other healthcare workers in NHS jobs outsourced to private contractors have performed tirelessly throughout the pandemic, says UNISON.
But the union fears most will be excluded from the coming pay increase unless privat

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