Library news

• Christina McAnea stresses how vital school support staff are

  02-05-2024 17:08 via unison.org.uk
  
  The annual UNISON school support staff seminar took place yesterday in Cardiff, providing the chance for activists in schools to develop their skills and knowledge in the sector, through a combination of speaker presentations and workshops.
  General secretary Christina McAnea told those attending: “You are a really important group within our union. About one in five of our members are school support staff – that’s how big a group you are in our union.
  “And that’s rea
  
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• Cuts to children’s centres hitting the most disadvantaged

  17-06-2024 01:01 via unison.org.uk
  
  Children’s centre closures across England have devastated communities and left vulnerable families without access to vital education and health support, says UNISON today (Monday).​
  Freedom of Information (FoI) requests by the union reveal that over a third (38%) of council-run children’s centres in England have closed since 2010 when the government implemented austerity measures and slashed councils’ financial support.
  There were at least 3,106 council-run children&rsquo
  
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• Change for local government can’t come soon enough

  16-06-2024 15:30 via unison.org.uk
  
  Fourteen years of Conservative governments have left council finances in disarray, forcing them to make cuts to vital services, says the head of the UK’s largest union today (Sunday).
  UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea was making the remarks earlier in a speech to open the union’s annual local government conference. The event takes place in Brighton today and tomorrow.
  Christina McAnea told delegates: “Change can’t come soon enough. An increasing number o
  
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• Don’t mention it

  16-06-2024 10:15 via publiclibrariesnews.com
  
  EditorialHmmm. It’s been an odd election. Themes which are extremely important to us all such as Brexit and the Environment have had barely a mention. A party to the right of the Conservatives is having the strongest showing of any such party I can remember in a national election. And the main argument appears to be all about taxation rather than the importance of what the taxes are for.The Conservatives commit to “continuing to support” libraries and, in the same Manifesto, pr
  
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• Closure of more than a thousand youth centres could have lasting impact on society

  15-06-2024 01:01 via unison.org.uk
  
  Huge cuts to youth services risk creating a “lost generation” of young people unable to access vital support at a crucial time in their lives, UNISON says today (Saturday).
  New research conducted by the union has found that funding cuts have led to the closure of more than two thirds of council-run youth centres in England and Wales since 2010.
  The loss of so many facilities and the specialist workers who run them has put teenagers at risk of isolation, being swept into gang and knif
  
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• The deadline to register to vote in the general election is 18 June

  14-06-2024 13:46 via unison.org.uk
  
  Only people who are British or Irish citizens, or citizens of a Commonwealth country who have the right to remain in the UK, currently have the right to vote.
  UNISON’s partner JCWI can give more detailed information about migrants’ rights and the general election.
  If you have the right to vote but have not registered yet, it takes just five minutes, and you can do so here. The deadline to register is 11:59pm on Tuesday 18 June 2024.
  The article The deadline to register to vote in the
  
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• Labour’s manifesto offers the country real change

  13-06-2024 13:28 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on the launch of the Labour manifesto today (Thursday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
  “This manifesto sets out a clear plan for the future. It shows how a Labour government could rebuild a Britain broken after years of Tory austerity and chaos.
  “Unlike the party that’s been in power for the past 14 years, a Labour government would be committed to public services.
  “Essential services aren’t a drain on the public purse, 
  
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• What public service workers want this election

  12-06-2024 09:44 via unison.org.uk
  
  According to new data, the top three issues for UNISON members this election are the cost of living, the economy and health.
  When it comes to working conditions, they predominantly want to see the government ensure that increases in the minimum wage take account of the cost of living, and that the gender pay gap is closed. Members also want to see zero-hours contracts and fire-and-rehire scrapped.
  The results come from a survey of public service workers that UNISON commissioned Thinks Insight &a
  
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• What public service workers want from this election 

  10-06-2024 12:35 via unison.org.uk
  
  According to new data, 76% of UNISON members feel like the country is headed in the wrong direction. And the top three issues for UNISON members this election are the cost of living, the economy and health. 
  When it comes to working conditions, UNISON members predominantly want to see the government ensure that increases in the minimum wage take account of the cost of living and that the gender pay gap is closed.  
  Members also want to see zero-hours contracts and fire-and-rehire
  
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• Labour plans to boost school nurseries ‘make a lot of sense’

  09-06-2024 21:55 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on Labour proposals to create 3,000 new school-based nurseries, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards said:
  “Childcare has become a nightmare for many parents, especially the less well-off.
  “That’s because the larger private equity-backed nursery firms follow the money and pay staff low wages to get higher returns. That leaves less-affluent parts of the country poorly served.
  “New nurseries attached to schools could make the world of di
  
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• More than one kind of censorship

  09-06-2024 16:30 via publiclibrariesnews.com
  
  EditorialA fair bit about censorship in the UK this week, although from a different slant to what we are used to from the USA. Over here the articles are from several generally right-wing newspapers, and whatever GB News is, complaining about the ease with which children’s books can be banned. One ban is because of the use of the word “n*****” and the classic Fungus the Bogeyman ban is due to the use of the “g******g”. Both words, to be fair, especially the n* one,
  
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• Councils face ‘existential crisis’ without proper investment from next government

  07-06-2024 01:44 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on a new white paper from the Local Government Association that calculates councils in England face a £6.2bn funding shortfall over the next two years, UNISON head of local government Mike Short said today (Friday):
  “Councils are facing an existential crisis because of years of severe government underfunding.
  “Wave after wave of budget cuts to essential services has harmed communities immensely, with the worst off always the hardest hit.
  “Authorities have&
  
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• Opinion: 10 reasons why the civil service can’t do probation

  05-06-2024 18:28 via unison.org.uk
  
  Since Chris Grayling’s disastrous 2014 probation reforms, first part of, and since 2021 all of the probation service has been run centrally from Whitehall, as part of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). Its staff are civil servants. As a consequence, HMPPS has struggled with operational delivery. A central model of probation delivery is simply too remote and too top-down to manage probation effectively or efficiently.   
  UNIS
  
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• Christina McAnea joins solidarity mission to Palestine

  04-06-2024 16:12 via unison.org.uk
  
  Last week, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea joined a solidarity mission to Ramallah in Palestine on behalf of Public Services International (PSI).
  The solidarity mission marks the first time such a large and high-level group of union leaders have convened in Palestine. The visit comes amid mounting international condemnation over the ongoing killing of civilians in Gaza and in the West Bank.
  The visit underlined the global labour movement’s support for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza
  
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• Pre-election period

  02-06-2024 10:17 via publiclibrariesnews.com
  
  EditorialPublic libraries were clearly not a major focus for electioneering this week, without a single article spotted. CILIP is hoping that this will change and we can hope, although of course currently employed library staff would get into potential hot water if they were political in their jobs at this time. Certainly, wherever cuts are announced, such as in Nottingham, people mobilise but they do so in an ad hoc fashion and not in any meaningful national way. Speaking of that city, it&rsquo
  
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• Cutting staff is a false economy and won’t help the NHS meet its targets

  31-05-2024 01:01 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on a survey by NHS Confederation published today (Friday) suggesting many health leaders are considering staff cuts to balance their books, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said:
  “Tackling the mounting pressures on the NHS will be a major priority for whoever forms the next government.
  “No part of the NHS should be cutting staff when what’s really needed is for many thousands of vacancies to be filled. False economies like these are foolhardy in the extreme.
  &ld
  
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• Diane Abbott is an inspiration to many people

  30-05-2024 21:27 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on the speculation surrounding Diane Abbott, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Thursday): “When Diane Abbott was elected in 1987, she blazed a trail for Black women in political and public life.
  “As the first Black female MP, she proved barriers could be broken, showed that becoming a politician was for everyone and inspired many people to follow her into the House of Commons.
  “That’s why her courage, determination and outstan
  
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• Opinion: ‘The past is gloomy, but the future doesn’t have to be’

  28-05-2024 11:26 via unison.org.uk
  
  By UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea
  It’s hard to believe that, less than a week ago, a rain-soaked prime minister rolled the dice in front of the nation. It’s been a hapless campaign start for Rishi Sunak, but at least he put us out of our misery and called the general election. In his own words, we can now decide between “the past and the future”.
  Calling the election is just about all we can thank him for. He may try to distance himself from his party’s r
  
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• National election called: public librarians know which way they will be voting

  27-05-2024 15:33 via publiclibrariesnews.com
  
  EditorialSo, an election has been called. The British public can now decide on who they think is best to govern them. On hearing the news, I immediately ran a poll to see which political party the nice people on Twitter who follow me think should win. The result wasn’t really open to interpretation. I could be wrong but I think a 87.3% vote for Labour would mean they take government. Out of 142 votes, the Conservatives and Lib Dems tied on five or six votes each, with Reform getting none.
  
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• Beleaguered public services need investment not an army of reluctant teen ‘volunteers’

  26-05-2024 14:38 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on Conservative proposals that would see 18-year-olds either join the military or do ‘volunteer’ work for a year, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Sunday):
  “This is a desperate attempt to distract from the issues that matter to voters and suggests Rishi Sunak has completely lost the plot.
  “It shows how quickly the government is prepared to abandon the communities it promised to ‘level up’.
  “The cost of this hare-brain
  
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• Fairer work will be good news for millions, says UNISON

  25-05-2024 15:43 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on the Labour Party’s plan to make work pay, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Saturday):
  “There will be a clear choice in July. A vote for a party that understands the huge struggles employees and their families have been facing. Or one that’s persistently let working people down these past 14 years.
  “Labour’s new deal best illustrates that choice. It will make work fairer and boost the economy too.
  “That’s why its measure
  
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• Tory attacks on employment rights show how little they understand what working people want

  24-05-2024 23:00 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on Tory attacks on Labour’s proposed new deal for workers, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “This is scaremongering at its very worst.
  “These figures bear absolutely no relation to reality and are quite frankly bonkers. It’s no small wonder the economy’s in such a mess if similarly farcical figures are informing the government’s economic strategy.
  “Yet again, the Tories are showing how little they understand the lives of ordinar
  
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• NEC told: ‘If you don’t vote Labour, you’re giving a vote to the Tories’

  24-05-2024 10:08 via unison.org.uk
  
  In her report to UNISON’s national executive council meeting today, general secretary Christina McAnea thanked those who helped campaigning for the local elections earlier in May.
  And speaking less than 24 hours after Rishi Sunak called a general election she noted that, in England and Wales on 4 July, “if you don’t vote Labour, you’re giving a vote to the Tories. We want to see as many Labour MPs returned as possible”.
  “We have seen, as trade unionists, the r
  
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• Workers in councils and schools should reject low pay offer, says UNISON

  23-05-2024 15:50 via unison.org.uk
  
  Council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are worth far more than the “disappointing” pay increase they’ve been offered by employers, says UNISON today (Thursday).
  The union is to consult hundreds of thousands of workers in local government over the £1,290 offer made last week, with a recommendation they vote to reject it.
  UNISON is calling for an improvement to pay that fairly rewards council and school staff, many of whom are in low-wage roles, for
  
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• Statement in solidarity with student protests for Gaza

  23-05-2024 15:38 via unison.org.uk
  
  UNISON sends its solidarity to all those who are peacefully protesting on university campuses here in the UK and around the world, in support of a ceasefire in Gaza and justice and rights for the Palestinian people.
  UNISON supports these calls and has consistently campaigned for an end to the occupation and for a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.
  Peaceful protests, encampments and occupations on university campuses have played an important role in many struggles against injustices in th
  
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• UNISON raises concerns over UK energy security

  23-05-2024 14:53 via unison.org.uk
  
  UNISON has raised concerns with energy company National Grid over its announcement to sell the Grain Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal, located in Kent.
  National Grid is a private energy company operating in the UK and US and the largest electricity transmission and distribution business in the UK. 
  The Grain LNG terminal is the UK and Europe’s largest terminal importing LNG to the country. UNISON is concerned that the decision to sell it could have a negative impact on the UK&rsqu
  
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• Election can’t come soon enough, says UNISON

  22-05-2024 18:29 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on the Prime Minister’s decision to call a general election on 4 July, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
  “Election day can’t come soon enough. Working people and their families are crying out for a new government in Westminster.
  “One that values public services, can revitalise the economy and has a vision for the future.
  “Anyone who has struggled to make ends meet, tried to get an NHS appointment, seen council services savaged or wrangled wi
  
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• Skills boot camps for the unemployed a desperate attempt to distract voters from government care failings

  21-05-2024 12:53 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on a speech today (Tuesday) by work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, in which he announced a ministerial taskforce to tackle recruitment in hard-to-fill sectors like social care, UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said:
  “There’s nothing wrong with promoting social care as a career and offering proper training to try to attract new recruits to the crisis-stricken sector.
  “But forcing the unemployed off benefits and into caring roles,&n
  
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• Skills boot camps for the unemployed a desperate attempt to distract from government failings

  21-05-2024 12:53 via unison.org.uk
  
  Commenting on a speech today (Tuesday) by work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, in which he announced a ministerial taskforce to tackle recruitment in hard-to-fill sectors like social care, UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said:
  “There’s nothing wrong with promoting social care as a career and offering proper training to try to attract new recruits to the crisis-stricken sector.
  “But forcing the unemployed off benefits and into caring roles,&n
  
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• Opinion: The water industry is a national scandal

  20-05-2024 16:21 via unison.org.uk
  
  By UNISON’s head of environment, Donna Rowe-Merriman
  The current ownership and operating model for the water industry in England is in the news almost every day – and almost always for the wrong reasons.
  Privatisation of the water industry has failed. Disastrously. It was a Tory government gamble that has not paid off – unless you are a water company chief executive or shareholder.
  Consumers have not seen better outcomes. In fact, we are seeing profits being extracted for share
  
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