News

UNISON CALLS FOR INFLATION-BUSTING PAY RISE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL STAFF

UNISON believes only a significant rise will help protect services and enable staff to weather the growing cost of living pressures following a decade of local authority cuts and pay restraint.

The 2022 claim, which would apply from the start of April, would see council employees receive either a £2,000 rise at all pay grades or the current rate of RPI (presently 11%), whichever is higher for each individual.

This would lift all council and school employees back above the real living wage.

UNISON FRONT LINE WORKERS GO TO STORMONT IN CALL FOR PAY JUSTICE

Commenting today (13^th May) as MLAs are due to attend the first sitting of the Assembly, UNISON Northern Ireland Head of Bargaining and Representation Anne Speed said:

‘‘Now the election is over, UNISON members want to see MLAs from all parties getting to work to deliver for them and their families.

MLAs first order of business should be dealing with the cost of living crisis and putting pay right for key workers across our health, social care and education services, such as hospital porters, care workers and classroom assistants.

Solidarity message from the UNISON NURSING FORUM on International Nurses Day

On the 12^th May the theme of International Nurse’s Day is “Investing in Nurses”, no better phrase at this time is more appropriate. The cost of living crisis has brought home to the UNISON Nursing Family that NHS pay is not sufficient for many to pay the bills, food, fuel etc. Many of our Student Nurses struggle to live on bursaries without supplementing their bursary with paid work. The UK Government has under invested in the NHS and has privatised many of our services and paid an exorbitant amount of money to agencies and locums.

UPDATE FOR EDUCATION MEMBERS - PAY AND GRADING REVIEW

UNISON Northern Ireland education branches and pay campaign activists last night welcomed breaking news that the Education Authority has finally received approval for the opening of negotiations with the support service unions on a pay and grading review.

EDUCATION WORKERS NOT VALUED UNISON MEMBERS PREPARED TO DO BATTLE

Thousands of UNISON education support service workers have pledged to bring their demands for pay improvement right to the Minister in situ and make their demands the centre of election debates leading up to the 5^th May.

In a recent consultation the union has received the backing of its members to make their demand for an EA pay and grading review of how the NJC agreement applies in Northern Ireland.

"We were promised this as part of the 2019-2021 pay deal" stressed Noreen Robinson, Lay Convenor for UNISON education workers.

UNISON CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO PUT PAY RIGHT

Commenting today (1^st April) as UNISON members across all HSC Trusts join with NHS staff across the UK in calling for a decent pay rise as part of the Put Pay Right campaign, UNISON Northern Ireland Head of Bargaining and Representation Anne Speed said:

“UNISON members rights across Northern Ireland are delivering a clear message today that it’s time that Government put pay right for hard-working health and social care staff.

UNISON CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO PUT NHS PAY RIGHT

Today, 31^st March, the health union, UNISON, will be addressing the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Board meeting focusing on their ‘Put NHS Pay Right’ pay campaign, the crippling costs of fuel whilst they deliver care in the community and UNISON’s concerns about the recent temporary reduction in services in Daisy Hill Hospital.

NMC Closing of the temporary register

At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the UK Government introduced emergency legislation which allowed nursing and midwifery professionals to support the response to the Covid-19 pandemic by joining our temporary register.

UNISON WELCOMES BILLS PASSED IN THE ASSEMBLY

UNISON welcomes the news from the Assembly Yesterday, as Pat Catney’s Period Products (Free Provision) Bill, Rachel Woods’ Safe Leave (Paid Leave for Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill and Clare Bailey’s Safe Access Zones Bill all passed in the Assembly.

Well done to the UNISONs Women’s Committee and the UNISON policy team who have campaigned and supported these issues over the years and have worked hard to make the change.

Something needs to change- our cars don't run on air! (Western Trust Demonstration)

UNISON will be holding a demonstration about the rising cost of fuel and travel expenses at Altnagelvin Today (Tuesday 22nd March) at 2:30pm. UNISON members will be delivering a letter to Western Trust CEO, Neil Guckian urging him to resolve the hardship being faced by workers simply carrying out the functions of their job.