Updated advice for pregnant healthcare workers and employers during the coronavirus outbreak from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, with input from the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association.
We want to thank you for your amazing response to this current crisis and the dedication, courage and commitment you continue to show in extremely challenging circumstances. Like millions of others we know that our health and the health of our families is safe in your hands - and that knowledge is a source of comfort to many as this situation develops.
We want to reassure you that your union is continuing to work hard on your behalf to ensure that everything is being done to help you while you deal with this crisis.
We know that our members working in health and social services are at the front line in dealing with the Covid 19 emergency. We know that pressures in the acute and community sectors are building.
In a fast moving situation UNISON is pursuing key issues for our members including the provision of PPE, advice for pregnant workers, redeployment and access to childcare for essential staff as part of the planning by EA and the Department of Education.
To all members working in Education and in school settings.
Dear Members
We are all operating in a fast moving and fluid situation.
We understand that you have a number of unanswered questions on how school closures will unfold over the next week and how the Department of Education and EA intend to support child care for essential workers substantially in the health service.
As the COVID-19 virus spreads, find out what your rights at work are if taking sick leave or self-isolating.
We have received an increasing number of enquiries on what employers – and members – should do to minimise the risk of infection at this worrying time.
The issues and risks will vary depending on the sector you are working in, so UNISON has been proactive in negotiating jointly agreed advice in a number of sectors.
Today (24th February) UNISON can announce that our members working across the health and social services system have overwhelmingly voted to accept the proposed framework agreement on pay parity and safe staffing. Commenting on the result, UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown said:
On behalf of UNISON members in Northern Ireland I extend a message of solidarity to your 8,000 members on strike at Swedish healthcare facilities in Seattle. We are proud of our long standing relationship with SEIU 1199 NY and offer any support we can.
In Northern Ireland 26,000 of our members across the health service have been engaged in strike action for 7 weeks. We have just suspended the action to ballot on an offer that restores pay parity and commits to tackling safe staffing issues right across the service.
