Today (13 December 2017) the Department of Finance has determined a public sector pay policy for 2017/18 in the absence of a Finance Minister, finally paying UNISON members what they are already owed. Following this announcement, the Department of Health has confirmed that the 1% pay award recommended in April for health and social care workers in Northern Ireland will now be implemented and backdated, with full implementation expected before the end of the financial year.
Today (11 December 2017) the Department of Health has finally published the report of the Expert Advisory Panel on Adult Care and Support ‘Power to People: proposals to reboot adult care and support in N.I.’ which highlights the major problems facing the social care system and makes numerous proposals for reform.
Responding to the report, UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown said:
The UK government needs to show it is ‘genuinely committed’ to upholding the peace process, says the union
UNISON is backing an amendment to the controversial EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which seeks to preserve the rights enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement after the UK exits the EU.
The union’s backing for the amendment, which will be tabled by Labour’s shadow Brexit team during the committee stage of the bill in the House of Commons, comes after the Brexit negotiations stalled over proposals for the future of the Irish border.
UNISON have today written to 10 DUP MPs and the 7 Sinn Fein MPs plus Lady Sylvia Hermon in a bid to scrap the 1% pay cap.
Since 2010, public sector workers in Northern Ireland have seen the value of their pay fall year after year. While the cost of living has soared, public sector wages have barely risen. That means the people we rely on to educate our children and care for our loved ones in hospitals and in the community are being pushed closer and closer to breaking point.
Northern Ireland's health regulator has formally notified the health department there is a serious nursing shortage across hospital and community services.
It is the first time the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority has issued such a notice.
It was its duty to inform the department, it said, after identifying a number of failings in almost every area it had inspected.
It noted a reliance on agency and bank nursing staff which it said was due to a shortage of permanent staff.
Today trade unions representing staff that provide outdoor education in Ardnabannon, Bushmills, Delamont, Killowen and Killyleagh are calling on the Board of the Education Authority not to implement controversial proposals to remove current service provisions.
UNISON has pledged strong support for the NIC-ICTU Better Work, Better Lives campaign today with massive turnouts at the launch. Our activists cover every constituency and look forward to working with our colleagues across the movement.
Launch of major trade union campaign Tuesday 21 November 10:30, Girdwood Hub, Belfast
Trades unionists play part in major NI-wide campaign for proper wages, decent work & essential investment
Today (13 November 2017) the Northern Ireland budget 2017/18 has been published and is due to be approved at Westminster. Responding to the budget, UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown said:
‘‘Despite the ‘spin’ put on it by the Secretary of State, today’s budget announcement is not good news for Northern Ireland.
It is bad news for children and young people in schools, bad news for health and social services and bad news for public sector workers.
