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National media team

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Fatima Ayad E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk M: 07508 080383
Anthony Barnes E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk M: 07834 864794

Durham teaching assistants strike suspended to allow time for talks

Three days strike action this week (6 – 8 December) by Durham teaching assistants have been called off to allow time for further talks aimed at settling the dispute, says UNISON. The union is keen for urgent progress to end the long-running dispute with the county council over the proposed move to term-time contracts. But […]

NHS reforms will fail without more money and staff involvement

New NHS plans for health and care services are doomed unless the government invests more cash and listens to staff and patients, says UNISON. The details of nearly all 44 NHS sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) have now been published. But the government and NHS England have failed to consult properly with the public and […]

UNISON suspends today’s teaching assistants’ strike action

Strike action involving teaching assistants that was due to affect schools across County Durham today (Thursday) has been called off

UK’s health heroes revealed

An ambulance worker from Berwick and a day centre receptionist from Belfast are the first ever winners of the Our Health Heroes awards, set up to celebrate the work of the thousands of support staff who keep the NHS running behind the scenes. Iain Scott and Elizabeth Cameron received their awards today (Tuesday) at a special ceremony hosted by Skills for Health, the National […]

Derby teaching assistants reject city council offer

Derby teaching assistants have voted by nine to one to reject the latest offer from the council to settle the long-running dispute over their new contracts. School support staff across the city have now taken seven days of strike action – and three weeks of lunchtime protests – over the council’s decision to cut their […]

The Chancellor has ignored social care and the NHS will pay the price, says UNISON

Commenting on the complete absence of help in the Autumn Statement for social care or the NHS, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Hopes were raised the Chancellor would conjure up extra cash for social care, and ease the burden on the NHS and local councils struggling to keep a lid on the growing crisis. […]

The government has spread the ‘jam’ far too thinly, says UNISON

Commenting on the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement today (Wednesday) UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Despite all the rhetoric, the previous Chancellor’s austerity plan is still very much intact. There was precious little, if anything, for our beleaguered public services. “The government is spreading the ‘jam’ far too thinly. Public service workers and the health, education […]

Schools to close as Durham teaching assistants take second two-day strike action

More than 100 primary schools across County Durham will be affected tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday as teaching assistants strike for a second time in a long-running dispute over cuts to their pay. School support staff plan to protest at dozens of picket lines across the county over the two days. This will mean the closure […]

Cutbacks leaving LGBT people without specialist mental and sexual health support

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are facing long waits for appointments at gender identity clinics and being denied specialist mental health counselling because of cutbacks, says new research published today (Tuesday) by UNISON. Sexual health and youth support has also been scaled down. This has resulted in reduced opening hours, cuts to the […]

Patients face bed shortages because government not delivering on mental health

Patients facing bed shortages and long waits because government not delivering on mental health funding, says UNISON Mental health patients are facing bed shortages, longer waits for treatment and reduced support because of budget cutbacks, according to a new survey published today (Monday) by UNISON. More than four in five (83%) staff working in mental […]

Legal changes will deny injured workers access to justice, says UNISON

Government plans to increase the small claims limit for personal injury claims will deny many thousands of employees made ill or injured by their jobs every year the ability to take cases against negligent employers, says UNISON today (Friday). A consultation published by ministers seeks to increase the small claims limit for personal injury claims […]

UNISON Police staff - station sign

New vision for policing strategy fails to deal with declining workforce, says UNISON

A ten-year strategy launched today (Wednesday) to transform policing does not address the serious decline in staff numbers, according to UNISON. Police Vision 2025, drawn up by police chiefs and commissioners, will fail unless the government pays for more officers to patrol the streets, says the union. Community policing has become much harder to carry […]

Chancellor should use £2.4bn in unallocated business rates to ease the care funding crisis, says UNISON

The government could ease the social care crisis by handing councils back billions in surplus cash raised from business rates, says a report published today (Wednesday) by UNISON. The government expects to receive a £2.4bn windfall from business taxes next year, and for the two subsequent years. This is because it now receives more in […]

Care cuts crisis leaving older people without adequate care, says UNISON

Vulnerable older people are being denied regular showers and visits to the toilet because of cuts to social care budgets, a UNISON report has warned today (Friday). The Damage: Care in Crisis is based on a survey of more than 1,000 staff across the UK working in homecare, residential support and day services, and looking […]

Care employees threatened with £2,600 pay cut by Dorset councils’ company

Care staff employed by Dorset company Tricuro are to stage a silent protest outside county council offices in Dorchester later today (Thursday), over plans that could see some employees lose as much as £2,600 a year. Tricuro was set up just over a year ago by Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth councils to provide care to […]

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