Media centre

National media team

These numbers are for media ​use only, not for queries about membership or general enquiries about the union. If you email outside office hours, please do follow up with a call, text or WhatsApp message so you can be sure that we’ve seen.

Liz Chinchen is on duty for most of the weekend of 20/21 April. Fatima Ayad will be on media duty on Sunday afternoon.

If you’ve already sent an email, please do follow up with a call, text or WhatsApp to ensure we’ve seen. Many thanks 

Liz Chinchen E: press@unison.co.uk M: 07778 158175
Fatima Ayad E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk M: 07508 080383

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UNISON to campaign for the UK to stay in Europe

UNISON is to campaign for the UK to stay part of the European Union, and will be encouraging its 1.3 million members to vote remain on 23 June. The decision was taken today (Wednesday) at a meeting of the union’s governing NEC, and follows an extensive UK-wide consultation and survey across UNISON’s branches. The fear […]

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Low-income workers urged to claim tax credits before universal credit arrives

https://twitter.com/unisontweets/status/719469133398732800 Across the country the one million people in low-paid jobs who have yet to apply for tax credits should hurry up and do so before it’s too late and universal credit arrives in their area, say UNISON and benefit experts Entitledto today (Monday). The two organisations have issued this urgent appeal to low-income workers […]

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Chancellor creating a northern poorhouse with universal credit cuts, says UNISON

Nearly 31,000 working people in the North West stand to lose out as government cuts to universal credit work allowances kick in from today (Monday) warns UNISON. Cuts to universal credit were announced in last July’s 2015 Budget alongside changes to tax credits. While the chancellor backed down over tax credits, the planned reduction in […]

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Government confirms future financial pain for healthcare students, says UNISON

The government’s health bursaries consultation launched today (Thursday) will saddle nursing students with huge debts of at least £50,000, says UNISON. UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: “This consultation is meaningless. It’s clear that the government has already made up its mind to replace bursaries with loans and fees. “Replacing the bursary system with loans […]

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Swansea council staff protest over car parking

Anger at strategy that is making ‘difficult problem worse’

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EDF living wage commitment welcome, says UNISON

Commenting on EDF Energy’s announcement today (Thursday) that the company has become a living wage employer, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “This is good news for all those staff, contractors and suppliers who will benefit from being paid the living wage. “It shows that companies can pay decent wages and remain competitive and puts […]

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Temporary relief for the NHS as nurses stay on the UK’s job shortage list, says UNISON

Commenting on the announcement from the Migration Advisory Committee –that nurses are to be allowed to remain on the occupational shortages list for another three years – UNISON head of nursing Gail Adams said: “The NHS is still desperately short of nurses, so hospital trusts across the country will have breathed a collective sigh of […]

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UNISON calls for action to end the homecare wages scandal

Tens of thousands of care workers across England and Wales are still being paid less than the minimum wage because councils are not insisting that homecare companies pay staff their travel time, a UNISON report is warning today (Wednesday). More than three quarters (76 per cent) of councils in England don’t stipulate in their contracts […]

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Serious crime rises as police numbers fall, warns UNISON

Serious crime is on the rise again after years of steady falls in offending, and UNISON believes government cutbacks in policing are to blame. Keen to encourage people to vote in the police and crime commissioner elections on 5 May, UNISON is launching a campaign to provide the public with the facts about police cuts. […]

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Extra funding for flood defences welcome but don’t forget staff on the ground, says UNISON

Welcoming the Chancellor’s decision to increase tax insurance to pay for flood defences, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “More funding for flood defences should help save people the pain of washed out homes and businesses. “During the recent storms, when flood defences were breached and rivers burst their banks, at times there weren’t enough […]

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This is not a Budget for the next generation, says UNISON

Commenting on today’s Budget, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “Six years of severe cuts to public spending have done little to pay down the deficit, despite the Chancellor’s promises. Yet still he insists on continuing with his failing economic experiment. “The Chancellor’s policies have wreaked untold damage to essential community services. Local councils have […]

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Tinkering with schools no way to improve standards, says UNISON

Commenting on government proposals for all schools to become academies and have longer working days, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “Forcing all schools to become academies will do little, if anything, to improve the quality of education. “Many schools want to keep their links with local authorities and not be forced into academy trusts. […]

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Everyone wins with greater energy efficiency, says UNISON

Commenting on the report published today (Saturday) by the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “Rather than sit on the sidelines and watch as jobs are lost in energy, this report shows how the government could be leading the way, and actually creating employment in the sector, by launching […]

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Action for Children unions suspend pay strike for talks

The strike over pay due to take place tomorrow (Wednesday) at the charity Action for Children, by members of Unite and UNISON, has been suspended. This is to allow talks to continue with the conciliation service Acas. Both unions met the charity’s management again at Acas this afternoon. Unite and UNISON consulted their Action for […]

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National Express shareholders call for review of workplace rights

NEX Investors Look to Build on Unprecedented Support at 2015 AGM, Highlight Hypocrisy of Business Finance Awards Nomination (WASHINGTON) –Today, National Express [LSE: NEX.L] investors are urging the company’s board to back a resolution seeking an independent review of employment practices in its U.S. school bus wholly-owned subsidiary, Durham School Services. Announcement of the resolution […]

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