TACKLING THE UNDERFUNDING CRISIS IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE.

UNISON Health Conference notes: 1)The alarming news that the government is encouraging councils to increase council tax in an attempt to fund massive funding gap in health and social care provision. 2)The King’s Fund has reported that the share of GDP spent on health has dropped from 8.8% in 2009, to 7.3% in 2014/15, and […]

Supporting members through service transformation

Conference notes that across the UK there are a number of current initiatives seeking to bring about service transformation. These include, but are not limited to, Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) in England, the ten year vision for health and social care based on the Bengoa report in Northern Ireland, and further moves towards more […]

Thames Valley Cost of Living campaign

This Conference notes that NHS pay has not kept up with the cost of living. With a fall in pay of approximately 10-12% many regions are having major staffing and recruitment problems. Especially in London and the South East where the cost of living tends to be much higher. For example, Oxfordshire is the most […]

Effect of NHS Trust Organisational Change and the Impact for Agenda for Change

In today’s climate, within the NHS, changes are constantly happening to turn it into a profit making business, and mergers, staff reductions, and other distressing actions have all occurred. Consultations with staff appear to take place on an ad-hoc basis and lack full and meaningful discussions and negotiation. Staff experience new challenges on an almost […]

Where next with the Housing crisis for women?

This generation is facing a housing crisis that is supporting ‘generation rent’ and the ‘boomerang’ generation. The majority of young women, the low paid, and those on a fixed income (including disabled and/or retired women) are struggling to find acceptable and affordable housing as private rental costs continue to rise. Between 2014 – 15 (Guardian […]

Women and the cuts – strategies for local campaigning

Research continues to show that the significant disproportionate negative impacts of the government’s austerity policies fall on women, particularly Black women and women who are low paid and/or from low income households (in which women dominate) despite government claims that the burden would be shared equally. Women are the primary carers for children and the […]

Gender wage gap widens for women with children

A report published by the Institute of Fiscal Studies into the gender wage gap has found that women experience a gradual but continual rise in the gap once they have their first child. The study also found, on average, that the hourly wages of female employees are currently about 18 per cent lower than men’s. […]

safe travel

Safe travel for women Conference will be aware that there has been some discussion regarding safe travel for women in the past year, in particular there have been concerns about the removal of train guards on some journeys placing females at an increased risk of unwanted attention and in more serious cases physical and sexual […]

Proportionality

UNISON was formed in 1993 and at that time, proportionality was a radical and hotly contested inclusion within the rule book. UNISON rules state: 2.12.2 “Proportionality” is the representation of women and men in fair proportion to the relevant number of female and male members comprising the electorate. UNISON women’s membership is currently at 77% […]

Access to Immigration Advice and Representation

For Black members who are not fully settled in the UK or do not have British Citizenship, immigration is a major issue. Immigration rules come and go and change overnight (as our European migrant worker colleagues are finding out!). A change in a shortage occupation list; a new salary threshold; a new English test requirement […]

Stop and search of Black people

Conference notes that the subject of stop and search has been debated on many occasions, but nothing has changed. People of African heritage are six times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police in England and Wales under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and 29 times as […]

Recruiting and organising Black members in the fragmented workforce

It is important that Black workers and members are equipped for the challenges within the changing and evolving landscape of the UK today. Conference recognises that a high proportion of Black workers eligible to join UNISON work in the “fragmented workforce” where they experience low pay and poor working conditions. Conference believes that recruitment is […]

Immigration and the effects of the EU Referendum and the Brexit Vote

The EU Referendum on 23 June and the decision of the United Kingdom (UK) to leave the European Union sent shock waves through communities with the immigration debate becoming ever more toxic. The campaign itself resulted in unacceptable language and propaganda being used about immigration generating fear, division and a ‘them and us’ rhetoric. Since […]

Mental Health Issues Affecting Young Black People

This National Black Members’ Conference notes that Black people are far more likely to be diagnosed with a serious mental illness and in Britain are 17 times more likely than white counterparts to be diagnosed with a psychotic illness. There is a problem of inequality when it comes to mental health. With ongoing austerity, poverty, […]

Discrimination in the NHS

The NHS employs 1.4 million people, many of these staff are Black, they work as brain surgeons, researchers, nurses, CQC inspectors, care workers to name a few. The NHS that relies on Black staff to function also discriminates against Black people in terms of opportunity, recruitment, promotion, bullying, victimisation (particularly if they whistle blow) and […]