Responding to the government’s announcement of a £600m package for social care, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards said: “A cash injection might offer temporary relief to the woefully underfunded and broken care sector, but it does nothing to address its huge problems.  

“Without a long-term plan to solve care’s staffing crisis, the sector will remain many thousands of employees short. 

“The government must work with councils, unions and care employers to establish the national standards and funding arrangements that are desperately needed.

“Only a national care service, that’s fully integrated with the NHS and properly resourced, will be able to focus on ensuring people receive the care they need.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

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

Commenting on the small decrease in the number of vacancies in social care in England, reported by Skills for Care today (Wednesday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“The need for a new national care service grows more pressing with each passing day.

“Until care jobs pay decent wages and offer worthwhile careers, the sector is always going to struggle to attract and keep enough staff to meet growing demand and take the pressure off the NHS.

“Vacancy rates are down slightly because care firms have been on a recruitment drive overseas. But migrant workers are now propping up the broken care system.

“Many overseas care workers have paid extortionate fees to come to the UK. When they get here, many can’t believe what they’ve signed up for.

“Sold an expensive dream, the sad reality for many is a nightmare of terrible treatment, scant training, excessive hours and low pay. The government must hold care providers to account and put a stop to this ill-treatment.

“Ministers must stop with the excuses, get a grip and start clearing up the mess they’ve let care become.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON has written to care minister Helen Whately asking for an urgent meeting to discuss the treatment of migrant workers by care companies.
– The government added ‘care workers’ and ‘home carers’ to the shortage occupation list for skilled workers in February 2022. This has enabled care providers to recruit directly from abroad to these roles. Nurses from overseas can also access visas to work in social care.
– The latest Skills for Care annual report estimates that there are now 152,000 care worker vacancies in England. The figure was previously 165,000. Skills for Care says England will need its social care workforce to grow by roughly 445,000, to around 2.23 million by 2035, if the number of people aged 65 and over grows as expected. Its annual report says around 70,000 people were recruited from abroad in the last year.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

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

UNISON is balloting members for strike action in targeted universities in England over the 2023/24 pay offer. The offer is worth between 5-8% depending on spinal column point.

This year UNISON has been using a new system, Movement, to increase engagement and turnout in ballots. It allows regions, branches and activists to use phone banking, peer to peer texting and to log feedback from members by email and from in-person conversations.

From these interactions, Movement records whether a member has voted, but not which way they have voted. For example, in the HE autumn term strike ballot Movement has logged that over 1,730 members have told the union they have voted so far.

However, there is still time to increase this number. Eligible members have been sent their ballot paper in a bright green envelope to their home address. They have until 10am on 31 July to return their ballot paper by post. But it is important to send ballots back soon, to ensure they arrive in good time.

UNISON’s head of higher education Ruth Smith said: “We are now entering the critical final phase of this ballot.

“The institutions being balloted were carefully selected by the HE service group executive as the figures indicate they have a good chance of meeting the 50% turnout threshold required for strike action.

“But to meet those thresholds, now is the time for that final push to get over the line. It is vital that, by demonstrating our strength in all 28 institutions, we show the employer that UNISON is a force to be reckoned with in higher education. That is how we win a better deal for our members.”

For further information about this ballot and to check which universities are included, please visit unison.org.uk/RisingForBetterPay

Visit the organising space to access online resources to support our activists and organising communities.

If you haven’t received your ballot paper, contact the helpline on: 0800 0 857 857 (the helpline closes at 12 noon, 25 July).

UNISON has played a key role in the development of a new British standard on menstruation and menopause in the workplace, published today. 

This new standard draws on UNISON’s guidance on menopause, designed to assist branches in ensuring that workplaces consider how menopausal symptoms can impact on women, trans and non-binary people.

UNISON national women’s officer Bukky Akinwale said: “The majority of our members are women who will experience the menopause. For many, it will be a natural occurrence, but for many others it can affect them profoundly, leading to emotional and health changes that can impact on their work and relationship with colleagues.”

She continued: “Women make up more than 70% of UNISON’s 1.3 million members and activists. They are 48% of the UK workforce. These women will inevitably experience menopause at some point in their lives, and not necessarily in their late forties or early fifties.

“That makes the menopause a workplace issue and therefore a trade union issue, so it’s important to be able to speak openly about menopause at work.”

Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The average age of menopause in the UK is 51.

The new standard recognises that menopausal symptoms “can coincide with significant mid-life challenges and responsibilities”, with research showing that stress and menopausal symptoms are “inextricably linked”. 

Use UNISON’s quiz to see how supportive your workplace is when it comes to the menopause.

Commenting on the small decrease in the number of vacancies in social care in England, reported by Skills for Care today (Wednesday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“The need for a new national care service grows more pressing with each passing day.

“Until care jobs pay decent wages and offer worthwhile careers, the sector is always going to struggle to attract and keep enough staff to meet growing demand and take the pressure off the NHS.

“Vacancy rates are down slightly because care firms have been on a recruitment drive overseas. But migrant workers are now propping up the broken care system.

“Many overseas care workers have paid extortionate fees to come to the UK. When they get here, many can’t believe what they’ve signed up for.

“Sold an expensive dream, the sad reality for many is a nightmare of terrible treatment, scant training, excessive hours and low pay. The government must hold care providers to account and put a stop to this ill-treatment.

“Ministers must stop with the excuses, get a grip and start clearing up the mess they’ve let care become.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON has written to care minister Helen Whately asking for an urgent meeting to discuss the treatment of migrant workers by care companies.
– The government added ‘care workers’ and ‘home carers’ to the shortage occupation list for skilled workers in February 2022. This has enabled care providers to recruit directly from abroad to these roles. Nurses from overseas can also access visas to work in social care.
– The latest Skills for Care annual report estimates that there are now 152,000 care worker vacancies in England. The figure was previously 165,000. Skills for Care says England will need its social care workforce to grow by roughly 445,000, to around 2.23 million by 2035, if the number of people aged 65 and over grows as expected. Its annual report says around 70,000 people were recruited from abroad in the last year.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

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

Millions of pounds of compensation promised by ministers to relatives of frontline health and social care workers who died during the pandemic may still remain unclaimed, says UNISON today (Friday).

Fewer than 800 families across England have received a £60,000 pay out each from the government’s life assurance scheme*.

Official figures show more than 2,000 deaths involving Covid occurred among health and care staff, including porters, nurses and care home employees**. Although the payments are available solely for people whose deaths were “wholly or mainly” caused by Covid, UNISON says there could still be many who fit the criteria, but whose families have yet to apply.

The 31 March deadline for applications to the scheme is just a week away and the union says grieving next of kin could be left without the money to which they are entitled, unless they apply right away.

The fund was set up in April 2020 by then health secretary Matt Hancock for relatives of workers who became infected in the line of duty, either within the NHS or in social care. The death must have occurred before March 2022 to be eligible for compensation.

Figures from the NHS Business Services Authority show that 827 claims have been made up to this month. Of these, 512 were submitted by the families of NHS staff and 294 by relatives of care workers.

Just 760 have been accepted, with 732 already receiving payment. However, 54 cases did not meet the eligibility criteria and 13 are still under consideration.

Employers including NHS trusts and social care providers were asked by the government to contact next of kin when a death occurred. The government also advised them to explain the scheme to relatives and oversee the completion of claims.

UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said: “Health and social care workers paid the heaviest price for simply doing their jobs during the pandemic.

“Their families deserve the financial help available, but it may be that many are still to apply. It’s vital they come forward to claim the compensation to which they’re entitled.

“Ministers could have done much more to alert families to the existence of the fund and invite them to apply.

“Some households may be facing financial hardship because death has meant a drop in income on top of the loss of a loved one. No one should miss out, particularly when so many people are struggling to make ends meet.”

Note to editors:
–*Figures are correct as of 8 March. They are from the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Schemes covering England. For a claim that is accepted, the schemes make a payment of £60,000 to the estate of eligible individuals who have died from Covid contracted during their frontline essential work.
–**Provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 2,009 deaths involving Covid were registered in England between 9 March 2020 and 28 February 2022. These relate to people aged 20 to 64 years.
– Anyone who thinks they might be eligible to make a claim to the NHS Coronavirus Life Assurance (England) Scheme should visit Coronavirus Life Assurance 2020 | NHSBSA.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The holy Muslim month of Ramadan is due to begin on Wednesday 22 March, with the first fast from sunrise to sunset on Thursday 23 March.

Eid-al-Fitr, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, is expected to fall on Saturday 22 April. 

During this important holy period for Muslims, UNISON reminds both workers and employers that it is within the Equality Act 2010 for all employers to ensure flexible working and provide reasonable adjustments for workers wishing to observe Ramadan, which includes fasting, prayers, charity and reflecting on the Quran.

During Ramadan, Muslims spend a period of 30 days abstaining from food and drink, including water, during daylight hours, as a means of celebrating and reflecting on their faith.

Iftar, the meal that breaks the fast when the sun has set, is often shared with family and the local community. Traditionally, the fast is broken with a date (pictured above).

Workplace advice: flexible working

Tell MAMA have produced useful employers’ guidance on how Muslims can be supported at work during Ramadan.

Advice includes:

• consider the energy levels of staff, especially where work is physically demanding, and where possible, scheduling meetings earlier in the day and avoiding evening meetings or work events
• avoid scheduling lunchtime events
• be fair and considerate in the distribution of additional rest breaks
• as the month of Ramadan is aligned with the lunar calendar, Eid-al-Fitr has no fixed date. Employers are encouraged to be flexible with their annual leave requests from Muslim workers around this time.

Guidance from ACAS and the EHRC provides employers with a range of best practices during the holy month, for example, by allowing Muslim staff longer on Fridays for Jummah prayers, by arriving or starting their working day earlier.

A 2021 survey of British Muslims on support from employers during Ramadan found that the most supportive adjustment (desired by 69% of recipients) was flexible shift patterns, followed by team members understanding what Ramadan means to them (60%), and annual leave for the final days of Ramadan (58%).

Wishing all UNISON members Ramadan Mubarak, UNISON national officer for racial equality Margaret Greer said: “Ramadan is a time of self-reflection, giving and togetherness. For our Muslim members, this is an important time of the year to give thanks for the blessings and express gratitude in one’s life.

“It is important that UNISON Muslim members feel supported in the workplace and employers ensure and understand their needs at this spiritual and cherished time.”