NHS Pay – #OneTeam2k

Dear  Colleague

You are invited to attend a presentation ( attached ) of the historical and current challenges faced by our comrades in Palestine.

Betty Hunter from Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cardiff has kindly agreed to deliver the attached presentation with a further update on the current situation and how UNISON members can support the struggle of the Palestinian people. There will be a Q&A session after the presentation  * Please see Bettys Bio below * along with the MS teams link for the online meeting.

This will be a good opportunity for members to learn more about our Palestinian friends struggle and how we can support more effectively in branches as a union. 
Please feel free to circulate across your networks and I would be grateful if you  would consider attending and encourage others to do the same.

Please contact me if you have any further queries.

Regards

Hugh 

Mob: 07432735159      

Betty Hunter is Honorary President of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

She was an active trade unionist in the NUT during 30 years of teaching in London.

On her retirement from teaching she served as voluntary General Secretary of PSC from 2001 until 2011 

during which time the organisation grew from 350 members to 5000. Betty has visited Palestine about 12 times

working to establish good working relations with Palestinian activists, academics and others.

MS Teams link  for meeting

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZGQ5ZmNiMjMtNTVkNS00MGEyLWIzYzQtYzZmZmExZGVkZGI4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22d7c21edf-d541-49a4-9f5a-7737832d42c7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22d0f53a72-418f-4953-81df-b0cfd428b885%22%7d

Solidarity for the Palestinian People

In support of the international  day of solidarity for the Palestinian People, the International forum has arranged an online meeting with a speaker from Cardiff Palestinian Solidarity Campaign to be held on the 26th November at 6.30 pm . There will be a presentation on the historical and current position in Palestine and advice for UNISON members and branches on how we can support our comrades in Palestine with their daily struggle.

Regards

Hugh McDyer
Area Organiser  

07432735159   

CARDIFF & VALE HEALTH BRANCH  

UNISON

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

AGENDA  

2021

AGM

2021

DISCUSSION: COVID

Honoraria will be discussed for Treasurer / Assistant Treasurer / Welfare Officer

 All Unison Members welcome and all meetings will be ‘Virtual’ unless notified prior to date

All the above will be followed by a short APF meeting

Please take into account the current COVID 19 climate we are living with there is a possibility that all these meetings will take place ‘Virtually’ and further details regarding this will be sent out prior to the given meeting dates.

Our new branch app is now available for i phone and android devices. 

Scan the QR code below to download.

App created by

How one of our rep's, Angela Gorman, went on to become CEO of Life for African Mothers and earned herself an MBE in the process.

Read Angela's story here

www.lifeforafricanmothers.org

Monday 9 November 2020 

For immediate release 

Any vaccine must be delivered by the NHS and public health bodies, not private firms, says UNISON 

Commenting today (Monday) on encouraging preliminary findings for Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:  

“Although it’s still early days, this could be the news the world’s been waiting for.  

“But after the test and trace fiasco, there must be proper transparency and scrutiny this time around.  

“The government should use the next few days and weeks well to ensure that when the vaccine’s ready, its rollout is managed entirely by the NHS and public health bodies.  

“Private firms mustn’t be allowed anywhere near the programme to give the vaccine to the over 80s, health and care staff, and then the wider population.  

“The vaccine must be delivered by healthcare professionals. The thousands of ex-health workers who offered their services to the NHS as the first wave hit would be perfect to do this.   

“Encouraging, rather than forcing, care and NHS staff to have the vaccine so they can be effective advocates for wider take-up among their colleagues, family members and friends will be important too.”  

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: 

Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk 

Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk 

Monday 9 November 2020  

For immediate release  

Government must grant NHS staff a wage rise by Christmas, say health unions   

Health unions representing more than 1.3m workers across the UK have written to the Prime Minister calling for a pay rise for all NHS staff before Christmas.   

The letter to Boris Johnson from all 14 health unions warns the second virus wave is already placing hospitals under immense strain.  

It says staff are “stressed, burned out and fearful” and that asking them to carry on regardless is “increasingly unrealistic”.  

The letter adds: “Once more NHS staff will be relied upon to protect and care for us all. But health workers are exhausted, with many still recovering from the first virus peak.”  

NHS workers are not due a pay rise until April 2021, but the health unions say an early increase would help employees “feel valued, by the entire country, and the government too.”  

They state in the letter that raising pay this year could persuade staff looking to leave the NHS to change their minds. An early wage boost could also “prove attractive to thousands of much-needed potential NHS recruits”.  

The letter continues: “Bringing forward the wage rise in time for Christmas would also place the NHS in a better position to face the future.”  

The unions remind the Prime Minister in the letter that staff do their jobs because “they’re passionate about making people well again, and because they want to make a difference”.  

However, they point out that giving them a wage increase is “morally…the right decision to take”, adding: “It’s time to do more than praise their courage and dedication”.   

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton, who also chairs the NHS group of 14 unions, said: “The NHS can't run without its staff. They all deserve better from porters to nurses.   

“Their dedication during the pandemic has been humbling. But no one is superhuman and many are feeling the strain. Boris Johnson must show he has a heart with a pay rise before Christmas.   

“It will boost exhausted staff going into the second wave and help the NHS attract much-needed new recruits."  

Hannah Reed from the RCN, who is also acting secretary to the health unions’ group, said: “NHS staff have been underpaid for years and there has never been a more critical time for the government to address this. 

“Paying staff fairly will show they're valued and begin to turn the corner on the record nursing and wider vacancy levels. 

“The NHS is facing an extremely challenging few months due to the combination of Covid-19 and winter pressures. Without urgent action on pay, vacancies across the NHS will continue to increase.”  

RCM executive director of external relations Jon Skewes, who is also treasurer for the NHS group of unions, said: “Midwives, maternity support workers and all our NHS staff do an incredible job day in, day out, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.  

“And never has that been more apparent, more needed, or more valued than now. There was a compelling case for an early and significant pay rise for NHS staff before the pandemic, and their dedication, commitment and professionalism make that a cast-iron one now.  

“I call on the Prime Minister to show that he meant his fine words about the work of our NHS staff during the first wave of the pandemic and give them the pay award they rightly deserve.”  

Notes to editors:  

- Click here to read the full version of the letter to Boris Johnson. 

- The 14 NHS unions are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite. 
 

Media contacts:  

UNISON: Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk 

RCN T: 0207 647 3633 E: mediateamhq@rcn.org.uk
RCM T: 0207 312 3456 E: media@rcm.org.uk 

8 November 2020

Embargo: 00.01hrs Monday 9 November 2020

Living wage increase leaves many thousands of health and care staff behind, says UNISON

Commenting on the increase in real living wage rates – to £9.50 (and £10.85 in London) – announced today (Monday) by the Living Wage Foundation, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“While some 250,000 low-paid workers will get a wage rise today, many others on the Covid frontline will be less fortunate.

“Care staff working in homes and out in the community remain stuck on poverty pay, despite vital work supporting society’s most vulnerable throughout the pandemic.

“Today’s increase also means thousands of the lowest paid health workers employed by the NHS – cleaners, domestics, porters, security staff and drivers – no longer earn a living wage.

“Their colleagues working on outsourced NHS contracts fare even worse. Most employed by private contractors are on the minimum wage, and lowly statutory sick pay if they get the virus or need to isolate.

“It’s time the government did the right thing and gave a well-earned pay rise to all those caring for us, running essential local services and keeping us safe while the virus rages.

“That’s the best way of thanking them all for everything they do and protecting our vital public services.”

Notes to editors:
- The real living wage is an hourly rate of pay set independently and updated annually (and is different from the government’s national living minimum wage, currently £8.72 an hour for those aged over 25).
- The UK living wage for outside of London from today is £9.50 per hour. The London living wage is £10.85 per hour. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK, and employers choose to pay the living wage on a voluntary basis. 
- Living Wage Week runs from 9-15 November 2020. It is a UK-wide celebration of the almost 7,000 employers that have voluntarily committed to ensure employees and sub-contracted staff earn a real living wage.
- NHS staff employed on the bottom point of salary band two (the lowest of pay scales in the NHS) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland currently earn £9.21 an hour. The lowest hourly rate of pay in the NHS in Scotland is £9.45. Band two staff living in London will still earn more than the London living wage.
- 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
 

A massive win for Unison

"What have unions ever done for us"

click the link below

                                      ‘The best of trade union empowerment’: the story behind a big homecare legal win UNISON branch officers, lawyers and members recall a four-year battle to win pay justice                                       

Sickness absence in the NHS in Wales

Commenting on the data on sickness absence in the NHS in Wales up to 31 March 2020, Tanya Palmer, UNISON regional secretary said, 

“These figures record only up to the first week of lockdown and we’ll need to wait until later in the year for a much clearer picture of the impact of Covid on the NHS Wales.

“Looking after very sick patients during the Covid public health emergency placed an unimaginable mental and physical toll on Welsh healthcare workers and their social care colleagues. Many became ill and devastatingly, some paid with their lives helping others.

“The challenge was unprecedented in their careers. Dealing with the scale of death when patients’ families could not be present is likely to leave a lasting impact and we know many will suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is a duty on their employer and government to provide these workers with every support they need.”

On Welsh Ambulance Services sickness absence Tanya said, 

“As a frontline operational ambulance worker, your body is under daily physical stress moving patients around and this often causes musculoskeletal problems. It is also one of the most stressful jobs as you are first responder to some very grave situations. Taken together, sickness absence is understandably much greater for ambulance staff than the rest of the health service all year round.  

“It's vital, given the risk that exists on every call for ambulance staff that they are supported in making their own risk assessments and feel safe in doing so, to avoid additional stress.”

Contact the branch for details.

Resource for Staff working/ shielding at home

Wellbeing guides

Welsh nurse's heartfelt plea for more personal protective equipment so they can return to families 'unscathed' after pandemic, UNISON Swansea Bay Health branch's Libby Nolan video featured and regional secretary Tanya Palmer quoted, Wales Online.

Welsh heath and care workers have no access to PPE, Unison Cymru says, regional secretary Tanya Palmer quoted, Morning Star

Health workers feel 'actively discouraged' to protect themselves over PPE supply fears, references open letter from healthcare workers endorsed by UNISON, ITV Wales

For the latest facts about Corvid 19 check out

phw.nhs.wales

Unsocial hours payments

The Minister has agreed the reinstatement of the unsocial hours payments from day one for a temporary period and to enable the release of the ‘held’ back pay. 

REGIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE  1/2020

(This is an occasional Newsletter for Branch Secretaries in Health)

News

Sick Pay (25^th March 2020)

Update for all Regional Health Committee delegates:

Due to the current situation regarding corona virus, the Health Minister has agreed to the reinstatement of the unsocial hours payments from day one for a temporary period.  The Minister has also agreed to enable the release of any ‘held’ back pay. 

We will be working with Welsh Government to update the FAQs and to arrange for release of the payments.

Student Nurse 

England have agreed guidelines for Student Nurses which were circulated last week.  We are currently awaiting confirmation of the position in Wales.

PPE

We know that there are problems about PPE and Tanya Palmer our Regional Secretary, is daily letting the Welsh Government know our concerns.  Can you let us know if your members face further problems over the next week.

Donna Hutton, 

Acting Head of Health

• We must all abide by the lockdown rules, says UNISON

  Posted on 23 March 2020

Coronavirus Guidance and Advice from the UHB

Recruitment/Engagement Event

All Recrutment/Engagement events have been suspended for the forseeable future!

You can still join online or by asking your local rep.

Have you received the latest copy of U magazine?

If not your details may be out of date.

KEEP YOUR DETAILS UP TO DATE!

Help us help you!

It is important that you keep your personal details up to date.

Have you moved address, changed your telephone number or email address?

If you have, you need to update this information!

www.unison.org.uk 

My UNISON link

If we don’t have your correct contact details you will miss out on membership offers, announcements or information about voting ballots that may be held.

The 'Save Barry Hospital Ward' petition is live on the Welsh Government website. Please take a moment to sign and join our campaign to defend the Hospital ward."

 

https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1601