award for bristol apprentice

Young member award for Bristol apprentice

A campaign for fair wages and affordable homes won UNISON’s Young Member Award for Bristol Apprentice Kath Pittman. Kath produced an advice pamphlet, Support with Housing and Pay. UNISON SW Young Members are campaigning for a real living wage and affordable homes. With house prices in Bristol rising faster than anywhere else in the UK […]

Report shows Bristol council must change, but cuts are root problem

Commenting on the publication of Steve Bundred’s report in Bristol city council’s financial mismanagement, UNISON Bristol branch secretary Steve Crawshaw said: “Any report should be welcomed that aids delivering the high quality public services that Bristolians deserve. UNISON called for an investigation on these lines in August 2016‎. “The Mayor is right to take a hard look at poor […]

Focus on care not cost for Somerset’s learning disability service

  Staff and service users of Somerset’s learning disability service have reacted with dismay to the Tory council’s decision to hand it over to a national company with plans to cut jobs and quality. Dimensions, the company who ended up as the only bidder in the county council’s contracting process, is proposing to make staff […]

Why we have to save Somerset’s Learning Disabilities service

In April, Learning Disabilities services in Somerset are set to be handed over from Somerset County Council (SCC) to a new Somerset Social Enterprise. UNISON is concerned that this is a money-saving exercise which will shift the focus away from care and onto cost. Martyn Krajniewski is a Support Leader at Colliers Court, Frome and […]

Government starving Bristol of services it needs to thrive

Commenting on the £64m cuts proposals published today by Bristol city council, UNISON South West regional secretary Joanne Kaye said: “There is no escaping the impact these proposals will have on public services in the city. Despite efforts to take the edge off, that means fewer residents receiving the support, care and amenities that we need our council to […]

Save Swindon libraries protesters

Swindon library closures show consequences of squeezed council funds

Commenting on plans finalised today to shut ten of Swindon’s fifteen libraries and reduce the opening hours of the remaining buildings, UNISON South West regional secretary Joanne Kaye said: “With only five libraries left, Swindon will lose the expertise and experience of staff, and the service will be harder to access for older people or […]

New offer from UNISON to solve Tricuro dispute

UNISON is calling on care company Tricuro to make a joint approach with GMB and Unite unions asking the three shareholder councils for more resources, in a fresh bid to end the dispute. With new government rules allowing a 3% rise in the social care precept and the councils now also each getting a share […]

Dorset’s STP lets the government off the hook

A plan to let the government off the hook, not to fix our NHS Commenting on the Dorset sustainability and transformation plans, UNISON South West head of health Helen Eccles said: “Yet another set of NHS plans have been published that put health services at risk through over-promising and under-funding.” “The NHS undoubtedly needs to […]

Where is the money for Cornwall’s NHS?

Bold plans, but where is the money? UNISON statement on Cornwall STP Commenting on Sustainability and Transformation Plans released by Cornwall health employers today, UNISON South West head of health Helen Eccles said: “There is a real urgency to deal with the problems facing our NHS; on current forecasts the deficit in Cornwall will to rise to […]

Support staff celebrating at St Luke's school

Dorset stars in our schools celebrated

Three Dorset schools have won prizes in the annual “stars in our schools” awards to celebrate the achievements of their support staff. Support staff in schools across the county created pieces of art to represent the contribution they and their colleagues made to students’ education. Officers from their trade union, UNISON, then delivered hampers of […]

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

Commenting on the complete absence of help in the Autumn Statement for social care or the NHS, UNISON South West regional secretary Joanne Kaye said: “Hopes were raised the Chancellor would find extra cash for social care, and ease the burden on the NHS and local councils struggling to keep a lid on the growing […]

Use £235m of extra business rates to ease South West social care crisis

Use £235m of extra business rates to ease South West social care crisis, UNISON tells Chancellor The government could ease the social care crisis by handing back to councils in the South West millions in surplus cash raised from business rates, according to new figures published today (Wednesday) by UNISON. If local authorities in the […]

Virgincare must prove commitment to public services

Work with us and prove your commitment to public services, UNISON urges Virgin Care Commenting on Bath and North East Somerset Council’s vote to award Virgin Care the community health contract previously held by Sirona, UNISON regional organiser John Drake said: “It’s time to move forward together to build a stronger health service for local people. We’ve […]

Somerset NHS plans must be more than emergency surgery

NHS plans must have time and money to be more than emergency surgery, says UNISON Commenting on Sustainability and Transformation Plans released by Somerset health employers today, UNISON South West head of health Helen Eccles said: “There is a real urgency to deal with the problems facing our NHS; on current forecasts the deficit in […]

Dorset care employees threatened with £2600 pay cut

Care employees threatened with £2600 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 £2600 a year. Tricuro was set up just over a year […]