NHS staff are being urged to write to new cabinet minister for health and care Mabon ap Gwynfor calling on him to prioritise pay, says UNISON today (Wednesday). The letter highlights growing anger among nurses, healthcare assistants, porters and other NHS workers over a 3.3% pay award that fails to keep pace with rising living costs. Staff say years of […]
Press release
Commenting on the nomination of Rhun ap Iorwerth as first minister of Wales, UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner said today (Tuesday): “Plaid Cymru made manifesto commitments that align closely with priorities public service workers have been raising for years. Those promises must now become action that’s properly funded. “UNISON expects Rhun ap Iorwerth to follow […]
Staff delivering vital public services across Wales are being urged to use their vote to defend the NHS, councils and care services in the Senedd election, and to reject parties that threaten their future, says UNISON today (Wednesday). The union says the outcome of the election will be crucial for the future of services people […]
Welsh voters are being urged to look at the track record of Reform UK Wales leader Dan Thomas before trusting him with public services, after a new UNISON report exposed the consequences of his nearly two decades in senior roles at Barnet Council, says UNISON Cymru today (Wednesday). The report, Barnet’s outsourcing nightmare: Dan Thomas’ […]
Commenting on the launch of the Welsh Labour manifesto for the Senedd elections, UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner said today (Monday): “Commitments to a school support staff negotiating body with year-round pay, a legally enforceable fair pay agreement in social care, and equal treatment for migrant care workers are all steps forward. “These changes would […]
Responding to the Welsh government ending the use of level one teaching assistant roles, UNISON Cymru head of schools Rosie Lewis said today (Wednesday): “This is fantastic news for teaching assistants across Wales. For too long, level one roles have been used to keep down the pay of staff who do skilled and demanding work. “Too […]
Cardiff Council is set to become the first local authority in Wales to sign a charter aimed at stopping the exploitation of migrant care workers and improving standards in adult social care, says UNISON today (Tuesday). The migrant care workers charter commits the council to stronger checks on care providers, fair pay and action when […]
Commenting on TUC Cymru’s survey showing strong public backing for publicly delivered social care, UNISON Cymru head of social care Mark Turner said today (Thursday): “Care workers across Wales are often stretched to breaking point as they give daily support to older and disabled people. Their families see the strain too, with services struggling to provide […]
Thousands of school support staff in Wales are being pushed into poverty even though they’re working because the current system for setting pay is failing them, says UNISON Cymru today (Tuesday). A major new Labour Research Department report commissioned by the union shows staff are routinely employed on the wrong grade, regularly work above their […]
A family liaison officer from Torfaen has today (Friday) been named the Cymru winner of UNISON’s Stars in Our Schools award, the union says. Tina Goodland, who works at Nant Celyn Primary School, was selected from nominations across Wales for the annual award that recognises the dedication of school support staff who help children learn […]
Commenting on today’s UK budget, UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner said today (Wednesday): “Scrapping the two-child benefit cap is a hugely significant step and will be warmly welcomed across Wales. UNISON has long campaigned for its abolition because of the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in Welsh communities. “Removing the cap will help families most […]
Healthcare support workers in Wales are to receive a wage rise and thousands of pounds in back pay after NHS Wales conceded they had been underpaid for years, says UNISON Cymru today (Wednesday). More than 6,000 staff, currently employed on the lowest band* of the NHS Agenda for Change salary scale, will be moved up […]
The decision to pause the proposed closure of Cefndy Healthcare provides a vital opportunity for staff, unions and the community to demonstrate that the service has a viable and sustainable future, says UNISON Cymru today (Tuesday). The six-month extension gives workers time to present detailed evidence to the council, including proposals that would protect jobs, […]
Commenting on the announcement that police and crime commissioner roles are to be abolished across Wales by 2028, UNISON Cymru lead officer for police Hugh McDyer said today (Friday): “Staff working in the offices of police and crime commissioners across Wales are shocked. Many only learned of these major changes second-hand rather than being told […]
Restructuring proposals at Cardiff University affecting more than 1,000 professional services staff are causing huge anxiety about job downgrades and pressure to leave, says UNISON Cymru today (Friday). The union says the scale and timing of the changes are causing significant concern and uncertainty for workers who have already faced months of upheaval as staff have […]