Thursday is No Sanctions day

Unite holds day of action calling for end to ‘grotesque cruelty’ of benefit sanctions

On Thursday 19th March Unite will demonstrate outside the Department for Work and Pensions in London as part of a national day of action opposing benefit sanctions

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Pensions: Freedom and Choice………………and Danger

Access to pensions after April 2015

From 6th April 2015 the tax rules governing how you can access DC (defined contribution) pension savings are changing to give much more flexibility.

While the flexibility to do what you

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Unite Protest at Family Mosaic Staff Evictions

The First Steps Homes Show on the 14th March was described as "an opportunity to meet the experts and providers of low-cost home ownership schemes in one place". As visitors queued on a cold, grey morning amid heavy security, they were met by Unite Housing Workers Branch

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Race to the bottom scandals in the news

Race to the bottom: MiHomecare exposed as paying less than the minimum wage and Your Care Barnet rated ‘inadequate’.

Care provider MiHomecare is in the news today as paying less than the minimum wage. Corporate Watch have obtained a revealing internal report

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Police Spying : Public Inquiry Announced

Important news of a public inquirey into undercover policing.

Public inquirey into 'undercover policing' - "must be truly transparent, robust and independent." Should cover police role in blacklisting too.

Statement from COPS

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Legal Aid Cuts a 'False Economy'

Legal aid cuts are a ‘false economy’ denying justice to 620,000 people

More than 620,000 people, 80% of whom are the most disadvantaged in society, have been denied access to justice because of the coalition’s so-called ‘reforms&

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No Vote No Voice campaign

Unite has launched a campaign - #novotenovoice - to get one million people registered to vote in the Mat 7th election.  A red bus is criss crossong the country to highlight the issue.

New registration arrangements are meaning people are dropping off registers; grou

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Sanctury to consider leaving SHPS pension scheme

Sactuary Housing, the UK's largest landlord are considering leaving SHPS - the Social Housing Pension Scheme according to a report in today's Inside Housing, see here

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In-Work Benefits Under Threat

Universal Credit has been a shambles logistically with no one knowing when different stages and aspects of implementation will happen; even when dates are announced for roll-out it has been partly a reputational exercise for Ian Duncan Smith and less to do with reality. As part of the Unite Commu

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One Housing Group Member Meetings

A regular member meeting slot has now been set up for One Housing Group members for the first Tuesday of every month. This gives members the opportunity to talk to the branch committee about the many issues we have heard about, and to agree the collective response. Please come along to the next m

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Family Mosaic - Members Unite for Better Working Condtions

Our members at Family Mosaic have alerted us to a number of workplace issues which need to be discussed so that we can decide how to collectively improve working conditions. If you are a Unite member at Family Mosaic, or are not a member but considering joining, please do come along to

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Our manifesto for housing

We work in housing and homelessness organisations so we see the impact of the housing crisis in our working lives.  We have to find places to live ourselves so we are also hit directly by the crisis ourselves.  Click on the download button below to see the short ‘manifesto’

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Unite joins week of action to save council housing

Save council housing from London's mayor

Unite, is backing a week of action across the capital designed to stop the further destruction of London's council housing stock.

With housing now the third most important issue for voters in London, yet housi

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Britain needs a pay rise - so we need strong unions!

Strong trade unions not empty rhetoric the way to give Britain a pay rise, says McCluskey

Strong trade unions, not empty attempts to curry favour, is the way to giv

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Social housing pension scheme - defend it!

There are plans to change the biggest pension scheme in our sector in ways which would reduce benefits to our members. It is important that Unite reps raise this issue with management and consult Unite members in any workplace with members of SHPS - the Social Houisng Pension Scheme. 

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New survey highlights housing staff discontent over pay

Nearly 60% of housing workers are dissatisfied with their pay according to a survey conducted by Inside Housing and Hays Social Housing – a consultancy used by many employers in the sector.

Only around 10% of employers said they had awarded better than cost of liv

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Block the Budget: End the Housing Crisis

Mayor Boris Johnson is the most powerful politician in London when it comes to decisions about housing, with control over a £1.8bn budget for delivering new homes and hundreds of hectares of public land. His budget goes to the vote on 23 February and if passed, will mean more sky-high

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Time to Stop the Oligarch Cranes

By London & Eastern Regional Committee Chair, Jim Kelly

On Saturday 31 January, on a cold wet windy winter day, another protest march against the madness of London’s housing market took place, building on the protests against the International Housing Fai

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Services for Members - Personal Injury Claims

Unite recommends that you pursue any personal injury claim you may have through the Union's solicitors. This is the only way you will be guaranteed to keep 100% of your compensation

An injury or illness can have a devastating impact, many years after they occur.&nbs

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Long hours damage health - new research

New research underlines the health risks of working long hours.  An international study released last week has identified that those who work more than 48 hours a week are 11% more likely to drink alcohol at risk levels than those working a standard week – see VIEW

Action to stop sanctions against claimants

Unite will kick start a nationwide campaign on Wednesday 4 February against benefit sanctions which are pushing people into poverty and punishing debt.

The campaign, to stop benefit sanctions, will be launched on the same day that the House of Commons work and pensions committee qu

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March for Homes - A Great Start to Fighting the Housing Crisis!

The Unite Housing Workers Branch was proud to play a part in organising the March for Homes which marched to City Hall demanding rent controls, more council housing, an end to the demolition of quality council homes, the provision of affordable and secure homes for all, c

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Bromley: Stop attacks on Unite

Bromley council attacks Unite

Bromley: Stop attacking union members rights

Just as unions warn that Bromley Council is set to unveil plans for some of the biggest cuts in its history, the Tory Council has announced plans to immediately cease trade union 'f

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Threat to decent pensions in housing

In recent years there has been a trend for pension benefits to be reduced in the social housing sector.  As the Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS), the largest scheme in the sector prepares to announce its latest deficit, Inside Housing reports that this will increase the likelihood of emp

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Branch secretary Suz Muna seeks nominations in Unite election

Our branch secreatary Suzanne Muna is seeking nominations for a vacant seat on Unites executive as we reported here

Click on 'download' to see a leaflet produced by supporters.

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Charities Gagged Over Poverty in Britain

Campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) has highlighted a new report which shows that charities are being gagged by public sector funders who wish to prevent them from speaking out publicly against poverty and the effects of austerity cuts in Britain.

DPAC sa

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NHS workers deserve a pay rise

Unite members in the health service will be taking part in further strike action.  Unite LE1111 housing workers branch secretary Suzanne Muna commented: “My full support goes out to NHS workers due to strike on the 29th of January. See the unite link and do all you can to support the a

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Unite launches asbestos awareness campaign

The risk from asbestos is a serious concern for anyone working in housing and contruction. Unite is launching an asbestos awareness campaign to highlught the risks from this silent killer.  There is an informative an informative online campaign pack to arm Unite reps and members.

&

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Fighting and winning pay claims

Unite housing workers branch secretary Suzanne Muna has written an important article on fighting and winning pay claims drawing on our experience in the branch.  She points out that many battles in the branch have been about management attempts to cut the pay of front line workers.  Mea

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Get ready for 'Work Your Proper Hours Day': Friday 27 February

Work Your Proper Hours Day (27 Feb 2015) is the day when the average person who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year, and starts earning for themselves. We think that's a day worth celebrating.

Our survey of Unite housing branch members

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Unite - fighting the housing crisis

Our union’s policies on housing look very different from any of the big parties. There is work to be done.

Unite decides policy through a democratic conference; branches like ours submit resolutions and elected delegates vote on them.  The policies cover work

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London backs bus strike

Research shows overwheming public support in London for the drivers case.

Our branch has sent its solidarity to fellow Unite members on London busses striking on Tuesday 13 January.  They are fighting against low pay and for sector wide negotiation – both thi

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Stop Housing Association Privatisation

“Housing associations will be set free to roam as private companies. There is no doubt in my mind about this.... This is a juicy steak one millimetre away from a slavering dog’s mouth.  I am of course putting aside the morality.  But money is talking.  And the politicia

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Branch Secretary in Unite EC Election Race!

Following the resignation of Lizanne Malone, there is a vacancy on the Executive Council for the London & Eastern territorial seat. Our Branch Secretary, Suzanne Muna, has agreed to seek nominations to become a candidate.

Suzanne said:

&qu

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Support Striking Bus Workers!

Unite has announced that up to 27,000 bus workers will be taking part in a London wide bus strike on Tuesday 13 January. The 24 hour stoppage follows the continued refusal by London’s 18 bus operators to enter into talks about a single London wide agreement covering bus workers’

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Unite Wins Recognition at Look Ahead

Unite members at Look Ahead, led by representative Dom Rollin, have won recognition for Unite at Look Ahead's four Hackney projects. This is a significant victory and was conceded by management following the threat of industrial action. As reported previously, the seven-day strike threat also

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Shelter: Strike suspended

Strikes this week have been suspended following new proposals negotiated today. Members to vote on this. Strikes from 12th January still on pending members vote.

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Housing Associations to become more profitable again next year

English housing associations are set to continue their path of increasing profitability according to Moody’s – the credit rating agency in a report issued this week.

The sector has repeatedly booked record surpluses in recent years, and Moody’s expect

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New TUC guides on the new maternity and paternity rules

Figuring out how to share maternity leave and pay has been made easier with the publication of two new booklets from the TUC. Well worth any Unite rep reading.

The booklets – Leave and Pay for Mothers and Leave and Pay for Fathers and Partner