Raising Pay and Conditions for Care and Support Workers
The Unite Housing Workers Branch has organised a national meeting to discuss a multi-sector campaign, bringing together all Unite members working in care and support, and pressing for safe workplaces, fair pay, better treatment, and a social care system with public provision at its core.
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Calling All Reps and Activists!
Unite has now announced the date of the next national Housing Reps Forum. This meeting involving all branches representing members in housing associations and other housing bodies is a great opportunity for reps to meet and build campaigns across the sector.
To Make HAs Better Landlords, Make Them Better Employers!
The government has published a paper seeking views on their 'vision' for social housing, which they say should provide "safe, secure homes that help people get on with their lives." If this is truly their aim, then government needs to focus not just on measures directly aimed at
Anonymous housing worker writes in The Guardian
Each 'investment opportunity' means a life of insecurity for the tenants I help
An anonymous housing worker writes in Guardian Housing network that each 'investment opportunity' means
Benefit caps for social housing delayed
Future remains uncertain
Plans to cap housing benefits for social housing tenants in line with private sector have been deferred for a year until a review is completed. The move means a partial reprieve for the s
Bromley Unite fighting back
Bromley council staff stage fourth wave of strikes in run-up to Westminster budget day demo against council cuts and ‘race to the bottom’
Bromley council’s plans to carry out a mass privatisation of services are again being challenged
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
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
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.
New Standards for the sector
Unite's national website reports: Our campaign recognises that the competitive tendering process by which social care, social housing, and support service providers bid for contracts, is damaging standards in our sectors and is leading to an environment in which low cost offers can triumph ov
MIPIM - all that's wrong in public housing policy
In the shadow of Mipim UK, tenants are fighting the bulldozers. Can’t we accept that public–private partnerships just don’t work?
Branch member Glyn Robins has this article in todays Guardian
The “pizza club” used
Paul Kershaw Article - Defending Social Housing
Real 'social' housing
11 August 2014
This week’s Observer newspaper splashes the story of care workers in Doncaster entering their 48th day of strike action against pay cuts of up to 35% and a new lower grade for new starters, on
Pay Up Website Launched
Unite has launched an excellent informative and interactive new website as part of its Fair Pay campaign which includes a wealth of resources for representatives, members and activists across our sector.
The website includes the following features:
Public sector women bear unpaid overtime burden
The number of staff doing unpaid overtime has gone up in the public sector over the last decade, but has held steady in the private sector, according to a new analysis of official figures by the TUC. We know from branch research that housing associations have matched the public sector in that res
Housing Workers and an Increase in Tenant Suicide Threats
Almost half of housing staff have experienced resident suicide threats according to a recent report from the consultancy, 'Straight Forward'. Just 25% of workers report feeling well equipped to deal with the situation. The VIEW
Tighten Up on Safety!
Reporting near-misses and other safety concerns - as well as accidents - has become more important than ever after ch
