Britain Needs a Pay Rise

Getting money back into people’s pockets is essential to securing a strong recovery.

We also need to avoid another debt fuelled spending boom of the sort that caused the recent financial crisis – sustainable economic growth depends on fairer pay for ordinary workers and smaller bonuses for the super rich. That’s why the TUC is campaigning for action that will start to move our economy back in the right direction.

• A properly enforced minimum wage:
  While the national minimum wage safeguards from extreme low pay it’s no use if not properly enforced. We need the Government to publicly name and shame those companies who aren’t paying up. HMRC also need more resources to help them to identify more minimum wage cheats.
• Higher wages from employers who can afford to pay:
  We know that in many low paid sectors employers could afford to pay more without making job losses. That’s why we need new ways for unions and employers to work together to set higher wages, so that workers and businesses both get a fair deal.   
• Increased commitment to the living wage:
  Companies that can well afford to pay the living wage are not doing so and contractors are winning lucrative public sector contracts are continuing to pay poverty wages. We need more local authorities to make sure that their own staff, and those in their supply chains, get at least the living wage.
• A crackdown on excessive executive pay:
  Pay at the top continues to rocket, fuelling inequality and excessive financial risk taking. We need real action to get top pay under control starting with worker representation on pay committees and far more transparency about how much the super rich are being paid.

If you support our aims, join us in London on 18 October to make a noise for fairer pay and a fairer economic recovery.
Further details: http://britainneedsapayrise.org/the-campaign/

Britain Needs a Pay Rise

Local Government Strike 10 July

Our colleagues in Local Government will be taking industrial action on 10th July - please find ways of supporting them, here's why:

"We local government workers empty the bins, clean the schools, educate and care for children, look after the elderly, and vulnerable, conduct marriages and civil partnerships, care for parks, and check the safety of the food on your table. We do it all despite savage cuts to vital services. Almost half a million of our jobs have gone. Those of us left are doing far more for far less. We have worked hard to get employers to negotiate a deal, but the employers won’t even talk to us about a better offer, or join us for independent arbitration Most UNISON members are low-paid, part-time women workers, struggling to pay their household bills. Losing pay for strike action is not something they do lightly. Our members are not asking for the 14% pay increase company bosses and bankers are getting. Or the 11% MPs will see. They are just asking for a rise of at least £1 an hour. That would mean almost half a million council and school support workers currently earning below the Living Wage of £7.65 an hour could come off in-work benefits."

There will be a joint Union Rally in the Civic Centre car park from 1p.m on Thursday - please go along if you are free. Pleae support your colleagues when you hear them being condemned for taking action, remember what they do for our community and think about where money from the 'recovery' should be going. This branch has sent a message of support to our colleagues which will be read at the rally.

Flexible Working to be available for University of Southampton Employees

In line with the recent changes, employees of the University will be able to apply for flexible working. More details of the revised policy will be available in August. Unison will be able to support members who are applying for Flexible Working.

Flexible working change welcome but it’s still too easy to say no, says TUC

From today (Monday) all employees who’ve been in their jobs for more than half a year have the right to ask their employers if they can work flexibly. While welcoming the new right for helping make it easier for all employees to better balance their work and home lives (the right to ask for flexible working has until now only been available to parents and carers), the TUC is concerned that it is still too easy for employers to say no to any requests they receive. TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It’s not just parents and carers who can benefit from flexible working. This sensible and modern approach to work is something that can improve the lives of everyone. “Now, thanks to this long overdue change in the law, employees of all ages will be able to ask their boss to alter the way they work, regardless of whether they have dependents or caring responsibilities. “If they have an employer who gets why flexible working makes sense, workers who want to take time out to train, volunteer in a local community project, or simply avoid travelling at rush hour will now be able to transform their lives. “But those with old-fashioned bosses who expect all staff to stick to the same rigid hours day in day out and always be in the office won’t be so lucky. Employers will still find it all too easy to block any requests for greater flexibility. “Unfortunately the right to request is only the right to ask nicely. There is nothing to stop employers saying no. Of course not everyone in every company or organisation is able to work flexibly – some requests will always need to be turned down. But without the right to challenge employers, many workers will continue to lose out.” Press Release Issued: 30 June, 2014