Unison Newry & Mourne Branch

02/04/2025

Can I remind members that this page is no longer active .
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18/11/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/YnjeZVr1CUiJZQov/

Hi everyone please follow the new page below 💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫this one is no longer active 💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

UNISON Northern Ireland branch for the Newry and Mourne area.

08/10/2024

📰STATEMENT FROM HSC TRADE UNIONS NORTHERN IRELAND📰

Health Trade Unions in Northern Ireland have met with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in our first engagement regarding pay for 2024/25.

We pressed for this engagement as time is ticking on and there is still no clarity or certainty about our pay uplift for AFC staff working in health and social care in NI, an uplift that was due from April 2024. We clearly set out our frustration with the continuing time lag for health pay movement. Health staff in NI continue to be almost a year behind other parts of the UK NHS.

The Minister's response left us in no doubt that there is an ongoing deficit in the funding available for our health service in NI. While he indicated a wish and preference that pay parity should be maintained, it has become exceedingly difficult for his department to offer any assurance on pay. The UK Treasury remains silent on additional funding for 2024, and we have only the words of the new Secretary of State Hilary Benn on record that there will be no new money.

Health Unions stressed to the Minister that this simply will not do. Even if the UK October budget includes additional health funding, the NI executive will be forced to spend 2025 money in 2024 thereby perpetuating the problem. The Trade Unions told the Minister that the entire NI Executive should remember their commitment in “New Decade New approach” that pay parity for health and social care staff would not be broken. We pointed to the fact that health workers are choosing to move elsewhere to work in the NHS, exacerbating our current workforce pressures. The diminishing involvement of prior consultation on a co-design, co-production basis between departmental officials and the trade unions is further compounding the growing frustration of our members.

The meeting concluded with an agreement that the collective Trade Unions would return to meet the Minister in November after the UK budget is published.

Receiving a report of the meeting UNISON NI Health Committee Joint Chairs confirmed members are profoundly frustrated. They fully expect parity to be maintained and will be determined to secure payment of the 2024 recommended uplift of 5.5%.

04/10/2024

𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙈𝙀𝙈𝘽𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙋 𝘿𝙀𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙎 𝘾𝙊𝙍𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏?
Make sure we can contact you with all our latest news and information - update your membership details online now 👇
Go to

NI Webform - Update your details.

07/08/2024

05/06/2024

⌛ THE EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR OUR POPULAR K102 COURSE IS NEARLY HERE ⌛

If you want a funded place on third-level qualification you have to apply by the 7TH OF JUNE - make sure to email K102@UNISON.CO.UK if you have any questions, or need help filling out your application! 📧

If you have any further questions or need help in completing your application, you just have to message K102@unison.co.uk?

If you're interested click THIS LINK to apply:
🔗 https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90702668/UNISON-K102-Application-copy 🔗

UNISON K102 Application - copy.

05/06/2024

Our latest Black and Migrant Worker e-bulletin is now available on our website.

05/06/2024

🟢⚪🟣 UNISON PRESS RELEASE: UNISON WILL OPPOSE CUTS IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE IMPACTING ON PATIENTS AND WORKFORCE 🟢⚪🟣

UNISON, the largest union representing workers across health and social care in Northern Ireland, notes with serious concern the statement issued by the Chairs of six Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts in relation to the budget available for services. Commenting on the statement by the Chairs, UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown said:

‘‘This is an extremely worrying intervention by the Chairs that should provide a stark warning as to the damage that inadequate funding for essential services can do.

Cuts of the kind being referred to by the Chairs are unacceptable. Bed closures, reductions in outpatient care, operating lists, domiciliary care and nursing home care packages will only serve to increase the pressures on our members and will fail to meet the needs of the public.

UNISON will oppose any cuts which adversely impact on the rights of patients and service users and which have a negative effect on our members and the wider workforce.

We will be demanding urgent discussions with the Health Minister and management across each of the Trusts on the implications of the budget before any decisions are taken.

The full assessment of the impacts of any cuts on patients, service users and staff must be shared without delay. In particular, we will require detailed information on the impacts on staff and will defend the interests of our members.

It should not be forgotten that the budgetary problems being experienced within health and social care, and indeed extending across our public services, follow from them having been underfunded compared to the level of need.

Health and social care needs sustained investment over a multi-year period, not cuts. We fail to see how services can be improved without the resources they need.

The Northern Ireland Executive must collectively deal with this serious problem as a first priority with the UK Government. Without doing so, we fear that the damage to health and social care and to wider public services will only grow worse and worse.’’

24/05/2024

Good afternoon, unison members- gentle reminder that the There for You School Uniform Grant will open next Wednesday 29th May in the morning for 750 applications and then again in the afternoon for 750 applications. We have also published this information on the UNISON NI website.

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility need email: sug@unison.co.uk or call Unison direct on 0800 0 857 857.

20/05/2024

🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑WIN FOR UNISON MEMBERS IN HEALTH ❗

UNISON - leading the negotiations on pay for 2023 - managed, with the support of all the health unions around that table, to secure an improved mileage rate offer for healthcare staff who use their cars for their work in the Trusts. We know this will make a huge difference for many health workers for whom travel is an essential part of their role.

The new arrangement:

🟢 The initial rate has been raised to 58p per mile
⚪ The secondary rate stands at 30p per mile
🟣 And we’ve raised the secondary rate threshold to 4,500 miles🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑

15/05/2024

Important information 🛑🛑🛑🛑

School Uniform Grant
The School Uniform Grant will open on the 29 May for 750 applications at 8:30am and again for another 750 applications at 5pm. Full criteria on UNISON website.