It’s cold outside, we are here if you need help

Brrrrr! ❄️ It's absolutely freezing, and snow's forecast in some areas.

If you're a UNISON member living on a low income, apply now for a £60 grant to help with your winter fuel bills Click here for more info

Update on the Equal Pay Deal in Glasgow

UNISON Scotland is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement in principle to a package of payments to resolve the historic claims of equal pay with Glasgow City Council. General secretary Dave Prentis said: "Women working for Glasgow City Council are a step closer to equal pay. Some have been owed substantial amounts for more than a decade. Having been to court and out on strike, it looks like the end is now in sight." While the agreement finalises the principles and structure of any payout to thousands of women across Glasgow, it is part of an ongoing negotiation and it will still be many months before individual cases are settled.

Read more about the dispute and the progress made

The NHS Long Term Plan: progress and a way forward

NHS England has published the new NHS Long Term Plan, setting out a vision for the future of the NHS in England – including healthcare provision and outcomes to be achieved.

As advertised, the plan includes, for the first time, new commitments to prevention and mental health, and is also the first plan that goes well beyond the current political terms indicating a shift towards more strategic, visionary and investment-based thinking.

Understanding the future of mental health care as defined by the Plan requires understanding how the changes in the healthcare system will more generally impact on mental health.

And there are three important reasons to be optimistic, to find out more click here

Get involved it's AGM time

Join 1.3 million other people in the UK and get involved with one of the UK's biggest unions.



There's many ways to get involved, why would you like to get involved with

Get involved | UNISON National

Mind, the mental health charity there for you with help for mental health problems

Click here to vist Mind, the mental health charity

Join today it's a smilple scan of your phone

Join UNISON online right now: simply scan the code with your smartphone and fill out the form or go to https://join.unison.org.uk/ or call for free 0800 171 2193

Get help with winter fuel bills

UNISON members living on a low income constantly struggle to make ends meet – and this can be particularly acute in the winter when the cost of heating homes rises as the outside temperature falls.

But it’s not all bad news – help IS available. The union’s welfare charity There for You has once more set up a limited fund to help members on low incomes towards the cost of their winter fuel bill through a one-off payment of £60.

The process is very similar to previous years and an amount of money has been ring-fenced to support this initiative. However, once it’s gone it’s gone! 

So don’t miss out. Apply early and send your form and supporting paperwork in as soon as possible. All the information you need can be found below. Alternatively, contact UNISON Direct on 0800 0857 857 for a form to be sent to you. 

Just one more thing: please don’t keep details of this grant a secret. Help us to help even more members and let your work colleagues know that help is at hand. There will be many, like you, worrying about how they will cope this winter. 

Completed applications need to be sent to There for You, (WFG) UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London, NW1 2AY by Friday 15 February 2019 at the latest.

Winter Fuel Grant application form

Winter Fuel Grant Q&A

UNISON in numbers

• UNISON has more than 1.3 million members and activists, making us one of Europe’s largest unions
• More than 70% of our members are women.
• UNISON is spread over 12 UK regions.
• There are more than 1,000 UNISON branches around the UK

UNISON branch committee roles J/D’s

Stewards and officers are elected by the workforce to play different branch roles. We must elect certain core officers to manage the branch. 

Officers are elected and ratified at the AGM. If you would like more info on roles of the officers please click here.

Annual General Meeting

Thursday 21 February 2019

2:30 pm

The Main Hall

 Oxford Town Hall

Followed by Refreshments

At the AGM, branch members do the following:

• Ratify the election of Branch Officers
• Ratify the election of stewards
• Elect delegates to UNISON’s National and Local Government conferences
• Vote on motions

Please let your line manager know as soon as possible if you wish to attend the AGM.  You are entitled to paid time off to attend the AGM (up to one hour) and reasonable time off for travel to and from the meeting.

If you would like to stand as a steward for your area, or would like more information, please e-mail office@oxfordcityunison.com

Our objectives | How we work | UNISON National

Our objectives | How we work | UNISON National: UNISON’s main priority for 2016 will be to respond to the threats posed by the Trade Union Bill/Act.

UNISON Christmas prize draw results

First Prize of £100 voucher for John Lewis and partners, donated by Direct services Simon Howick

• Nadia Robinson Principal planner

All below win £25

• Kieron Keeble Housing

• Kinsi Sharif CSO

• Melanie Armstrong Housing Services 

• Thomas Young Refuse Loader 

• Alex Christopher Revenues Officer

• Stephen Smith Streetscene Operative / Driver 

• Jo-Ann Franklin Service Support Assistant

• Michele Beckley Customer Service Officer

• Richard Wood Welfare Reform Team Leader

• David Trinder Building Contracts Team Leader

• Mairi James Refuse & Recycling Driver / Loader

• Linda Jones Housing & Property Co-ordinator

• Vickie Sheridan  Tenancy Management

• Roger Buckingham Multi Skilled Support Worker

• Ophelia Yin Heritage Retail Assistant

• Stuart Fenwick Customer Contact Team Manager

• Stephen Boreham Revenues Officer

• Sharon Fowler Customer Services Application Officer

• Denise Pinnell Assessment Officer

• Alice Simmons Customer Services Application Officer

Please email office@oxfordcityunison.com to arrange collection of your prize or pop into the UNISON office located in the Town Hall or call 01865 253892