Help at work

How to Get Help

UNISON can help you in many ways, both at work and at home. If you are not sure who you should contact for help, or where to find the information that you need, this section will help you find it.

Help from your branch

Your workplace representative, or rep, can help you with a variety of issues at work and offer additional sources of advice and support in the first instance member should Email office@oxfordcityunison.com

UNISONdirect

UNISONdirect is our dedicated call centre for member queries. Call 0800 0 857 857 between 6am-midnight Monday-Friday and 9am-4pm Saturdays.

The freephone textphone number is 0800 0967 968.

Dealing with workplace issues

Members who have a workplace issue including advice or representation for a disciplinary hearing, grievance proceedings or a matter of employment law should first contact a local UNISON steward. All members seeking advice need to fill in a case form and send to their branch.

Personal Injury Surgeries

Whatever life throws at you, we'll help to protect you.

UNISON legal service provides free legal advice from Thompsons - solicitors who are experts in the field of personal injury law.

The legal surgery covers any injury claim, in work and out of work. Whatever the accident or disease, ranging from road traffic accidents, slips, trips, and falls, industrial deafness, asbestos-related conditions, vibration white finger and repetitive strain injury, it is all covered.

For upcoming dates and information on booking, please see the South East Region website Events page.

UNISON Welfare - There For You

There for You is UNISON’s Welfare charity which provides a unique and confidential service to our members. This service includes financial assistance, wellbeing breaks and general advice. There for you also runs a Debtline, providing free, impartial and confidential debt advice over the phone as well as an online version called Debt Clinic.

There For You website

Osteopathy and Massage service

Discounted Osteopathy and Massage Service

Appointments for 2017 available to book now.

22 November Clerks
21 August Clerks Room
14 September   Judges Room
16 October  Clerks Room 18 December  Clerks Room

To book an appointment, ring Alison Lindenbaum from Oxspines Osteopathy 07894151654 or email alison@oxspines.com.

Read on for further information.

 •  Do you experience back pain at any time?

 •  Would you like to help alleviate stress?

 •  Can you spare just 30 mins?

If the answer is YES to any of the above then you might like to consider the benefits of an on-site osteopathy and massage service!

Oxford City Council have secured the services of Alison Lindenbaum from Oxspines Osteopathy who can treat a number of common ailments, symptoms and conditions, such as:

 •  Neck pain          

•   Headaches

 •  Shoulder/Elbow and Wrist pain

 •  Repetitive Strain Injuries

 •  Back pain and Sciatica

 •  Sports injuries

Alison will be available in Oxford Town Hall on a regular monthly basis.

Payment for any service is to be made directly to Alison at time of the appointment, along with the completion of any consent forms and health questions.

30 minute Initial assessment and treatment taster = £25

30 minute Subsequent appointment Osteopathy = £35

20 minute Subsequent appointment Neck and shoulder massage = £20

Time taken to attend appointments will need to be made up and therefore you should seek approval from your manager before making an appointment.

UNISON equality members survey

Take part in the UNISON equality members survey 

Click here to start your journey

UNISON branch finder

The UNISON branch finder helps you find your branch through a quick search of employers on the UNISON database. 

Click here to start your search

The Branch Finder is still a new tool and we are looking for feedback. If you find any errors, please report them to digital@unison.co.uk

Tackling workplace stress training

Webinar: Tackling workplace stress

Stress stands out more than ever as the chief health and safety concern of union safety reps, identified as a top-five hazard by 70% of safety reps in the biennial TUC safety representatives’ survey.

This TUC webinar for union safety reps will explain how they can help reduce workplace stress. 

The webinar will be presented by Hugh Robertson, TUC Senior Health and Safety Policy Officer and will include:

• Causes of work related stress
• Dealing with workloads
• Unacceptable behaviour

The webinar will be a live video presentation by Hugh and you can join via a computer, smartphone or tablet. There will be an opportunity for you to ask Hugh any questions you have about work related stress.

For more information check out the TUC education Web Site

Thank you for all your hard work

Thank you for all your hard work

The outcome of the general election has been a remarkable result that few predicted at the start of the campaign – certainly not Theresa May. Today I want to thank every one of you who played a part in the campaign. From the outset we believed that if Labour could shift the debate onto public services, it could strike a chord with the electorate and Jeremy Corbyn has done just that. I am proud of the part our union played in this. By working closely together with Labour, we kept public services and our members’ jobs at the heart of the campaign. Jeremy has asked me to thank all the UNISON activists, branches and staff who have played a part in the campaign over recent weeks. Whether it was tireless campaigning in constituencies, personalised direct emailing of target groups of members, direct mail, our high-profile Public Service Champions advertising or our pre-election NHS advert in the Metros and on Facebook, every part of UNISON has been involved. Our work will have helped many fine MPs to be elected and has shown the nation and the government that there is a real desire for change. Of course we wanted to see a Labour government and we will continue to work with the Labour Party to stand up for public services. And whatever the new government looks like, UNISON will continue to champion and defend our members’ jobs and services. Once again, thank you for the part you played. I am proud of what we have achieved together. Best wishes, Dave Prentis UNISON general secretary

Do your politicians care about you?

Ask your local candidates about pay and public services

Before you vote on 8 June, do you know where your local candidates stand on the issues that matter to you? 
UNISON represents people working in 

• local government
• NHS
• social care
• education
• police
• community and voluntary sector
• utilities and transport

That’s why we think it’s important to look at what the parties and candidates who want to be our local MPs have to say about your pay, jobs and public services.

Click this link to 

Email your local candidates and visit the UNISON dedicated web site