Thanks to UNISON members, vital public services are still running

The snow and difficult weather conditions of the past week have been challenging for everyone. We’re not a country that is best suited to this kind of weather at the best of times – especially not in March.

However, what has been abundantly clear once again in recent days is how remarkable public service workers are. Winter weather makes it harder to support those who need help in our communities – especially in rural and remote areas – but UNISON members have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that help still arrives.

Thanks to UNISON members, vital public services are still running.

So thank you to the homecare worker, who travels miles from house to house ensuring that the elderly and the vulnerable are safe, warm and cared for – a lifeline for so many, even when its hazardous on the roads.

Thanks to the NHS staff who fight their way into work to make sure our health service keeps running during the cold snap. And to the ambulance staff who carry on undeterred to make sure that an emergency in the snow receives the same care that all emergencies do.

Thanks to those local authority staff, including those out late and night and early in the morning gritting the roads so that the country keeps moving even when the snow is piling up.

Thanks to the school staff, the caretakers keeping schools open and safe where they can, and those managing the process of school closures where they’re unavoidable.

Thank you to all public servants working through the cold and the snow to support everyone who needs you. You are the pride of our union, our communities and our country.

You make all of us proud of our union.

8 Reasons to love public service staff.

Did you every wonder where UNISON’s colours came from?

Does the colour scheme on the medal look familiar to you? Do you know what it is?  Well, it is actually a hunger strike medal from the women’s suffrage movement and represents the colours of the suffragettes.   In 1908 the women’s Social and Political UNISON or WSPU adopted the colour scheme of purple, white and green which would distinguish them in the political movement. Emmelin Pethick-Lawrence, editor of the weekly newspaper Votes For Women wrote “Purple as everyone knows is the royal colour, white stands for purity in private and public life and green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.”

UNISON lottery

🤑UNISON members: we've relaunched the UNISON lottery, giving you a chance to win up to a grand and help your fellow members at the same time 👍

Health & Safety Spot Light.

Strain on employees at work is seen to be a major cause of mental health issues— a government-commissioned report shows that mental health is costing the UK economy almost £100 billion a year and figures show that around 300,000 people leave jobs due to mental health issues.

If work place stress is causing an issue you can approach your Unison representatives/Health & Safety representative in confidence to see if the issue can be dealt with through a discussion with the employer or to offer support.

In solidarity ✊🏻

The RBL needs our help, please share.

Do you know a WW2 veteran who would want to take a free Remembrance tour back to where they served? No database exists of WW2 veterans who are still alive today, so we need your help. If you’re a grandchild, neighbour or carer and know someone who fought in WW2, please tell them about this opportunity and encourage them to sign up! Tours will take place throughout 2018 and veterans will have the chance to their respects at battlefield sites, cemeteries and memorials.

 Find out more here: http://ow.ly/OD2m30iahih