Latest news with #ChristinaMcAnea
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
CHRISTINA McANEA: 'Workers at private firms delivering NHS services rarely get a good deal'
Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea writes for The Mirror on private firms delivering NHS services, saying: 'No one should be making a profit from running public services' Since Labour came to power, things are looking up for the NHS. We've seen record investment and waiting times falling. But this progress risks being derailed. The government plans to transfer thousands of low-paid health workers out of the NHS. Ministers are allowing hospital bosses to set up their own companies to save cash. Before the election, Labour promised to bring workers on private contracts back into public services. But in power, ministers are doing the opposite. Plans to create a company in Dorset are underway. But more than a thousand cleaners, porters and caterers at local hospitals say they want to stay in the NHS. Hospital managers have said there'll be no impact on patients. Nor on staff pay, pensions or jobs. But Unison thinks otherwise. Ten years ago, Tory ministers had the same terrible idea. Health workers didn't like it then. And they don't like it now. The NHS needs help to get back on its feet, recover from the pandemic and years of Tory underfunding. No one should be making a profit from running public services. Workers at private firms delivering NHS services rarely get a good deal. I recently met a group of cleaners from east Lancashire working for contracting giant Mitie in health centres. The company regularly gets their pay wrong. The cleaners often receive less than they should, leaving them struggling. To make matters worse, Mitie refuses to pay staff bonuses given to other NHS workers during Covid. So far, the cleaners have taken eight days of strike action. But the firm still refuses to act. One in five payslips is incorrect. That's unacceptable. Company execs would be fuming if their wages were regularly wrong and they were denied bonuses. The staff take real pride in their jobs. But what really grates is that last year Mitie boss Phil Bentley took home £14.7m. And the firm's profits were £234m. Unison's calculated that giving staff the £1,655 Covid bonus would cost Mitie £70,000. Mr Bentley earns that in just ten hours. Neighbourhood health centres, like the ones the Mitie workers clean will be at the heart of the government's ten-year plan. This promises a revitalised NHS that works for patients. The plans mustn't be blown off course by unnecessary and unpopular privatisation, which doesn't work. Finally, this week I went to Gloucester in a shower of rain to meet phlebotomists who've been on strike for 121 days. These dedicated staff specialise in taking blood from patients and want to be paid fairly. But bosses won't budge. Other hospitals have paid up. It's time NHS managers in Gloucester did the same. Millions to benefit from workers' rights reforms Millions of workers will soon benefit from what's in the employment rights bill. It will stop people on zero-hours contracts being exploited, give workers sick pay as soon as they're poorly and make it harder for bad bosses to sack staff. This is the biggest set of workplace changes in a generation. But lots of people don't know much about it. The government should be shouting it from the rooftops. Filming of frontline workers for clicks has to stop Working on the front line is tough. The likes of paramedics, police officers and firefighters see and deal with horrendous things all the time. They deserve our thanks and respect. What they don't need is people making life tougher for them. But that's what's happening. Research from my union Unison found that one in seven health workers had experienced unwanted filming or photography in the past year. Staff being filmed as they treat heart attack victims. With the footage being livestreamed or put on platforms like TikTok. Someone filmed a car crash with seriously injured people. They refused to stop and had to be escorted away by the police. This ghoulish filming for clicks has to stop. Let our dedicated public servants do their jobs. Put the phone away.
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
UK union leaders express fear over erosion of right to protest in open letter
More than 20 union leaders have expressed their deep concern over the apparent erosion of the right to peaceful protest, piling pressure on the Metropolitan police over its handling of pro-Palestinian marches at the start of the year. Paul Nowak of the Trades Union Congress, Christina McAnea of Unison, Daniel Kebede of the National Education Union, Matt Wrack of the NASUWT and Eddie Dempsey of the RMT are among 22 trade union general secretaries who have criticised the Met's decision to arrest and charge former union members who took part in peaceful protest on 18 January. The joint statement from the union leaders follows frustration shared over the government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action, despite concerns the move could risk criminalising legitimate protest. While the statement from the union leaders does not express support for the proscribed group, they say the arrest and subsequent charges brought against those who attended a peaceful pro-Palestinian protest on 18 January mark an 'attack on our right to protest'. The former NEU executive member Alex Kenny and the general secretary for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Sophie Bolt, were arrested alongside more than 70 other people including Ben Jamal, the director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Chris Nineham, the vice-chair of the Stop the War coalition. In the joint statement – whose signatories also include Dave Ward of the Communication Workers Union and Mick Whelan of Aslef – they call for all these charges to be dropped and note: 'We believe these charges are an attack on our right to protest … the freedoms to organise, of assembly and speech matter; we must defend them.' They add: 'We are deeply concerned that the Metropolitan police are bringing charges against former NEU executive member Alex Kenny and Sophie Bolt, CND secretary, following the peaceful protest for Palestine in London on 18 January. 'These charges follow the decision to prosecute Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition vice-chair, and Ben Jamal, Palestine Solidarity Campaign director. Alex Kenny is a longstanding and widely respected trade union activist who has organised peaceful demonstrations in London for decades. 'He was chief steward for the NEU national strike demonstration in March 2023. He has played a leading role in many demonstrations organised in the TUC region covering London and the south-east. 'We believe these charges are an attack on our right to protest. The right to protest is fundamental to trade unions and the wider movement. 'The freedoms to organise, of assembly and of speech matter; we must defend them. We call for the charges against Alex Kenny, Sophie Bolt, Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal to be dropped.' In the wake of the protest in January, dozens of legal experts signed a letter calling for an independent inquiry into the Met's policing of the demonstration, describing it as 'a disproportionate, unwarranted and dangerous assault on the right to assembly and protest'. MPs, peers and Amnesty International had also expressed concerns about the policing of it, with the Green party London assembly member Zoë Garbett telling the assembly's police and crime committee meeting that she had been contacted by more than 150 people who recalled incidents of kettling and police violence towards children, pregnant women and older people. At the same protest, the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the former shadow chancellor John McDonnell were voluntarily interviewed under caution in relation to the march, before being 'released pending further investigations'. Their criticism was followed by demands from MPs and peers, who also wrote to the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, calling for a review of legislation limiting protest, which was introduced by the Conservative government.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Government urged to do more to show it values public services
A senior union leader has urged the Government to do more to show it values public services and the workers who deliver them. Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, told her union's annual conference in Liverpool that if the Government could change its mind on so many issues, it could change it on taxation. 'Tax wealth and profits, and raise the money needed to fix our country. That's the message I'll continue to take to Government,' she told delegates. 'I want Labour to do more to show it values our public services, and the people – our members – who deliver them. 'How do I think they should pay for this? 'Not by taking money away from those least able to afford it, but by taking it from those with the deepest pockets.' Ms McAnea said Unison's job was to hold Labour to account, to tell the party to do its job better. She added: 'Just as we did when they attacked benefits – we were one of the first unions to come out against the cut to the winter fuel allowance. 'They've changed their stance, we've not. 'Some commentators say Labour changing their policies is a sign of weakness. 'I disagree – I think it's a sign of maturity, and of growing into the role of Government after 14 years out in the cold – and it's a sign they're listening to us.'
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Government urged to do more to show it values public services
A senior union leader has urged the Government to do more to show it values public services and the workers who deliver them. Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, told her union's annual conference in Liverpool that if the Government could change its mind on so many issues, it could change it on taxation. 'Tax wealth and profits, and raise the money needed to fix our country. That's the message I'll continue to take to Government,' she told delegates. 'I want Labour to do more to show it values our public services, and the people – our members – who deliver them. 'How do I think they should pay for this? 'Not by taking money away from those least able to afford it, but by taking it from those with the deepest pockets.' Ms McAnea said Unison's job was to hold Labour to account, to tell the party to do its job better. She added: 'Just as we did when they attacked benefits – we were one of the first unions to come out against the cut to the winter fuel allowance. 'They've changed their stance, we've not. 'Some commentators say Labour changing their policies is a sign of weakness. 'I disagree – I think it's a sign of maturity, and of growing into the role of Government after 14 years out in the cold – and it's a sign they're listening to us.'
The Independent
17-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The reasons why ‘burned out' 999 call handlers are leaving NHS
New research has revealed that NHS 999 staff are resigning and experiencing burnout as a result of the "relentless pressure" of calls. According to figures obtained by Unison from ambulance services, there are high turnover rates among call handlers. Staff members attribute this to a lack of support and the constant stream of distressing calls, which frequently forces them to take sick leave. The report, which was released today at the union 's annual conference in Liverpool, revealed the toll on the workforce, with over a quarter of NHS ambulance control room staff leaving their jobs in the last three years. According to the research, call handler illness resulted in more than half a million days lost in the three years beginning in April 2021. The figure for 2023/24 alone was 166,940, which equates to more than a month of sick leave for each 999 call handler. The union claims that high staff turnover and increased sick leave are hurting patients. It often means people are having to wait longer for 999 staff to answer calls or for their emergency to be properly assessed and dealt with. Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: 'These findings paint a bleak picture of the conditions faced by 999 control room staff. 'TV programmes about ambulance services don't show things as they really are. Call handlers are under immense pressure, making split-second decisions that directly affect lives. 'They handle relentless calls, often from people in distress, while dealing with complex emergencies and with limited resources. 'Despite their crucial role, 999 call handlers frequently face emotional strain and operate in an environment where support is sometimes lacking. The job is rewarding, but the challenges behind the scenes are far greater than most people realise. 'It's bad for morale and for patients when so many staff quit or are burnt out. Callers who dial 999 need to know the person picking up the phone is ready to deal with their crisis. 'Ambulance employers must do more to protect the health and wellbeing of staff who provide such high stakes support. 'This would help create a more stable emergency service that can retain the skills and experience of emergency call handlers, and persuade people to stay in the job for longer.' The data was from 11 ambulance trusts.
