Articles
On Friday evening, over 170 regional activists and members gathered for the UNISON East Midlands Branch Awards 2026. Held in Lincoln for the first time, the awards evening was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work taking place across branches, workplaces and campaigns throughout the East Midlands. From recruitment and organising to equalities, […]
Pressure is mounting on Derbyshire County Council to rethink plans to close eight care homes after local MPs met with families affected by the decision. MPs Jonathan Davies, Louise Sandher-Jones, Samantha Niblett and Toby Perkins met with relatives of residents and care home staff on Friday 30 January to hear about the distress and uncertainty […]
UNISON, like its predecessor unions, has been at the forefront of LGBT+ inclusion for decades. From helping to lead the fight against Section 28 and abolishing discriminatory laws against LGBT+ people in the 80s and 90s, to campaigning for equal marriage and equal pensions for same-sex partners, our LGBT+ members have shown us how activism […]
Council staff and residents in Leicestershire are still waiting for action a week after a senior Reform UK councillor was accused of making offensive comments during a council training session, says UNISON today (Thursday). Cllr Carl Abbott, cabinet member for adult social care, questioned whether Muslim children being taught to pray in schools could lead […]
UNISON East Midlands regional secretary Chris Jenkinson will be moving on from his role at the end of February after being appointed as the union’s new assistant general secretary. Chris joined the East Midlands region in 2020, just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic transformed workplaces and public services. Since then, he has led the region […]
Derbyshire County Council’s closure of eight care homes has left elderly residents and staff who look after them to bear the consequences of months of poor decision-making by authority bosses. The Reform UK-controlled council has confirmed it will shut the homes after a failed attempt to sell them to a private provider. It flies in […]
Commenting on the budget, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Wednesday): “Scrapping the cruel two-child benefit cap is a victory for thousands of working families. Good riddance to it. But it should’ve happened sooner. “It shows Labour is at last heading in the right direction and helping those who most need support. “But the government […]
Local government reorganisation in Derbyshire must be about levelling up communities and strengthening public services, not cutting costs or putting jobs at risk, says UNISON. The union, which represents thousands of council and school staff across Derbyshire, says any changes to local government structures must have proper funding behind them and protect the people delivering […]
Scrapping half of East Midlands Ambulance Service’s fast response vehicles will put lives at risk, says UNISON. The union says plans to half the number of vehicles will mean fewer paramedics are able to reach life-threatening emergencies quickly. Fast response vehicles are usually first on the scene at the most serious 999 calls across the […]
Commenting on Nottingham University Hospital’s decision to declare a critical incident today (Wednesday), UNISON East Midlands regional head of health Gareth Eales said: “Declaring a critical incident shows just how severe the pressures have become across Nottingham’s hospitals. “Frontline NHS staff are going above and beyond to keep services running and to provide the best possible […]