Our national pay ballot opens this week! This is our chance to fight for a decent pay rise – we’ve had enough of pay cuts every year and we’re worth more than 3.3%.
In this post, you’ll find what you need to do to help us win a better pay rise, and how you can help us get the vote out in the ballot – we need over 50% of our members to vote.
Step One – Make sure you vote!
This is postal ballot, so your ballot paper will come to your home address. It will arrive in an envelope looking like this:
Inside, there will be a ballot paper asking “Do you wish to take strike action over pay”. UNISON IS RECOMMENDING THAT YOU VOTE YES.
There will also be a reply-paid addressed envelope inside, so returning your vote couldn’t be easier.
When Can I Vote?
The ballot opens on Thursday 9 July – this week – so ballot papers will start to arrive any day soon after that. The ballot closes at 10am on Thursday 6 August – so last posting day is Tuesday 4 August, but don’t leave it that late!
Step Two – Make sure your colleagues vote!
We need to get over 50% of our members to vote if we are going to be able to strike for better pay. So we need everyone to help get the vote out.
The best way you can help is to volunteer to get as many people as possible in your team to vote – be a Camden UNISON pay rep! If you can do that, email unison@camden.gov.uk to let us know and we can send you details and ideas that should help.
Can you phonebank?
If you’re able to help us phone round branch members asking them to vote, that would be ace! We can phone together from the branch office in the Crowndale Centre, and will provide a script to help with what to say – again, let us know and we can arrange the best time for you to help.
Step 3 – Let us know that you and your team have voted
That way, we can focus on talking to members and teams who haven’t voted yet rather than asking you again.
Step 4 – Strike for better pay!
FAQs
Every ballot brings lots of questions, and we will address as many of them as possible on our pay microsite that is going live soon, but here are some of the most frequently asked FAQs.
What do I do if I don’t get a ballot paper?
If you haven’t received a ballot paper by 16 July, you can call the ballot hotline on 0800 0857 857 to request a new one. You can also call this number if you lose your ballot paper. The hotline closes on 30 July.
Can people not in UNISON vote?
No, but if a workmate joins before 23 July, they will get a ballot paper – they can join using this link here: Join UNISON
Is UNISON recommending how to vote?
Yes, UNISON is recommending that you vote YES to strike action for better pay.
Does my vote make a difference?
Yes, every vote helps us get over 50% turnout in the ballot. Some years ago, the Tories brought in anti-union laws making it harder for us to campaign for decent pay and conditions. Some of those include that we have to have a postal ballot, and that over 50% of members have to return their vote, also by post. This is harder than it seems, we all forget to post letters and find them weeks later at the bottom of our bags, or on top of the fridge, in fact anywhere but in a post box – so returning your vote as soon as possible, and then letting us know, makes a real difference and means we can focus on talking to members who still have to vote.
If we strike, we’ll lose money even with strike pay. Is it really worth striking?
When we take strike action, we win more money overall than we lose. We know it’s difficult to lose money, but without taking action we know we’ll be worse off this year already. However, if we stand together, get the vote out and fight back, we can win more.
When we win, will the pay be backdated?
Yes, back to 1 April 2026
Do you know when we’ll get the money?
That will depend on when the employers give in and agree to our pay claim!
Where can I find out more?
You can come to the weekly Camden UNISON members meetings, get updates and ask questions. They are on Teams, 1pm, every Thursday.
And this Thursday, we’ll hear from strikers who work at the Institute for Cancer Research, taking action for better pay for the first time ever!
USE YOUR VOTE
VOTE YES TO STRIKE
HELP GET THE VOTE OUT