Category Archives: pay and conditions

VOTE YES FOR FAIR PAY – VOTE YES FOR STRIKE ACTION

Posted on July 7, 2026 by | Comments Off on VOTE YES FOR FAIR PAY – VOTE YES FOR STRIKE ACTION

 

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

 

 

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Schools Update

Posted on July 1, 2026 by | Comments Off on Schools Update

 

 

Our fight for decent pay for Teaching Assistants continues! UNISON members at Richard Cobden and Primrose Hill schools have been out on strike this week in their campaign to be fairly graded and paid for the work that they do.

As you can see from the photo, Teaching Assistants are nearly all women workers. As an employer, Camden says that they want to close the gender pay gap – so how about paying these women properly!

Despite the heat, they have had visitors bringing solidarity to their picket lines (although we’ve been pleased that they are in the shade at both schools!). We have also had donations to their strike fund to help with any hardship payments – why not do a collection on your team for them and send it with a solidarity message? If you contact unison@camden.gov.uk we will pass all messages on. Any collections or solidarity donations can be paid into:

Account Name: UNISON Camden
Sort Code: 60-83-01
Account No: 20040736
Ref: TA Strike

 

 

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UNISON is Ballotting members to strike for pay increase

Posted on June 17, 2026 by | Comments Off on UNISON is Ballotting members to strike for pay increase

School and council staff need a fair pay rise

Local government staff keep communities safe, clean and accessible, often for little to no recognition. Without dedicated staff, local government will collapse. And without fair pay, councils will continue to struggle to recruit and retain staff

We’re balloting for strike action

Following receipt of the full and final offer of 3.3% for council and school workers in England and Cymru, UNISON’s committee of leading activists have decided to ballot members for strike action.

The ballot will run in a selected number of target employers from 9 July until 6 August. 

We will update members shortly with confirmation of affected branches.

UNISON will be recommending that members being balloted vote YES for strike action

If you lose or don’t receive a ballot paper by 16 July, please request another one by calling the hotline on 0800 0857 857.

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Making work pay must mean making it fair, now

Posted on June 10, 2026 by | Comments Off on Making work pay must mean making it fair, now

 

Three people in a graphic

The Employment Rights Act is a welcome shift towards stronger workers’ rights. After years of insecurity and erosion of standards, it shows the tide is finally turning.

But for far too many workers, especially those delivering public services under private contracts, this does not go far enough – or fast enough.

Before taking office, the government promised the biggest wave of insourcing this country has ever seen. That promise raised real hope among workers trapped in outsourced, insecure jobs. Yet months later, many are still waiting to see delivery.

“Insourcing changed everything”

For those who have been brought back in‑house, the difference is stark. Chris Akaluka, Branch Secretary for Barts Health has first-hand experience of being insourced – and is taking that experience to government. Thousands of his colleagues have seen the benefit.

Chris said: “Being insourced changed everything. We finally had job security, proper sick pay and a voice at work. It wasn’t just better for us – it meant we could do the job properly, without cutting corners or worrying about what would happen when the contract changed again.”

That is why UNISON is backing the TUC’s campaign ‘Our work matters’, calling on Labour to honour its pledge and bring services – and the people who deliver them – back in‑house.

Over 20,000 people have signed the online record of support – which Chris and colleagues from other trade unions have handed to Cabinet Office Minister Chris Ward at a TUC Roundtable.

For outsourced workers, delay has real consequences. Many face a two‑tier workforce, doing the same jobs as directly employed colleagues but with fewer rights, weaker sick pay and less security. High turnover and short‑term contracts are often used to avoid responsibilities.

The Employment Rights Act begins to address this. Day‑one rights, improved statutory sick pay and stronger redundancy protections all matter – especially for low‑paid workers in cleaning, care, water services and facilities management. No one should be forced to choose between going to work sick or losing pay – or losing their job.

Outsourcing itself remains the problem

But without insourcing, insecurity is baked into the system. Contracts change hands, workers’ conditions erode and experience is lost. Insourcing is the only way to end the two‑tier workforce and make decent, secure work the norm.

More employment reforms are expected later this year. They must be matched with urgent action on insourcing. Warm words are not enough. Workers need delivery.

Making work pay must also mean making work fair – and that means acting now.

Legislation alone does not change workplaces. Workers and unions coming together to organise can deliver real change. These new rights will only be as strong as our ability to enforce them. That means:

  • Recruiting and organising in contracted workplaces
  • Negotiating to ensure employers go beyond the legal minimum
  • Challenging bad practice wherever it persists.

For members working for private contractors, this is a moment of opportunity. Every gain we make in law must be defended – and built upon – in the workplace.

UNISON will be at the forefront of making sure these changes deliver – not just in principle, but in practice.

Because making work pay must also mean making work fair for everyone – wherever you work and whatever you do.

 

By national secretary for business, community and environment Donna Rowe-Merriman

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National Pay – Council and School Workers

Posted on April 22, 2026 by | Comments Off on National Pay – Council and School Workers

 

You may remember from previous emails that UNISON and the other council unions (GMB and Unite) submitted a pay claim a few months ago. The claim was as follows:
• An increase of at least £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across all NJC spinal column points
• A minimum pay rate of £15 an hour for the NJC pay spine
• A two hour reduction in the working week
• An increase of one day annual leave
• The ability of all school support staff to take a day of paid leave during term time
The employers have finally come back with an offer – that’s nowhere near what we need! They have offered 3.3% increase at all pay points and rejected all the other parts of the claim.

The NJC committee, which is the body that negotiates our pay, met recently and has rejected the offer. The committee also agreed to go directly to an official industrial action ballot (ie not a consultative ballot), and is going to be from 9 July to 6 August. What we don’t know yet who will be balloted as the NJC committee is also looking into targeted balloting.

However, given that we have been close to the threshold in previous industrial action ballots, it’s highly likely that we will be one of the branches that is balloted! We don’t need to wait to get started though – there are a couple of steps we can take now. They are:
• Update your details – you can do this either here: My UNISON – UNISON National or by emailing unison@camden.gov.uk saying you’d like to update your details and we’ll send you a form to complete and return, or by using the form/replying to the emails that have been sent to you from Kamarie in the Camden UNISON office recently
• Recruit a workmate to UNISON – we have membership forms stored in 5PS, or you can share the link here: Join UNISON and get essential cover – the more members we have, the stronger we are.
Let’s get ready to fight for a decent pay rise!

Schools Dispute Update

Primrose Hill school vote to strike! Teaching Assistants in UNISON at Primrose Hill school got their ballot result a few days ago – and the turnout was 67%, with 100% voting YES to strike. As with Richard Cobden school, this is about regrading the Teaching Assistants and Early Years Practitioners. We had a great UNISON meeting last night with all the members discussing next steps and the request for strike action has been submitted to the union – we’ll know in a few days what the dates are, so watch this space!

And our amazing members at Richard Cobden school are in the middle of being re-balloted to continue their action. The ballot closes on 24 April, and we’ll know the outcome very soon after and be discussing next steps with our members there too.

It’s brilliant to see our branch members standing up and fighting for decent pay and the respect that they deserve – they are essential workers in schools and the support they give to children isn’t recognised properly in the pay that they get.

They are nearly all women workers, and amongst the lowest paid in the council. Richard Cobden members have taken up to 18 days strike, and although they receive strike pay, they have lost money. When they win, they will end up with more money, but until then, they face hardship. As a branch, we have agreed to make hardship payments because of the amount of action that they have taken, but if any branch members would also like to make a solidarity donation to the strike fund, that would be great! You can do so via a transfer, and our account details are:

Account name: UNISON Camden
Sort code: 60-83-01
Account No: 20040736
Ref: School strikes

And as soon as we have more strike days confirmed, it would be great to have solidarity visits too!

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Shorter working week

Posted on April 14, 2026 by | Comments Off on Shorter working week

Trade unions fought for an eight-hour day in the 19th century and a two-day weekend in the 20th. In the 21st century, it is time to take the next step and win a shorter working week with fair pay for all.

UNISON members work a wide range of shift patterns delivering essential public services, so some full-time workers will have an ambition for a true 4-day week, while others would like to get their contract reduced with shorter working hours across their usual pattern. Crucially, whichever the model, UNISON’s campaign is about reduced working hours with no loss of pay. 

As bosses and profit-makers reap the benefits of automation and artificial intelligence, shouldn’t workers get a share of the productivity gains too, through reduced working hours? The government has stated that its ambition is to shape the AI revolution so that the “increasing of prevalence of AI in people’s working lives opens up new opportunities rather than just threatens traditional patterns of work”.  

How would a shorter working week improve workers’ lives and public services?

UK trials of a four-day week in 2022 found that:  

  • Levels of anxiety and fatigue decreased 
  • Mental and physical health both improved 

Turnover and retention are huge issues in many public services, including the NHS and social care, which have thousands of vacancies. Research conducted by the 4 Day Week Global Campaign has found that: 

  • 63% of organisations find it easier to attract and retain staff with a four-day week 
  • 78% of employees with a four-day week are happier and less stressed.  

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UNISON AGM 4th March 2026 at 15:30 5 Pancras Square room 10.10

Posted on February 25, 2026 by | Comments Off on UNISON AGM 4th March 2026 at 15:30 5 Pancras Square room 10.10

On Wednesday 4th March 2026 at 15:30 is our Annual General Meeting

PAID TIME OFF FOR COUNCIL EMPLOYEES HAS BEEN AGREED BY MANAGEMENT!

This meeting will take place in 5 Pancras Square, N1C 4AG in rooms 10.10 Kiln & 10.11 Grange & 10.12 Kingsgate on the 10th Floor.

Since 2021, we have held our AGMs either online or as a hybrid meeting and decided we would be hybrid again this year – although it would be great to all meet in person, we know that some members have regular working from home days so find attending via Teams easier.

Over the last year, our branch has grown in size, with over 380 new members since the AGM last year, which at a time where local government services and jobs are seriously underfunded is impressive.

We have also been increasing the number of reps and branch officers in the branch – although we are always on the lookout for more members to take that extra step! We are very proud that a majority of our branch officers and of our reps are Black and a majority of both groups are also women/LGBT+. We have a serious commitment in the branch to fighting oppression and actively speaking out against discrimination, so it’s brilliant to see this reflected in our structures.

Our national pay claim was submitted earlier this year, and we are waiting for a response from the employers – so keep a look out in our weekly emails or at our members’ meetings for updates.

In the last year, we have continued to be inundated with restructures – some small, some very large and involving hundreds of members. Many of us feel that working for Camden is one permanent restructure, and we know that there will be more to come as funding continues to be cut. Our involvement in the restructure process is a central part of what we do as a branch – we fight for every job because it matters both for you and for the service you provide. Our reps have put in huge amounts of work trawling through management documents, meeting with members to work out a response and in negotiating meetings with management. It’s not easy to make management change their plans, but where we think they will have a negative impact, we’ve had a good go!

We will discuss this plus lots of other topic of interest at the AGM and vote on motions to keep fighting for workers’rights, the defense of  equal opportunities and  against the far right.

We look forward se you all there.

 

Camden UNISON

Tel: 020 7974 1633
Email: unison@camden.gov.uk
Web: http://www.camdenunison.org.uk

Camden UNISON Branch Office
3rd Floor Crowndale Centre
218-220 Eversholt Street
London
NW1 1BD

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Teaching assistants working at Richard Cobden school in Camden take three days of industrial action

Posted on January 27, 2026 by | Comments Off on Teaching assistants working at Richard Cobden school in Camden take three days of industrial action


Teaching assistants working at Richard Cobden school in Camden take three days of industrial action
Over twenty teaching assistants working at a school in Camden took three days of industrial action last week.

The staff walked out in a row following a restructure, in which a number of support staff posts were deleted, and teaching assistants (TAs) were given some additional duties.

Camden UNISON opposed these redundancies and the excess workload that they created, as well as arguing that the TAs job should become NJC Scale 4, which was what the union evaluated it at. When management did not agree and rejected UNISON’s alternative proposal, staff were balloted for industrial action. They achieved the 50% turnout threshold, and voted 100% for strike action.

UNISON Camden branch secretary Liz Wheatley said: “Teaching assistants decided they were going to make a stand and fight for the education that pupils deserve, and to be paid properly to provide it.

“It was great to see the picket line was well supported by parents and teachers at the school, and by trade unionists across the country.

“Plans are being made for further campaigning and industrial action if needed, including lobbying of the council, a public meeting and much more. For more information and to send solidarity messages, please email unison@camden.gov.uk”

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Important update on your pay

Posted on July 24, 2025 by | Comments Off on Important update on your pay

 

Last month, UNISON  consulted you and your colleagues working in councils and schools in England, Cymru and Northern Ireland on your pay offer of 3.2%.

Whilst members voted to reject the offer, the turnout in the consultation was not high enough to suggest that we would be successful if UNISON balloted for industrial action. Anti-trade union laws enacted by the previous government have made substantial, legal industrial action difficult to achieve.

We know that members want to avoid a drawn-out process and would like to receive their pay increase as soon as possible. In light of this, UNISON’s committee of leading activists have reached an agreement alongside the other NJC trade unions to accept the employers’ offer of 3.2% (with backpay to 1 April).

We are working with the employers to ensure the uplift is paid as soon as possible and will start work immediately on developing an early pay claim for 2026, as well as beginning work on the much-needed review of the NJC pay spine.

 

 

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HAVE YOUR SAY ON PAY

Posted on June 5, 2025 by | Comments Off on HAVE YOUR SAY ON PAY

Dear Camden UNISON member,

Have your say On your pay

 

UNISON is currently holding an online consultative ballot on the pay offer that our employers have made. It’s very important that you spend a few minutes reading about the offer and about our union claim, and then cast your vote. UNISON is recommending that you vote to REJECT the offer.

Our Claim

UNISON submitted a joint claim with the other nationally recognised unions, GMB and Unite, for a flat rate pay increase of £3000 at every pay point. A flat rate means that proportionately, the lowest paid get the highest increase.

The Employers Offer

The response from the employers was to make an offer of 3.2% at every pay point. This is below inflation – RPI was 4.5% at the last measure – and means yet again, a pay cut in real terms. It also means that the highest paid get the biggest increase.

UNISON is recommending that we vote to REJECT another pay cut.

How Do I Vote?

Emails were sent to everyone on Friday 23 May. The address they came from was UNISON Local Government, and the subject was VOTE NOW: Have your say on pay.

Inside the email, following introductory text about the offer and voting to REJECT it, there is a green Vote Now button. One click takes you to a vote, and the options are accept or reject. You click one of the options and submit your vote. That’s all you have to do! But you must do it before 12 noon on 20 June!

Pay Calculator

If you aren’t sure what the offer means for you, why not use the UNISON Pay Calculator on the link here: Calculator – UNISON

This shows you what your pay increase is with the offer, how much you’ve lost compared to the union claim, and what it would be if your pay had kept pace with inflation.

What Else Can I Do?

The most important thing, after voting yourself, is encouraging your workmates to vote. The vote in this consultation will determine if we have an industrial action ballot for a better pay rise or not, so getting as many people as possible to vote, and to vote REJECT makes a difference.

Can you:

• Remind everyone at the end of any team meetings that you have to cast their vote
• Ask everyone on your team to vote
• Check here for other ideas: Council and School Pay | Campaigns | UNISON National
• Use the graphics from here eg for a Teams background: Unison ResourceSpace

Let’s get the Camden UNISON vote out!

Kind regards

Liz Wheatley
Branch Secretary
Camden UNISON

Tel: 020 7974 1633
Email: unison@camden.gov.uk
Web: http://www.camdenunison.org.uk

Camden UNISON Branch Office
3rd Floor Crowndale Centre
218-220 Eversholt Street
London
NW1 1BD

 

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