UNISON has today (Monday) authorised a national hardship fund to ensure that no teaching assistants on strike in Durham suffer financial hardship. The fund, made up of an initial £150,000 will be administered by the union’s northern region. UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Today I have personally authorised £150,000 from the union’s industrial action fund […]
News
Northern Press Release Monday 19 November 2016 For immediate release Schools closed as Durham teaching assistants take two-day strike action Nearly 100 primary schools across County Durham will be affected tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday as teaching assistants strike in a long-running dispute over cuts to their pay. School support staff plan to […]
We have produced a handout of why Durham Teaching Assistants are going on strike, you can download it here. The text is copied below. Durham County Council wants to move teaching assistants onto term time only contracts – they asked teaching assistants to agree to a pay cut of up to 23%. When teaching assistants refused […]
Since becoming UNISON Regional Secretary back in July, a lot of people have been asking me what the job involves. The truth is that changes on a daily basis. Sometimes it can be about managing the work of the union in the region. Other times it can be about building relationships with local politicians and […]
An emergency care assistant at Berwick ambulance station and a cleaner at Happy House surgery in Sunderland are today (Tuesday) recognised with Our Health Heroes awards. The honours have been created by Skills for Health and the National Skills Academy for Health, in partnership with UNISON. Iain Scott and Liz Mason have been chosen as […]
Teaching assistants in Durham will take strike action on 8 and 9 November in the long-running dispute over cuts to their pay, their union UNISON has announced today (Monday). This follows a ballot over Durham County Council plans to move teaching assistants to term-time pay. This could see school support staff lose up to 23% […]
You are invited to the Northern TUC’s Annual Reclaim the Night event which this year takes place in Newcastle on Saturday 26th November at 6.00 pm. Gather at Old Eldon Square, Blackett Street, Newcastle, NE1 7UG where the march will set off at 6.30 pm up Northumberland Street led by the Bangshees, community-based all-women drumming […]
Durham teaching assistants have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in the long-running dispute over cuts to their pay, their union UNISON has announced today (Wednesday). UNISON held a ballot over Durham County Council plans to move teaching assistants to term-time pay. This could see school support staff lose up to 23% of their wages. The […]
Earlier this month Colombians voted against a peace agreement between the government and FARC guerrillas, leaving the peace process in limbo and sending the country into a political crisis. UNISON Northern have a long history of working with our comrades in the indigenous communities in Colombia and have organised an event which is taking place […]
UNISON is leading the fight for teaching assistants currently under threat of dismissal and re-engagement by Durham County Council. Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, has given a personal commitment to UNISON members to support them all in the face of this attack. Dave will be speaking at a rally which is taking place on: […]