Healthcare Student Update September 2020

Unfortunately due to the coronavirus pandemic we are unable to go round and visit universities to meet new Healthcare students and talk to them about why joining a trade union is so important.

Instead virtual presentations are taking place, see below for dates and times and get in contact with your university regarding attending. If your university is not on the list below that doesn’t mean you cannot join, it’s because your university either hasn’t got in touch with us or they aren’t holding online inductions yet. If you’d like to understand more about joining then please contact Rachael Johnson to arrange a teams presentation.

UNISON is the largest trade union in the UK and the largest in the Health service. The COVID-19  pandemic highlighted why Trade Unions are vital. Queries from members who worked in the NHS came flooding in, many queries from students who had opted in to help with the response.

UNISON negotiated contracts nationally to enable students to put themselves forward during the first wave. We continuously pushed for PPE by writing to MP’s, the Prime Minister and running social media campaigns, we provided local support when needed, whether that was an online session held over teams or simply returning phone and email queries promptly, regular communications went out to students keeping them updated with any changes that were made.  We also made sure Trusts honoured those contracts of students who had opted in.

UNISON is a campaigning union – safe staffing levels was already something we were campaigning for long before 2020. We cannot just weather the Covid-19 storm, we need to create a better working environment that is sustainable, rewarding and inclusive. We must never tolerate a situation where staffing levels are dangerously low, where patients are discharged without adequate care and where Healthcare students are forced use food banks and go into debts of £50,000 just to complete their training. We will continue to campaign to bring back the bursary.

• Advice and support on work placement issues
• Free legal advice should you need it
• Local reps available in every hospital should you need advice
• 24 hour helpline
• Representation if needed for e.g. you have difficulty on your placement, you witness a health and safety concern, your conduct is questioned
• We are not impartial – we are here to support, advise, represent and empower our members. We are not here to protect the employer
• We are asking the Government for a 2k pay rise for EVERY NHS worker.
• We were the ONLY trade union that took the Government to the supreme court over employment tribunal fees and we won! As a result anyone who wishes to lodge a claim for unfair dismissal, discrimination, unfair deduction of pay can do so for free.

To join UNISON as a Healthcare student it is just £10 for the whole year, with all the same benefits as a full paying member. You will also receive a free gift bag in the post containing a fob watch, a cotton bag, a pen, clinical pocket guide worth £10 & a water bottle.  All our products are environmentally friendly as UNISON supports and has campaigned for action on climate change. For more information click here.

You can download a copy of our latest newsletter here.