Campaign against car parking charges in OHFT
- Created on Tuesday, 22 July 2014 19:57
Download no charging for parking petition
Ask anyone who works at any of the Oxford health Foundation Trust main sites about car parking and then brace yourself for an outpouring of frustration. Staff and managers alike report difficulty finding places to park, often impacting on their ability to get their work done in the limited time available, stressing staff out and undermining the trust’s drive to ever greater efficiency.
National demonstration for Gaza - Free Palestine
- Created on Wednesday, 16 July 2014 15:15
Israel’s murderous assault on Gaza has created outrage round the world. More than 190 people have been killed in over 1,300 air strikes. Over 1000 more people have been injured. In the latest atrocity 4 children were killed by Israeli bombs while playing football on a beach.
Israel is targetting water treatment works, health services and other vital life sustaining infrastructure as a collective punishment of Palestinian people.
Dr Mona Qasim El-Farra works in a hospital in Gaza. She said, “I am appalled that Israeli propaganda claims they don’t attack civilians.“At least 70 percent of those killed are civilians. The injured are mostly civilians. Civilians are suffering."
Around the world people are protesting aganst the the latest offensive against the Palestinian people. In Oxfordshire 700 people demonstrated on Monday calling for an end to the bombing.
Oxfordshire Unison Health branch and the Oxfordshire CWU postal workers union leaderships are backing the national demonstration and are paying for members in Oxfordshire to go on the national march. Oxfordshire Unison Health branch has a strong position on opposition to all forms of oppression and supports the view that the state of Israel, like Apartheid South Africa, is based on racism.
National Demonstration
Sat 19th July
Assemble midday
opposite Downing Street,
Whitehall, London
(Embankment nearest tube)
to march to Israeli embassy.
Oxford transport to march for Gaza (organised by Oxford Palestinian Solidarity Campaign)
Will be departing from Oxford at 9.30am from outside Taylorian Institute, St Giles (map).
To book a seat on the coach (£10, £5 unwaged) contact David Hillman: [email protected] or 01865721445. Download flyer
Unison Health branch members can claim back their coach fare on presentation of their coach ticket to their local steward or by calling 07503169657.
June 5 - opening shots in pay campaign
- Created on Friday, 06 June 2014 00:57
Across the UK healthworkers in UNISON, Unite and the RCN spent the day campaigning to reject this years derisory pay award that leaves all NHS staff worse off as prices contimue to rise above wages.
Oxford's main hositals saw thousands of leaflets distributed explaining the need for fair pay in the NHS. At the Warneford and JRII hospitals staff made their views known en masse with two protests.
50 staff from the Oxford health Trust, NOC and Churchill hospitals joined the Warneford Hospital lunch time protest.
The Crisis in Mental Health Services conference
- Created on Friday, 06 June 2014 00:39
Saturday 28 June, 10am and 4pm
Hosted by Ruskin College, Oxford
Oxfordshire Unison Health Branch is supporting a national conference for health professionals, carers and service users concerned about the future of mental health services in the UK.
Key note speaker, Peter Beresford, is professor of social policy at Brunel University and chair of Shaping Our Lives, the national disabled people's and service users' organisation and network.
The conference will also include workshops on a range of topics in relation to the crisis in mental health which will be addressed by other national and local speakers from across disciplines with opportunities for participants to share their own experiences and look at what can be done to end the crisis.
The conference is open to all and fees are £12 waged and £6 unwaged.
Unison health branch members may be able to get some or all of their fees paid by the branch. Please reply to this email for more details.
The flyer for the event can be seen here.
Press release
- Created on Tuesday, 03 June 2014 16:09
No Embargo
Oxfordshire Health workers to join national action against shrinking pay
Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch is calling on its members to play their part in a national day of action on Thursday 5 June. Unison members cross the country will be campaigning against this year's divisive pay award for NHS staff which follows on 3 years of pay freeze and increased pensions contributions.
Two thirds of NHS staff are being denied a pay rise this year, with the remainder getting less than 1%. The day of action is the first act of a campaign for both better pay and, by extension, a properly motivated health service workforce. The day of action is also supported by other health unions including Unite and the RCN.
Ian Mckendrick, communications officer for the Oxfordshire Health branch of Unison, said "Pay restraint has had a massive impact in the NHS, where healthcare workers have seen real-term salary levels fall by between 8 and12% since 2010. The government's talk of a recovery is a joke when our members are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet - requests for help from Unison Welfare have rocketed. Increasing pressure to deliver more on shrinking wages is wrecking moral and undermining patient care. "
The day of action will include union members leafleting major hospital sites over the day and holding protests at the Warneford and JRII hospitals.
NHS staff in UNISON and Unite will be balloted later in the year to see if they wish to take industrial action.
Branch secretary of the Unison health branch, Mark Ladbrooke said "pay and the housing crisis locally is having a serious impact on the ability of the NHS to recruit – and for health workers to feed and house their families – this just can’t continue if we want to treat staff with dignity and maintain a first rate health service”
Join the June 5th national day of action over NHS pay
UNISON is calling on its NHS members to play their part in the day of protest on Thursday 5 June against the government’s "divisive" pay award.
Most NHS staff are being denied a pay rise this year to pressure them to accept greater cuts in terms and conditions (including loss of annual leave and loss of increments). Most staff face a pay freeze until 2017.
The day of action is the first act of a campaign for both better pay and, by extension, a properly motivated health service workforce and is supported by other health unions including Unite and the RCN.
The following events have been organised by Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch activists and all branch members are encouraged to join at least one of the events. A good turn out sends a strong message that we want real change.
There will be two pay protests in Oxford on June 5th:
- 12 noon - 1.30 p.m. at the Warneford Hospital main entrance (Churchill and NOC activists to join protest there)
- 4.15 – 5.30 p.m. at the John Radcliffe site - Headly way entrance.
Plus leafleting activities over the day (view sample leaflet)
John Radcliffe site
- 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Main Entrance / (possibly West wing too) leafleting
- 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. pay point stall level 2 by lifts.
- 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. pay point stall Maternity
- 12 noon to 2 p.m. paypoint stall in main canteen level 3 JRII
Oxford Health Foundation Trust - 6.30 a.m. to 8.45 a.m. pay leafleting at Littlemore and Warneford hospitals main entrances
NOC - 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Pay point stall in main foyer
Horton - Pay point stall probably in the canteen annex during the morning – base for outreach work to consult staff.
If you would like to help with any of the leafleting sessions please mail back or just turn up for the protests at the Warneford and JRII.
NHS staff in UNISON and Unite will be balloted later in the year over industrial action, in response to the government’s decision to give a 1% non-consolidated increase – and only to those NHS staff at the top of their incremental scale.
Pay restraint has had a massive impact in the NHS, where healthcare workers have seen real-term salary levels fall by between 8 -12% since 2010.