Unite

Unite is Britain's biggest union with 1.42 million members in every type of workplace

Unite is the union for the 21st century meeting the great challenges facing working people in the 21st century. It is a democratic and campaigning union which fights back for employees in the workplace, is taking trade unionism out to the millions of unorganised workers, is a union that stands up for equality for all and advances its members interests politically. 

www.unitetheunion.org

New Campaign Campaigns

  • Give taxi drivers the wage support they need now, not in June
    Unite Hackney cab and taxi drivers are ready to do whatever it takes to help keep the country moving during the coronavirus crisis, but we are facing financial ruin without the same level of government support. The Prime Minister and his chancellor said that they would do ‘whatever it takes’. For taxi drivers it takes: • Wage support straight away. No delay, until June. • No means testing of Universal Credit or other benefits. • Suspending or reducing all taxi related running costs, including licence plate fees, monthly radio fees, rental fees and insurance payments for taxis not on the road. • Backing loan repayment holidays for private hire vehicles and moratoriums on marking down drivers’ credit files. • Emergency interim payments to keep the taxi on the road. • Reviewing the licensing regime and stop all payments for licences, with a three month temporary extension for those expected to renew in the next 12 months. We’re ready to help. With these financial support measures, Unite taxi and private hire driver members stand ready to support our emergency services. We’re fully licenced and DBS checked. Clean, safe and wheelchair accessible. Equipped with a glass partition separating driver from passenger. Support us and we can: • Transport patients to and from non-emergency appointments. • Deliver shopping for the elderly or transport them to and from supermarkets • Transport key workers to work and deliver medical supplies. Unite Hackney taxi and private hire drivers are ready to talk.
    8,208 of 9,000 Signatures
    Created by Unite the union
  • Tell Medway Council & Medway Norse – Guarantee safety of refuse collectors & public now!
    Refuse workers are working three or four to a cab, with no social distancing measures, a lack of hand cleaner & no additional protective equipment, putting themselves and the public at risk of Coronavirus. Additionally staff with serious conditions, such as cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have been told they will only get statutory sick pay whilst self-isolating. Please sign this petition and support your refuse workers.
    667 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Jack Bidmead
  • University of Sheffield Students' Union Staff are #BetterThanZero
    There are currently hundreds of workers at the Students’ Union working in the bars, cafés, shops and kitchens on zero hour contracts, with no access to sick pay, being paid just the minimum wage. They are mostly students who must work to pay their rent and continue their studies. The combination of low pay, an insufficient student loan, and high rent forces casual workers to scrape by in poor quality housing. Being close to maxing out your overdraft is, for many, normal. Their work generates significant income for the Students' Union and is hugely important for the University's reputation. The improvements they are asking for would transform the lives of hundreds, and would cost less than the University's Vice Chancellor earns in a year. We call on the University of Sheffield Students' Union to do the right thing, and show their casual workers that they are valued, that their health and wellbeing matter – that they are #BetterThanZero.
    275 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Unite at Sheffield SU
  • Save 24 hour A&E service at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital
    We believe the downgrading will have a detrimental effect on the local community and our members.
    44 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Paul Clarke
  • Support Thomas Cook workers to get the money they're owed
    On Monday (23 September) Thomas Cook the world’s oldest travel agency collapsed into administration with the loss of 21,000 jobs (9,000 in the UK alone) and stranding 150,000 holiday makers. The sudden collapse has left many workers desperate and with no income. Staff were due to be paid on Monday (30 September), but will not now be paid after the business went bust. Two years since Monarch Airlines went into administration with the loss of 2,000 jobs, the government has totally failed to learn lessons or bring in new laws which could have saved these jobs. These are not highly paid workers, many were living pay cheque to pay cheque. Given the dreadful stress this has caused to workers, the priority, now that repatriation of stranded travelled is underway, must be for the secretary of state to fast track the payment of workers’ wages.
    13,035 of 15,000 Signatures
  • Support Lincolnshire Health Visitors
    Lincolnshire health visitors are specialist trained nurses responsible for children's health from 0-6 years with specialisms including dealing with complex safeguarding for families amongst many other facets to their role supporting communities. The health visitors are currently taking strike action in a fight against a 2.5 year pay freeze that has been implemented on them by their employer Lincolnshire County Council. The health visitors are fighting for their profession and to be paid for their skills used in serving the community which Lincolnshire County Council covers. It is a well know fact that since councils have taken control over the health visiting community service that they have sought to cut costs and deskill health visitors. This is reflected by the 25% loss of health visitors from the service since 2015.
    2,720 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by Unite East Midlands
  • Living wage and union rights at Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels now
    I have worked in an Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) branded hotel for 14 years. I’m also a member of Unite the union’s hospitality workers branch. My colleagues and I are overworked and poorly paid. Some of us are bullied and verbally abused on a daily basis by managers working to impossible targets. I’m proud of my union membership. But it’s not something I can openly talk about at work – it’s pretty much a no go area at IHG. So is decent pay, working in a hotel means that we are among some of the lowest paid workers in the UK. Shockingly around 80 per cent of us are paid less than the real living wage, which is £9 an hour/ or £10.55 an hour in London. IHG made $27.4bn last year. It can afford to pay us a wage we can live on. It should also respect my union. In 2009, my employer signed up to the United Nations Global Compact, committing to uphold 10 principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. I actually thought that things would be different because my employer is a signatory to this international UN agreement, but it’s not. After nearly a decade of my union trying to negotiate access to IHG’s London hotels, including Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, we’ve had enough. Unite has now sent a formal complaint to the UN Global Compact. Please support me and my colleagues by signing and sharing this petition. Join us in calling on Keith Barr to work with our union, Unite. It’s only by working together with our union that we can root out low pay, insecure work, bullying and exploitation from IHG hotels in the UK. Tell him also that the UN Global Compact has got to be genuine. Promoting and protecting human rights at work needs to be more than a box ticking exercise. Thank you, John (name changed to protect identity)
    174 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Unite Hospitality Branch
  • Honda, stay in the UK #SaveHondaSwindon
    We are the workers from Honda Swindon. We urgently need your support. Honda has said that in 2021 it will close the plant in which we work. 3500 direct jobs and possibly 12,000 jobs or more across the country will be lost as a result. The fallout will be felt in jobs and communities across the south west and the UK. But we believe that this economic and social catastrophe can be averted. Our workforce at Honda are skilled, dedicated and efficient and together with the supply chain we are dedicated to making this company succeed. Yes, these are challenging times for this industry but with vision and commitment, the UK can be the world leader in the new technology car manufacturing needs to thrive. Honda is well positioned to benefit. So we are urging Honda to think again. Honda, do not turn your back on a world-class, loyal workforce determined to bring you continued success. We have dedicated our working lives to Honda Swindon. Through our hard work this company has thrived - all we ask now is the chance to make our case for the future we deserve. Please help us fight for - and win - a brighter future.
    16,447 of 20,000 Signatures
    Created by Unite Honda Swindon members Picture
  • Pay us fairly this Christmas
    Premium pay rates offer a small compensation for employees spending Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at work. Two years ago staff at TGI Friday’s restaurants across the U.K. were forced into signing contracts that took away their right to be paid time-and-a-half for working over the Christmas and New Year period. While many people spend this time at home with family and friends, workers at restaurants like TGI Friday's have to work. Workers were told there was no option but to sign the updated contract and that they would not be allowed to work again until they had. Some reported being told to sign the new contract halfway through a busy shift without being informed what it was they were signing away. TGI Friday's workers are often made to survive on minimum wage. Compensation for the time spent away from our family and friends over the festive season is the least a big profitable company like TGI Friday's can do.
    6,145 of 7,000 Signatures
    Created by Lauren T Picture