Worth It

Why we're campaigning

We know that many of our members are lying awake at night worrying about their job or how to make ends meet while their pay is frozen but prices soar.

UNISON is helping by making sure pay stays at the top of the agenda, and continuing to campaign for better and fairer pay.

Struggling

It doesn't matter who your employer is or what kind of job you do: you're taking a hit as a result of cuts to public services and the government imposed pay squeeze. Coalition policies have resulted in working people losing huge amounts of money since 2010.

There's no relief any time soon. The 'short sharp shock' the government said we needed in 2010 is going to last until 2016 - and you are in the front line while the rich are still enjoying a cash bonanza.

Billionaire companies and millionaire bosses are using off-shoring and tax loopholes to avoid paying their way.

At the same time, they are squeezing your wages and asking you to do more for less.

So, we're not all in it together Mr Cameron. 

Under pressure

We all expect and deserve high quality public services.

But government funding cuts mean that budgets are under pressure at a time when people who are losing their jobs and benefits need public services the most.

Employers are responding to these funding cuts by reducing wages, and terms and conditions of employment.

Staff providing public services should be well trained, motivated and valued by their employers - because we all benefit from the high quality services that such staff provide.

The government is doing nothing to help people struggling under the weight of massive personal debt.  Their pay freeze, coupled with cuts to public services and jobs, has fuelled the rise in personal debt amongst our members.

Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary

If public service workers are losing money and spending less, then the local economy suffers as people have less cash to spend in local shops and businesses.

This is not helping the economic recovery. 

We are all paying for poverty pay

And, while you're struggling to make ends meet, you are also picking up the tab for poverty pay.

As taxpayers, we continue to subsidise employers who pay low wages and whose staff have to rely on in-work benefits.

Bad employment behaviour, including zero hours contracts, wage cuts and pay freezes, cost us all.

We would all get better value for money if people were lifted out of poverty pay rather than receiving benefits.

UNISON is delivering for you

UNISON works to defend, maintain and improve pay structures and pay levels for all our members and is campaigning to end the public service pay freeze.
UNISON is successfully negotiating to get the living wage paid across the UK. We believe everyone should be paid a decent wage.

Our unique welfare charity There for You, offers financial planning and debt advice as well as financial assistance when times are tough.

And our members can save money by using our range of exclusive member discounts and deals to help make their money go further.