UNISON

Gateshead UNISON Local Government Branch represents around 5, 000 members within Gateshead Council, The Gateshead Housing Company, Gateshead College, Ofsted, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the voluntary sector. We are committed to negotiating the best possible conditions locally for our members. We represent in excess of 500 members a year in relation to sickness, disciplinary and investigatory interviews and provide advice and guidance on a daily basis. We have over 80 active stewards who represent members in all the services. We could always do with more, especially women and other under represented groups, black members and disabled members.

UNISON is the largest union in the community and voluntary sector with members working in every type of job across all grades. Our members work in non-profit organisations ranging from large national charities with hundreds of employees to small-grant aided projects employing one part-timer and provide a range of services to local communities and campaign on all sorts of issues. UNISON supports members employed by private companies working across the public sector. Our members carry out a wide range of jobs including care assistants, environmental health officers, school meals workers and cleaners. UNISON Gateshead Local Government Branch firmly believes health, safety and welfare at work is an important issue for all employees and can affect everyone. Every year, across the country, several hundred people die and thousands suffer from accidents and ill-health at work most of which could have been prevented. Trade unions and health and safety laws help to protect lives, however many more could be protected at work if health and safety laws were better enforced. In Gateshead, serious accidents are fortunately a rare thing, but there are still too many accidents and cases of ill-health caused by unsatisfactory conditions of work. Whether the issue is related to poor equipment, poor maintenance, stress, violence or bullying, the UNISON Branch is able to help.