Kingston UNISON Branch
Your friend at work
OPEN 9:00am to 5:00pm Mon – Fri
What's in it for you?
Why UNISON is right for you
UNISON success stories
These are some of the bigger successes of UNISON in recent years:
- UNISON has secured more than £33 million in compensation to its members for personal injury settlements in the past year alone.
- UNISON achieved a £4million settlement of an equal-pay claim for more than 1,500 school meals worker employed by former Cleveland County Council.
- UNISON made a number of submissions to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) pushing for £6-an-hour minimum wage. As a result of UNISON’s work, the LPC is now a permanent body and its scope was widened to examine all aspects of poverty pay.
- UNISON was a key player in ensuring that government increased the value of basic state pension in real terms for the past 20 years. UNISON’s delegation to the Labour Party also successfully argued for the restoration of the link to earnings.
- UNISON is the country’s first carbon-neutral trade union thanks to its policy of reducing greenhouse emissions through its partnership with Future Forests and planting of thousands of trees across the U.K.
- UNISON has been invited by the Home Office to join the influential Police Reform Steering Forum, developing radical proposals
- UNISON helpline for members and stewards, UNISONdirect (0845 355 0845), Handled some 51,800 calls last year, a year-on-year rise of 228%.
What else should I know?
Here are four good reasons why UNISON is right for you
1. No one works harder
UNISON won millions in injury settlement payouts for its members last year, has fought many high-profile equal pay claims around the country, and is a major influence on government policy such as the minimum wage, healthcare, policing and pensions
2. Women represented
UNISON’s membership is two-thirds women so we make sure their voices are heard throughout the union. At every
level of the union, women are elected in fair proportion to their membership
3. A voice for everyone
UNISON makes sure everyone has a say in how the union is run, from branch secretary. Our unique structure ensures top-quality help, and advice is available at the local, regional and national level.
4. Bigger and better
UNISON is not only the country’s biggest services trade union; it’s one of the fastest growing too. Last year UNISON recruited 155,000 new members, a staggering 425 a day. This is another step along the road to building an organising union of two million members.
When you join UNISON you are entitled to special deals on holidays, insurance, financial services and savings plans. We also offer a UNISON credit card and a vehicle breakdown service. UNISON Welfare, our own registered charity, provides support for UNISON members and their dependents in difficult times.
UNISON benefits
See a list of all the various discount services and products available to members
Being a UNISON member gives you a huge range of benefits, including:-
- Unrivalled protection and representation at work
- Help with pay and conditions of service
- Health and safety guidance and support
- Confidential welfare services for you and your dependants in difficult times
- Excellent legal services including free help with work problems and legal support for members and their families
- Pensions advice
- A special hotline, UNISONdirect, for help and advice on workplace issues
- Online employment and workplace advice
- Education and training advice and courses, leading to vocational and professional qualifications
- Cash benefits for accidents and injuries at work
- A colour magazine sent to your home four times a year, a monthly magazine for our stewards and activists and a full range of publicity
- Special deals on everything from computers, tax returns, holidays, mortgages, car breakdown, insurance and credit cards.
- Our own holiday centre for members and families at the Devon seaside