Equality

Next Generation: Young members in UNISON

See latest Next Generation publication here

 

Seth Lakeman gave the thumbs up to UNISON's Fair Pay in Local Government campaign at the Cambridge Folk Festival when he played there last year.

Next Generation: Young Members in UNISON

Young members in UNISON have a special network -so our voice is heard and we can have a real influence over policy. We meet together three or four times a year - bring young members' reps  together from all our branches. We have a national e-news, 'Next Generation' and members in the Region get together using social networks.

 We help keep the union relevant to our age group- and we know how hard it is! Many of us are studying as well as working and you will be pleased to know that if you become and union representative, your training can help you build up credits to allow you to access degree and diploma courses.

Every UNISON branch can have a male and female young members' representative. In our rules you count as a young member if you are under 27 for the year in which you want to stand!

Issues like the Minimum Wage can come as a surprise. Many of our us were not aware that the minimum wage was set by legislation after a major campaign led by UNISON. The 10th Anniversary celebrations were a timely reminder. Download advice on your wages and your rights. 

We have many campaigns and have been at the Wave in London on 5th December - to make our voice heard on Climate Change.

Young people are very vulnerable at work - especially if training is poor and health and safety not properly managed. Many of our members work along side trainees and apprentices. We have a number in the union but very often they do not know what a union is. We  are calling all UNISON members to tell them about the benefits of being in a union so they are encouraged to join and look after their rights.  Apprentices can join us for just £10 a year.

Student Nurses have joined the union in their hundreds this autumn as UNISON went round the induction events and went to Freshers Fairs. Our Health Committee will be organising some events for them in the coming year.Student nurses can also join for just £10 a year while they study.

Young members in UNISON have helped build the union in many ways - including running stalls at major festivals in the Region. In the past couple of years we have been at :

  • the V-Festival
  • Cambridge Folk Festival- we ran a stall about Climate Change and Carbon Footprints.
  • Cambridge Strawberry Fair
  • and a number of Pride festivals: Cambridge  Pink Festival, Suffolk and Norfolk Pride festivals.
  • Burston Strike School
  • Ipswich Mayday Festival

Young members - please also check our our national site

Young members

Not a member?

If you're not a member of a union, join one now! Union members get a better deal at work all round. To find out more go to Join UNISON?

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