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Mental health services reeling
Mental health services are reeling from a funding crisis, low morale and increased workloads, a Unite survey of NHS applied psychologists revealed in October.
The survey came against a background of broken promises from health secretary Jeremy Hunt on mental health funding at a time when 25 per cent of UK adults suffer mental health problems in any one year.
Antony Vassalos, Unite’s applied psychologists chair said, “The survey shows we are being worn down by changes and major cuts in services which are definitely not in the interest of patients, leading, to increased stress at work and poor morale within the profession.”
Unite national officer Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe added, “Jeremy Hunt needs to address the funding crisis and end the practices that cause stress and fear at a time when psychologists’ skills are needed more than ever.”
AIRPORTS Find out more HERE Christmas chaos
Christmas travel disruption could be on the cards at four UK airports, unless baggage carrier Aviator manages to transfer about 1,700 staff to other handlers.
Unite understands that Scandinavian company Aviator is closing down its UK operations at Birmingham, Gatwick, Manchester and Newcastle airports on November 30 because it is not making money. The union called on the airlines and airport owners to take on the Aviator workforce as a matter of urgency and to end the current state of limbo.
Unite national officer said Oliver Richardson, “Unite will be seeking assurances from the company, airlines, other handlers and ultimately, the airports that there will be no compulsory redundancies.” The airport owners and the airlines, which require these services for their planes to land and take-off efficiently, need to resolve this without any detriment to staff jobs, pay and conditions, otherwise Christmas travel chaos is on the cards,” said Richardson.
AEROSPACE Find out more HERE GKN jobs risk
In October Unite warned the government’s new ‘industrial strategy’ needed to kick-in immediately, as 221 jobs at the Yeovil GKN plant, which makes airframes for helicopters, are set to be made redundant, with the first going as early as December 1.
The GKN workers make airframes for Italian-owned Leonardo Helicopters – formerly AgustaWestland which is on the same site – and speculation continues that Leonardo wants to take the work back ‘in house’.
Unite regional officer Heathcliffe Pettifer said, “Unite will strongly defend our members’ jobs. We want this decision reversed – there has not been an adequate rationale from senior GKN management for the redundancies.” The campaign continues.
6 uniteWORKS Autumn 2016
Mark Thomas
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