CSP's workplace roundup 2021

Campaigning and organising

CSP activists ran more than ten workplace demos across the country in support of a fair and significant pay rise for NHS staff.

The CSP also provided new ways for members to get involved in our workplace campaigns. We ran three letter campaigns, with 500 members and supporters writing to more than 250 elected parliamentarians across the UK. Our members wrote on a range of issues including NHS pay and the loss of clinical space – with a number of CSP members going on to meet their representatives in person.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

As part of the This Is Not Working alliance, we pressured government to commit to a new duty on employers to protect staff from sexual harassment at work. The CSP also initiated a joint statement – 'we demand safety, we demand justice' – bringing unions together around a collective statement against male violence.

CSP BAME network members fed into the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Anti-Racism Taskforce – tasked with shining a light on racial injustice in the workplace – through the TUC Black Workers Conference.

The CSP trialled a new equality rep role as a new addition to our workplace team. The new role aims to enhance the great work currently carried out by our stewards on equity, diversity and belonging issues.

Reps’ learning

The global pandemic saw the CSP continue to deliver digital training for stewards and safety reps. The CSP ran six online stewards induction courses and 4 online safety rep inductions throughout the year. These online training courses won a highly commended award at the TUC Communications Awards.

We also launched new training materials this year including independent learning courses Steward's Induction, Equality Reps, and Equalities in the Workplace.

Support on cases

The CSP supported members in 43 Health and Care Professions Council cases, 29 of which remain open as of mid-November. We handled 31 employment law cases. We reached eight settlement agreements (i.e. resolutions made out of court).

The CSP supported members in 25 personal injury cases, through which a total of £500,000 was secured throughout the year.

Wales

The CSP's Wales team heard members in independent practice were missing out on priority access to the coronavirus vaccine as healthcare workers. So, we lobbied health boards and the Welsh government to ensure members could register for a vaccine with their local health board.

Our senior negotiating officer worked with other health trade unions to lobby the government on improving the NHS pay offer in Wales. After several rounds of negotiations the Welsh government has made an enhanced pay offer, improving the 3 per cent pay award announced by Westminster. Worth around £27 million to NHS staff, our members in Wales are currently being consulted on this.

Scotland

Pay was determined in Scotland this year by a process of direct negotiations, rather than via the independent Pay Review Body process. CSP, working with other unions, negotiated a pay award for NHSS staff for 21/22, which was backdated to December 2020.

The CSP has worked with other unions and employers and the department to keep policies and guidance updated through the changing landscape of Covid-19.  The Agenda for Change handbook was also given a substantial refresh and reissued.

Northern Ireland

Our senior negotiating officer worked with other unions to keep pressure on the government to secure the funding for the Pay Review Body recommended pay award. There have been regular meetings with employer and the department to ensure that guidance for staff during Covid-19 has remained relevant and updated.

The NHS contract

The CSP negotiated and agreed new flexible working provisions with other healthcare trade unions and NHS employers. This significantly expanded NHS staff’s contractual rights to flexible working.

The CSP also participated in the government’s consultation on flexible working, which will likely extend private sector employees’ statutory rights around flexible working requests from 2022.

Casework

The CSP’s stewards, safety reps, and negotiators have continued to go over and above to support our members at work.

Katrina Humphreys – CSP health and safety (H&S) rep for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust – was awarded the TUC's prestigious 2021 Health and Safety Rep Award in recognition of her steadfast commitment to staff safety.

Below, a member describes the invaluable support they received from their CSP steward after experiencing racial discrimination and bullying and harassment in their workplace:

I will be forever grateful for the invaluable advice they gave me. Furthermore, they provided me with immense amounts of emotional support and empathy throughout what was a lonely, stressful, exhausting and traumatising experience.

I would not be in the position that I am today without their continued support and motivation. They have given me hope that there are individuals who are genuinely kind and caring and will try their best to help you through. I feel very fortunate to be represented by such an amazing steward.