UNISON South West Region is one of 12 UNISON Regions.  There are currently approximately 100,000 members in 98 Branches in the South West. Our Branches are the basic unit of our democratic structure.

We aspire to organise and represent about 250,000 public service workers in the South West of England.

• UNISON is a democratic, membership centred union in which members determine policy
• UNISON members want those who provide public services, whether through private, voluntary sector or public bodies, to be valued – socially as well as financially
• UNISON members care about public services because we believe they are an essential ingredient for a civilised society – ensuring as they do, a measure of wealth redistribution by providing key services from taxation according to need and not (mainly) the ability to pay
• UNISON members care about their communities and the physical environment
• UNISON members believe in equality of opportunity and actively oppose discrimination in all its forms
• UNISON will seek to influence the social, political and economic climate in the UK, within Europe and beyond by maintaining political funds and using them to voice the concerns and aspirations of UNISON members

UNISON South West – Who We Are

UNISON came into being in 1993 when three unions representing members working in public services came together to create the largest union in the UK.

Previously NALGO and NUPE had represented, respectively, white-collar and manual workers in Local Government and the Health Service, and COHSE represented a range of workers in the NHS.  UNISON inherited all these members and has been recruiting steadily across all public services except the Civil Service, so now has a membership of about 1.3 million.

In the South West Region, UNISON represents 100,000 workers in all local councils, all hospitals and health care trusts, higher education colleges, police civilian staff and the water and energy industries.  We seek to protect the collective and individual rights of our members at work through negotiation, representation and campaigning for better service conditions and better public services.

Branches

Our Branches in the South West are based on the main employers where we have members.  There are nearly 100 Branches in the region, ranging in size from under 50 on the Isles of Scilly to over 6000 in Devon County.  Every member of UNISON is a member of one Branch. 

Branches are run by their members operating under UNISON’s rulebook.  Each Branch elects Officers and Workplace Stewards who are available and accountable to every member of the Branch.  The Branch Executive Committee meets regularly and takes decisions relating to issues affecting their members.  Some of our larger Branches employ staff to assist with the organisation and administration of the membership.

The South West Region

Branches within the South West (from Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset westwards to Cornwall) send representatives to meetings of UNISON’s South West Regional Council three times a year.  This gives an opportunity for activists from across the region to discuss matters of common concern and plan activities which raise UNISON’s profile.

The Regional Council also acts as a bridge between Branches and the union nationally and is attended by elected members of UNISON’s National Executive Council representing members in the South West.

External Links

UNISON in the South West maintains strong links with employers, other trade unions and regional bodies such as the Regional Assembly.  Much of this work is done through the South West TUC, where UNISON is strongly represented and works with other trade unions to influence industrial and social policy.

UNISON members may opt to pay a small levy which funds our work with the Labour Party.  In the South West, we contribute to the development plans for several Labour Constituency Parties and maintain links with the Region’s Labour MP’s.   In this way, we ensure that UNISON’s views are heard within the Labour Party and that we can lobby elected representatives about particular issues concerning our members, such as pensions or pay.

Regional Staff

UNISON has nearly 70 employees in the South West, based at our Regional Office in Taunton or at one of our Team bases in Bristol, Exeter or Wareham.  These staff maintain strong links with our Branches and play a key role in organising and supporting members across the region.

Regional staff run a programme of activist training in a variety of venues around the South West and also support the activities of our Self-Organised Groups, whose role is to involve members who face prejudice and discrimination in the work of the union.

For a more in depth guide about the regional staff click here