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UK largest social care union demands ministers to stop 'no jab, no job' rule

According to the Sky News, UNISON is calling on ministers to stop "sleepwalking into a disaster" and end the 'no jab, no job' rule for those in the care industry.
The union says, repealing jab compulsion for care home workers is the only way to avert a staffing crisis that threatens to overwhelm the sector.
The Sky news said, from 11 November, it will become mandatory for all staff working in care homes to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they are exempt, in order to protect the residents and patients most at risk from the virus.
It mentioned, the government's own predictions are that up to 40,000 of the more than half a million care workers in the country won't be fully vaccinated by that date.

UNISON says the government has no realistic plan to deal with staff shortages that the "draconian policy" could cause if workers do not take up the offer of the jab.
It adds that a number of workers who are hesitant about the jab or feel they are "being bullied" into being vaccinated are already leaving the care sector, and point to the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) own risk assessment estimation that mandatory vaccination could result in up to 70,000 care workers leaving their roles in industry.
Read more: Final decision on vaccines for children aged 12-15 expected within days in UK
Downing Street says its view is that it is "vital that our most vulnerable receive protection" and therefore it is "right to introduce this requirement".
The PM's official spokesperson told reporters on Monday that there are "no plans" to change the September deadline for mandatory vaccinations for care staff, but that the DHSC "has mitigation plans".
The government has repeatedly said it is introducing the regulation following an extensive public consultation.
The sector already has huge vacancy levels of over 110,000, UNISON says, noting that many care staff have expressed how "heartbroken" they are to have to leave professions they love due to feeling "totally undervalued".
The union says mandatory vaccination has distracted time and resources from the core job of care and call for a cash injection into the sector to ensure care home staff are paid at least the real living wage of £9.50 an hour (£10.85 in London).
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said ministers should not be "coercing and bullying" people into taking up the offer of the jab.
Read more: Britain begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines to delegates attending global climate talks
"Vaccination remains the way out of the pandemic. But coercing and bullying people can never be the right approach," she said.
"Ministers have been told repeatedly that using force instead of persuasion will fail. But they've not listened and now their ill-considered policy is backfiring.
"The government is sleepwalking into this disaster by not acting. Care is already a broken and underfunded sector that cannot afford to lose any more staff.
"The government must scrap the 'no jab, no job' rule now. Widespread care home closures could be the consequence if they ignore the warnings.
"This would be disastrous for elderly people and those who cannot live without care support."
Source: skynews
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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