Salford charity, Loaves and Fishes has agreed to recognise UNISON for the purposes of collective bargaining on behalf of its employees.

Loaves and Fishes provides support for vulnerable adults in Salford, particularly those who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. Their dedicated staff and volunteers are supported by a voluntary management committee and over recent years their work has become all the more urgent as the impact of austerity is increasingly felt on the streets of the city.

The drive to increase trade union membership amongst the workforce has been led by Loaves and Fishes UNISON Steward and Chair of UNISON’s North West Community Service Group, Hassan Ortega.

Hassan states, “Loaves and Fishes is an organisation that operates on the principle of partnership. Recognising UNISON means that our charity will work in tandem with UNISON to improve the working lives of our staff, as well as the community which we all serve.”

Steve North, Salford UNISON Branch Secretary adds:

“Loaves and Fishes provide support for people who would not receive it anywhere else. The dedication of their staff knows no bounds and we are incredibly proud to have them in our union. We are confident that this agreement will strengthen both Loaves and Fishes and UNISON. It makes clear the commitment we both share to social justice, underpinned by good employment rights and active support and advocacy for the most vulnerable.”

The agreement was welcomed by Jane Murphy, Chair of Loaves and Fishes.

Jane states: “We really value our staff and we want to ensure that they have the best conditions possible for the work they do in the voluntary sector. We appreciate this initiative and want to thank UNISON for what we hope will be a fruitful partnership.”

If you work in the community and voluntary sector and want to find out what UNISON can do for you, visit our “Contact Us” section for more details.