UNISON Reviews 

DO NOT USE UNISON…
My estranged wife works for them as a caseworker out of the Civic Offices in Barry, South Wales. In February 2024 she viciously assaulted myself and my Mother (76 years old) by grabbing her around the throat, punching her hand causing a burst blood vessel and ripped open my right forearm whilst it was up shielding myself from her blows. I was at my marital home by arrangement collecting some property as arranged. We separated a few months earlier in October 2023. Unfortunately neither my mother or I had our mobile phones with us, my estranged wife phoned 999 and due to her calling the Police first she was seen as the ‘victim’. I have made a formal complaint to Unison that their employee is representing people in tribunals for numerous issues and yet she can attack innocent people. The area managers that I have emailed have wiped their hands of the information I have provided and according to them I was the one arrested. The judge laughed at her whilst she gave evidence and I was unequivocally cleared of any wrong doing. Watching her give evidence was painful, she totally lost it and all she could do was bad mouth me for leaving her and everything she said was a lie. If you want assistance in any employment matters do not use Unison. They seem to employ bullies, liars and incompetent people. I have photos of our injuries which I have sent to Unison.

Reviews speak for themselves. Unison reps are never around when members need them - but somehow have time to go out waving little flags for f*tish rights and shout at women who refuse to change with men. Who funds that then? Don't pay Unison's brigade of beard-havers to indulge themselves in luxury beliefs and shill for big pharma. They should be representing fair rights for all.

I have been with Unison since 2015 and never needed them until 2024, when my employer started to put me through formal disciplinary and formal sickness proceedings because I made a protected disclosure. Unison appeared to be on the side of my employer in 2024, but actually they tried a bit looking back. Anyway, she said something quite dangerous, and I emailed her and said that she shouldn't make things up and add things on, which was true.
Then, because of this, apparently I had made a serious allegation, so the branch withdrew their service. This was devastating, I suffer with Bipolar Disorder.
When I needed them again in Feb 2025, I had to beg the Regional Team for representation because the branch refused to. I managed to secure the representation of the Regional Team. He was not sympathetic, not supportive, did not help me at all. In fact, he made me cry once on the telephone. He did not believe in me, and that was painful.

Now he has withdrew his support beecause he said that I have a legal team, but actually it was Gemini Pro.

I would certainly not recommend Unison, they are a waste of money and time. Please choose a different Union. At the moment there is no Ombudsman, but I welcome the day that there is. He kept saying "Make a complaint about me then", which was very upsetting, and anyway, their complaints go nowhere, even if you are right to complain.

I am now awaiting disciplinary and they have withdrew their support.

Nice one Unison, you have really dropped me in it. Don't believe the website.

If I could give it no stars I would.
Shocking treatment, they don't care and are completely ignorant of Diversity and Inclusion despite the way they promote themselves. Cruel organisation just wanting your monthly fees to never support you in difficult times. Please save your money and treat yourself to something to make yourself feel better, a coffee is more helpful than this lot.

Terrible, zero communication, only when you sign up and they tell you how much they are taking from you.

Cancelled my membership would have been better giving the money to charity

Like many others here, I presented an issue to Unison regarding my employers failure to comply with procedure and law. Unison made excuses for the organisation, and have basically told me I'll just need to accept it.
If money is important to you, do NOT join, explore other options.

Terrible experience with these so called union reps and office staff. I have been a member since 2016, and a member of other unions most of my working life. They disregard every complaint. I have to say that I'm ashamed to think I believed they would help with any legitimate grievances. They claim to offer protection at work, with legal advice and protection. They offer nothing of the sort! You'll be referred to a rep everytime, who will never contact you? I get the feeling that they don't want to spend any money on legal advice, even though they have Thompsons on a retainer. My advice, as other comments have suggested, do not join, keep the fees in your bank and put towards your own legal expenses.
P S, NO STARS REALLY. especially the Aintree Hospitals branch!!!

Midlothian council rep was clearly working with management especially sitting opposite the area manager who clearly leak details to the individual plus assistant manager .
Lined it all up for the rep with evidence but as much good as a chocolate teapot!
His senior in Glasgow came out with some nonsense about money and said deal or no deal!in other words attempting to find out how much money MD had to compensate!
Turn out when I question him over the phone he was a big fan of Noel Edmonds !
Advise all after spending over the year including the corruption of management and head of HR join GMB as the only union who are impartial

I don’t know that I can better most of the reviews I read on this site.
Do yourself a favour and use your hard earned money to join a different union. One that actually represents you. Can’t guarantee that most are much better but can’t be any worse than this lot

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust mobbed me out of a job. I asked my union for help but they only pretended to be, they only talk the talk. Incapable of walking the walk.

When my work mates and peers in other unions showed me photos of the human resources staff (Joanne Robarts and Anita Lo Presti) being mates with my unison branch reps (Leanne Weatherley and Nicola Mitchell of Northamptonshire Health Workers), the writing was on the wall.

I'm happy to share this evidence... just warning folks to save their money and don't bother with this union. It's a club, and you're not in it.

unison are totaly useless for weeks never met rep kept making excuses ,, for 3 weeks getting nowere with grievence ,, in the end i left the job ater 18 years i have never been happier , and as for the stupid unison rep who told my lad if your not happy look for another job , i suggest you follow your own advice

I work in the NHS and have been a UNISON member for several years. Unfortunately, my experience has been extremely disappointing.

When I requested help with a workplace issue, I waited three months before receiving any response. After repeatedly chasing, I then waited another month for UNISON to address their own lack of action. Even now, I am still waiting for proper support with my ongoing issue.

The lack of communication and accountability from UNISON is deeply concerning. For an organisation that promotes itself as supporting NHS staff, their service has been unacceptably poor. I have paid my subscription for years and received nothing of value when assistance was actually needed.

I would strongly advise others to think carefully before joining.

Brilliant once you can get hold of someone. You can wait weeks for a reply. Even when it's an urgent need. You pay for a service you don't really receive. Once you manage to speak to someone they are good. It's just the wait that is an absolute joke.

In my personal experience, UNISON has been an absolute disgrace. They make flashy promises they never seem to keep, and it genuinely feels like they only bother representing the people they choose to help. Meanwhile, paying members like me are left completely unprotected, ignored, and abandoned.

Trying to get hold of a rep is a nightmare — endless phone calls, endless waiting, and still no real support. Even when you send them solid, clear evidence for a grievance, they do nothing. No response, no action, just silence.

To me, this union has become a joke. A complete waste of money. It feels like one of the biggest scams in the public sector — all talk, no help, and absolutely no accountability.

Shameful beyond words. I honestly hope nurses and other workers stop pouring their hard-earned money into what, in my opinion, has become a useless and neglectful organisation.

*DO NOT GIVE THESE ANY OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND IF YOU ARE WITH THEM JOIN ANOTHER UNION*

Merseyside area

After being a member for 35+ years and never once calling on them until recently, they have be absolutely no use to me at all.

They wont provide a unison rep for my hearing despite the fact that they brag they will always be there for you!

Considering they are dealing with people who are going through possibly one of the most stressful times of their life there is ABSOLUTELY NO compassion despite the fact that they have a duty of care. They never reply to emails or telephone messages. The admin staff are rude, talk over you and shout. Fob you off saying that there is lots of working going on behind the scenes but I’m sure if they were challenged to list all of these actions with the owners of them that they wouldn’t be able to list anything!

When you ring head office they just tell you that you need to contact the branch do all is just go round in circles!!!!

If you want to save your career or your sanity then please learn from one of my biggest mistakes of my life and join another union!

Not IF but WHEN I lose my job at my hearing it’s won’t be because I have done anything ……….. BUT will be because of UNISON. Let’s hope none of them ever need the help of a union.

I have been a member of Unison Brent for about a year, and I have to say that my experience has been very disappointing.

I had a simple case, fully recorded and supported with physical evidence, but it was not handled properly. The branch secretary did not even manage to forward my full case pack to the main branch or to the lawyer.

Because of this lack of action, I can’t help but feel there may be some connection or cooperation with the council, which worries me. From now own, I will use my own judgment and private lawyers if i ever need to.

I received a letter from the home office regarding where I worked and reported this to them, the (unison) union, they ignored it and the expected time got elapsed. That led to me not able to met up with the deadline of the home office because, I was waiting for a response from my supporter. Meanwhile,they kept my direct debit ongoing. Collecting money without service. I had to terminate it.

Before joining Unison, I had read the reviews on Google. If I hadn’t joined Unison at that time — since the reviews were very bad — I wish I hadn’t joined. Things would have been better today if I had joined some other union. I also work on Oxford Road, and my case was handed over to one of their representatives. That representative was so rude and unprofessional — he knows my higher management. I don’t know whether it’s because of friendship or something else, but he showed no interest in my case at all. My case was open and shut, yet he kept delaying it, caused me stress, and today he finally told me, “I’m sorry, I can’t represent you.” He rejected me, saying there was a technical issue.

South East Region. DONT JOIN these clowns, they are a joke. A complete waste of time joining this union. I paid in for 3 years then when I needed them for redundancy they couldn’t be bothered to communicate with me or even attend my meeting. No point in complaining or going further as they just back each other up, they don’t listen or view your evidence and they get all their details wrong but make out you are wrong. An absolutely pointless body. They are quick enough to take your money but trying to get it back after no communication or representation is a non starter citing you had the benefits (no benefits they offered were any good for me) and you got to vote, so that is really what you are paying for not a service when you need it. I have ended up paying a solicitor to represent me.