UNISON
When you join us, you also join UNISON
When you join us, you also join UNISON, the largest union in the NHS and in the UK.
We work together with UNISON to make sure your workplace concerns are heard – whether it's about pay, health and safety, discrimination or the future direction of occupational therapy services. UNISON is a powerful voice for working people in the UK, with over 1.3 million members working in public services, the community, the voluntary sector and private companies.
Full UNISON membership is included as part of your membership, unless you’re self-employed or working outside the UK.
Your UNISON membership
Giving you protection and representation in your workplace, including:
- legal help for you at work and for your family at home
- financial assistance and debt advice in times of need
- compensation for you and your family
- discounts including money off cars and holidays
- helpline open until midnight on weekdays and 4pm on Saturdays (closed on Sundays)
- training to help develop your career
- support when you need it most.
A bit of background
UNISON provides industrial relations support for the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT). How it’s structured between BAOT, RCOT, and UNSION is slightly complicated, but you don’t need to worry about it because we take care of it all.
Here’s a bit of background to how it works and what it means:
- when you become a member, you formally join the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT)
- you then automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON
- RCOT is the brand we provide our member services under and a wholly owned charitable subsidiary of BAOT
- as a registered charity, RCOT is restricted on what it can and can’t say around union and political matters. That’s why it’s important that your membership with UNISON is through BAOT and not RCOT
- BAOT/RCOT doesn’t contribute to UNISON’s general political fund nor UNISON’s affiliated political fund.
We work this way so that you get all the benefits of being a member of RCOT and the largest union in the NHS and in the UK.
Hear direct from UNISON
UNISON has worked closely with BAOT/RCOT for almost 30 years and in 2022 we renewed that long standing partnership.
UNISON represents members in many ways, from advising and supporting individual members about a problem at work, to using its voice to influence decision-making at a national level that will affect all occupational therapy staff. BAOT and UNISON work together to make sure our members’ concerns are heard – whether it's about pay, health and safety, discrimination, or the future direction of occupational therapy services.
Visit UNISON website to stay informed about UNISON’s latest campaigns, including what it’s doing to negotiate fairer pay for occupational therapists and other health and social care professionals.
Problem at work?
UNISON helpline: 0800 0857 857
Get help from UNISON online
Find the contact details for your regional office.
If you don't have an occupational therapy steward in your workplace, then make sure you elect one.
Every workplace should have a BAOT/UNISON steward to represent the views and needs of occupational therapy staff. If you don't have a steward in your workplace, then you should raise this issue at one of your team meetings. Occupational therapy stewards are given accredited training and are entitled to paid time off to carry out their union duties.