Service groups

What is a service group

Nationally UNISON is organised into service groups that reflect the occupations and industries our members work in, our collective bargaining agreements, and our members’ employers and services.

Every member of UNISON is part of a service group, ensuring UNISON’s services stay relevant to the various sectors where our members work. Within a service group will be members who work in different job sectors. 

Our service groups give our members a strong voice in the sector where they work. They can support each other to tackle sector-specific issues, and call on specialist help and experience when negotiating with employers. 

They can resolve problems related to unfair conditions and pay by using collective bargaining and negotiation. This is the way trade unions work to improve working conditions and pay. They can report problems regionally or nationally to compare workplace issues with other employers or locations. And they can negotiate professional and occupational rules, standards, conditions and policy. 

Our service groups 

• Community – For members who work in voluntary, charitable and not-for-profit organisations.
• Energy – For members who work in the gas, electricity and renewables industries.
• Health care – For members who work in the NHS or provide NHS services, including nurses, midwives, health visitors, paramedics and cleaners.
• Higher education – For members who work in higher education, including teaching and support staff.
• Local government – For members including housing officers, probation officers and council staff.
• Police, probation and Cafcass – For members who work across our justice system, including police staff and probation workers, and those working in Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass).
• Water, environment and transport – For members who work in passenger transport, at bus companies, regional airports, British Waterways as well as scientists, technicians, industrial workers and call centre staff.

Service group elections and executive

Every member is entitled to stand for election to the service group executive, which oversees each group and covers matters such as national bargaining. Delegates to the annual service group conference, representing branch colleagues, also have a right to seek election.

The elections take place every two years, between elections to the national executive council.