Home > Answers to key questions about strike action at Second Step
Answers to key questions about strike action at Second Step
Last updated: 12 January 2026
About strike action at Second Step
There is an ongoing dispute with UNISON relating to the pay award for 2025/26 and negotiating rights. Discussions to avoid strike action are ongoing via Acas.
Strike action is planned for four days in January 2026 on:
- Tuesday 13 January
- Wednesday 14 January
- Wednesday 21 January
- Thursday 22 January
Pickets will take place at four locations:
- Bristol office – 162 Pennywell Road, Bristol, BS5 0TX
- High Support Accommodation – Toll House Court, 308-312 North Street, Bristol, BS3 1JY
- Bath office – 28 Southgate Street, Bath, BA1 1TP
- Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol, BS10 5PY
Picketing must take place outside our premises and not on our footprint.
We have requested that no pickets take place outside our clients’ homes, for example at Toll House Court in Bristol, due to the impact on vulnerable people who live there.
Non-union employees can take part in strike action, however, this will most likely be a breach of their employment contract and strike pay deductions could be made.
We understand this is a challenging period and are doing what we can to support staff through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
As of December 2025, 112 of Second Step’s 374 staff were UNISON members.
Yes. UNISON’s current strike mandate lasts for six months, meaning they can call further strike action up to May 2026. If further strike action is planned, UNISON is required to give at least two weeks’ notice.
Impact on Second Step's services
When strike action takes place, our priority will be to keep services running safely for the people who rely on us. Senior leaders and central teams are meeting regularly to plan for this and will step in to support services and cover essential functions where and when needed.
During this time, our focus will be on core service delivery. Some non-essential activity may be paused so we can concentrate on maintaining safe, reliable support for clients.
We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption. If services are affected, we will share clear, timely information about the impact.
Every service has updated Business Continuity Plans. We are planning for multiple scenarios because colleagues do not have to tell us in advance if they intend to strike.
Derogations are exemptions agreed with the union to allow essential or safety-critical services to continue during strike action, to protect the safety of our clients. On strike days, the Senior Leadership Team will work with managers to identify and request any necessary derogations. These derogations will be agreed in advance with UNISON and clearly communicated so everyone understands what they mean.
We have asked to discuss derogation with UNISON, but have had no response from them as yet.
We are planning carefully to make sure clients continue to receive the support they need. Staff have a clear message to give to clients. They should call 0117 993 6630 or email reception@second-step.co.uk or visit www.second-step.co.uk to receive up to date information.
What Second Step and UNISON are doing to resolve the dispute
Yes. Second Step has offered to meet again in January to continue discussions. The talks are facilitated by Acas, the advisory, conciliation and arbitration service.
As a neutral, independent third party, Acas facilitates talks between Second Step and UNISON with the aim of resolving the dispute. They ensure both parties understand each other’s position both at face-to-face talks and through talks with each party independently.
Full negotiation rights, also known as collective bargaining, means UNISON would have the right to negotiate pay and contractual terms and conditions with Second Step for the whole staff group regardless of union membership. Full negotiation rights will only be awarded following an all-staff ballot, which is standard practice.
Union recognition is when an employer formally acknowledges a union's right to represent a group of its workers to negotiate terms and conditions like pay, hours, and benefits through collective bargaining, and leading to a formal recognition agreement detailing these rights and processes.
UNISON has been made aware of the challenging financial position for 2025/26. The financial details have been shared with all staff. Due to unique factors 2024/25 was a difficult year. Second Step is not in a position to uplift staff salaries in the financial year 2025/26 as this would put our service delivery at unacceptable risk and would not sustain the uplift in future years.
At the most recent Acas meeting in December we offered to start meaningful conversations on a potential recognition agreement with UNISON.
How to stay up to date
We post regular updates about what’s going on at Second Step, including information about the upcoming industrial action, on our News Hub.