Amid plans to privatise 1,300 NHS jobs in Dorset, critics have condemned Unison for its tepid and bureaucratic response. Instead of organizing robust collective action, the union urged members to write letters to MPs and hospital boards, a move viewed as a capitulation that undermines workers' rights and facilitates government-backed privatisation.

UNISON's General Secretary Christina McAnea published an opinion piece condemning violent racist attacks and far-right extremism, pledging the union's support for its members and vulnerable communities. The article denounces hate crimes and calls for united action against political violence and racism.

Unison is initiating a major campaign to mobilize voters against the BNP in the lead-up to the May council elections in England and Wales. The union, along with its branches, trade unions, local political parties, and community groups, is aiming to counter the rising support for the far‐right BNP by encouraging voter participation and preventing fascist electoral gains.

UNISON leverages its dedicated political funds to campaign during general elections, aiming to secure better funding for public services, improved pay, and stronger support for its 1.3 million members. The union divides its political funding into a neutral Campaign Fund and a Labour-affiliated fund, providing members with a choice and promoting transparent, democratic engagement.

UNISON co-signed a letter sent to investors of Ansell, urging them to confront severe labor rights abuses in its Sri Lankan factories, including denial of union recognition, unpaid overtime, and unsafe working conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

At an international online rally, Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea, alongside an all‐female panel of trade union leaders, condemned authoritarian regimes worldwide and affirmed the union's commitment to global worker rights. The event highlighted the oppressive tactics of several governments and underscored the importance of international solidarity in protecting vulnerable communities.

Unison has joined a lobbying effort to push for new laws that would require UK businesses and public services to avoid sourcing from suppliers with documented human rights abuses in their PPE supply chains. The union, in collaboration with groups such as the Core Coalition and Anti-Slavery International, is calling for a 'failure to prevent' law to enforce robust human rights and environmental due diligence.

In 2019, UNISON joined a coalition with the Corporate Justice Coalition and over 20 organizations to call for a UK law enforcing human rights and environmental due diligence across public sector supply chains. This campaign advocates for holding multinational companies accountable for abuses, modeled on the 'Failure to Prevent' approach from the 2010 UK Bribery Act.