UNISON Objectives and Priorities 2008
UNISON is committed to promoting equality in all our work. Our Objectives and Priorities will be delivered in the light of UNISON developing a union-wide equality scheme.
OBJECTIVE 1 - Recruiting, organising, representing and retaining members
Three priority work areas have been identified. These are:
1.1 Implementation of National Organising Strategy to
- Achieve overall membership growth of 3% including increasing the union's influence in the private, community and voluntary sector and amongst migrant workers
- Increase the number and percentage of workplace representatives trained for their roles and provide development pathways linked to national standards andqualifications; improve access to and distribution of time off facilities, in particular for women, and secure improvements to the legal framework
- Develop regional pool initiatives to promote and support workplace organising, recruitment and retention campaigns
1.2 Improved representation by
- Effective use by all regions of CASE management system to monitor the union's effectiveness in representing members, and review of potential for use of CASE elsewhere in UNISON
- Increasing member participation at all levels including achieving increased turnout in national elections and ballots
1.3 Continued development of the RMS to achieve:
- a review of support provided for branches operating the RMS
- enhanced integrity of records and detailed turnover rates
- reconciliation of subscription income with membership records
OBJECTIVE 2 - Negotiating and bargaining on behalf of members and promoting equality
Three priority work areas have been identified. These are:
2.1 Negotiate improved pay and conditions and implement agreed pay and grading packages that:
- deliver fair and equal pay across all sectors and bargaining groups
- secure quality and non-discriminatory pension schemes which are governed in the best interests of members
- promote lifelong learning, skills pathways and workforce development
2.2 Provide effective bargaining and support to members, including those facing reorganisation, restructuring and/or privatisation of services.
2.3 Promote equality and challenge discrimination in the workplace, using public sector equalities duties and relevant equality legislation
OBJECTIVE 3 - Campaigning and promoting UNISON on behalf of members
Five priority areas of work have been identified. These are:
3.1 Promoting and improving public services by:
- Developing the case for quality public services and promoting the public service workforce.
- Highlighting the failure of PFI, privatisation and the marketisation of public services.
- Campaigning for more decent and affordable housing
3.2 Campaigning for rights at work to:
- Eliminate discrimination in the workplace
- Improve working lives and work-life balance
- Extend collective rights in line with ILO conventions.
3.3 Maximising UNISON's political influence by:
- Ensuring effective and co-ordinated use of political fund resources
- Securing change to government policies including those of devolved nations
- Working to promote UNISON's key objectives within the European Union and Internationally.
3.4 Opposing and challenging discrimination by:
- Developing and implementing an equalities strategy across the union
- Promoting respect for asylum-seekers and humane immigration rules
- Combating the far right and promoting community cohesion
3.5 Developing and promoting the 'Green' UNISON strategy and working across the union to co-ordinate consistent green policies.
OBJECTIVE 4 - Developing an efficient and effective union
Four priority work areas have been identified. These are:
4.1 Improve our branch and service group structures by:
- Implementing the recommendations of the report agreed by National Delegate Conference in 2007
4.2 improve the management, development and diversity of staff by:
- Maintaining and developing the union's equality-proofed Pay and Grading system
- Improving performance management, and continuing as an Investors in People organisation
- Re-profiling our workforce to maximise staffing resources on UNISON's organising and campaigning objectives
- Improving existing work-life balance policies for staff which facilitate flexible working while ensuring that services to branches and members are maintained
4.3 Develop better financial management by:
- Developing the RMS as the core database for the collection, recording, accounting and reporting of subscription income and collection
- Improving systems and guidance for the financial reporting of branches
- Improving financial and budgetary control and reporting systems
4.4 Enhance our organisational systems and infrastructure by:
- Integrating new and existing information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems across the union to improve communications, enhance business information collection and reporting, and maximise the use of e-communications
- Ensuring we enhance our environmental performance and reduce our carbon footprint
- Developing performance and evaluation measures for UNISON's objectives and for all programmes, projects and systems
- Reducing administrative costs and other overheads
