UNISON hits out at plans to end two-tier workforce agreement

UNISON today reacted angrily to news that the government is to abolish the two tier fair employment code, saying it heralded a "race to the bottom".

Private Contracts and Freedom of Information

Private contractor Veolia has been seeking to prevent a council from disclosing details of its £850m PFI-funded contract with the council to a local resident.

PFI hospital cuts

A short piece on PFI hospital cuts from the forthcoming Positively Public Briefing.

Extracts from the Coalition Government programme relating to procurement and commissioning

A list of selected extracts from the newly published Coalition Government Programme relating to procurement and commissioning.

Example of a flawed procurement process

A district auditor has highlighted the failings in a procurement process carried out by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, following allegations of malpractice in the media.

MPs back UNISON on NHS market

The House of Commons Health Committee has published a damning report on the waste of money and excessive transaction costs of the NHS market.

The case for in-house services: a branch guide

UNISON Bargaining Support has published The case for in-house services: a branch guide to help branches put the case for publicly run services.

Secondment guidance from UNISON Local Government

UNISON Local Government have produced bargaining guidance on secondments.

Throwing a spanner into the works

With increasing numbers of councils considering shared and merged services, the experience of UNISON in the East Midlands provides a valuable guide to how the process can empower members.

Scotland considers FOI for public sector contractors

The Scottish Government has announced a consultation on the inclusion of public sector contractors under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.