Some questions and answers
www.bigconversation.org.uk asks many questions - here are some UNISON answers.
How can we ensure enough houses are built?
UNISON: Housing output is at its lowest since 1924. Local authorities should be freed to invest in new housing. The complicated rules governing local authority finance should be reformed to make this possible.
What more can we do to bridge the pay gap between men and women?
UNISON: The government should earmark funds to finance equal pay initiatives in the public sector. New regulations should cover indirect discrimination. We need a statutory Code of Practice.
What about smoking at work and in public places?
UNISON: The public health evidence of damage caused by smoking is overwhelming. Central government should take responsibility and ban smoking in public places, including at work.
Can 'civilianisation' to free up police officers?
UNISON: The government should retrain and expand the roles and responsibilities of police support staff such as traffic wardens and detention officers to ease the burden on police, allowing them to concentrate more on operational duties.
What should our priority be within education?
UNISON: It must be the early years - that is when the biggest difference can be made. UNISON strongly supports the development of Children's Centres and SureStart. Government must adopt a coherent workforce development strategy at the earliest opportunity to ensure these bold plans can be delivered.
Should we be extending work-life balance entitlements?
UNISON: Definitely! For too long work-life balance has been understood in terms of young children and 'families'. Many people have caring responsibilities, for relatives, for partners with disabilities - they too are entitled to a proper work-life balance.
Should people work longer and should saving for pensions be compulsory?
UNISON: People should have a choice, but they should not be forced to work beyond the current state pension age. Compulsory savings may be necessary - but will be particularly difficult for low-paid workers. Any change to the system must take account of this.
Have we got the right balance in provision and funding between cars, buses and trains?
UNISON: No. Buses have been under-invested for too long, although Labour has started to change this. Buses are overwhelmingly used by women, older and young people, low-paid workers and disabled people. Local authorities need powers over fares and frequency and a national bus regulator established.
How do we ensure greater dynamism and flexibility which encourages jobs growth also promotes greater fairness?
UNISON: At the moment the balance is still tilted too much in favour of employers. So we need an improved national minimum wage, which includes 16 and 17 year-olds; employment and trade union rights extended to workers in small enterprises; and a fair-wages clause for public service workers to truly end the two-tier workforce.
