Campaigns
Positively Public Briefings
Monthly briefings providing the latest campaigning, privatisation and good practice news. 
Available here
Available hereNational news
Union condemns school cherry picking
10/10/08) Self-governing schools breaching admissions code'Come home to Labour'
(24/09/08) Minister lays out 'positive' vision for housingPublic spending works
(23/09/08) 64p of every local government £1 reinvested in local economyPrentis slams 'flawed' PFI
(02/09/08) General secretary calls on government to abandon failed policyNews list >
The Two Tier Workforce and Fair Wages
Over the past 20 years, tens of thousands of staff have been transferred from public authorities to private contractors. Most of these will have conditions protected when they transfer, but newer staff taken on after transfer usually face worse pay and conditions, leading to a two tier workforce.
UNISON has won important protection against the two-tier workforce, but they do not protect all workers in every situation. UNISON therefore continues to campaign for an end to the two-tier workforce and for fair wages resolution in public contracting that will protect the pay, conditions and pensions of all staff providing public services, regardless of who employs them. Such a clause would also ensure that private contractors could not compete for contracts on the basis of lower pay and conditions and it would remove incentives to privatise in order to achieve savings on labour costs.
For more information:
Fair Wages: How to end the two tier workforce in public services and achieve fair wages [PDF]Background about our campaign to end the two-tier workforce
Best Value Code of Practice on workforce matters
CONTACT DETAILS
• The UNISON contact for the Positively Public campaign is Margie Jaffe.
Positively Public
1 Mabledon Place
London WC1H 9AJ
Email: positivelypublic@unison.co.uk
• The UNISON contact for the Positively Public campaign is Margie Jaffe.
Positively Public
1 Mabledon Place
London WC1H 9AJ
Email: positivelypublic@unison.co.uk
Recent documents
ISA - staff side principles
The following principles have been drawn up in partnership by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), GMB, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Royal College of Nursing (RCN), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite. They relate to the introduction of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). All of the organisations support the principle of safe and effective public protection, and our principles seek to reflect this, but also identify areas of concern surrounding the approach and implementation of the ISA scheme.
Acrobat PDF version
Public Spending
Fact Sheet shows why it is now more important than ever to invest in public services and the staff who deliver them.
Public Spending factsheet
The rise of the 'public services industry'
New UNISON report highlighting the economic reality of the marketisation of public services, which increases the government's financial exposure and the risk of personal catastrophe for vulnerable service users
Acrobat PDF version
Equal pay, privatisation and procurement
This timely publication from the Institute of Employment Rights explores the links between privatisation, the gender pay gap and the legal hurdles women face trying to manoeuvre between the complexities of equal pay and transfer laws.
Acrobat PDF version
School meals, markets and quality
This report traces the rise and fall of the school meals service: from its inception as part of the Welfare State, through its relegation to an optional, cost-driven, service, to the current drives to transform it back to its original purpose.
Acrobat PDF version
The following principles have been drawn up in partnership by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), GMB, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Royal College of Nursing (RCN), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite. They relate to the introduction of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). All of the organisations support the principle of safe and effective public protection, and our principles seek to reflect this, but also identify areas of concern surrounding the approach and implementation of the ISA scheme.
Acrobat PDF version
Public Spending
Fact Sheet shows why it is now more important than ever to invest in public services and the staff who deliver them.
Public Spending factsheet
The rise of the 'public services industry'
New UNISON report highlighting the economic reality of the marketisation of public services, which increases the government's financial exposure and the risk of personal catastrophe for vulnerable service users
Acrobat PDF version
Equal pay, privatisation and procurement
This timely publication from the Institute of Employment Rights explores the links between privatisation, the gender pay gap and the legal hurdles women face trying to manoeuvre between the complexities of equal pay and transfer laws.
Acrobat PDF version
School meals, markets and quality
This report traces the rise and fall of the school meals service: from its inception as part of the Welfare State, through its relegation to an optional, cost-driven, service, to the current drives to transform it back to its original purpose.
Acrobat PDF version
UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9AJ. Telephone: 0845 355 0845.
© Copyright 2008
© Copyright 2008
