- Conference
- 2005 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 31 December 2004
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference notes the creation of the Private Contractor Unit at a Strategic Level within the National Office at UNISON.
Whilst it is an important move to co-ordinate the work of various parts of the UNISON structure with our relationships with the various private contractors in the NHS and across the public services this Conference believes that branches need to be fully involved in all work undertaken by the Unit.
Conference re-iterates it’s position that all workers within the health service are a full part of the healthcare team and the intention of the Health Service Group should be that all private contractors should be driven out of the NHS and all staff returned to NHS employment. This should be the intention behind the Unit.
Conference is therefore concerned that the Private Contractor Unit is submitting pay claims and meeting management of private contractors such as Serco and ISS Mediclean without prior knowledge of the branches who organise within these employers. This has the effect of making UNISON at a branch, regional and national level look stupid and disjointed with the employers. Furthermore Conference believes that it is inappropriate for the Private Contractor Unit within these pay claims to commit UNISON to pursing the government to fund Agenda for Change conditions of service within private contractors when these contractors are declaring multi-million pound profits.
Conference calls on the SGE to work with the other service groups to provide democratic accountability to the Private Contractor Unit.