- Conference
- Police Staff Service Group Conference 2005
- Date
- 25 February 2005
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
This Conference notes that mandatory testing for substance abuse has been introduced for all staff in the North Wales Police, with the intention of rolling it out to all other Police services in the future. This is an especially sensitive subject, requiring serious consultation arrangements.
This Conference expresses its grave concern that such a procedure has been brought in without proper consultation at a national level, relying instead on a divide and rule approach in consulting with the local branch on the basis of a decision taken by the Association of Chief Police Officers and subsequently effectively rubber-stamped by the Police Advisory Board.
This Conference believes that effective consultation that can only be achieved through an approach to negotiation and consultation that is equally inclusive of all staff groups within the Police service.
This Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to:
1)Negotiate a PSC (England and Wales) Substance Abuse Policy incorporating advice on mandatory drug testing;
2)Ensure that the North Wales’ Police branch experience of mandatory testing for substance abuse is closely monitored and other branches advised of the results of such monitoring;
3)Circulate to all branches UNISON’s Health and Safety information sheet on drug and alcohol abuse, with advice on mandatory testing agreements.