Homeworking

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Conference
2006 Local Government Service Group Conference
Date
24 February 2006
Decision
Carried

Conference recognised that for employees and Local Government employers, homeworking is likely to become commonplace and this raises trade union concerns for members.

It is clear that this system of working may have advantages for our members. Therefore, it is essential that an in depth analysis is commissioned by UNISON taking into account a wide range of issues including:

health and safety

compensation for the use of facilities/insurance and tax issues

the voluntary nature of homeworking and the right to return

the range of arrangements i.e. part time, permanent and temporary solutions

accountability/monitoring/trust issues

privacy rights of employees

the problems of isolation

On the basis of this analysis, the Service Group Executive is instructed to urgently draw up and circulate to branches, both guidelines on how to negotiate protective arrangements and homeworking and also literature aimed at members drawing their attention to possible pitfalls inherent in some homeworking schemes.