- Conference
- 2006 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 24 February 2006
- Decision
- Carried
We note the 3 year pay deal in Local Government. We also note that the ‘consultation’ period was conducted at a time when many activists were away at Conference.
Some branches managed to get out the publicity and also made a recommendation to Vote NO based on information assembled by the respective branch committees.
Conference is gravely concerned at the 2004-07 pay deal agreed by UNISON and the other Single Status trade unions.
We believe the UNISON SGE fell short of their responsibilities in not sufficiently highlighting to all members the strings attached to the pay deal and scaring members with an imposed ballot paper that warned of all out extensive strike action as the only alternative to acceptance.
We further note that UNISON LG Conference 2004 also agreed that ‘The main reason for the change in direction by the National Local Government Committee between 2002 (when we claimed £1750 or 6% whatever was the greater) and 2004 is the objective of avoiding industrial action and avoiding an adverse effect on the Labour Party …’
We therefore resolve to:
1)Call upon our representatives at national level to defend, protect and enhance current conditions of service and place any significant changes that could be detrimental before a similar ballot of all members affected, before any agreement on changes to national conditions is made
2)Campaign for a pay deal that takes into account rising utility bills and increased cost of housing
3)Call upon the national leadership to be less pessimistic and defeatist about our opportunity of securing real and genuine improvement in our pay and terms and conditions of employment
4)Take all steps necessary to avoid multi-year deals