- Conference
- 2008 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 22 February 2008
- Decision
- Carried
The local authority workforce faces an uncertain and difficult future in the face of continued pressure for “efficiency savings”, ongoing restructuring of local authorities, outsourcing, “shared services”, the impact of local area agreements of Councils’ financing and service provision, as well as radical changes in education and social care.
UNISON’s briefing activity around “Making Local Services Count” has been very welcome in alerting branches and regions to the challenges ahead and providing excellent background information and analysis as a basis for future policy determination and campaigning.
This Conference encourages UNISON Local Government branches and regions to establish a clear understanding of local developments based on regular monitoring and the efficient exchange of information. Proposals for structural change and for the reorganisation of services, including shared services and outsourcing arrangements, need to be scrutinised to assess the potential impact on the quality of services, employment opportunities, terms and conditions of employment, and democratic accountability. Where possible, independent analysis and review shall be encouraged or commissioned. All staff directly or indirectly affected must be recruited into UNISON and engaged in developing the necessary campaigning, representation and negotiating activity to safeguard public services and to protect the workforce.
Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to:
1)Provide regular briefings and campaigning material;
2)Develop training courses to assist branch representatives in developing the campaigning and negotiating skills necessary to deal with structural and organisational change;
3)Draw up a “bank” of external expertise to enable independent critical analysis of local proposals for change where appropriate;
4)Maintain an up to date database of local developments and trade union responses to enable local activists to draw on current “best practice”;
5)Co-ordinate and lead a national campaign to expose structural change and reorganisation which undermines the quality of services and existing staffing arrangements but which also highlights good practice which enhances services and employment opportunities.