- Conference
- 2014 Community Service Group Conference
- Date
- 9 November 2013
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the importance of involving members of self organised groups in community branch activities including recruiting, organising, bargaining and negotiating. Members of self organised groups are a valuable resource to the community service group with experience and knowledge of how employers’ policies and procedures can fail to be inclusive.
Conference further notes that while there are many self-organised group members working in the community sector, self-organisation within community branches is at best patchy and at worst non-existent. This can be for a variety of reasons including the community structure, members being allocated to local government and health branches and the number of small employers.
Conference notes that some larger community employers may have staff forums for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, Black, disabled and women members which are consulted with by employers on equality policies, procedures and practices and may hold meetings and conferences for workers. Whilst they have a place, they should not take on the role of the UNISON branch when it comes to bargaining, negotiating and organising.
Conference believes that strong self-organisation at branch level is key to ensuring that the issues faced by our members are considered by employers.
Conference therefore calls on the community service group executive working with the relevant national self-organised committees to:
i) Circulate information to community branches on self organisation and its role within the union.
ii) Promote guidance to community branches on setting up self organised groups
iii) Encourage branches to support the setting up of branch self organised groups and circulate examples of good practice.