Terms and Conditions in the Community and Voluntary Sector

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Conference
2015 Community Service Group Conference
Date
23 October 2014
Decision
Carried as Amended

Conference notes with concern the insecurity facing workers in the community and voluntary sector, many of whom are low paid women workers.

Many voluntary sector organisations provide services via contracts from local government and health authorities, and cuts in public spending are inevitably impacting on the funding of these services and therefore on our members.

This is manifested in many different ways, including:

1) Job insecurity – according to Fawcett Society research, 820,000 more women have moved into low paid, insecure jobs since the start of the recession in 2008

2) Cuts in terms and conditions, including sick pay

3) Cuts to income

4) Additional pressure to deliver more for less

Conference welcomes the Home Care Charter developed by UNISON as a standard for home care services, which has been adopted by a number of employers.

Conference also welcomes the TUC – Children England declarations on childrens’ services, setting minimum standards for the workforce and commissioning.

Conference calls upon the service group executive to explore a similar charter as a bargaining tool for branches where local government and health authorities contract out services to the voluntary and community sector.