- Conference
- 2022 Community Conference and Seminar
- Date
- 24 November 2021
- Decision
- Carried
The Community Service Group is very different from others within our union. There are more than eighty thousand members, employed by more than six thousand different employers. More than three thousand members are the only UNISON member at their employer. And most UNISON community members are part of branches where they are in a minority, usually well outnumbered by members of the Local Government group.
This has consequences for members who wish to become active or remain active. They are very likely to work for an employer who does not recognise any union, and there is no question of employer support or facility time. This also raises for members the question of what would be the point in becoming a rep, where there is no one to represent. They are likely not to routinely come across other UNISON members or activists, who may have common issues or even have worked out how to deal with problems they are wrestling with. They may be less likely than others to be supported by their branch to become reps or stewards, to attend Conferences as a branch delegate, or to fill one of the core branch offices.
No one thing will reverse this fragmentation. But a combination of actions, consistently pursued, can build participation across our diverse membership. Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive to:
1. Support training aimed at cohorts of members from our service group to enable them to build relationships and form networks.
2. Seek through regional community structures to strengthen support for Community reps and members at the regional tier.
3. Support the development and dissemination of resources enabling activists to seek recognition from their own employers.
4. Use all available communications channels and technologies to facilitate the development of networks of activists from our sectors, able to share knowledge and build solidarity across geographical and branch boundaries.