Conference notes that, according to research from the University of the West of England, over half of 16-24 year olds use buses every week and two thirds of this age group do not have access to a car. For many young UNISON members, buses are essential as a cheap, convenient and environmentally friendly way to […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that the Government’s Growth Duty requires specific regulators to consider the potential impact of their activities and decisions on economic growth for the wider UK economy, alongside their other statutory duties. All government departments, including Defra and the Environment Agency (EA), are now subject to the Growth Duty. On 28 December 2024, Keir […]
Conference notes that the outcome of the PR24 price review process will require the water industry to increase customer bills over the five-year period to 2030. Despite this, Ofwat has failed to effectively target the vast profits being made within the privatised water industry, nor has it done enough to protect the most vulnerable households […]
Conference notes the ongoing bus reform initiatives across the UK, including franchising, enhanced partnerships, and efforts to improve services for passengers. Conference further notes that the first reregulation of bus services was in Greater Manchester, which completed on 5 January 2025 with the rollout of the third tranche of franchising. While these reforms aim to […]
Conference believes that customer facing workers are a vital lifeline for customers both in the field and the call-centres. However, with the high cost of living, customers are concerned about being able to afford bills and our members who work in customer facing roles can bear the brunt of this both on the phones and […]
Conference is proud that UNISON is one of the founding members of the Disability Employment Charter (DEC) which now has over 220 organisations signed up to it, including trade unions, disabled people’s organisations, public service employers, charitable organisations, and private sector employers. However, the Water, Environment and Transport (WET) Service Group is not well represented […]
Conference notes some of the heartfelt motions put forward at previous National Delegate Conferences (NDC) and as fellow human beings we can’t help but be moved by some of the harrowing stories of abuse and upset our members face on a daily basis. Migrant workers are too often the victims of exploitation including bad employment […]
Conference is concerned on the over-reliance on external contractors and consultants to carry out routine day-to-day work for employers in the WET service group. This uneconomical practice often comes at a great financial cost when at the same time bosses are ‘crying the poor tale’ when it comes to fairly rewarding our members for the […]
Conference notes that due to the impact of climate change, we are seeing more and more extreme weather. This impacts throughout the year and manifests itself in severe flooding, droughts, gales and snow and ice. This has a direct impact on our members within our WET service group. Water industry workers often bear the brunt […]
Securing Parliament’s Consent to UNISON’S Water Report – ‘Clean water – A case for public ownership’
Conference is only too aware of the national disgrace that is our water industry. Whether this be the pollutions into our waterways or the way they are funded and run. That is why the excellent report, ‘Clean water: A case for public ownership’, was welcomed. This report exposes the exact state of the industry and […]
WET Conference is acutely aware that neurodivergent issues are becoming more commonplace in branches covered by the WET SGE. We are now seeing a much greater reliance on technology in operations and contact centre environments. Whilst this is seen as a relatively new condition “experts” in this field are commonplace and the WETSGE is encouraged […]
Conference agrees that equality training should be a cornerstone of work within UNISON branches within the WET Service Group. Though not limited to, the Conference is mandating the WET Service Group Executive to work with UNISON’s LAOS and other appropriate departments to deliver specific WET branch training on Trans Ally and Anti Racism Activist development […]
Conference welcomes the production of the report, “clean water – a case for public ownership” and the subsequent parliamentary launch both in 2024. Whilst the report has been welcomed, the work must continue to try to impress on any future Government, the current failings of the system and to campaign for radical change in the […]
Conference welcomes the presentation at the 2024 WET Seminar from the organisation, Violation Tracker UK which investigates and publicises corporate regulatory infringements in the UK. Their data sources include the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Water Services Regulation Authority. The infringements identified have a […]
Conference notes that before deregulation of the Bus Industry in 1986 many bus services were run directly by Local Authorities, therefore the employees were members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Since deregulation, bus company employees have been enrolled in vastly inferior Defined Contribution Schemes by their private sector employers. When they retire , it […]