This morning, UNISON local government conference unanimously voted to back a motion to campaign for pay rises for workers delivering outsourced services, including those in social care, school meals and refuse collection.
Local authority budget cuts have heavily affected the salaries of workers employed by private contractors who are delivering local government outsourced services.
Introducing the motion, UNISON chair of the private contractors national forum Catharyn Richardson said: “If our pay doesn’t rise, we will”.
UNISON has long campaigned for pay awards in private contractors to match those in the private sector.
An amendment to add sick pay into this campaign was also voted through.
Speaking in support of the amendment, Claire Marriot from UNISON Camden said: “It’s no coincidence that Camden had the lowest number of deaths in care homes in the pandemic, and that we have negotiated full pay for members during lockdown, whether shielding, self-isolating or ill with COVID-19”.
Theresa Conway from the service group executive added: “It’s no secret that members in outsourced services are often faced with low standards from their employers, whether that’s their employee relations, or pay and conditions”.
Other motions voted through by conference were on reasonable adjustments for home and hybrid working and improved campaigning on fighting sexual harassment.
Reasonable adjustments for home and hybrid working
Delegates also unanimously voted through a motion to support disabled workers through reasonable adjustments through home and hybrid working agreements.
A recent UNISON survey found that 73% of disabled members felt they were more productive working from home as they could manage their disability at home. Being able to take short breaks and work flexible hours without exhausting and painful commutes made a huge difference.
One disabled member, speaking in support of the motion, said: “In two years at home, I haven’t had a sick day, because my disability can be better managed at home. All disabled workers need to be considered. I will not go back to daily agony for a job. If an employer can’t even keep my equipment safe, how can they keep me safe?”
Sexual harassment
According to the latest data from the TUC, half of women have been sexually harassed at work, as have two thirds of LGBT+ people. Yet only one in five people feel able to report this to an employer.
The government announced in July 2021 that it would be introducing a new duty on employers to protect all their staff from sexual harassment at work, and would introduce protections for workers harassed by clients or customers as well as colleagues.
While welcoming these commitments, conference recognised that these changes are needed immediately.
Speaking in support of the motion, Noreen Robinson from Northern Ireland described how “the law is not working” and that “sexual harassment had moved online during lockdown remote working conditions, stating “it’s more invasive as it takes place in your own home.”
Adding to this, UNISON NEC member and service group executive Janet Green said: “Some women are being told to dress sexier for video calls.”
Ms Green urged the union to hold leadership teams accountable: “Women are reluctant to report harassment as leadership teams have closed ranks to look after their own. Women feel that reporting harassment could affect their career prospects or lead to unfair dismissal.”
