Improving working conditions for Care workers

There is a high proportion of Black workers in the care and support sector. Black workers disproportionately face job losses, downgrading and cuts in hours. In addition to this, care workers working with individuals with learning difficulties and dementia are at a higher risk of suffering from violence and abuse at work. Some of whom […]

Equality rights and national collective agreements

Conference is concerned at the continuing pressure to move away from nationally agreed terms and conditions amongst local government employers, including those of our own National Joint Council (NJC). Conference notes that it was our union’s national collective bargaining that established many equality protections long before they were enshrined in law. For example, our predecessor […]

Local government pay – an equality issue

Conference notes with concern that local government pay remains the lowest in the public sector, and that most local government workers are also paid substantially less than their equivalents in the private sector. The real value of average UK pay packets has fallen by 12% since 2010, and for most local government workers the fall […]

Recruitment and Retention of Activists

Conference condemns the large number of job losses in Local Government which are a result of the Tory led coalition cuts. Conference acknowledges the particular impact this has had on Local Government branches, the loss of members and often the loss of experienced activists. Conference is angry but recognises that these losses will continue for […]

A Lobbying and Campaign Strategy for Local Government Pay

Conference notes that local government pay and conditions remain the lowest in the public sector and that the effect of funding cuts on the Local Government workforce is largely overlooked by elected members and politicians. However, a reduced role for local authorities leads to greatly diminished local democracy. Conference also notes that:- 1)The 2015/16 Local […]

Retention of Green Book Terms and Conditions

Conference reaffirms its view that sector-wide collective bargaining – not Regional or local – is best placed to deliver decent pay and conditions, and equality. It is also the best way to ensure that local government employment reflects our vision for universal and equal public services and deals with the issues arising out of cuts, […]

Local Government Supporting Joint Working in Education

College members are increasingly connected to fellow education workers in schools, academies, university technical colleges and other provision nearly all of which are in local government branches; many careers professionals are based in schools and colleges. Colleges are sponsoring academies and developing shared services that cut across traditional institutional boundaries. The National Further Education and […]

When is a Co-op not a Co-op

Conference Notes:- 1)The continued promotion of co-ops, mutuals and social enterprises by the Coalition Government as being a preferred delivery of local council services. By giving public sector workers a right to form mutuals, co-operatives and other arm’s length companies, the government claims to be giving power to local communities and offering a greater role […]

Local Government Finance

The Wales Local Government Committee is acutely aware of the increasing pressures placed upon the services that our members provide and that they are living with the dire consequences of the financial stranglehold that the current Con/Dem Government are imposing upon the annual budget settlements .We acknowledge that such draconian funding reductions have been decimating […]

Living Wage

Conference is incensed by the effect of continuing austerity on our members and calls on the Service Group Executive to campaign with regions and branches, across all sector bargaining groups, for the Living Wage to be the minimum spinal column point on their respective pay scales.

Low pay and women

Conference notes that the erosion of pay in local government has had a particularly detrimental effect on women workers. 1)Women now make up the vast majority of staff in local government, but are disproportionately represented in the lower grades; 2)The majority of staff on zero hours contracts are women, with many of those women receiving […]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Conference notes that negotiations are underway between the European Union (EU) and the United States on a new trade agreement, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which could serve as a model for all future trade agreements. TTIP will not just remove trade tariffs but would also harmonise regulatory standards; open markets in the […]

Behaviour and Violence in Schools

Conference recognises that challenging behaviour and violence in schools can have an enormous impact on school staff. Unfortunately most of the focus on dealing with and providing support for challenging behaviour has been primarily on teachers, despite support staff facing behaviour issues in classrooms, the playground and the general school environment. Additionally, specialist support staff […]

Future of Local Government

Conference notes: – 1)The damage that the Coalition’s ‘austerity’ programme has inflicted on local services and local communities across the UK and the future damage that could occur if the plans set out in the Autumn Statement 2014 are followed; 2)The warnings from the Public Accounts Committee that discretionary local services may disappear and that […]

Facility Time

Conference notes with alarm the continuing attacks on facility time in local government over the last year. These attacks are part of a political attack on trade unions in local government. In 2014 the Department for Communities and Local Government issued revised guidelines on data transparency, which require local authorities and fire and rescue authorities […]