School Staff National Negotiations

Conference is aware that there has been a dramatic increase in the numbers of support and professional staff employed in schools over the last 5 years. In addition, their roles and responsibilities have also increased however pay has not always kept place with this. Conference notes the Secretary of State, Ed Balls’, announcement last autumn, […]

Care of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

This Conference notes )the recent publication of ‘Better Outcomes: the way forward – improving the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking children’ by the Borders and Immigration Agency (BIA) which sets out the framework for providing services to unaccompanied asylum seeking children; 2)That unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people arrive in this country separated from their family and […]

Campaigning for a fair deal for LGPS members

Conference notes that Statutory Instrument 2007, number 1166, issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) which outlined the ‘new look’ LGPS, stated that “Administering and employing authorities shall have regard to guidance to be issued by the Secretary of State, before 31 March 2009, as to the manner in which the costs […]

Local Government/Health Interface

Conference notes continuing moves toward towards increasing integration between health and social care in government policy in England Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland health and social care are integrated but are undergoing the upheaval of the ‘super-Trust’ restructuring. The implications of integration are widespread and include the threat of a combined push towards the […]

Housing

Conference welcomes the Government’s commitment to: 1)Two million new homes by 2016 and three million by 2020; 2)The review of the housing revenue account ‘to ensure that we have a sustainable, long term system for financing council housing’; 3)Recently published figures from Communities and Local Government suggest that over the next 15 years HRA surpluses […]

Pay in the Community and Voluntary Sector

Conference notes that, despite strong campaigning by UNISON, pay and conditions for our members in the community and voluntary sector (CVS) are inferior to those in the public sector. UNISON members in the community and voluntary sector have long had a very strong involvement as providers of social care. As CVS organisations provide an increasing […]

Centrica Pensions

This Conference notes with concern the policy of companies within the energy industry to close final salary pension schemes. This has moved forward with the announcement by Centrica pensions to fundamentally change their entire pension portfolio, where the protected final salary scheme is to be transferred resulting in increased contributions and reduced benefits for our […]

Barriers to Progression and Promotion for Black Employees

Conference is deeply concerned that Black workers experience severe disadvantage in job promotion and career progression prospects. In line with UNISON’s objective of negotiating and bargaining on behalf of members and promoting equality, Conference calls upon the National Energy Service Group Executive to work with the National Black Members’ Committee and the NEC to: 1Produce […]

Disability Discrimination in Sickness Absence, Capability and Disciplinary Procedures

This Conference believes that energy companies continue to discriminate against disabled workers despite their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. Harsh sickness absence policies that fail to take account of disability related leave (as advised in the Code of Practice for Employment and Occupation), capability procedures that fail to recognise that performance can be affected […]

MOONCUPS – GREETING OUR PERIODS

Conference notes the damage caused to the environment by non biodegradable sanitary products i.e. Tampons and Sanitary Pads. These products end up in landfill and all to often our oceans and watercourses. There is a simple solution to this problem – Mooncups. The Mooncup is a reusable menstrual cup around two inches long and made […]

THE CRISIS IN RAPE CRISIS

Conference is concerned at the lack of funding for women’s sector organisations which has resulted in the closure of much needed Rape Crisis centres. In 2007 only 32 Rape Crisis centres remained in England and Wales, compared to 84 in 1985, and in July 2007 it was estimated that half of these would be closed […]

TIME OFF FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

This conference notes that women are predominantly responsible for ensuring their children attend medical appointments such as post-natal development clinics, child assessment clinics, baby clinics, medical and dental appointments. This means that women have to take time out of a working day to accompany them, often having to use annual leave, time off in lieu […]

TOWARDS A SUFFICIENT PENSION FOR ALL WOMEN

This conference recognises that it is a long established fact that women with caring responsibilities may suffer a detriment when they retire because of a reduction in pension. For many years, women’s choice has been between having a career and a comfortable retirement or raising their own children and being poor in retirement. Some women […]

THE DISCRIMINATION LAW REVIEW AND THE GENDER EQUALITY DUTY

This Conference notes that the Government is committed to introducing a Single Equality Act in this Parliament. The Government launched the Discrimination Law Review in February 2005 with the task of undertaking a comprehensive review of discrimination legislation, making recommendations that would simplify and modernise the law and ensuring better enforcement and compliance. Conference supports […]