HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Conference – with the publication of the Casey review, and with the first national Police National Database (PND) vetting of all staff and officers recently completed, the omission of the requirement to declare masonic membership still manages to duck the bullet. All staff and officers have to regularly complete vetting forms and declare membership or […]

MARCH WITH PRIDE

Conference notes with concern the decision in 2022 by London Pride that the Metropolitan Police could not march at Pride in uniform, and the decision in 2023 by Brighton Pride that Kent Police would not be welcome to march this year. However, Conference also notes the Baroness Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police reported “institutional […]

AN ANTI RACISM CHARTER FOR ALL

Conference notes that on the 7th June 2023 the East of England Probation area signed up to UNISON Eastern Region’s Anti-Racism Charter. Whilst the Probation Service has a comprehensive work plan in relation to actions identified in a joint union employer survey on race, the feedback from members has been that the actions have taken […]

ORGAN DONATION

Conference notes that many thousands of people are waiting for life changing and life saving organ donation. Since 1 June 2023, the law around organ donation has changed from an opt-in to an opt-out system. It is hoped that this change will increase the number of organs donated. Whilst the majority of organs used for […]

AGENCY STAFF CONTRACT REFORMS

Evidence has emerged that the Probation Service has spent and continues to spend millions of pounds on agency staff. Whilst it is acknowledged that agency staff are an asset that is vital in managing the work of the service, it is noted that a significant proportion of the money spent on their employment is taken […]

POLICE STAFF GRIEVANCES

Conference notes that analysis and scrutiny of grievances raised by Police Staff is not currently undertaken by the Service Group Executive (SGE). Conference believes that the SGE should have an overview of key issues raised by police staff through the grievance process to inform the national bargaining agenda. The SGE should have access to data […]

Pay Negotiations

Conference recognises that the police staff pay negotiations should be approached in a different way following the extended 2017 negotiations and subsequent disappointed settlement. Conference acknowledges this was negatively influenced by the police officers Pay Review Body award and in addition, due to the timing of the consultation process, members saw UNISON colleagues in other […]

Bargaining for good Mental Health policies in Police and Justice workplaces

Conference notes that our workplaces are changing, with members in Police and Justice facing increased workloads as targets are raised year on year and working conditions often deteriorating when services are privatised. These pressures have made the importance of ensuring good mental health in our workplaces clear. At least one in four of us will […]

Police Staff Council Pay and Reward Review Part 2

Conference welcomes the start of work on the Police Staff Council Pay and Reward Review Part 2. Conference notes that: 1)The terms of reference for Part 2 of the Review cover how police staff basic pay is determined and administered by forces, the relationship between police staff pay and workforce reform in the widest sense […]

Suspension is not a Neutral Act

Conferences notes with concern that UNISON members who are under investigation by their force or the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) appear to be facing longer periods of suspension for misconduct reasons, where they are removed from their workplace, isolated from their colleagues and generally left to look after their own welfare and mental […]

Stand-by Rules Take Advantage of Members

Conference recognises the difficulties that Forces are having in maintaining 24 hour operational cover as a direct consequence of police budget cuts. Many departments have experienced redundancies coupled with an increase in the use of stand-by as a way to provide night-time cover when unsocial enhancements have been withdrawn. Colleagues such as Crime Scene Investigators […]

Survey of branches and members – disability related matters

Conference, in years past much welcomed legislation has been introduced to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including protections relating to work. Despite that, it is possible that these supportive words don’t always translate to the workplace, resulting in our colleagues who are disabled being treated inappropriately or less favourably. Others who witness such […]

Volunteers – Policing on the Cheap

Conference welcomes and commends the work done by the Service Group Executive over recent years to oppose volunteers as a replacement for the committed, experienced, well trained and accountable police staff lost due to the brutal budget cuts imposed since 2010. While the introduction of volunteers has not been consistent throughout all forces, what is […]

Black worker representation in police and justice workforces

According to police force recruitment statistics widely published in January 2016 a white applicant to the police force has a better chance of getting a job than a Black applicant in more than 2/3rds of UK forces. Further, Theresa May, Home Secretary stated that ‘diversity profiles’ showed no force had a Black representation reflecting the […]

Flexible Working in Operational Roles

Over the last 4 years we have seen a wholesale reduction in police staff work forces across the country At the time of the general election in 2015, police staff budgets have been cut by 20%. The impact of this funding reduction has fallen disproportionately on police staff. Police staff, rather than police officers, have […]