Effective Training and Support for Discipline Stewards in the Police Service

‘Our members who find themselves the subject of Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigations deserve the best representation possible. The training provided by UNISON is sufficient for the provision of basic skills for the purposes of representation in a discipline process. For Staff who may find themselves the subject of a Professional Standards Interview where […]

Privatisation and Outsourcing of Police Staff Roles

Conference is asked to show its support to our colleagues who are losing status and jobs, and who are having their terms and conditions undermined and removed by privatisation and collaboration, and requests leadership, advice and guidance from the Service Group Executive. By working together we can protect jobs and the service to the community. […]

Arrangements for the new Service Group

Conference welcomes Probation and Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCAS) members into the Service Group and hopes they will enjoy similar success to that of Police Staff. Now that Police staff will be Sector based and not a Service Group in our own right, it is it important to ensure that any outstanding […]

No to Privatisation, No to Outsourcing of our Jobs:

Conference is extremely concerned that our employers (Police Authorities) are using buzz words such as ‘Partnership and Shared Services` to hide their true intentions of creeping privatisation and outsourcing. We welcome the Briefing for police branches on the “South West One” shared services outsourcing project involving Avon & Somerset Police. Were in the midst of […]

Health & Safety of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s)

Conference is concerned that our PCSO members are increasingly being used to fill gaps in front line policing. As a result of this, they are deployed to confrontational situations, and because they are not equipped accordingly, they face ever increasing risks to their health and safety. it is evident that our members are being directed […]

Sickness Absence

This conference is concerned that a two tier sickness absence policy is being operated within the Police Service. Time and time again, police officers enjoy terms and conditions that are far superior to those of police support staff. The Home Office is always telling the general public that all staff within the Police Service are […]

Equipping Staff with Skills

Conference notes that there is a distinct lack of training for Police Staff in operational roles within Police Forces across the country. New staff often have no formal training and are expected to shadow a more experienced staff member until the trainer feels the trainee is competent. No nationally agreed training manuals are available and […]

Improving self organisation in Police Staff Branches

Conference believes that equality is fundamental and that women, black, disabled, Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and young members may face particular barriers in the workplace and in getting involved in the union. Indeed many members may face multiple barriers. Conference notes that the police service has had problems in achieving Government recruitment targets […]

Future of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)

Conference condemns the remarks of Shadow Home Secretary Christopher Grayling on the future of PCSOs under a Conservative Government. In an interview given to the Yorkshire Post, published on 5 May 2009, Mr Grayling said: “Doing away with PCSOs is something I’m looking at the moment. I’m minded to say that decisions about their futures […]

Campaign to Keep the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Conference notes that Eric Pickles, former Shadow Local Government Minister and David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party, have both publicly stated that a Conservative Government would end the final salary LGPS. Furthermore, discussions about setting an inferior Defined Contribution Scheme to replace the LGPS have taken place across political groupings within the Local Government […]

Supporting Our Members

During this credit crunch we are yet again seeing jobs disappear in our sector despite economic downturns having little detrimental impact on our business. Thames Water and the disgraceful treatment of its call centre staff is the latest example of an employer attempting to hike up already obscene profits. Conference is also appalled over the […]

Communicating with LGBT Members

Conference notes that continuing levels of prejudice and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers means that a high proportion do not reveal their sexual orientation or gender history at work, there are also private individuals who consider their sexual orientation or gender history to be no one else’s business but their […]

Lack of Service for Black Children with Autism

Conference notes that in 2007 the National Autistic Society (NAS) published its report containing the largest ever survey conducted into autism and education in the UK. The report highlighted the lack of provision and training for teachers dealing with autism in general, including families struggling to access support for their children. This was consistently worse […]

Recruitment of Black Members into UNISON

Conference believes that the best tool to recruit Black members into UNISON is by highlighting our success for individual members and collectively at a local, regional and national level. Conference further believes that more Black activists must take up active roles within UNISON at all levels as this will in turn also promote and encourage […]

Encouraging Black Members to become Black Activists

Conference recognises that Black members face distinct challenges in becoming active within UNISON structures. Many Black members who join UNISON want to become more involved but there are few signposts to show them the way. Conference supports UNISON’s Fair Representation Policy as an important principle but believes this has not generated a significant increase in […]