Communications

Soon after the formation of UNISON, National Conference agreed that the retired members would have a National Retired Members’ Manager appointed, with the duties of servicing the needs of the retired members. It was believed by the Conference that this would solve the problems of communication between members, branches, regions and head office with regard […]

Pensioner Poverty Trap

Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to take appropriate steps to ensure that the government addresses the issue of the erosion of pensioners’ increases by the high annual increase to such charges as council tax and public utilities. Conference also notes that UNISON has established a council tax working group to establish clear UNISON […]

Local Government Pay Commission, Equality and Equal Pay

Conference notes the Local Government Pay Commission’s call for strong action by Government, councils and trade unions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to promote equality in local government, based on its view that “Equality in local government employment is a necessity not an option”. In particular Conference welcomes the Commission’s call for: 1)Guidance on […]

Housing

Conference believes that the UK desperately needs investment in decent, affordable, secure and democratically accountable housing to provide first class homes for all that need them. Further deplores the failure of the UK’s respective governments to tackle the backlog of repairs to council homes. We now know that council housing in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland […]

Services for Children

Conference notes that, throughout the UK, services for children are under extreme pressure. In education, in social services, and in health care, despite the skills and dedication of hundreds of thousands of workers, the system is reaching breaking point and children and their families do not consistently receive the basic services required to ensure their […]

TUPE

Conference recognises that the current TUPE regulations are flawed and are not effectively protecting our members who are transferred to other employers. Conference therefore calls on the Service Group Executive in conjunction with the General and Affiliated Political Funds to ensure that the TUPE regulations are amended to ensure that all employees who transfer to […]

Disparity Between Local Government Staff and Local Government School Based Staff

This Conference urges the Service Group Executive to enter into appropriate negotiations to put an end to the inequalities and unjust disparity between local government staff and local government school based staff. Such representation should seek the end of Local Management of Schools (LMS) and that staffing powers for schools be handed back to the […]

Negotiating an end to disability discrimination

This Local Government Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. We are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel employers who provide services in Local Government to disregard disability-related absence and the consequence of this in relation to […]

Work-Life Balance and Women

This Conference is concerned that women in predominately low paid jobs in Local Government are being denied access to work life balance/flexible working. Work/life balance is about introducing greater flexibility in the way people go about their work. Balancing work and family is one of the most important issues facing women in the 21st century. […]

The Future of Residential Care for Older People

This Conference: 1)Congratulates UNISON on the campaign against the two-tier workforce which culminated in the introduction of the Workforce Matters Code (March 2003) 2)Notes with alarm that companies who are attempting to take over residential care homes are looking at ways to avoid the code as they can only make profits by operating with a […]

Fragmentation of the Local Government Workforce

Local government in the last few years has witnessed some key changes in how services are being delivered. Best Value has forced local authorities to review each of their services. Many have remained in-house but many have used the opportunity to transfer services to different providers. Large scale transfers have been witnessed in Lincolnshire, Blackburn […]

Government 10 Year Transport Plan – The Role of the Workforce

Conference welcomes the Government’s decision to review progress on achieving the aims of its 10 Year Transport Plan which, so far, has failed to produce any major improvements in public transport provision, significantly reduce road congestion and reduce deaths and casualties on out roads and railways. Conference notes that policy makers often overlook the role […]

Investment in Public Transport

This Conference welcomes recent initiatives by the Government to invest in public transport within West Yorkshire, such as YellowBus, Yorcard and real time information, but notes with great concern that this is insufficient to redress the Tory legacy of inadequate investment in public transport provision. This Conference also notes that despite the recent problems with […]

Organising in the Voluntary and Community Sector

Conference agrees that our work in the Voluntary and Community sector (and also within private companies) is becoming of increasing importance. Many of our members work in small organisations, with few staff and consequently no stewards or activists. Many organisations do not recognise UNISON and their size leaves them outside the laws on trade union […]

Remodelling The School Workforce

This Conference recognises that the experience of school remodelling for our members has been largely negative and counterproductive. Whilst it is true that some branches have recruited large numbers of support staff to the union on the back of the agreement, as yet this has not resulted in any major improvements in terms and conditions. […]