SOCIAL CARE GREEN PAPER

Conference notes that in 2008 the Government called a national debate on the future of social care which resulted in the publication in July 2009 of a Green Paper “Shaping the Future of Care Together”. The paper sets out options for the future development and funding of social care provision based on the creation of […]

ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE

Following the introduction of the Green Paper on Care/Attendance Allowance, Conference calls upon the National Retired Members’ Committee and the National Executive Council to oppose the proposed changes to the way that Attendance Allowance will be paid if the bill is passed. Currently the allowance is a national agreement but the proposals are that the […]

PERSONALISATION IN SOCIAL CARE

Conference recognises that the personalisation in social care agenda is a major challenge for UNISON. Local authorities are focusing on the roll-out of various forms of ‘cash for care’: direct payments, individual budgets and personal budgets. This shift in the way care is organised and paid for will have huge implications for older people, including […]

SAVINGS AND PENSION CREDIT

Conference notes that an estimated 9 million of the UK’s 11 million pensioners rely on some form of income from savings as an integral part of their income, and that the value of this income has dropped significantly in value amid the economic downturn. Such savings – put aside from income when employed – were […]

PENSIONS

Conference regrets that in his March 2009 budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, again failed to increase the basic state pension to at least poverty level. He pledged to raise the basic state pension in 2010 by 2.5%, even if the annual rate of inflation, as measured by the RPI is less. This […]

GOVERNMENT GREEN PAPER ON CARE AND SUPPORT

This Conference notes the publication of the Government’s Green Paper on Care and Support on 14th July 2009. Conference further notes that responses are required by 13th November 2009. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to ensure that the response of UNISON includes the requirement to make the provision of care both free and […]

Self Direct Support and Council Cuts

This Conference welcomes the Government’s Personalisation Agenda and the increased choice and control it will give many disabled and older people over how their individual personal and domestic needs are met. However, we are very concerned that many Local Authorities are already using the introduction to Self Direct Support (SDS) to make cuts to the […]

The Equality Bill

This Conference welcomes the Equality Bill as a consolidation of existing equality legislation, making provision for levelling up across characteristic strands: age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. We also applaud the work UNISON has undertaken as a senior stakeholder in discussions with government, particularly on aspects related to: 1.Indirect […]

Awareness of non apparent disabilities

Conference agrees that both the Disability Discrimination Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty have advanced the cause of reducing discrimination against disabled workers in the workplace. However, not all forms of disability are apparent to any other person except the individual directly affected. Workers with non apparent disabilities, whether mental health, physical or other […]

UN Disability Convention

Conference notes that on 8 June 2009 th UK Government ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This means that the UK is now legally bound by the Convention. The Convention is the first human rights treaty of the 21st Century, re-affirming disabled people’s human rights and signalling a further […]

Pride in our heritage

Conference is concerned that we continued to be classed as a staff association within certain sections of the police service. UNISON is a Trade Union and as such we should take pride in our heritage, Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to: 1) ensure that the term Trade Union is reflected in all dealings with […]

Safeguarding our Pay Award

‘Conference wishes to congratulate the SGE on achieving a successful outcome to the Police Staff Pay claim. The current economic climate continues to put a strain on the finances of our members and their families. The agreement will assist in alleviating some of that hardship in particular for our low paid members. Conference acknowledges that […]

Police Staff Council (PSC) Handbook – Section 5 – Return to work after childbirth

‘Conference notes with concern that the provisions in Section 5 of the Police Staff Council Handbook, covering the right to return to work after childbirth, are no longer fit for purpose in the light of recent trends in employment. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to negotiate with the PSC to update the Handbook in […]

PRIVATISATION WITHIN THE POLICE SERVICE

Conference notes with concern the increase in “partnership working” within all of our public services, which is masking the reality of outsourcing, and undermining the excellent value for money service already being provided by our members. Within the Police Service this is steadily increasing, however at the end of February 2009 Cleveland Police announced that […]

DON’T DITCH DEMOCRACY:

Conference welcomes the new structures on bargaining and supports the needs of the union to create a vibrant and flexible organisation that genuinely and effectively reflects the needs of its members, We want to develop our structures so that they are more relevant to our members but part of doing that is to ensure appropriate […]