False Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Amendment to Motion 30 (Carried and incorporated into M 30) Add after fifth paragraph “That a member who is accused of a serious sexual allegation of a service user or member of staff can lead to the arrest or even charge of the member. The result of a false allegation can lead to the arrest […]

Equal Pay and Single Status

Conference deplores the fact that almost 30 years after the Equal Pay Act there continues to be a gap between full-time men and part-time women’s pay in local government of 42% and an overall gender pay gap of 19%. 80% of councils across the UK still need to implement new pay structures and deliver equal […]

Efficiency Reviews and Regional Democracy

Conference notes with alarm plans announced by the Government and devolved UK administrations to achieve so-called “efficiency savings” in the public sector by increasing productivity and procurement. Conference affirms its commitment to high quality, responsive public services, but believes that the efficiency reviews are cost driven and not likely to improve services. Each efficiency announcement […]

Workforce Training and Development

Conference notes that the Government’s emphasis on high quality, improved local government services continues but believes that this cannot be achieved without a highly skilled and fairly rewarded workforce. However this contrasts with a continuing skills deficit in Local Government, in areas such as environmental protection, social services and trading standards and the additional pressures […]

School Remodelling Agreement

Conference believes the National Agreement on school remodelling offered the opportunity to develop a career structure for school support staff, a long held aim of UNISON. Today many authorities have agreed new pay and grading structures, but not all. New training opportunities have been developed and many schools, for the first time, are including support […]

Pensions

Conference restates our complete opposition to any detrimental changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme which would reduce our members’ security when facing retirement, redundancy or ill-health. The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is not a costly and unaffordable scheme – it provides a modest income in old age for workers who have served the […]

Employers’ Proposals on the Review of Part Two of the Green Book

Conference notes the proposals made by the Employers’ side of the National Joint Council (NJC) on 11 May in relation to the review of national conditions of service set out in Part Two of the Green Book. We believe that these have profound implications for all members within the Service Group, not only those whose […]

The Funding Crisis in Further Education

The Government promised financial stability in FE in its “Success for All” reforms in 2002. It recognised that annual funding allocations lead to short-term planning, restricting the ability to take strategic decisions because of uncertainty about future income flows. A three-year funding strategy, with an extra £1 billion was promised. Additional funding has been consumed […]

Further Education Pay Strategy

This group meeting notes that attempts to re-establish effective central pay negotiations in Further Education have largely failed, as a high percentage of colleges have refused to be bound by the recent 2 year agreement. This group meeting believes that it is vital that UNISON, in negotiation with NATFHE and other relevant unions, should attempt […]

False Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Many of us have fought for years for equality in all areas. We have had some successes, including some excellent employment laws. However, as many lesbians and gay men are aware, these laws can sometimes be used against us and when they are, there is very little in the way of information and support. One […]

Social Services – Children and Adults

Conference reaffirms its commitment to improved social services for users and carers and to respond positively to new government initiatives based on real consultation when they are well thought out and properly funded. However, Conference believes that Ministers have convinced themselves that only radical change will achieve that improvement in initiatives such as Every Child […]

Organising in the Community and Voluntary Sector

Conference notes the National Development and Organisation Committee Report ‘Organising in the Voluntary Sector’, adopted in 2000. UNISON now has 44,000 members in the community and voluntary sector – a significant increase since the organising plan was adopted. Conference acknowledges that the growth of membership is as a result of recruitment and also the increasing […]

Promoting Race Equality

Conference notes that current United Kingdom legislation places a duty upon public bodies to promote race equality. It further notes that public bodies in Northern Ireland and the Greater London Authority have a similar duty in other respects too. It regrets that this wider duty has not, so far, been extended to other public bodies […]

Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This Conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive.

Local Government Pay and Workforce Strategy

Conference notes that each Government department has been asked to develop a pay and workforce strategy. In local government, the strategy developed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Employers’ Organisation runs alongside the Children’s Workforce strategy led by Department for Education and Skills, which covers school support staff, social care, health […]