LOCALISM ACT – DEFENDING OUR MEMBERS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Conference notes that the Localism Act 2011 is the flagship legislation in England for the government’s Big Society agenda, aimed at opening up public sector ‘markets’ to private and voluntary organisations and fundamentally redefining the role of local government as a provider of public services. The act purports to be a ‘radical shift of power […]

Cuts in Further Education

Conference notes with anger and concern the difficulties that Further Education has faced in the last few years and continues to face. There have been cuts across the FE Sector throughout the UK. In Scotland, there is a 30% funding cut over 3 years. There have been over 1000 job losses and many of these […]

Robust Regulation of Care Services

This Conference believes that effective regulation of health and social care services is a vital safeguard to ensure people who use services are protected, and standards of care are upheld. This is more vital than ever because we have a growing population who will rely on care services at some point in their lives, and […]

Local Government Pay

This branch opposes the public sector pay freeze and calls on Service Group Executive and the NJC Committee to campaign for a pay rise that compensates for inflation.

Public Housing & Benefits

Conference notes 1)The continued attempts to privatise housing management and the consequent threats to members pay, terms and conditions and trade union organisation; 2)The new stock transfer guidance in England scheduled for April 2012 and the potential new threat of privatisation; 3)The continued attacks on pay, terms and conditions, by housing associations; 4)That there are […]

Connexions

At a time of record youth unemployment this Conference condemns the cuts made upon the Connexions Service for young people that have seen over 3,500 advisers made redundant and many Connexions Centres closed. Consequently young people are being denied careers advice to help them into employment, apprenticeships and with their educational choices. Furthermore changes to […]

Mutuals and Co-ops

Conference notes the continuing interest in co-ops and mutuals from central and local government. The Localism Act effectively gives council employees in England the right to require a service be privatised, and the government the power to fund them to do so. Both the Mutuals Taskforce and Mutuals Information Service are supporting mutuals ‘spun out’ […]

Cuts and Equalities

Conference deplores the continuing savage spending cuts taking place across local government. With a female workforce of over 75%, cuts to local government jobs, pay and conditions have a detrimental effect on women in particular and are adversely impacting on other protected groups. Spending cuts are pushing women out of the local government workforce, driving […]

Cuts / Austerity

Conference condemns the Conservative-led coalition for the widespread and unprecedented destruction of council services that has resulted from the savage and unprecedented reductions in central government grants to local authorities and fire authorities and to the devolved nations. Local government workers have borne the brunt of this in job losses, the pay freeze, and attacks […]

Social Care and the Cuts

Conference condemns the failure of political leaders across the UK to grasp the nettle and implement a long-term sustainable solution to the funding deficit in social care. The numbers of people who need care and support are continuing to grow as a result of our ageing population and medical advances which have improved life expectancy. […]

Impact of Privatisation and the Two-Tier Workforce

Conference notes the ruthless way in which the Conservative-led UK government is targeting local government public services for privatisation. In England, the Localism Act effectively gives non-profit-making organisations and council employees the right to require a service be privatised. The Open Public Service White Paper specifically targets specific services for more privatisation – customer contact; […]

Disability discriminination and health workers

This conference is concerned that working conditions for health members are deteriorating and that the use of policies and procedures are being used to the particular detriment of disabled members, eroding both their opportunities for career progression at work and their general living standards. Health employers appear to be failing to meet their employment responsibilities […]

Variable and zero hour contracts and the undermining of Agenda for Change

Conference will be aware that for some time we have seen an increase in zero hours or permanent variable hours contracts within the public sector. Employers within the Northern region have been using variable contracts as a means of compulsory redundancies. NHS Foundation Trusts are not the only ones using using zero hours or variable […]

The hidden cost of cuts undermines equality for women

Conference notes with concern the devastating impact of the cuts in the NHS, and the hidden impact on the earning ability and pensions of women NHS workers. As many as one in three women currently work in the public sector in the UK, and as the majority of both service users and providers, women will […]

Retirement age for ambulance members

Ambulance staff work in uncontrollable and challenging environments. They are often subjected to abuse and injuries undertaking their duties. The Government doesn’t consider ambulance services to be emergency services and describes them as essential services. With the current proposed changes to retirement age this presents a difficult and a seemingly impossible challenge to our members […]