Conference notes that on 10 December 2024 the Department of Health and Social Care published its evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB). That evidence set out headline policy positions for the Westminster government including: a 2.8% funding allocation for recommendations from the NHS PRB in 2025/26 a request to the PRB to make […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that the Planning Guidance for the NHS in England was published on 30 January 2025. Conference recognises the damage done by 14 years of Tory underfunding and the constrained financial position of the NHS across the UK as a result, even with the funding increases announced in the November 2024 Budget. And Conference […]
Health Conference notes with concern that: • Without consulting with staff, service users or the general public, the government suddenly announced on 13th March that NHS England (NHSE) will be abolished. The Prime Minister stated that this would “bring management of the NHS back into democratic control”. Yet we have no control over the changes […]
Conference notes specific concerns since the inauguration of the new government in the USA. Specifically the impact on females and those who identify as female. • Conference we have been concerned since the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022 and the attitude in some states in the USA towards abortion and a woman’s right […]
As Global leaders and international communities celebrate the fall of Syria’s Assad regime in January 25, discussions have begun in relation to the return of approximately 5.5 million refugees. In similar transitions such as Iran and more recently, Afghanistan, women’s rights have been endangered, and freedoms have been challenged. We have often seen in both […]
The NHS Job Evaluation scheme is now 20 years old and remains an effective way of ensuring equal pay for work of equal value. Our branches have worked hard to maintain local partnership working and UNISON has continued to argue that local and national investment in the scheme is imperative. However, local implementation and awareness […]
Conference notes that the National Health Service in England (NHSE) has adopted the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), which have been vital tools in addressing systemic inequalities faced by Black and disabled workers. There are no equivalents in the devolved Nations. Currently, there is no specific workforce equality standard […]
Conferences recognises and applauds the low pay commission on their recommendations for the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage in 2024/25. Conference notes the definition of low pay within UNISON stands at any pay below £12.70 an hour. Conference acknowledges that low paid workers across the NHS in England and the devolved nations […]
Conference notes that the Unsocial Hours Payments covered in Section 2 of the Terms and Conditions Handbook have been subject to separate negotiations across the four nations since devolution. In England, the agreement that led to the abolition of Band I included reductions in enhancements for staff in Bands 1 to 3. Due to increases […]
Conference notes the grave funding and staffing crisis still facing the NHS, with recruitment freezes at many trusts despite over 100,000 jobs remaining unfilled. Conference believes that tackling this crisis and returning the NHS to a position of safe and sustainable staffing must be a top priority for a Labour government, and reaffirms UNISON’s opposition […]
Conference celebrates the successful year of LGBT+ workers marked in UNISON by organising and campaigning events across the union. LGBT+ workers make up an integral part of the workforce in the Health service group, estimated to make up 1 in 20 NHS workers, and it is important to celebrate their contributions and ensure that their […]
The staffing crisis in our NHS has resulted in an increasing reliance upon the labour of international workers. This trend is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Migrant workers are increasing in number because we need them. Without them, the staffing crisis and patient outcomes would be that much worse. Despite this fact, […]
This conference notes with concern that some NHS employers are not allowing employees to accrue bank holiday whilst off sick in their local policies. Some NHS employers are deducting hours for sickness from rolled up annual leave for bank holidays for employees who would not normally be rostered to work on a particular bank holiday. […]
Over recent years, many migrant workers have come to the UK to work in the NHS. This is a group of workers who have travelled from around the world to support a vital public service which is suffering from high vacancy rates particularly in healthcare support worker and nursing roles. UNISON has had regular, sustained […]
Conference understands that role erosion occurs when roles and responsibilities are gradually removed. The employer usually does this covertly, so staff are unaware of what’s happening. By the time staff notice what is happening, it is often when they are being faced with redundancy or potential downbanding. Conference believes this could be a hidden issue […]