The fight for decent working hours has always been at the heart of union campaigning. Trade unions fought for an eight hour day in the 19th century and a two-day weekend in the 20th. In the 21st, it is time to take the next step and win a four-day week with fair pay for all. […]
Conference motions
Government proposals in effect will ban the right for workers to raise genuine concerns concerning pay and working conditions through strike action. The new law is insisting on Minimum Service Levels, during strikes in areas where our members work. Ambulance, Border control and some passport workers will be affected, but this law can be extended, […]
Conference notes that in January 2024 UNISON joined the protest in Cheltenham against the Tories’ new Minimum Service Levels Act 2023, and a day of historical strike action took place in Northern Ireland. Conference notes that the last year has seen a high level of organising and bargaining in UNISON. The ‘One UNISON’ campaigns of […]
Conference notes that workers with a disability encounter significantly more hurdles than their non-disabled colleagues. We applaud the great work done both within our WET Sector and the Self Organised Groups (SOGs) structures. However, we know there is always room for improvement when it comes to inclusion. Conference is aware when someone meets the definition […]
Conference acknowledges the importance of self-organisation within UNISON as it allows marginalised groups within the union to challenge discrimination in the workplace and to campaign in wider society. Conference also notes that members of self-organised groups are a valuable resource to the WET service group as they have knowledge and experience of how our workplaces […]
Conference is appalled at the ongoing funding crisis in local government, which is now resulting in an existential threat to the future of many councils across the UK. Extensive UNISON research from last autumn revealed that councils across the UK were facing a funding shortfall of £3.56billion in 2024/25 and a cumulative funding gap of […]
The question of the constitutional future of the United Kingdom is becoming more prevalent amongst society and UNISON members. In the previous decade, the UK has been embroiled in constitutional arguments, the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 and Brexit in 2016. However, it is not only these era defining events that call into question the […]
Conference is appalled that two women are killed each week from domestic abuse and many women and children are stuck in abusive situations due to the fact that they cannot access a refuge space. The reduction in refuge provision for women and children throughout the UK is not only adding to the death of women […]
Conference is deeply concerned about the exploitation of migrant workers in the UK, particularly in the social care sector. Acute underfunding, a refusal to address workers’ pay and the absence of meaningful reform has left the social care sector in crisis. Care workers are overworked, underpaid and struggling to plug the gaps in a sector […]
Trade unions are indebted to the young people across the globe whose campaigning has brought this vital issue to the top of our political and bargaining agendas. The legally binding commitment to get public services to Net Zero by 2050 is essential but inevitably comes with increased pressures on all services to make the necessary […]
Years of under investment and cuts have led the UK to be a poorer place. Conference therefore notes with concern the growing issue of employers passing on costs to their staff as a consequence of cuts. Uniforms, mandatory training, shadowing, criminal record checks, mandatory professional accreditations, annual registration fees, car parking and using a car […]
Learning is fundamentally central to supporting our activists and ensuring that they receive the best training and support; learning is also vital for our members to develop personally and professionally; and learning is key to supporting wider growth and productivity through ongoing training or developing new skills. Conference recognises that learning is central not only […]
This conference notes: The Canal and River Trust was formed in 2012 from British Waterways, and the organisation and its dedicated workforce has worked hard to remove people’s perception and image of run-down canals. The Trust’s 2000-mile network is close to many people. Canals are not just about boats and boating – the Trust’s strapline […]