Stop First Homes Proposals

Conference notes the government consultation which opened on the 7th February 2020 over the new First Homes housing policy. This proposal seeks to divert section 106 funds away from the provision of affordable homes and instead use it to offer discounts on new properties for purchase in England. Conference notes that opposition to these proposals […]

Promoting the EU Settlement Scheme to Community members

Conference notes the outcome of the General Election on December 12th 2019 which resulted in the re-election of a Conservative government. The �Skills for Care� workforce development charity that operates as a delivery partner for the Department of Health and Social Care estimates that there; 1. are 1.52 million social care jobs within local authorities, […]

National standards for social care � protecting disabled workers

Conference notes that many of our community members work in social care where they provide care services to older and disabled people. This includes members employed as personal assistants (PAs) via personal payments budgets. Additionally, some of our disabled members in Community are also recipients of social care which allows them to overcome barriers they […]

Community employers, Accessibility Passports and Access to Work

Conference notes that although disabled workers are legally entitled to reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, some community employers continue to delay or seek to avoid implementing reasonable adjustments. In particular, adjustments agreed with one manager may disappear when staff move teams or change managers. Many members in community are also unaware that Access […]

Recruiting and organising Black members in the fragmented workforce

The National Black Members Committee welcomes the work that the Community Service Group Executive has been doing over the past year in building and strengthening Black community links. The development of racism within the workplace survey will help explore effective ways of dealing with race discrimination in the workplace going forward. We thank conference for […]

Recruitment and organising: Building community links

Recruitment and organising: Building community links Conference notes that Citizens UK has built diverse civil society alliances in London, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Cymru/Wales, Tyne and Wear and Leeds, building coalitions between trade unions, faith communities, statutory and community organisations in order to both enhance capacity and to take forward common objectives benefitting […]

Racism in Community workplaces

Conference believes that all forms of racism in the workplace are unacceptable. Employers in the Community Service Group have a responsibility to work with staff and trade unions to tackle racism, listening to and responding the concerns of those who are subjected to racist abuse. Conference notes that in 2019, the UNISON Community Service Group […]

Sleeping in, losing out.

Conference notes with concern the UNISON report published in June 2019 Sleeping in, losing out which presents a shocking picture of �sleep-in� conditions, with staff abused physically and verbally including being punched and threatened with knives. The report also made clear that some care staff on overnight shifts are being forced to use dirty mattresses […]

Branch Structures

Conference notes that highly effective recruitment and organising in Community can be carried out by branches organised in different ways. Conference recognises that dedicated Community Branches in Cymru/Wales, West Midlands and Northern Ireland have had considerable success in improving services to members and boosting recruitment and organising. Conference further notes, that other regions like the […]

Making it fair for social care

Conference recognises that, for the UNISON Community Service Group, fair funding for social care is a core issue. Many of those providing care to the elderly and the vulnerable work for charities and not-for-profit providers. Our members in Community want to see a well-resourced social care system, not one ravaged by austerity and unable to […]

Branch Structures

Conference notes that highly effective recruitment and organising in Community can be carried out by branches organised in different ways. Conference recognises that dedicated Community Branches in Cymru/Wales, West Midlands and Northern Ireland have had considerable success in improving services to members and boosting recruitment and organising. Conference further notes, that other regions like the […]

Making it fair for social care

Conference recognises that, for the UNISON Community Service Group, fair funding for social care is a core issue. Many of those providing care to the elderly and the vulnerable work for charities and not-for-profit providers. Our members in Community want to see a well-resourced social care system, not one ravaged by austerity and unable to […]

Industrial action ballot tactics for the 2020-21 pay campaign and beyond

Conference Notes: The primary role of UNISON, or any Trade Union, is to use the collective power of its members to deliver lasting and significant improvements to pay, pension rights and working conditions. The results of each annual round of pay negotiations, is a good indicator of the extent to which this Service Group is […]

Addressing Low Pay with Progressive Pay Claims

Conference Notes: Many UNISON members in the higher education sector continue to suffer the effects of poverty wages. Whilst some progress has been made campaigning for universities to become Living Wage Employers, or at least agreeing to pay the equivalent, some are refusing to consider this very basic and reasonable demand. Many senior managers point […]

Promoting Transgender Equality in Higher Education Institutions

Conference will recall carrying the motion ‘Trans inclusion in higher education workplaces’ in 2017 welcoming trans members active participation in UNISON and accepting trans equality must be addressed in all workplaces. This motion also endorsed the recommendations of the Parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry into Transgender Equality, which called for higher education institutions (HEIs) […]