Central Collective Bargaining and UNISON Strategy

The 2014/15 pay rounds presented the union with a series of difficult challenges. Those challenges, and the proposals to resolve them, were finally determined by the membership through UNISON’s exemplary democratic process. There is a clear determination from the current UK Coalition Government to break central collective bargaining such as the NJC and to replace […]

Pay Campaign, lack of action

This Special Conference notes the lack of national leadership by our union in our recent pay dispute. In particular we note the lack of action following the July 10th strike. This strike day should have been followed by an intensive well financed national campaign to rouse our members to take further action. Instead month followed […]

Young Workers Month

Conference welcomes the work of UNISON’s National and Regional Young Members Forums to raise the profile of young workers and young members through activity during young workers month, which is now held in November each year under the auspices of the TUC. Conference believes that recruiting young workers and organising young members is an all-year-round […]

The 2014 – 16 NJC Pay Proposals

This Special Conference notes the 2014/15 NJC Pay Claim submitted on 5 November 2013 was for: · A minimum increase of £1 an hour on scale point 5 to achieve the Living Wage and the same flat rate increase on all pay scale points. This Special Conference also notes: · The claim was based on […]

Devolution: seizing the opportunities, avoiding the threats

Conference notes that issues around the scale of governance have come to the fore in political debate in recent months. Questions that have become more prominent in the political discussion include: 1)The relationship between the UK and Europe; 2)The relationship between the nations of the UK; 3)The relationship between central and local government. Conference notes […]

Solidarity with Palestine

Conference hopes that a lasting ceasefire between the Israeli Government and Palestinian Organisations can be established, but recognises that this will not happen or be sufficient unless the illegal siege and occupation are ended. UNISON welcomes Palestinian attempts to establish a unity government and urges the UK Government and the EU to support and encourage […]

The decision to cancel strike action for 14 October 2014

This Special Conference believes the decision of the NJC Committee on 9th October to suspend the action planned for 14th October was a grave error which completely undermined the national campaign to secure a decent pay rise for Local Government members and an end to five years of real terms cuts in our member’s living […]

Future Pay Consultation

Conference notes that UNISON quite rightly has led the campaign against the Government’s public sector pay restraint policy. Local Government Conference in June 2014 agreed a pay strategy at the core of which was engagement of our membership in determining our pay strategy. The Northern Region recognises the impact of the Government’s pay policy and […]

The decision to cancel Strike Action on 14 October 2014

Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9 October, to call off strike action due to have taken place on 14 October was a grave error of judgment. In particular, Conference criticises; 1)The decision to characterise the “revised” proposals as “the best that can be achieved by negotiation” […]

Future Pay Consultation Protocols

This Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9th October 2014 was a complete denial of the intention and basis of the Local Government pay consultation protocol which sets out the need for extensive consultation with members. Conference further believes that; 1)that in future, decisions to suspend previously […]

The 2014-2016 NJC (National Joint Council) Pay Proposals

This Conference endorses the 2014/15 NJC pay claim for a flat rate increase sufficient to raise scale point 5 to the Living Wage outside London. Conference deplores the fact that the 2014-2016 NJC pay proposals fall so very far short of achieving the 2014/15 claim. The 2.2% increase on most spine points perpetuates declining living […]

Decision To Cancel Strike Action On 14th October

This Special Conference believes the decision of the NJC Committee on 9th October to suspend the action planned for 14th October was a grave error which completely undermined the national campaign to secure a decent pay rise for Local Government members and an end to five years of real terms cuts in our member’s living […]

Electronic Methods of Consultation

This conference notes that: 1)encouraging members to vote in union consultations is vital, both so that we can reflect the wishes of our membership and so that we can demonstrate strength of feeling amongst the membership to the employers; 2)low turnout in union consultations is a problem which we should try to combat as much […]

Aftermath of the National Joint Council (NJC) 2014 Pay Campaign

This conference notes: 1)The profoundly disappointing outcome of the 2014 NJC pay dispute, which effectively resulted in another real terms pay cut for the vast majority of members across local government and left tens of thousands of the lowest paid on hourly rates still below the current Living Wage. 2)The employers’ proposal that was the […]

Privatisation of the Probation Service

Conference notes that the tory government’s success in the general election means that they will now, undoubtedly, continue with their plans for the privatisation of the probation service. Clearly this has major implications for all UNISON members in the service, but there are particular issues facing women workers: 1) The majority of the redundancies in […]