Substitute National Sector Committee Repreentatives to the Local Government SGE

This Conference notes that the UNISON NJC Committee, the Scottish Local Government Committee, the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, and FE & 6th Form Colleges Committee as National Sector Committees are represented on the Local Government Service Group Executive (SGE). However at present there is no provision for these committees to send substitute representatives. This […]

Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive

School Staff Terms and conditions

Conference deplores the Government’s policy of creating “independent state schools” in England which will mean that support staff in these schools, like the staff in city academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools, will not be covered by the NJC Agreement. Conference therefore calls on the Service Group Executive to campaign against all aspects of the […]

Extended Schools and Children’s Services

UNISON notes the Government’s commitment to improving children’s services across the UK. Each country is designing specific programmes promising to be designed to meet the needs of children, young people and their families. However, the preference for external providers as expressed most clearly in the Child Care Bill 2005 in England, gives cause for concern […]

Connexions Services and ‘Youth Matters’

Following UNISON’s successful campaign to prevent the wholesale abolition of the Connexions service, we welcome much of the content of the Government’s (England) Green Paper: ‘Youth Matters’ and will be closely following the Government’s follow up proposals. UNISON highlighted positive areas but also concerns in our response to Youth Matters in the autumn of 2005 […]

Private Finance Initiative/ PPPs

We call on the Service Group Executive to support the Northern Ireland Region in its fight for the withdrawal of all proposed PFIs/PPPs and provide whatever resources, back-up etc that is necessary to accomplish this task.

Review of Public Administration

The Northern Ireland Region call upon the Service Group Executive to ensure the provision of support, resources and whatever else is necessary so that UNISON members are protected under the Review of Public Administration which will result in five Education and Library Boards becoming one. As UNISON should now be looking at increasing its density […]

Aggregation of all Previous Service for NJC and Scottish Joint Council Staff

Conference notes that NJC and the Scottish Joint Council staff must have continuous service in order to be entitled to any benefits including the ‘long service’ award (an extra 5 days holiday after 5 years service) and that this specifically disadvantages women who are more likely to have taken career breaks and will therefore have […]

Cycle Allowances

This Conference deplores the situation in which mileage allowances for work journeys by bicycle: 1)are individually and inconsistently set by local authorities across the country 2)are usually set at a rate that in no way reflects the true average annual costs of a bike and associated cyclists’ clothing and equipment, regular cycle maintenance and appropriate […]

Term Time Only Pay

This conference is dismayed that, despite the advances achieved by the schools remodelling agreement, support staff in schools are still treated less favourably than teachers. Already low paid support staff have been financially penalised by the withdrawal of their ability to claim benefits for school holidays, yet the majority do not get paid for the […]

Part Time is Not Second Best

The Women and Work Commission report has once again highlighted the need for quality part-time work to be available to women if the gender pay gap is ever to be closed. LG part-time women earn a mere 58% of full-time men working in local government 85% of NJC workers on points 4-6 are part time, […]

The Local Government Implications of the Gender Equality Duty

Conference notes that the Public Sector duties on gender will come into force in April 2007 as part of the wider equalities legislation. The Gender Equality Duty will require service providers and public sector employers to design employment and services with the different needs of women and men in mind. This will be a significant […]

Local Government Reorganisation

This Conference is alarmed at the most recent developments in the continuing saga of reorganising the structure of local government in England. Ad hoc consultations with Council leaders and Chief Executives and statements appearing to favour some form of neighbourhood governance have undermined confidence in the Government’s ability to promote a clear strategy for finding […]

Pay Campaign 2006

Conference notes the imminent end of the current three-year pay deal and recognises the need to prepare a pay claim for 2007. Conference therefore calls on the National Local Government Service Group Executive to commence the process of engaging with members and Branches to assemble a claim which has the widespread support of the membership. […]

Funding of Local Government

Conference notes the financial pressures on Councils in the Northern Region –Expectation for Councils to deliver year on year 2.5% efficiency gains following the Gershon review –Cost of implementing single Status (£90 million in the region to date). –Increased contributions to Local Government Pension funds –Capping of council tax increases by Central Government Government funding […]