Conference notes that increasing numbers of UNISON members face transfers to private providers and Housing Associations for delivering of social housing. In England this includes Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO’s) and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) and in England, Scotland and Wales, stock transfers to Housing Associations. Conference also notes that local authorities are obliged to […]
Conference motions
Conference notes the motion passed in 2005 warning of the detrimental impact that efficiency reviews across the UK could have on jobs and services. Their effects are already being felt. Local authorities are implementing Efficiency Reviews by introducing more shared services through public-private partnerships or public-public partnerships. This is leading to job losses from economies […]
Conference is alarmed at the growing threat to jobs and the Best Value Code on the Two-Tier Workforce posed by shared service centres and remote processing of local authority services by contractors and other local authorities. Regionalisation of back office services through call centres is undermining local economies, local democratic accountability, jobs and responsiveness to […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Conference recognised that for employees and Local Government employers, homeworking is likely to become commonplace and this raises trade union concerns for members. It is clear that this system of working may have advantages for our members. Therefore, it is essential that an in depth analysis is commissioned by UNISON taking into account a wide […]