A SINGLE COMBINED FREE TRAVEL PASS FOR BUS AND RAI

The bus pass providing pensioners for free off peak bus travel in England and Wales has helped their mobility largely on a local basis. However, many pensioners find the cost of rail fares, even after using the 30% discount of a Senior Rail Card, an expensive hindrance to frequent visiting of friends and family across […]

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 mistake 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 standards. […]

NJC Pay Campaign 2016 Moving Forward

Conference condemns the continuing refusal by the government to give public service workers, and particularly local government staff, a proper pay rise. Years of pay freezes and pay caps in local government mean that many of our members are now forced to rely on in-work benefits or to take on extra jobs; in some cases […]

Pensions in the Community and Voluntary Sector

This Community Conference notes the ongoing crisis in pension provision affecting our members in Community and also that community and voluntary sector employees are among the lowest paid in society. The minimum level of auto-enrolment pensions is grossly inadequate; and employers continue to dumb down pension schemes to limit any possible financial risk to themselves. […]

SOCIAL CARE IN ENGLAND

The election of a Conservative government means, in England at least, that there is no end in sight to the crisis in social care nor to the quandary of many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people seeking safe and appropriate care. Conference welcomes the launch of UNISON’s Save Care Now campaign to build on […]

Stress in the Workforce

Conference over recent years Police Staff numbers have declined drastically with the impact of the Austerity measures imposed by the Government. Since 2010 nearly 19% of the workforce has been cut- that equates to over 15,000 Police Staff and yet the work load has not reduced. It means less staff doing more work for 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 […]

CAMPAIGN FOR LIVING PENSIONS FOR THE ELDERLY AND R

Conference, elderly and retired people deserve to have a decent state pension. Conference asserts that the state pension is not a benefit but is ours by right. Conference believes that older people are being hit particularly hard by current austerity measures. The basic State Retirement Pension which for many on the 6th April, 2015 will […]

Local Government Cuts – the impact on jobs and ser

Conference condemns the continued attacks on the funding of Local Government. These cuts are the biggest threat to the continued survival of the concept of locally provided services controlled by democratically elected councils. Conference deplores the local government cuts across the UK, leading to:- 1. continuing cuts to local government services; 2. continued attacks on […]

Rise of Racism in the UK

Conference, a recent study commissioned by NatCen, an organisation which looks into British Social Attitudes has overwhelmingly established that racism is on the rise. While thirty per cent of Britons described themselves as having “very or a little prejudice against people of other races”, the survey also outlined that attitudes have changed since the 1980’s […]

Black Well Being

Conference austerity is having a severe and negative effect not just on the pocket but also on the health and well being of UK citizens, especially Black people within their communities. With research showing an increase in job losses for Black members through reorganisations and restructures and some of these situations leading to an increase […]

Union Busting in the UK Housing Association and Charitable Sector

This conference notes: That a small number of Housing associations and other Charities in our sector are openly hostile to trade unions, carry out American style anti union practices and refuse to recognise trade unions. The right of free assembly and collective bargaining is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law. Any failure by […]

Volunteering

Conference reiterates our belief, set out in Motion 11 at Community Conference 2010, that volunteers play a valuable role in many areas of society, including in the community and voluntary sector and in trade unions. We agreed that “Conference believes that paid staff and volunteering roles are different, and volunteering should not be used by […]

Staffing Shortages in the Community & Voluntary Sector and the Impact on Young People

Conference notes with concern that many charities and third sector organisations are currently short staffed but are unwilling or unable to hire new staff members due to cost. Staffing shortages in the Community & Voluntary Sector are having a negative impact on workers lives, particularly young workers. In particular, staffing shortages can impact on: 1) […]

LGBT Austerity in the Community Sector

Conference notes the research carried out by NatCen for UNISON in late 2013 which showed the impact of austerity on services for LGBT people including those services delivered by the community and voluntary sector. It revealed devastating cuts to services but also showed that austerity has had a negative impact on job security, terms and […]