Disparity Between Local Government Staff and Local Government School Based Staff

This Conference urges the Service Group Executive to enter into appropriate negotiations to put an end to the inequalities and unjust disparity between local government staff and local government school based staff. Such representation should seek the end of Local Management of Schools (LMS) and that staffing powers for schools be handed back to the […]

National Workload and Remodelling of the School Workforce Agreement

This Conference urges the Service Group Executive to campaign as strongly as it can for the adequate central government funding of the National Workload and Remodelling of the school Workforce Agreement. They believe that repeated failure to do so makes a mockery of its claims that it wants to create a new way of working […]

Continuous Service in Local Government

Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to negotiate on improvements in the current policies regarding leave conditions. At present any time served in Local Government employment is discounted if a person leaves the service. If at a later stage a person rejoins Local Government they have to start as a new employee. Our members […]

Direct Payments

We recognise the introduction of Direct Payments could have a significant impact on UNISON members employed in local authorities. Direct Payments are where social work departments are required to offer payment to allow for purchase of private services, as an alternative to direct services. This could involve loss of jobs, changes to terms and conditions […]

Review of the National Lay Membership Structure

This conference notes the actions taken to date by the Executive regarding the review of the Energy, Transport and Water and Environment service group structures at national level. Conference notes the outcome of the consultation exercise with all three service groups. Conference further notes that the majority of Water and Environment branches who responded have […]

“Fresh Start” Initiative for Schools

This Local Government Service Group opposes the Government’s “Fresh Start” initiative, introduced purportedly to give support to schools deemed to be failing. The “Fresh Start” scheme is fatally flawed because it forces staff at a school to reapply for their jobs at a time when continuity of staff is most needed, for their knowledge of […]

Negotiating an end to disability discrimination

This Local Government Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. We are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel employers who provide services in Local Government to disregard disability-related absence and the consequence of this in relation to […]

Winning the Organised College

This Conference notes that UNISON’s primary objective is recruitment and organisation. It also notes that membership in colleges is less than 30% of its potential. The campaign to achieve implementation of the two-year deal in further education presents an ideal organising opportunity. It also requires college-level negotiations on elements of the agreement, such as job […]

Work-Life Balance and Women

This Conference is concerned that women in predominately low paid jobs in Local Government are being denied access to work life balance/flexible working. Work/life balance is about introducing greater flexibility in the way people go about their work. Balancing work and family is one of the most important issues facing women in the 21st century. […]

The Future of Residential Care for Older People

This Conference: 1)Congratulates UNISON on the campaign against the two-tier workforce which culminated in the introduction of the Workforce Matters Code (March 2003) 2)Notes with alarm that companies who are attempting to take over residential care homes are looking at ways to avoid the code as they can only make profits by operating with a […]

Fragmentation of the Local Government Workforce

Local government in the last few years has witnessed some key changes in how services are being delivered. Best Value has forced local authorities to review each of their services. Many have remained in-house but many have used the opportunity to transfer services to different providers. Large scale transfers have been witnessed in Lincolnshire, Blackburn […]

Young Members in Energy

This Conference welcomes the young members recruitment figures for 2003 which saw 22,033 young members join UNISON. Recruitment and organising is one of UNISON’s priorities, and it is essential that UNISON involves young people at all levels of the union. In order to encourage more young members participation in Energy events, such as this conference […]

National Incentive Recruitment Campaign

This Conference regrets our very successful national incentive recruitment campaign has been replaced by Best Organised branch due to funding issues. Recruitment is a lay member activity and its success is crucial to the continuation of UNISON as an effective representative organisation. Conference therefore welcomes the NEC’s decision to make recruitment a national priority this […]

Devolved Government and Transport

Conference notes the statement by Alistair Darling, MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, which foresees the Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Regional Assemblies in England taking more responsibility for transport. Conference welcomes this development which is an important step in delivering better and more integrated public transport services. Conference acknowledges, however, that this development […]

Review of Lay Structures

This Conference recognises the need to constantly review our organisation to ensure that the needs of members are met in the most effective way. As part of the current review, Conference instructs the Transport Service Group Executive to work with the National Executive Council to ensure that there is one seat on the National Executive […]