Unsocial Hours and Agenda for Change

Conference notes that negotiations are to continue later this year on harmonised unsocial hours payments under AfC. 1.Conference believes that unsocial hours payment should be directly linked to unsocial hours worked as in the current Whitley system; 2.Conference does not believe that the introduction of a percentage addition to basic pay, dependant on average unsocial […]

Funding for Back-Fill to Implement Agenda for Change

Conference notes that just prior to the Special Conference on Agenda for Change the Government announced £30 million would be made available to support the funding of back-fill for union activists to enable us to implement it properly. This was then clarified as being £15 million in 2004/5 and £15 million in 2005/6. Facility time […]

New Labour’s Continued Privatisation of the NHS

This Conference condemns the New Labour Government for its slice by slice privatisation of the NHS. In contrast with the extremely limited concessions on workers rights in the so called “Warwick Agreement”, New Labour has continued full steam ahead towards it’s goal of the full privatisation of the service. The latest gifts to big business […]

Cost of Living Supplements/High Cost Area Supplements

This conference notes that under the Agenda for Change Agreement, Cost of Living Supplements (COLS) are to be “re-expressed” as long-term Recruitment and Retention Premia. This measure simply perpetuates the fundamental injustice of COLS, which were introduced without negotiation in 2001, payable to nurses and other health professionals in some areas, but not paid to […]

Anti-Racist Strategy

This Conference supports UNISON’s anti-racist strategy and recommends that all lay and full-time activists on regional and national committees receive training around the strategy and it’s implications. Composite F passed at the 2004 health conference outlined how UNISON health branches could use the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to ensure employers are complying with their […]

Agenda for Change

Conference notes that the Agenda for Change proposals were accepted in the ballot of UNISON members and are now being implemented. Acceptance and implementation do not mark the end of the process of negotiations on new terms and conditions and pay structure but only an interim stage. Conference affirms that UNISON regards Agenda for Change […]

Agenda for Change – Terms and Conditions

This Conference recognises the enormous amount of work from both partners in agreeing the Terms and Conditions Handbook for Agenda for Change. Much has been done to modernise and harmonise agreements. However as previously indicated in the proposed agreement a number of former national agreements will now need to be agreed at a local level. […]

Collective Responsibility

This branch calls upon the Service Group Executive to prepare further guidance and advice over the issue of collective responsibility of SGE Members.

Patient Transport Services and Privatisation

Ambulance Trust Staff are best suited to the safe, caring transportation of patients to and from hospitals or other care centres whatever their level of urgency. This conference is very concerned at the use of the private sector, and in particular security companies to carry out such duties. Cost cutting and insufficient numbers of in-house […]

Future Pay Awards

Conference notes and welcomes that with a 2006 pay settlement matching inflation we will have achieved a £6.00 minimum wage in April 2006. However Conference does not accept that the Agenda for Change agreement in any way precludes UNISON for fighting for further improvements in this or other fields and resolves that, in order to […]

35 Hour Working Week

Conference reaffirms its commitment to a 35 hour week. It notes that the main reason for Agenda for Change terms being 37 ½ hours is due to the shortage of nurses. As a consequence of this the agency bill for the NHS is outrageously enormous. Conference accepts that the Government has made some progress in […]

Use of Fire Service Staff to Answer Emergency Call-Outs

Conference notes that in some parts of the country Fire Service Staff are being asked to carry out the functions of the Ambulance Service. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to: i.Support the FBU in resisting this; ii.Campaign against this and campaign for adequate resources for Ambulance Staff.

Mental Health Nurse Training

This conference wishes to express its extreme concern over the way in which mental health nurse training is currently organised. In many parts of the country student mental health nurses have to go through a core foundation year. This leaves them only two years to develop the skills and gain the experience and confidence they […]

Shift Working

This conference recognises that there is evidence that shows working rotating shifts, alternating and night shifts has an adverse affect on the physical, mental and social well-being of employees. Within the NHS there are many thousands of employees working these shifts and this number is rising. Conference realises that fatigue, sleeping difficulties, digestive problems, sleeping […]

Funding of Agenda for Change Knowledge and Skills Framework

This Conference is concerned that the Knowledge and Skills Framework within Agenda for Change will be compromised if insufficient resources are made available for its ongoing implementation and reaffirms that personal development of the workforce is crucial in delivering a first class NHS. Conference calls upon the NHS Staff Council to seek assurances that this […]