Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This Conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive.

Joint Negotiating Committee for Youth and Community Workers

Conference notes that: Negotiations on the 2003 pay increase and restructuring of the JNC pay scales are still continuing. The employer’s negotiators and some elements of the staff side are remain resistant to UNISON’s recommendations that youth and community worker’s pay should be subject to equality proofing. Furthermore the majority of workers are part-time and […]

Violence in Social Care Field

Conference recognises that the vulnerability of children and adults with special needs or challenging behaviour is readily acknowledged by staff working in the social care field. However, Conference notes with concern both the increasing numbers of attacks on staff and also the increase in allegations of assault against staff and the lack of procedures and […]

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 […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Pensions – The Right to Decide

Conference notes with concern the Labour Government’s proposals to make legislative changes to ensure that pension schemes do not allow individuals to receive their pensions before the age of 55. Since 1990 power companies have traditionally reduced staffing levels during reorganisations, mergers, outsourcing, relocation exercises etc. by natural wastage, early retirements and voluntary redundancies. Voluntary […]

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 & Environment service group structures at national level. Conference notes the outcome of the consultation exercise with all three service groups and in the light of this agrees that further work is necessary subject to […]

Partnership Fund

This Energy Service Group Conference notes the existence of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund which is established to jointly improve workers lives where partnerships exist. We note that both Thames Water and United Utilities jointly with the Trade Unions have recently been successful in obtaining £50K and £45.5K respectively which benefits […]

Call Centre Sickness and Stress

This Conference believes that the Data Protection Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act should -provide its membership with personal protection equal to that of the Human Rights Act. We believe that the high sickness levels within call centre employees has direct links with the oppressive environment, constant supervision and targets set within this […]

Negotiating an End to Disability Discrimination

This Energy Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. However, we are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel Energy employers to disregard disability- related absence and the consequence of this in relation to sickness absence procedures. There […]

Furthering Our Equalities Work in the Business and Environment Service Groups

Conference welcomes the developing programme of work on equalities in the Business and Environment Service Groups, led at national level by the Business and Environment Equal Opportunities Working Group, in liaison with the national self-organised group committees. Conference notes the positive impact this has had on organisation of lesbian and gay members at branch, regional […]