Agenda for Change

This Conference expresses its grave concern regarding the lack of information emanating from the Early Implementer Pilot Sites and UNISON’s consequent inability to monitor our areas of major concern, including:- ·Unsocial hours payments · ·Progression through “gateways” · ·Protection arrangements · ·Disadvantaged groups, e.g. those whose working hours will be increased · Conference therefore seeks […]

Health Professions Council

Conference notes with increasing concern the problems associated with the HPC processing applications for placement or renewal on its register. The high incidence of delays, apparent non-receipt or misplacement of applications and then inability to cope with resulting inquiries from occupational therapists as their registration/renewal date approached last November is of particular concern. Conference notes […]

Electronic Speed Traps – Effect on Emergency Vehicles

Conference notes with concern the effect on the ambulance service and other emergency services of the increasing use by local authorities of electronic speed traps. Such is the effect of these machines that ambulance services now employ scarce resources simply to deal with the administration of the paperwork generated when ambulances that are answering emergency […]

Ambulance Technicians

Most health professions have training and education programmes that lead to a single qualification and professional title. However, in the ambulance service the basic training for an emergency care practitioner qualifies you for the post of Ambulance Technician. To become a registered practitioner in emergency care and to use the title of Paramedic, authorized Technicians […]

Training

This conference calls upon the SGE to use all avenues open to it to ensure that NHS trusts harmonise funding for training in the workplace between all professions and occupations in the NHS. This is essential if the NHS is to ensure suitably qualified staff will be available in the future in all occupational groups. […]

Foundation Hosptials and Women

This conference deplores the creation of Foundation Hospitals, and is particularly saddened this initiative has been introduced by a Labour Government. Almost 80% of NHS staff are women, mainly employed in low paid jobs. Foundation hospitals will be able to offer their own pay and conditions to their staff, creating a two-tier workforce in the […]

Agenda for Change – NHS Staff Council – a flawed system

Conference notes with concern that hundreds of thousands of members of UNISON would be hugely under represented on the proposed Agenda for Change NHS Staff Council. We note that: 1.The new Agenda for Change NHS Staff Council is currently in shadow form; 2.On this body UNISON members have just 7 out of a total 34 […]

Amendment to Rule D.4 – Self-Organised Groups

Standing Order 2 Standing Orders Committee

Insert new 2.2: “No delegate shall serve on Standing Orders Committee for more than three consecutive years.” Re-number following points.

GLASGAY!

Glasgay! is the UK’s largest multi-arts festival for multi-sexual people and their friends. Every November the festival presents the best gay art from around the world with events spanning comedy, music, film, theatre, visual art, performance art, literature, club nights, education events, community arts projects and even a traditional Scottish Ceilidh dance. The last year […]

Women and Pensions *

Conference is concerned that women today are facing a considerable pensions gap: for every pound of income received by men in a pensioner couple, women receive less than 32 pence. Female single pensioners are one of the poorest groups of the older population, and currently nearly a quarter live in poverty. The issue of pension […]

Domestic Violence and Legal Aid

Conference notes the Government’s recent consultation paper on domestic violence entitled Safety and Justice. Conference welcomes the paper as a basis for discussion on improving responses to domestic violence. However, Conference believes that the paper does not go far enough in recognising the financial difficulties experienced by women who are ineligible for legal aid but […]

Women and Equality in Pension Provision *

Conference welcomes the excellent campaign launched this year by the Fawcett Society and Age Concern to raise awareness and campaign for improved pension provisions for women. Women suffer pay inequality during their working lives, which continues to impact upon them in their retirement. Twenty five per cent of single female pensioners live in poverty and […]

Organising for Equality for Lesbian Workers

Conference welcomes the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, which came into force at the end of last year. Lesbians face widespread discrimination and prejudice in the workplace. Until the regulations came into force, they had no legal protection from such discrimination. Conference recognises, however, that laws only make a difference if they are used. […]

The Childcare Challenge

Conference notes with great concern the increasing cost of childcare and the increasing difficulty in finding high quality and flexible childcare places. The typical cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two is £128 a week, more than £6,650 a year, which is up 6.7 per cent on last year. And in […]