Health Care Associated Infections and the Cleaner Hospitals Campaign

Conference notes with concern that in England the majority of NHS Trusts are unlikely to meet their target, pledged by John Reid in November 2004, of halving Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) incident rates by April 2008. Conference is also concerned about the rise in incidence of Clostridium difficile (C diff) which now poses a bigger […]

NHS Pay – Proposal for All Member Ballot

Conference notes that the 2007/8 pay settlement for the NHS includes a commitment by the Government, Employers and unions to enter into further talks with a view to agreeing a multi-year agreement on pay and other issues. The 2007/8 settlement was agreed in an all member ballot held in September 2007 and was supported by […]

Public Services

Conference welcomes the Make Public Services Count campaign in response to the Government’s continued reform agenda for public services. 1)the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review means public bodies have to deliver at least 3% year on year efficiency savings; 2)the Government’s financial settlement for local government means many Councils will face major cuts over the next […]

Bill of Rights

This conference notes the proposal for the Prime Minister to bring forward a Bill of Rights for Great Britain. Conference expresses concern at Government hostility to the inclusion of socio-economic rights in such a Bill. Conference further notes that work has been underway in Northern Ireland to produce a Bill of Rights – including socio-economic […]

Rule P 11.2: Motions and Amendments not on the Agenda

Rule P.11 Add a new rule: ‘P11.3 For Service Group Conferences, the Service Group Regional Committee may submit ‘Emergency Motions’ in writing, signed by the Secretary and Chairperson and sent to the Standing Orders Committee at least five working days before the commencement of the Conference, except if it relates to events which take place […]

Colombia

Conference condemns the continuing violence and abuses against trade unions, social movements, and civil society organisations in Colombia. Colombia continues to be one of the most dangerous places to be a trade union activist. More than 3,500 trade union activists have been killed in the past 15 years, many have been disappeared, arrested and tortured […]

New Labour: What do we get for our money

Conference recognises that UNISON members are increasingly angry at the continued onslaught on public services, workers jobs, wages and conditions by the New Labour government and its policies. Conference also notes that in 2005 Conference agreed to call on UNISON Labour Link to publish the voting record of the UNISON groups of MPs. It is […]

Rule D 3.5.8 Service Group Executive

Rule D3.5.8 Add new rule D.3.5.8 ‘No member who holds a seat on the National Executive Council as a service group representative under Rule D2.3 can hold any other seat on a service group executive at the same time.’ Renumber rest of Rule D3.5

Supporting Trade Unions in South Africa and the Region

Conference congratulates Nelson Mandela on the occasion of his 90th birthday, which is on 18 July 2008. Many people and organisations are marking his birthday in 2008 as part of wider celebrations of South Africa’s struggle for liberation from apartheid, the successful establishment of a representative and participatory democracy and recognition of those who sacrificed […]

Public Services

Conference believes that changing political and economic circumstances make the case for sustained investment in quality public services delivered by well-trained and fairly rewarded public sector employees even more important. Conference notes that when given the option, as in Scotland and Wales, voters will support policy programmes that seek to strengthen and renew public services […]

Organising

The National Executive Council congratulates those branches and regions that have engaged in successful national and regional organising campaigns and notes that organising must remain central to the work of the union. The National Executive Council further notes that over the past five years the organising approach has led to a significant rise in the […]

The NHS at 60

As the National Health Service prepares to celebrate its 60th birthday in July 2008, conference welcomes the fact that its founding principles remain substantially intact. Despite government policies designed to drive more and more of the health service into private hands, the service is still largely publicly controlled, free at the point of need and […]

Local Services

Conference notes the 2007 Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act and the subsequent statutory guidance. This institutes new systems of delivering local public services in England affecting our members in Local Government, health, education, policing, transport and other areas. It also affects all our members as local citizens. Conference welcomes the increased co-ordination […]

Challenging Inequality – Enforcing Employment and Trade Union Rights

Conference notes the continuing advances in individual employment rights in the coming years but believes that there are three areas to prioritise in 2008 and 2009: the enforcement of employment rights, the collective rights of trade unions and the achievement of a single equality act. The legal right of agency workers to opt out of […]

Education and Skills

Conference notes that the Government is implementing the Leitch Review of Skills through new programmes and legislation and significantly increasing the resources for attaining qualifications through workplace training. Conference also notes the Governments ambition to increase opportunities and skills for young people by increasing the age for leaving school or training to first 17 and […]