Part Time is Not Second Best

The Women and Work Commission report has once again highlighted the need for quality part-time work to be available to women if the gender pay gap is ever to be closed. LG part-time women earn a mere 58% of full-time men working in local government 85% of NJC workers on points 4-6 are part time, […]

Assessment of Ill Health

Conference notes the trend towards ever more rigorous application of varied standards before allowing access to pensions in cases of ill health While we are keen to explore all reasonable alternative work, especially within the rules of the Disabilities Discrimination Act, we are opposed to the termination of contracts due to incapacity without access to […]

Pensions

Conference notes that while UNISON has campaigned hard for the defence of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), pensions remains an issue which is difficult to raise effectively among young members. Conference also notes that this is undoubtedly in part due to the prospect of a long-term investment of a significant element of income to […]

Increase in Fuel Price – Negotiations

Conference calls upon the National Local Government Service Group Executive and the Scottish Local Government Committee to: 1)Re-negotiate the National Joint Council and the Scottish Joint Council rates on travelling in line with the increase in fuel prices; 2)Lobby for the Inland Revenue rate to be re-negotiated in line with the rise in fuel costs; […]

UNISON in Housing Associations

Conference recognises UNISON’s strong and consistent support for council stock. 2005 National Delegate Conference motion 51 builds on previous policy and continues the thread of Local Government Motion 37 (2004) and National Conference Composite D (2004) entitled “Housing”. Conference recalls the yearly Housing Seminar held nationally for UNISON activists and members. A key aim of […]

Nursery Nurse Pay

This Service Group Conference:- 1)Condemns the continuing failure of the employers to address the issue of Nursery Nurse pay on a national basis in England and Wales 2)welcomes the pay increases that nursery nurses achieved across Scotland and the Scottish Executive’s national review of the Early Years and childcare workforce due to be released for […]

Developing Further Education College Organisation

This Conference notes that further education colleges face significant challenges in securing implementation of national pay and conditions agreements. These have recommendation status only and at least one third of colleges ignore them. This problem is compounded by the unstable and variable funding environment and the business ethos of colleges which are corporations. Over the […]

ALMOs and Housing Stock Transfers

Conference notes the problems associated with Housing Stock transfers. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to: 1)Produce a report identifying the “star ratings” for all Housing authorities and ALMO’s. This report should highlight any changes in the star ratings since the establishment of any individual ALMO. This report should be completed in time for Local […]

Amendments to Pay Consultation Procedures

This Conference agrees to the following amendments to the Pay Consultation Procedures agreed by the 2002 Local Government Service Group Conference: 8e – Regions – Add after first sentence – “Regions shall be encouraged to hold delegate meetings for branches covered by the pay offer, in order to debate the proposals and how to encourage […]

The Disability Equality Duty and Local Government

This Local Government Conference welcomes the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 which will impose a new Disability Equality Duty on local authorities from December 2006. We believe these duties could help reconstruct a barrier free society and provide equality of opportunity for the millions of disabled people who are in work or wanting work in local […]

Race Equality Schemes

Conference notes the lack of implementation regarding Race Equality Schemes. Since 31 May 2005 organisations had to be compliant. Unfortunately little is being done to assess organistions to assess whether they are compliant or not. 1. We call upon the NBMC/NEC to liase with a) Service groups to monitor what is happening in branches; b) […]

Mapping of Black Members

Conference notes that successive reports commissioned by the TUC and government’s own statistics that confirm that Black workers continue to be concentrated in the lowest paid jobs. Conference further notes the increase in attacks against the Black communities following the tragic London bombing in July 05 and the BNP for its attempt to exploit the […]

Lack of Visibility of Black Members: Attendace at UNISON’s Conferences

The North West Regional Black Members’ Group are concerned at the low and decreasing numbers of Black Members attending UNISON’s Conferences. It was noted in 2005 that the numbers of Black Members who attended; Women’s’ Conference, Health Conference, Local Government Conference, National Delegate Conference and all the Service Group Conferences held this year was significantly […]

Palestinian Right to Education

Conference expresses its concern regarding Israel’s deportation to Gaza of four Palestinian students at Birzeit University in the West Bank. Conference notes that these Gazen students have not been accused of any offence; rejects as illegal the condition imposed by the Israeli military authorities that any resumption of their studies would be dependent on the […]

Global Warming and Racism

Conference notes the recent events in New Orleans and surrounding areas of the southern USA following the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans is a graphic illustration of what happens when there is a lack of coordination in relation to emergency evacuation procedures. ‘Cuba can boast an impressive record in safeguarding its residents against […]