Conference notes the statutory guidance on ‘Safe, Strong and Prosperous Communities’ which replaces existing guidance from 2003 on ‘Best Value’. The sections which deal with workforce issues – including the ‘Best Value Code of Practice on Workforce Matters’ on the two tier workforce – are also withdrawn and replaced. The Best Value Code followed the […]
Conference motions
Conference notes: 1.that current government policies envisage a major expansion of collaboration and shared services to both ‘join-up’ delivery and to meet the requirements of harsh efficiency savings, affecting all parts of the UK and this especially impacts on members in local government.. 2.that Government policy is pushing an agenda of shared services as part […]
Conference notes that services delivered under the auspices of “Local Strategic Partnerships” (LSP’s) will have an increasingly significant impact on UNISON members in many Service Groups; but it will impact in particular, and sooner, on members in Local Government because of the leading role local authorities have in LSP’s and the planned shift in funding. […]
Conference welcomes the increased flexibility that has been given to local authorities to focus their spending on local needs. The conversion of many ring-fenced grants in both England (through Area Based Grants) and Scotland (as agreed in the Scottish Local Government Concordat) to general funding is welcome. The burden of assessment of council services is […]
Health students across the National Health Service face significant challenges throughout their studies; to become the nurses, midwives, paramedics, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners and social workers of the future. With clinical placements and high course hours on top of their academic work, the knowledge of a secure job at the end is a significant […]
Conference is appalled that mental health services are still so poorly funded in comparison with other parts of the NHS and that some staff in mental health teams are increasingly taking on more responsible roles, without the appropriate acknowledgement or reward for doing so. Government promises to prioritise mental health services have not been carried […]
Conference notes the statistics published by the NHS Security Management Service for 2006-7 showing a fall in violence against NHS staff in England. However Conference is concerned that in both the Ambulance and Mental Healthcare sectors the reduction was significantly less than elsewhere and front line workers in these areas continue to face unacceptable levels […]
This conference is concerned that many NHS employers are seeking to avoid their obligations under the Agenda for Change agreement by conducting restructurings of their organisations, or sections or departments within them, to deliberately achieve the down-banding or down-grading of staff, particularly those in clinical or therapy or professional specialist or leadership posts. The government’s […]
Conference notes the attention given to hospital infection rates, and the resulting government campaign for cleaner hospitals. Because of the requirement to make huge efficiency savings and continuing lack of resources, cleanliness in hospitals is suffering and more and more cleaning staff are having to take on extra duties including “hands-on” patient care. We note […]
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 […]
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 […]
Conference notes the significance attached to Local Area Agreements (LAAs), new ‘partnership’ structures, and the significant role that they are playing in the delivery of public services by bringing together public, private, private and voluntary sectors. Conference believes that this has an impact on Local Government UNISON members working in these sectors. Conference is concerned […]
Conference notes that the Local Government Employers have introduced the idea of the ‘Public Sector Worker’ in recent discussion documents. They have suggested that there should be core pay and conditions, providing for equity and protection for employees moving between sectors and in to shared service arrangements. The idea is also being discussed with the […]
This Conference notes the Prime Minister’s announcement on 28 January 2008 that he wants to see one in five young people on apprenticeships within 10 years, in a push to win the global “skills race”. He also announced that as a first step the number of places on offer for 16 to 18-year-olds would be […]
Disabled members are reporting a detrimental impact on their working conditions as a result of action arising from efficiency reviews; there is little evidence of employers meeting their legal responsibilities to undertake Disability Equality Impact Assessments when shared services or outsourcing are being contemplated. Branches should be aware of the wealth of arguments within the […]