Local government pay is an equality issue

Conference notes that the myth of the well-rewarded, secure and complacent public sector worker and the reality of local government pay are worlds apart. In 2011, 8% of full-time workers and 38% of part-time workers in local government – a quarter of the workforce – earned less than the Living Wage of £7.20 an hour. […]

Women and the cuts

Conference condemns the continued attack on women and the price they are paying for the harsh austerity measures. Women’s unemployment stands at a 23 year high, with a staggering 1.09 million women unemployed. Cuts in public sector employment are having a disproportionate effect on women, and women in communities across the country are struggling to […]

End child poverty

Conference is deeply concerned that the UK has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the industrialised world. It is a national disgrace that the UK has proportionally more children in poverty than most rich countries. Almost four million of our children will grow up in poverty and these numbers are rising. This […]

Rule I Disciplinary Action

Rule I 8.5 Add at end “up to a maximum of 36 months;” Rule I 8.6 Add at end “up to a maximum of 36 months;”

Stop disability hate crime

Conference is concerned about the level of hate crime aimed at disabled people. Although there is no legal definition of disability hate crime the Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) agree that it can be defined as “any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other […]

Disability leave

Conference recognises that distinguishing between general sickness absence and disability-related sickness absence is vital as it helps remove the disadvantage and discrimination experienced by disabled people in the workplace. In the current climate of recession and redundancy it has never been more important for disability leave policies to be negotiated and implemented by employers, failure […]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – THE BATTLE FOR DECENT PENSIONS FOR WOMEN

Conference notes with concern that the proposed changes to the Local government pensions scheme (LGPS) and the state retirement age are disproportionately impacting on the lives of women. Women local government workers are already statistically more likely to have lower pensions, primarily due to time taken out of the workplace and part-time working to meet […]

Living On The Edge

Conference condemns the treatment of local government workers across the four UK countries by their employers who as well as cutting jobs, are in an increasing number of places, attempting to cut hours, overtime pay, unsocial hours payments, car allowances, increments and annual leave to name a few. Conference notes that this is on top […]

Women hit hardest

Conference notes that, in addition to the pay freeze, there is a hidden impact of this government’s agenda on public sector wages on women working in local government. 75% of workers in local government are women, and more than half of those work part-time. Recent research by the Policy Institute has found that in the […]

Cuts in Youth Services

Conference deplores the tsunami of cuts to youth services in the statutory and voluntary sectors. Across the country, councils are taking an axe to their youth services – the very youth clubs and projects cited by the prime minister as examples of excellence are being lost. The workforce is facing major redundancies and those workers […]

Youth Services and Mutualisation

Conference is concerned that the emphasis of delivery in the Government’s positive for youth policy lies with commissioning the community and voluntary sector and the encouragement of mutualisation. Conference is concerned that the commissioning agenda will lead to a massive detriment to terms and conditions across both voluntary and statutory youth sectors, a continuing shift […]

Challenging Racism, defending public services

Conference notes with deep concern new research by UNISON on the disproportionate impact of public services cuts on Black workers. This research, conducted as part of UNISON’s Challenging Racism in the Workplace, and piloted in Greater London late last year, showed that Black employees in Local Government were paying the price for public service cuts […]

Living Wage and Not Regional Pay

This Conference notes with concern the failure of the National Employers to offer or properly negotiate an affordable pay settlement. In reality UNISON members in local government are suffering a multi-year pay cut compounded by inflation rate and cost of living increases and the failure of the Government £250 settlement to be awarded. Local Government […]

Administration of Medicines and Medical Procedures in Schools and Other Educational Settings

Conference notes that discussions continue with governments’ across the UK, around responsibility for administration of medicines and medical procedures in educational settings. Current guidance requires schools to develop policies on administration of medicine and medical procedures to support with pupils with health conditions. Staff are expected to administer a range of treatment, from basic medicines […]

RPI not CPI for indexation of pensions

Conference condemns the decision of the coalition government to change the indexation of pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from April 2011. Conference believes that this change in indexation from RPI to CPI together with the rising cost of living will result is a significant increase in pensioner […]