SAVE CARE NOW

Conference welcomes the continuing progress being made with UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter and the broader campaign rebranded ‘Save Care Now’. Social care budgets in England have been slashed by £2.68 billion in the last three years. The government claims the 2% precept English councils have been permitted to add to Council Tax will raise £2 […]

A TAX FREE STATE PENSION

This Conference regrets that there is no automatic notification to HMRC to adjust tax codes to account for the receipt of State Pension. Despite low occupational pensions, the receipt of State Pension frequently puts retired members above the level of personal allowance (£11,000 for 2016/17) and therefore liable for payment of tax. It is everyone’s […]

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RETIRED PEOPLE

Our 2014 Conference instructed the National Retired Members Committee and the National Executive Council to resist moves to make access for retired people to goods, services benefits and social communications available only via the internet. Sadly this process continues with many service providers such as banks, building societies, energy providers and travel companies only offering […]

RETIRED MEMBERS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONS SCHEME

Since the implementation of the proposals of the 2011 Lord Hutton enquiry the significant changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme have produced a knock on effect that affects existing pensioners and those with deferred benefits as well as our current serving colleagues. Putting to one side the imposition of higher contributions and later retirement […]

RURAL BUS SERVICES

Conference is concerned at the government cuts to councils for bus services, £27m in the current year and the impact this will have on rural communities who depend on bus services to get around. Rural bus services are being wiped out in many areas of England and Wales due to cuts in subsidies. Described by […]

TICKETLESS TRAIN TRAVEL

Conference is concerned to learn that the rail industry is planning to replace paper train tickets with smartphone technology within three years and the impact this will have on older/elderly travellers who it is feared will be subsidising younger generations. Campaign group Railfuture has warned that elderly people who do not have smartphones and will […]

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONS – GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

Conference notes that the government is proposing new Local Government Pension Scheme investment regulations and asset pooling. Whilst there could be advantages in the pooling of LGPS funds, should this go forward, the proposal also gives new power to the government to decide where council pension funds make investments. As such, Conference fully endorses UNISON’s […]

Oppose the TU Bill

This Energy conference believes that the Trade Union Bill represents the biggest assault on working people’s rights in living memory and represents an unashamed and deliberate attack on public sector trade unions in particular. The Bill affects almost every aspect of trade unionism in England, Wales and Scotland. It shifts the balance of power in […]

Developing Pension Capacity

Conference notes that defined benefit (DB) pension provision in the sector has been in decline. The closing of DB schemes and replacing them with defined contribution (DC) has in many cases been to the clear detriment of our members. Conference welcomes efforts already made to support pension developments within energy employers more actively and to […]

Energy Policy in the UK

This conference believes that the Government has failed to address significant issues relating to the future of energy supply in the UK. Despite repeated warnings by a range of stakeholders including UNISON, the Conservative Government’s inability to strategically plan for a low carbon energy supply future leaves the country in a perilous position going forward. […]

Fracking

Conference notes: Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as ‘Fracking’ is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out at the head of […]

Mental health at work

Conference, Disabled members are concerned over how mental health is addressed in the work place, what is in place to help those with mental ill health while they are at work? Many of our members may already have a mental health condition or may have mental health conditions triggered by stress, stress can be from […]

The impact of state pension changes on workers in the Energy sector

Conference notes that from 6 April 2016 the Basic State Pension and Second State Pension (S2P) will end and be combined/ replaced by a new State Pension. The majority of members in the energy service group are currently paying reduced rate NI Contributions because they are in a work place pension scheme that is better […]

Stress and Overwork

Conference we remain concerned at the cuts and extreme pressures on local government workers and the real crisis in Councils across the UK, and support the need for more resources and investment by Scottish and UK Governments. The Westminster government’s slash and burn response to the economic crisis, and their austerity measures have resulted in […]

Local Government Trading Companies

Conference we know that many councils have now established local trading companies. As you know these trade as separate companies to the council, but are wholly owned by them. Within local UNISON branches we are told that the reasons behind these companies being established normally falls into two categories: 1)Service delivery model, where they do […]