Reasonable Adjustments – Reasonable for Whom?

The two legal frameworks that are supposed to ensure reasonable access to employment, shops, business, services and public buildings, for those with disabilities, are- • The Equality ACT 2010 • The Building Regulations (2004 edition, incorporating 2010 and 2013 amendments) Approved Document M This Conference is aware that this legislation is not allowing us the […]

Disability Hate Crime must be treated as Hate Crime

Conference is rightly proud of UNISON’s record of fighting Disability Hate Crime. We campaigned to raise awareness of Disability Hate Crime, for better reporting systems and fairer media coverage. We campaigned for disabled people to be treated as reliable witnesses and for more support for victims and witnesses. The police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) […]

An Ageing Population and Workforce: Diminishing Health and Disability

Conference, as we know, the Equality Act 2010 protects people within specified protected characteristics groups, including disability, from direct and indirect discrimination as well as harassment or victimisation arising from a disability. Some health conditions have automatic recognition under the Act while others have a twelve month qualifying period having lasted or expected to last […]

Supporting disabled people to stand for election

Conference is concerned that in the twenty-first century it is still almost impossible for disabled people to stand for elected office or pursue careers in the field of politics. For disabled women the barriers are exacerbated by societal sexism and misogyny. Almost 30% of people old enough to vote are disabled yet less than 2% […]

Pay Negotiations

Conference recognises that the police staff pay negotiations should be approached in a different way following the extended 2017 negotiations and subsequent disappointed settlement. Conference acknowledges this was negatively influenced by the police officers Pay Review Body award and in addition, due to the timing of the consultation process, members saw UNISON colleagues in other […]

Bargaining for good Mental Health policies in Police and Justice workplaces

Conference notes that our workplaces are changing, with members in Police and Justice facing increased workloads as targets are raised year on year and working conditions often deteriorating when services are privatised. These pressures have made the importance of ensuring good mental health in our workplaces clear. At least one in four of us will […]

Police Staff Council Pay and Reward Review Part 2

Conference welcomes the start of work on the Police Staff Council Pay and Reward Review Part 2. Conference notes that: 1)The terms of reference for Part 2 of the Review cover how police staff basic pay is determined and administered by forces, the relationship between police staff pay and workforce reform in the widest sense […]

Suspension is not a Neutral Act

Conferences notes with concern that UNISON members who are under investigation by their force or the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) appear to be facing longer periods of suspension for misconduct reasons, where they are removed from their workplace, isolated from their colleagues and generally left to look after their own welfare and mental […]

Privatisation and PFI – Building the Campaign

Conference notes: 1)UNISON’s sustained opposition to privatisation and the private finance initiative for more than two decades; 2)The positive role played by UNISON in securing the motions opposing PFI at the labour party conferences in 2001 and 2002 as UNISON demonstrated the negative impact of such schemes; highlighting that PFI contractors were cutting the pay, […]

Homelessness

Conference recognises the increase in homelessness in recent years. This is most readily seen by the increasing numbers of rough sleepers in all parts of the country. However, the number of people living in over-crowded conditions, ‘couch surfing’ and in inappropriate and often unsafe situations has also increased. The UK government has no credible homelessness […]

Organising and growing our membership in the Private Contractors and Community

Conference notes that UNISON membership in Private Contractors and Community employers continues to grow due to both increased recruitment but also increased contracting. In 2017 recruitment in these areas now represents nearly 31% of all new joiners nationally. This proportion was matched almost exactly in the East Midlands, with around 6% joining from Community and […]

Inclusion in our union – improving equality outcomes

Equality and diversity in our union is vital. Whilst we have a lot to celebrate and are seen at the front edge of equality policy and organising for equality with our self organised groups, there continues to be significant equality developments within our union, across employers and in our members’ workplaces. There are higher proportions […]

Low Pay and Women in UNISON

Conference celebrates the fact that the hard work of our low paid women members has been central to all the many successes of our union. UNISON’s principles of proportionality and fair representation means that some seats on our elected bodies, including the National Executive Council, are reserved for women low-paid members, so that the make-up […]

Protecting our members and growing in private contractors

Conference notes that in the 25 years since UNISON was created the world our members work in has changed considerably. Thatcher’s government opened the door to public sector privatisation and this has been built upon by successive governments. Under the coalition government outsourcing doubled and the current Westminster government shows no sign of changing course. […]

Housing Affordability is a growing concern for public service workers

Conference recognises that housing is an increasingly significant issue for the workforce in the Eastern Region and nationally, affecting where members can live, what they can access, work life balance and what they can afford. Government policies have failed to ensure an adequate supply of decent, secure, safe and truly affordable homes that workers and […]