PROMOTING AWARENESS OF DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT (DDA) IN THE WORKPLACE

In recent years disabled people have benefited from changes in law, which has meant – in some instances – that employment has been easier to obtain and maintain, because of the requirement to make reasonable adjustments. However, we are concerned that due to a lack of appropriate training information and support, the Disability Discrimination Act, […]

BUILDING REGULATIONS AND DISABLED ACCESS

Part M of Schedule 1 of The Building Regulations 1991 as amended by the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulation 1998 deals with access and facilities for disabled people. Conference notes that Section M is limited to: a)Reasonable provision for disabled people to gain access to and to use the building b)Reasonable provision of sanitary facilities in […]

UNISON EQUALITY DUTY – TRAINING FOR BRANCH ACTIVISTS

Conference welcomes the UNISON Equality Duty, because equality for members is at the heart of what we do. Conference believes that the UNISON Equality Duty cannot be fully effective without the appropriate training being made available for all branch activists and all other interested UNISON members. Conference believes that training is a valuable tool for […]

AGENCY WORKERS

This conference applauds the negotiations that UNISON has been involved in through the TUC to secure employment protection for agency workers who are employed for 12 weeks with the same employer. However, we are concerned that disabled agency workers may face particular disadvantage: Agencies may perpetuate institutional disability discrimination by not offering temporary positions for […]

Christmas falling on a weekend

Conference is aware that there is a payment issue when Christmas Day, Boxing Day and/or New Years Day falls on a weekend. Staff, unlike officers, are only paid Bank Holiday rates for the days designated as Bank Holidays and can end up working the actual days with no additional payment. Following the last series which […]

Making Equality Count

Conference is concerned that some police services have introduced workforce monitoring on sexual orientation without any consultation with UNISON or other staff unions, or with any clear purpose. Some police employers only liaise with the Gay Police Association and/or independent organisations that deal with leasbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, such as MESMAC (Men who […]

Representation on Service Group Standing Orders Committee

The scheme of representation to the Police Staff Service Group Conference Standing Orders Committee shall be amended as follows: 1)Each Region shall be eligible to nominate one suitably trained representative; 2)Two Representatives shall be drawn from the National Delegate Conference Standing Orders Committee; 3)Proportionality and fair representation to apply.

White Ribbon Campaign

Conference condemns Domestic Violence and abuse in all forms and guises. Conference therefore instructs the Service Group Executive to support International White Ribbon Day on 25th November 2008 by circulating to all branches UNISON’s advice on dealing with Domestic Violence and abuse and an information sheet on the White Ribbon Campaign.

Disabled Police Staff – the poor relation?

This Conference is concerned that police staff struggle to get the same level of support offered to police officers. Reasonable adjustments are not easily available and little regard is taken in the Personal Development process to ensure that police staff are afforded appropriate opportunities to develop their careers and enjoy the range of job opportunities […]

Police Staff Training

This Conference notes the importance of better training for Police Staff. Police Staff for many years have been treated differently from police officers when it comes to police training. This Conference calls upon the Police Staff Service Group to listen to police staff needs, and lead a campaign to identifying training needs, in particular in […]

Supporting Women in Education

Conference believes in promoting education for all, but often that is not the situation for our women members. They find themselves balancing their lives around home and work without the opportunity or encouragement to develop for themselves or their employment. UNISON within the East Midlands region has recently run a women’s lives course with a […]

Victims of Domestic Abuse

Conference believes our members are often placed in a vulnerable position when they are victims of domestic abuse. The employer tends to follow their own domestic abuse policy which relates to that of a service provider and not that of an employer. The absence of such policies often leaves our members open to further vulnerabilities […]

CALCULATING PRICE INDEX

Conference believes that although we are firmly committed to the restoration of the earnings link we should also seek to strengthen the link to price increase. Conference notes that the “shopping basket” used to calculate the price index contains many items that are not relevant to pensioners, for example, video games. Conference therefore requests that […]

THE ORGANISING APPROACH

Conference notes that in recent years UNISON has evolved from an organisation with a servicing culture to one with an organising approach. The union is more likely to get good results where it has strong membership organisation. Strong membership is based on the following organising principles: i.Working collectively; ii.Listening to members’ views; iii.Knowing where our […]

PENSIONS GOVERNANCE

Conference notes that UNISON has established policy to undertake work to develop, train and elect members to become effective trustees or member representatives of private and public pension funds. The importance of member involvement can be illustrated by the Local Government Scheme (LGPS). Collectively the LGPS would be the largest pension fund in the UK […]