In times of economic recession the most vulnerable in society are at greatest risk. As the economic crisis deepens and its long term nature becomes evident there is the very real threat that inequality widens, the equalities agenda is sidelined and that women, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), young workers, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) […]
Conference motions
Conference notes the enormous pressures on local authorities, and other public bodies, to make efficiency savings and their current tight financial predicament. Conference is concerned that some authorities are responding to this situation by knee-jerk privatisation to cut costs. This is counter-productive not only because it cuts public services at the time when they are […]
Conference notes that a reduction in public receipts, spending cuts and associated demands for “efficiency” savings, is resulting in redundancies and recruitment freezes across our public services. This is especially damaging during an economic recession resulting in rising job losses in the private sector and increasing demands placed upon public services. Public service workers are […]
Conference recognises that just as negotiations on the national and Scottish Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) draw to a close, and after NHS Colleagues have settled on their pension scheme, our pensions are again under attack. Comments from Tory politicians like, “pensions apartheid” and “gilt edged” and Liberal Democrat statements that our pensions are “unsustainable […]
Conference recognises that many public service employers have now moved their staff on to the Approved Mileage Allowance (AMAP). This is a payment of 40p a mile for staff who use their own car for work. In some employers a buy out has been negotiated but in others it has been imposed. Many employers, particularly […]
Conference notes that The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is a new public body which is being created with the intention of preventing unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. From October 2009, individuals working with vulnerable adults or children will be required to register with the ISA. This will affect over 11 million […]
Conference welcomes the figures on membership growth in 2008. This growth reflects continuing regional and branch commitment to organising and recruitment. Conference congratulates those branches that have engaged in successful organising campaigns and notes that organising must remain central to the work of UNISON. Conference believes that strong trade union membership is even more important […]
Conference recognises that many members employed by Energy Companies are suffering from the effects of the current international financial crisis. Although companies continue to report healthy profits, some have implemented cost savings leading to job losses and plans to invest in new greener energy infrastructure have been subjected to further reviews. Conference believes that both […]
Conference Notes: i)The economic crisis which has spread rapidly across the globe, forcing thousands of businesses into bankruptcy and millions of workers into unemployment and poverty; ii)The hundreds of billions of pounds of public money which has been spent by governments across the world trying to prop up the world financial system in order to […]
Conference notes with concern that many employers have introduced draconian measures to reduce rates of sickness absence. These measures often seek to diminish the status of GP’s certificates in favour of assessments by company appointed private Occupational Health practitioners. They also attempt to marginalise existing collective agreements of sickness absence and often make no distinction […]
Conference reiterates its long held belief that privatisation of energy companies and liberalisation of the energy market have not worked in the long term interests of consumers, the wider community or the employees. An unacceptable number of people are falling into ‘fuel poverty’ as energy bills remain too high and incomes fall. Conference regrets that […]
Conference notes the importance of our union’s conferences, both in their democratic policy making role and also for the way they inform and inspire activists to return, re-energised, to their local union work. Conference notes with regret that only a minority of Energy branches send delegates to the annual UNISON lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender […]
Everywhere publicly provided care essential for older people in our society is under attack. UNISON has already demonstrated the extent to which the mass transfers to the private and voluntary sectors have taken place. We have also demonstrated subsequent reductions in the quality of care. In a society with an ageing population with increased social […]
Conference notes that UNISON’s predictions on the consequences of using PFI as a means of public procurement have now become reality. The PFI model is busted beyond repair. The only way it can be fixed is by untenable massive injections of public money and a further increase in debt in the public balance sheet. However […]
Conference acknowledges the vital importance of investing in the training and development of our members and existing and future lay leaders at local, regional and national level as part of meeting the organising challenge. In particular, Conference applauds the introduction of the leadership development programme at national level. However, conference recognises that a consistent union-wide […]