AN ANTI RACISM CHARTER FOR ALL

Conference notes that on the 7th June 2023 the East of England Probation area signed up to UNISON Eastern Region’s Anti-Racism Charter. Whilst the Probation Service has a comprehensive work plan in relation to actions identified in a joint union employer survey on race, the feedback from members has been that the actions have taken […]

AGENCY STAFF CONTRACT REFORMS

Evidence has emerged that the Probation Service has spent and continues to spend millions of pounds on agency staff. Whilst it is acknowledged that agency staff are an asset that is vital in managing the work of the service, it is noted that a significant proportion of the money spent on their employment is taken […]

POLICE STAFF GRIEVANCES

Conference notes that analysis and scrutiny of grievances raised by Police Staff is not currently undertaken by the Service Group Executive (SGE). Conference believes that the SGE should have an overview of key issues raised by police staff through the grievance process to inform the national bargaining agenda. The SGE should have access to data […]

Council provided care

Conference notes the campaigns for a National Care Service in each of the 4 nations and UNISON’s support, in principle, for such a proposal. Local government in Scotland, Wales and England and that any proposals for a National Care Service should respect and build upon this. Conference notes that social care is essentially a community-based […]

Menopause awareness and support in local government

Conference notes that as a union of one million women, women will always be at the heart of UNISON. Conference also notes that UNISON has proudly campaigned for many years to remove what many campaigners and activists call the last great workplace taboo. Conference further notes that the demography of UNISONs membership in social care […]

Cuts and funding

Conference believes that, due to years of under-funding and cuts from the Westminster government, local government across the UK is in grave danger. Extensive UNISON research from last autumn revealed that councils across the UK were facing a funding shortfall of £3.2bn in 2023/24 and a cumulative funding gap of £5.3bn for 2024/25. A small […]

The cost living crisis on Ethnic Minority

The cost of living crisis on Ethnic Minority The cost of living crisis in the UK is disproportionality impacting on ethnic minority women workers, many of whom are part time workers. Black employees could see the hardest hit to their wage as inflation rates in the UK continue to surge. A report by the Womens […]

Workplace Policies on Sexual Harassment

Conference notes that a number of motions were passed at National Delegate Conference in 2022 on Violence Against Women. Too many public bodies are moving towards having an all encompassing fair treatment at work policy rather than individual polices focusing on specific issues like sexual harassment, racial discrimination etc. where the voices of marginalised groups […]

Cost of Living Crisis-Maternity Leave

The cost of living crisis is affecting everyone, with the inflation rate, hitting 10% last month, the highest levels in 40 years. The energy prices have rocketed and daily household expenses have also increased but wages are just rising by a maximum of just 5.2% (according to the Office for Budget Responsibility), with benefits increasing […]

We must defend attacks on Women’s human rights

Conference notes that commitments to abortion and sexual health rights have been quietly removed by the Government from an international pack on freedom of belief and gender equality. (https://inews.co.uk/news/government-removes-commitment-women-abortion-rights-summit-freedom-beliefs-1750246) Conference, over the last few years we have seen repeated attacks on women’s abortion and sexual health rights across the globe. In amending the language to […]

Dual discrimination and disabled women

Conference is concerned about the level of discrimination that disabled women are subjected to every day. Conference is further concerned at the government’s continuing failure to implement Section 14 of the Equality Act 2010 which offers protection against dual and multiple discrimination. At 14%, the Disability Pay Gap is the UK’s biggest pay gap and […]

BUFFER ZONES FOR ABORTION CLINICS

Conference notes that the decision to seek an abortion is never an easy one for a woman, and is a very stressful time of life. Conference also notes the recent attacks on Roe Vs Wade in the USA have given encouragement to anti-choice protesters and activists internationally. Such protests frequently take the form of picketing […]

Trial the 4-day work week

Conference believes it is time that Universities actively participated in 4-day work week trials. Universities are centres of research and innovation and many want to be ‘employers of choice’ (employers that people actively want to work for). They are the perfect institutions to try new approaches to work. Findings suggest that a 4-day week enhances […]

Black women and ‘There for you’ (UNISON Welfare)

Conference recognises that again and again Black females suffer economic disadvantage worldwide. Whether working as a domestic, a carers support staff, or in a senior management role. Black women fall into both gender and ethnicity pay gap lower earnings figures. Conference, Black women across the UK already know that experiencing racism at work is the […]

Defending and improving women’s rights internationally

Conference notes the words of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, “Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world.” Conference believes that identifying, celebrating and increasing visibility of women’s achievements worldwide can help forge equality and combat gender bias, and […]