Disability Leave

Conference instructs National Disabled Members Committee to give a written report back to next years conference along with a presentation on proposals on how to speed up the adoption of disability leave policy by employers where we organise across the UK. The report will need to look at why it has been adopted by some […]

AFFORDABLE SOCIAL HOUSING FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

It is estimated that the Governments house building target of 150,000 homes in England over four years will fall short of the number needed by nearly quarter of a million. Up to 5 million people are on housing waiting lists and 2.5 million families are living in overcrowded conditions. Where does this leave disabled people […]

FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS AND DISABLED WORKERS

Conference agrees that the flexible working arrangements which have been adopted by employers are of immense value to many disabled workers as well as workers with care commitments for a disabled member of their own household. The fact that employers in the public sector have signed agreements with unions to implement various family and disabled […]

The Big Society and Disabled Workers

The Government’s Big Society idea is not convincing as a progressive vehicle for advancing social justice and equality for disabled workers. For a start its context goes hand in hand with deep and reckless cuts in public spending that are already producing disproportionate reductions in the living standards of disabled people. Government attacks on the […]

Conference Timetable and Regional Meetings

This Conference notes that many Regional Disabled Members Committees hold pre-conference training sessions for delegates to the National Disabled Members’ Conference. However, not all delegates can attend these meetings and it is useful to be able to hold a regional meeting at the conference itself. It can be difficult to timetable such an event in […]

Don’t condem young disabled people

Conference believes that young people are amongst those most likely to suffer as a consequence of the damaging policies being pursued by the Con-Dem Government, and that young disabled people will be especially hard-hit. Conference also believes that: 1.The job losses in the public and private sector predicted by the Treasury will have a catastrophic […]

School Support Staff

This Conference condemns the Coalition Government’s decision to abolish the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). This is happening at the same time as the government is encouraging all schools in England to move away from local authorities and the number of academies, trust and foundation schools is increasing and the Government’s encouragement of setting […]

Defending the Local Government Pension Scheme

This Conference condemns the Coalition government’s ongoing attacks on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and welcomes the Service Group Executive’s statement of its response to those attacks issued in November 2010. Conference condemns the: 1)3% increase in employee subscriptions by 2014/15 required in the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review; 2)Switch from RPI to CPI for […]

Car Allowances and Rising Fuel Costs

Although UNISON has a National Agreement relating to casual and essential users and relevant mileage rates that accompany those categories of user, the outcome of Single Status negotiations together with the austere economic climate has led to more and more employers proposing to move away from the National Agreement towards the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment […]

Attacks on Terms and Conditions

Conference deplores current attacks on hard-won NJC pay and conditions across local authorities and Boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a pay freeze for a second year, without the £250 compensation promised by the Chancellor in his 2010 Budget. Dorset County Council proposed that its entire staff should take 1 day each month […]

Using Equality to Fight Local Government Cuts

Conference deplores the swingeing spending cuts taking place across local government. With a female workforce of over 75%, cuts to local government jobs and terms and conditions have a detrimental effect on women in particular and may adversely impact on other protected groups. The disproportionate impact of cuts on women is well documented: 1)The changes […]

Campaign Against local Government Cuts and for a Fair Deal

This Conference is appalled by the damage that has already been inflicted on local public services, to the communities that depend on them and to the loyal local government workforce that provides them by the social vandalism of the Conservative-led Government. Conference believes that there is no electoral mandate for the widespread destruction of council […]

Fighting To Defend Members’ Pension Rights

Conference notes with extreme concern the decision by Severn Trent PLC taken in May 2011 to give notice of its intention to close the final salary based Severn Trent Water Pension Scheme. Sadly most water companies have already closed their final salary schemes to new members with just one small water supply company, Cambridge also […]

Employers Discriminatory Tactics

Conference is concerned in the rise of employers using discriminatory tactics such as: ·Sickness procedures ·Capability and performance policies ·Presenteism ·Exclusion in recruitment and selection within restructure To rid themselves of disabled employees with minimum expenditure Conference calls upon UNISON National Disabled members Committee to: a)to work with branches and disabled members to actively pursue […]

On-line campaigning for disabled people

Conference welcomes the growth of on-line communities and social networking and the potential opportunities they offer for on-line activity for young and other disabled people. Conference notes the significant number of entries by disabled people to the “TUC’s 60 second advert” competition 2011. Conference also notes the growth of ‘armchair army’ online campaign groups e.g. […]